Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
ICE acting director demands that politicians “stop putting my people in danger” with rhetoric to rile up activists.
“These are real people with real families you’re hurting with your ridiculous rhetoric and inflammatory comments, and it’s time to remember that.”
#shorts #shortsfeed #shortvideo
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Comprehensive Care Caucus, announced the introduction of a pair of bipartisan bills to expand access to palliative and hospice care. The Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act with Senators Barrasso (R-WY), Baldwin (D-WI), and Fischer (R-NE) would establish a demonstration project through Medicare to expand access to palliative care at the time of diagnosis of serious illness or injury. The Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act with Senators Barrasso (R-WY) and Baldwin (D-WI) would carve out payment for transfusion services within the Medicare hospice benefit, allowing for separate billing to Medicare for transfusions. This would improve access to hospice care for patients who rely on transfusion care to maintain quality of life.
“Having stepped away from my career to take care of my aging parents and in-laws, I know just how important it is that families have access to high-quality palliative and hospice care for their loved ones,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m glad to work across party lines to introduce these bipartisan bills and help make palliative care more accessible and available.”
“As a doctor, I have seen firsthand how important palliative care is for the comfort of patients and their families,” said Senator Barrasso. “Making sure patients have access to this care as soon as possible is critical to their quality of life. Our bipartisan bill ensures patients in Wyoming and across the country receive this care when they need it most.”
“Having been by my grandmother’s side as she aged and served as her caretaker, this issue is deeply personal for me,” said Senator Baldwin. “I know the challenges both patients and those who are providing this specialized care face, and we need to better support both of them. I am proud to work with Democrats and Republicans to expand and improve palliative care for American families because everyone deserves to know that if they need it, this kind of care is within reach.”
“The reintroduction of the Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act is a meaningful step toward ensuring patients and families can receive high-quality care when and where they need it. Building on the success of the Medicare Care Choices Model, we believe a concurrent care approach within hospice should be developed for national dissemination,” said Dr. Steve Landers, CEO of the National Alliance for Care at Home. “We also appreciate Senator Rosen’s leadership on the Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act, which addresses a key access challenge. The Alliance is proud to support these efforts to expand person-centered, community-based care.”
“The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) has long championed a Medicare payment model designed to close the gaps in care for individuals with serious illness, as well as their families and caregivers. This model aims to support palliative care teams of all sizes, structures, and regions in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care,” said Kristina Newport, MD FAAHPM, HMDC, AAHPM Chief Medical Officer. “We are proud to endorse the bipartisan Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act, which proposes testing a community-based palliative care model. We commend Senators Rosen, Barrasso, Baldwin, and Fischer—co-chairs of the Senate Comprehensive Care Caucus—for their leadership in introducing this vital legislation and their dedication to expanding access to palliative care. This effort will help align treatments with patients’ unique goals and preferences, enabling more care to be delivered in the settings where patients live.”
“We commend Sens. Rosen, Barrasso, and Baldwin for the introduction of the Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act,” said Belinda R. Avalos, MD, president of the American Society of Hematology. “This bill will support critical access to transfusions for patients with blood cancers in hospice and will make great strides in guaranteeing comprehensive palliative care.”
“The Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies applauds Senators Rosen, Barrasso, and Baldwin for reintroducing the Improving Access to Transfusion Care for Hospice Patients Act,” said Debra BenAvram, FASAE, CAE, AAB CEO. “The Association is committed to advancing patients’ access to safe blood transfusions throughout the continuum of care, and this bill addresses an important barrier for patients receiving care under the Medicare hospice benefit.”
“Blood transfusions are a proven palliative measure that can significantly enhance the quality of life for many patients,” said Kate Fry, CEO of America’s Blood Centers. “This legislation bridges a gap in care, ensuring patients can receive transfusions while also benefiting from the holistic support provided under the Medicare hospice benefit. It’s a compassionate step forward in patient-centered care that recognizes the complex needs of those navigating serious illnesses.”
Senator Rosen has been working to increase access to affordable, high-quality health care for Nevada’s seniors. Last month, she introduced the Lowering Costs For Caregivers Act to lower costs for caregivers and help families afford medical expenses. Senator Rosen has also introduced the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act and the Train More Nurses Act to address the shortages of medical professionals in Nevada that are reducing access to care and driving up costs.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s revival of his travel ban policy:
“Trump has said again that the latest travel ban is about targeting Muslims. So I’ll repeat what I said the last time he implemented this disgusting policy: Religious freedom is a Virginia value through and through, and it’s the First Amendment to the Constitution for good reason. Thomas Jefferson himself said we do not prefer or punish people in this country because of how they worship or whether or not they choose to worship. We forced Trump to explain himself in court last time, and we’ll do it again.”
During President Trump’s first term, Kaine was outspoken against President Trump’s discriminatory travel bans. Kaine is a cosponsor of the National Origin-Based Antidiscrimination for Nonimmigrants Act (NO BAN Act), legislation to clarify and strengthen the Immigrant and Nationality Act to ensure that the nondiscrimination provision includes protection from religious discrimination and applies to all individuals traveling to the U.S.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued the following statement condemning provisions in the Republican tax plan that would weaken gun safety measures that have been in place since 1934 by eliminating registration and ownership requirements for gun silencers under the National Firearms Act, increasing danger for law enforcement officers while saving gun manufacturers millions in unpaid manufacturer taxes:
“The Republican tax plan being pushed through Congress not only cuts critical services Virginians rely on in order to give huge tax breaks to billionaires, but it also makes our communities less safe by weakening gun safety measures on silencers. Part of the reason that these registration and ownership requirements exist is because silencers, like the one that was used in the Virginia Beach mass shooting, make it harder for law enforcement to locate and respond to an active shooter. Americans deserve to feel safe in their communities, and we will oppose this disastrous bill when it comes to the Senate floor.”
A gun silencer, also known as a suppressor, is attached to the barrel of a firearm in order to curb its sound, muzzle flash, and kickback. A silencer poses great danger to the public and makes it more difficult for law enforcement officers to detect the location of and respond to an active shooter. A silencer also diminishes the effectiveness of gunshot detection technology that relies on audio sensors to record the sound, time, and location of loud noises. A gun silencer was used in the Virginia Beach mass shooting on May 31, 2019. Law enforcement has historically supported silencer regulations because silencers make it harder, if not impossible, to figure out where the shooter is in an active shooter situation.
Warner and Kaine have been sounding the alarm about the effects of the GOP plan on Virginia families if Republicans in Congress continue to insist on gutting vital programs in order to pay for tax breaks for the richest Americans. The senators have noted that the GOP bill would strip health insurance from more than 262,000 Virginians, cut SNAP benefits for more than 204,000 people in Virginia, raise energy costs for Virginia households, and jeopardize more than 20,000 Virginia jobs. The bill would also raise the deficit by $3.8 trillion, eliminate a program allowing Americans to file federal taxes for free, and raise taxes on minimum-wage workers while giving the richest 0.1% a $188,000 tax cut.
Source: Government of Canada regional news
New minimum standards for overdose prevention services are being introduced to enhance safety, improve consistency, and ensure greater oversight for clients, staff delivering life-saving services and members of the community.
“Every life lost to the toxic-drug crisis is someone’s brother, sister, parent, or child, and every loss is a tragedy we cannot afford to ignore. Although we have made progress, families and communities are still deeply affected by the toxic-drug crisis, and it’s essential that we keep working to create a seamless, comprehensive system of care,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “Overdose prevention services are critical in saving thousands of lives, connecting people to treatment and reducing public drug use.”
On June 5, 2025, the Province released the new minimum service standards for overdose prevention services to strengthen safety and support for clients, staff and communities. The standards provide a framework for better integration of overdose prevention services into communities focusing on quality, accessibility and cultural safety. Many overdose prevention services already meet and exceed these minimum standards.
“When the episodic overdose prevention service was first introduced to the emergency department, staff were unsure what to expect, but soon after, we realized this was a great addition,” said Sarah Hyatt, nurse co-ordinator, emergency department, Surrey Memorial Hospital. “The team provides support and builds trusting relationships we were not previously able to establish. These relationships have led patients to access supports, go into treatment, find safe housing and avoid overdoses. Along with these benefits, our staff have gained exponential knowledge about substance use and how we can best support patients.”
Overdose prevention services are harm-reduction services that provide the observed consumption of substances, ensuring rapid response to adverse events, such as toxic drug poisoning. Since January 2017, there have been more than 5.6 million visits to overdose prevention services or supervised consumption sites. Since 2019, these services are estimated to have prevented more than 12,400 overdose deaths. Overdose prevention services also serve as a first point of entry for many people into the substance-use system of care.
“The impact of having on-site overdose prevention services at St. Paul’s Hospital has been profound,” said Dr. Andrea Ryan, program director, Interdisciplinary Substance Use Program, Providence Health Care. “We have significantly reduced harms from overdoses for patients and visitors of the hospital. The data clearly illustrates the positive impact on our critical care response team, reducing calls for overdose drastically since implementation. The overdose prevention services have not only improved safety for our patients, but also for our staff across the institution. The positive impacts cannot be overstated.”
Alongside the new standards, regional health authorities and Providence Health Care have been given directions on the provincial consultation and approval requirements for creating new overdose prevention services at hospital sites. There are nine overdose prevention services at hospitals, and a total of 58 overdose prevention services or supervised consumption sites around the province. The use of illicit drugs continues to be prohibited outside of overdose prevention services in hospitals and in public spaces.
All overdose prevention services provide a controlled and safer alternative to unsupervised substance use in public, helping reduce the risk of second-hand exposures. Overdose prevention services also keep people who use unregulated drugs safer by fostering connections to care and treatment, promoting safer substance-use practices and responding quickly to adverse events, such as overdoses.
Overdose prevention services are one part of the government’s broader response to the toxic-drug crisis, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the entire continuum of mental-health and substance-use care, ensuring people can access the right supports for them.
Quotes:
Dr. Nel Wieman, chief medical officer, First Nations Health Authority –
“Our data shows that between 2018 and 2022, at least 1,024 potential deaths among First Nations people who used substances were averted due to evidence-informed, harm-reduction efforts across B.C. First Nations people and communities continue to be disproportionally impacted by the toxic-drug public health emergency. The ministry’s efforts to strengthen and expand culturally safe access to overdose prevention services will save lives. It’s also important that we recognize and support front-line staff in harm reduction and education for their dedication to this good work.”
Ian Haynes, peer support worker, St. Paul’s Hospital overdose prevention services –
“In the past, knowing that there was no safe place to manage substance use on site, one would have to hide when using drugs. Overdose prevention services reopen the doors to these folks, knowing they can stay in hospital and get the medical care they need, while managing the pain from withdrawal. This is meeting the needs of our community, providing a safe haven for the people who had every option taken away, including safe health care.”
Quick Facts:
Learn More:
To read the overdose prevention services minimum service standards, visit:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/overdose-awareness/ops_mss_final.pdf
To find mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C., visit: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)
Washington, May 31, 2025
President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are sowing chaos in our communities, using intimidation tactics against both citizens and non-citizens in a reckless and dangerous manner. In the most recent and deeply troubling incident, DHS agents forcefully entered my Congressional office and handcuffed a member of my staff.
From the outset, my number one concern was for the safety of my staff. While no arrests were made and the situation was quickly deescalated, I am alarmed by the aggressive and heavy-handed tactics DHS is employing in New York City and across the country.
The decision to enter a Congressional office and detain a staff member demonstrates a deeply troubling disregard for proper legal boundaries. If this can happen in a Member of Congress’s office, it can happen to anyone-and it is happening.
I call on President Trump and DHS to halt the use of these dangerous tactics and to abandon use of the expedited removal process which denies due process to immigrants and citizens alike.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)
Lawmakers Demand FDA Halt “Operation Stork Speed” Until HHS Employees Are Rehired and Proper Guardrails in Place
Text of Letter
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) Reproductive Health Care Task Force, alongside DWC member Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Mamas’ Caucus Chair Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Dads Caucus Chair Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) led 21 Democratic Caucus members in sounding the alarm over the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) launch of Operation Stork Speed — an initiative the agency claims will evaluate the safety of nutrients and ingredients found in infant formula.
In their letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, the lawmakers raise concerns over the safety and feasibility of Operation Stork Speed while laying off tens of thousands of HHS employees — including 3,500 at the FDA, many of whom oversee infant formula and nutrition. They also demand the FDA halt this initiative until HHS employees are rehired and until there are proper guardrails to conduct a comprehensive, evidence-based review.
“The infant formula supply chain is fragile, and even a small disruption can have devastating consequences. No parent or guardian should struggle to feed their child due to failed safety standards, corporate greed or supply chain failures. Ensuring safe, affordable, and accessible formula is a matter of public health, economic justice, and basic dignity for families—especially women who are often primary caregivers,” wrote the lawmakers.
“From gutting staff responsible for scientific research to perpetuating anti-vaccine theories, you have repeatedly undermined scientific research. This, coupled with President Trump’s arbitrary mandate for federal agencies to repeal 10 regulations for every new rule, serves to further jeopardize the health and safety of families,” continued the lawmakers.
The Members also call on the agency to ensure infant formula is safe, accessible and affordable for all women and babies who need it in the face of ongoing regulatory reversals and staff reduction.
“Ensuring safe, affordable, and accessible formula is a matter of public health, economic justice, and basic dignity for families—especially women who are often primary caregivers. We ask for your swift response to our questions regarding how you will ensure infant formula is safe, accessible and affordable for all women and babies who need it in the face of ongoing regulatory reversals and staff reduction,” concluded the lawmakers.
In addition to letter leads Ayanna Pressley, Brittany Pettersen, Rashida Tlaib, and Jimmy Gomez, the letter was signed by Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez, Deborah Ross, Nikema Williams, Jasmine Crockett, Andrea Salinas, LaMonica McIver, Pramila Jayapal, Nydia Velázquez, Julie Johnson, Kelly Morrison, Summer Lee, Dan Goldman, Eric Swalwell, April McClain Delaney, Betty McCollum, Delia Ramirez, Suzanne Bonamici, Laura Friedman, Veronica Escobar, Yvette Clarke, and Jan Schakowsky.
Text of the letter can be found here.
Rep. Pressley has long advocated for safe, accessible, and affordable baby formula.
In May 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) and Congresswomen Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Grace Meng (NY-06), urged President Biden to use all applicable executive authorities to end the baby formula shortage.
Through her efforts on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the Committee had previously requested information from the nation’s largest formula manufacturers on their efforts to address the shortage of infant formula that is impacting families across the United States.
In May 2022, Rep. Pressley, along with Rep. Lori Trahan (MA-03), Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark (MA-05) and the Massachusetts delegation, sent a letter to Abbott Laboratories Chairman and CEO Robert Ford requesting urgent information on the company’s plans to replenish its Similac baby formula in Massachusetts.
###
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Note: The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
SEL9
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 369
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
200 PM CDT Thu Jun 5 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
Southeast Colorado
Southwest Kansas
* Effective this Thursday afternoon and evening from 200 PM until
900 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include…
A few tornadoes possible
Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2.5
inches in diameter likely
Scattered damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 75
mph possible
SUMMARY…Thunderstorms developing in southeast Colorado will
continue to intensify through the afternoon while spreading
generally eastward into southwest Kansas. The more intense storms
will be capable of producing a few tornadoes and very large hail up
to 2.5 inches in diameter. Some clustering of storms is expected by
this evening, with a gradual increasing in the threat for severe
outflow gusts up to 75 mph.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 80 statute miles
east and west of a line from 55 miles east northeast of Lamar CO to
15 miles east of Elkhart KS. For a complete depiction of the watch
see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 366…WW 367…WW 368…
AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 29020.
…Thompson
SEL9
URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 369
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
200 PM CDT Thu Jun 5 2025
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
Southeast Colorado
Southwest Kansas
* Effective this Thursday afternoon and evening from 200 PM until
900 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include…
A few tornadoes possible
Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2.5
inches in diameter likely
Scattered damaging winds and isolated significant gusts to 75
mph possible
SUMMARY…Thunderstorms developing in southeast Colorado will
continue to intensify through the afternoon while spreading
generally eastward into southwest Kansas. The more intense storms
will be capable of producing a few tornadoes and very large hail up
to 2.5 inches in diameter. Some clustering of storms is expected by
this evening, with a gradual increasing in the threat for severe
outflow gusts up to 75 mph.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 80 statute miles
east and west of a line from 55 miles east northeast of Lamar CO to
15 miles east of Elkhart KS. For a complete depiction of the watch
see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU9).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 366…WW 367…WW 368…
AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 2.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 65 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 29020.
…Thompson
Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
SAW9
WW 369 TORNADO CO KS 051900Z – 060200Z
AXIS..80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
55ENE LAA/LAMAR CO/ – 15E EHA/ELKHART KS/
..AVIATION COORDS.. 70NM E/W /46ENE LAA – 32W LBL/
HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..2.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..65 KNOTS.
MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 29020.
LAT…LON 38360027 36990018 36990308 38360322
THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
FOR WOU9.
Watch 369 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.
Note: Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes
Probability of 2 or more tornadoes
Mod (50%)
Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes
Low (20%)
Wind
Probability of 10 or more severe wind events
Mod (50%)
Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots
Mod (40%)
Hail
Probability of 10 or more severe hail events
Mod (60%)
Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches
Mod (60%)
Combined Severe Hail/Wind
Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events
High (90%)
For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.
Source: European Parliament
The EU needs to update its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement by September 2025. This extended deadline allows the United Nations climate secretariat enough time to assess the collective effect of all national climate plans, relative to the targets under the Paris Agreement, before the start of the COP30 climate change conference in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. The EU’s NDC is formally adopted by the Council of the EU. The third NDC will have a time horizon of 2035, and is therefore linked with the EU climate target for 2040, which is to be adopted as an amendment to the European Climate Law under the Ordinary Legislative Procedure.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been ordered to federal prison for their roles in an extensive human smuggling conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Manuel Capetillo, 27, Poteet, and Michael Diaz, 31, Laredo, pleaded guilty Feb. 4 and March 4, respectively.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed an 85-month-term of imprisonment for Capetillo, while Diaz received 70 months. Both men were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. Diaz was further ordered to pay a $10,000 special assessment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the inhumane conditions in which the aliens were transported and that Capetillo and Diaz had made a business out of smuggling aliens. “You thought of these people as cattle,” he said. Judge Kazen also commented on Capetillo’s leadership role and that he was one of the highest-level players in the region he had seen.
Capetillo and Diaz are attributed with smuggling over 65 aliens, including adults and children as young as six, who came from multiple countries as far south as Guatemala and as close as Mexico. Both had received cash payments in excess of $50,000 during their operations.
The investigation revealed both men operated stash houses in Laredo and that Capetillo also operated one in Poteet. Over several months, Capetillo recruited drivers, scouts and caretakers to bring aliens in from countries in Central America and transport them throughout the southern and central areas of Texas.
Capetillo negotiated prices with Mexican smugglers on how much and to whom would be paid for aliens illegally crossing into the United States. He also negotiated with Mexican nationals to provide weapons for the wars taking place in Monterrey, Mexico, and importing drugs into the United States.
Diaz worked in close connection with Capetillo to rent a yard in Laredo and load aliens into inoperable vehicles, place them on top of tow trucks and smuggle them to Capetillo’s Poteet stash house in the Southern Texas heat. Capetillo paid Diaz for his role in the conspiracy.
Previously released on bond, Capetillo was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Diaz has been and will remain in custody.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of police departments in Laredo and Poteet. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory Sailer prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Source: US FBI
McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old El Salvadorian national has been sentenced for assaulting a Border Patrol (BP) agent, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera pleaded guilty March 4.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Sanchez-Rivera to serve 36 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
“The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case to a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.”
On Nov. 1, 2024, authorities conducted a traffic stop in Rio Grande City when Sanchez-Rivera notified them of his alien status. As the BP agent attempted to place him in a vehicle, Sanchez-Rivera attempted to evade arrest. He punched the agent in the face and grabbed the agent’s finger, causing a fracture that required surgery.
Sanchez-Rivera fled on foot but was soon apprehended.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
BP and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.
Source: United Nations (Video News)
Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.
Highlights:
Trip Announcement/Secretary-General
World Oceans Day
Secretary-General/Fallen Staff
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Ukraine
Syria/Security Council
International Days
TRIP ANNOUNCEMENT/SECRETARY-GENERAL
On Sunday, June 8, the Secretary-General will arrive in Nice, in France, to take part in the third UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
On Monday, the Secretary-General will deliver remarks during the conference’s opening session. He will recall the progress achieved since the last Ocean Conference in Lisbon and call for investments to fully realize the sustainable development goal number 14, which is, as you know, life below water.
The Secretary-General will also use this opportunity to urge all countries to ratify the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), and also to call on member states to agree this year on an ambitious and legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.
The BBNJ will enter into force 120 days after its 60th ratification, and to facilitate this process, our colleagues at the department of Legal Affairs are organizing a Treaty event during the Ocean conference. At that event, all Member States who have not yet done so will be able to formally deposit their ratification.
While in Nice, the Secretary-General will have bilateral meetings with both co-hosts of the conference, President Emmanuel Macron, of France, as well as President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, of Costa Rica. He will also have a number of bilateral meetings with other delegation leaders and members of the civil society who will be at the conference.
On Tuesday morning, the Secretary-General will conclude his programme in Nice with a press encounter, which will be shown live on UN WebTV.
WORLD OCEANS DAY
A day ahead of the UN Ocean Conference, the UN will mark World Oceans Day. In his message, the Secretary-General calls for the protection of marine biodiversity, the rejection of practices that inflict irreversible damage, and he calls for the delivery on the promises of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement. &nbs
SECRETARY-GENERAL/FALLEN STAFF
This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at the annual memorial service for UN staff who have lost their lives in the line of duty over the past year, and he paid tribute to the 168 men and women who lost their lives in 2024.
He told journalists this morning that the past year has been especially devastating in Gaza, with 126 of our colleagues killed there — 125 of those were serving with UNRWA.
Mr. Guterres said that the sacrifice of all 168 of our fallen colleagues everywhere is a tragedy, adding that it is also a reminder of the responsibility carried by every United Nations staff member, every single day.
He said that as we mourn those lost, we must also recognize the living — the thousands of UN personnel who serve around the world today, carrying out the missions entrusted to them by the countries that make up these United Nations.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=05%20June%202025
Source: United Nations (Video News)
Our Ocean, Our Future, Our Responsibility
– Cultural Event
– Opening segment
– Beginning of the general debate
The high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025.
The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”. The Conference aims to support further and urgent action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14. It will build on existing instruments to form successful partnerships towards the swift conclusion and effective implementation of ongoing processes that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean.
The Conference will involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together Governments, the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, other interested international bodies, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, Indigenous Peoples and local communities and other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken towards, the implementation of Goal 14.
The Conference will build on the previous UN Ocean Conferences, hosted by Sweden and Fiji in 2017 in New York and by Portugal and Kenya in 2022 in Lisbon.
2025 UN Ocean Conference website: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025
—
Watch the opening of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in other languages (AR, CH, EN, FR, RU, SP) on the UN Web TV website: https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1k/k1kj0sjklh
Source: Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01)
Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) issued the following statement regarding the future operations of the Red River Army Depot (RRAD).
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) issued the following statement regarding the future operations of the Red River Army Depot (RRAD). Earlier this week, Congressman Moran led a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth detailing the critical role that RRAD plays in military preparedness and the need to continue supporting RRAD operations and personnel. This letter, which was co-signed by 11 other members of the Texas Congressional Delegation, stated in part:
“As Congress works to help fulfill President Trump’s vision of peace through strength, it is critical that we place renewed emphasis on our nation’s maintenance and repair depots that directly support America’s soldiers, sailors, and airmen. For that reason, I strongly urge the Department of Defense to continue operations at Red River Army Depot at full operational capacity—and to actively pursue new mission-critical opportunities that expand its role in our national defense strategy.
RRAD is not only a cornerstone of America’s military logistics capability, it is also a model of cost-efficiency. Unlike many government facilities, RRAD is funded entirely by the workload it receives from military branches and commercial partners—making it self-sufficient, accountable, and agile. It doesn’t waste taxpayer dollars. It maximizes them.
We are actively pursuing conversations with the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, and Army Chief of Staff General Randy A. George. While we await a formal response to our letter, I remain committed to safeguarding RRAD’s mission and ensuring it remains a key pillar of our national defense infrastructure.
We thank the Department of Defense for its continued dedication to national security and stand ready to work together to strengthen our industrial base, protect the jobs of thousands of skilled Texans, and fulfill our shared mission of peace through strength.”
This week’s letter from Congressman Moran to Secretary Hegseth comes just ahead of the recent visit to Washington, D.C. by representatives from the Texarkana area, who are advocating directly on behalf of RRAD’s mission and future growth. Congressman Moran and his staff have worked closely with these local leaders to support their visit and ensure their voices are heard at the highest levels of the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army.
“We are deeply grateful to Congressman Moran and our congressional delegation for their steadfast leadership and unwavering advocacy on behalf of Red River Army Depot,” said David Orr, Texarkana City Manager. “Their efforts highlight just how essential RRAD is—not only to the strength of our local economy, but to the readiness of our nation’s armed forces. I am proud to stand alongside them in urging continued investment in this world-class facility. Together, we are ensuring that Texarkana remains a vital partner in supporting the brave men and women who defend our freedom.”
Robin Hickerson, President and CEO of the Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce, added: “Red River Army Depot is a critical part of both our local economy and our national defense. It provides quality jobs for families across the region and plays a key role in supporting our military readiness. Our Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee is honored to visit Washington, D.C., to advocate for the Depot, and we are beyond grateful to Congressman Moran for his unwavering commitment to RRAD and its mission.”
The full letter can be read here.
Background:
Congressman Moran and his colleagues from the Texas Congressional Delegation recently submitted a unified letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other senior officials, stressing RRAD’s strategic value and calling for continued and expanded operations at the site.
Located on 15,375 acres in Northeast Texas and housing over 1,400 buildings with more than 8 million square feet of industrial space, Red River Army Depot is a pivotal asset within the Army’s organic industrial base. As the designated Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, RRAD provides indispensable repair and remanufacturing support for critical military systems including the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Beyond the Army, RRAD also delivers support to the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy—making it a vital hub of inter-service readiness. Its 3,500-member workforce is lean, experienced, and capable of rapidly scaling operations to meet the evolving needs of our warfighters—having done so during previous combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now again as it provides assistance to U.S. allies in Israel and Ukraine.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Delia Ramirez – Illinois (3rd District)
Washington, D.C. – Today, Members of Congress Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Mark Pocan (WI-02) led 18 members of Congress to introduce the Block the Bombs Act. The legislation would withhold the transfer of offensive weapons to Israel and demand Israel’s compliance with U.S. and international law. Given Netanyahu and Trump’s plan to continue and expand ground operations in Gaza and the West Bank and displace Palestinians, the Block the Bombs Act is an important and time-sensitive step to assert Congress’s oversight authority to protect civilians from starvation, displacement, and death.
Watch the Press Conference
Amid the negotiation of a new ceasefire deal, it is reported that the death toll in Gaza has surpassed 54,000 people, while the entire 2.1 million population of Gaza faces prolonged food shortages due to Israeli military blockades. Nearly half a million people are facing a possible famine, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness, and death. Since filing the bill, 36 people, including children, were killed while sleeping in a school-turned-shelter in Gaza City, and more than two dozen have been killed close to aid distribution points in Gaza. The actions of Netanyahu’s government in Gaza have been described by Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as “war crimes” against Palestinians.
“Netanyahu and Trump are a lethal, unaccountable, extremist duo. Trump has bypassed Congressional oversight on weapons transfers. The Israeli government is currently escalating attacks on the civilian population of Gaza. They are both out of control. Congress needs to assert its oversight authority,” said Congresswoman Ramirez. “Enough is enough. By introducing the Block the Bombs Act, a broad coalition is listening to the American people who don’t want their taxpayers’ money to continue supporting gross violations of US, international, and humanitarian law.”
“Self-defense cannot be justification for killing tens of thousands of people, imposing a humanitarian blockade, or forcing the displacement of a population. And yet, this is exactly what the Netanyahu Government has done for more than a year in Gaza. The United States shouldn’t facilitate this any longer by transferring offensive weapons to Israel that will be used to prolong and compound this mass suffering and death,” said Congresswoman Jacobs. “While I will always support the Iron Dome and other defensive systems, I believe we can’t in good conscience send offensive weapons systems that have caused significant civilian casualties and violated U.S. and international law.”
“This is a moment of great moral consequence. Over the past year and a half, the Government of Israel has repeatedly used U.S.-supplied weapons in violation of both international and U.S. laws,” said Jayapal. “We can no longer be complicit and allow our tax dollars to facilitate this violence and destruction. I am proud to co-lead this bill that would prevent the transfer of the most egregious offensive weapons to Israel without firm assurances that they will not be used indiscriminately against civilian populations.”
“For the last year and a half, Benjamin Netanyahu has laid siege to Gaza, killing at least 54,000 people, repeatedly displacing the entire population, and cutting off access to desperately needed humanitarian aid,” said Congressman Pocan. “This commonsense bill will prevent more unchecked transfers of these offensive weapons systems that are used to violate international human rights laws and hopefully help bring this devastating conflict to an end.”
The Block the Bombs Act requires Israel’s government to establish in writing the use of offensive weapons in accordance with US and International law, and it must be approved by Congress through a joint resolution. The legislation focuses on the worst-offending offensive weapons that are supplied by the US and have been involved in the grossest civilian casualties and documented violations of international law in Gaza. It does not impact Iron Dome or Israel’s ability to defend itself.
The bill is cosponsored by Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Veronica Escobar (TX-16) Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús Chuy García (IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).
It also has the support of local and national organizations like Adalah Justice Project, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action), Amnesty International USA, Arab Resource & Organizing Center Action (AROC Action), Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), Center for Constitutional Rights, Center for International Policy Advocacy, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Christians for a Free Palestine, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Defense for Children International – Palestine, Demand Progress, Emgage Action, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Global Ministries of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and United Church of Christ, Human Rights Watch, Illinois Muslim Action Network, IfNotNow Movement, IMEU Policy Project, Indivisible, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ), Justice Democrats, MADRE, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Advocates, New Internationalism Project, Institute for Policy Studies, Presbyterian Church (USA), Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), Rabbis for Ceasefire, Rising Majority, Sunrise Movement, The American Council for Judaism, The United Methodist Church – General Board of Church and Society, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action, US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), Win Without War, Working Families Party
“The Block the Bombs Act is a historic bill that prohibits the transfer and sale of specific U.S. weapons to Israel that the Israeli government has consistently used to commit atrocities against civilians in violation of both international and U.S. law,”” said Brad Parker, Associate Director of Policy at the Center for Constitutional Rights. “It’s a straightforward challenge to United States complicity in Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza as Israeli forces block humanitarian assistance and directly target schools, hospitals, and civilians. As the Israeli government escalates the murder, starvation, and forcible transfer of Palestinians with President Trump’s full support, we recognize and appreciate the bold leadership of Reps. Ramirez, Jacobs, Jayapal, and Pocan.”
“Despite opportunities to change course, the Biden administration failed to do so. And now the Trump administration is failing to do so. They have to stop providing weapons to Israel, and they won’t do it without Congressional oversight. Which is why this Block the Bombs Bill is so important. It is your right to demand it, and we are standing with Congresswoman Ramirez to build support for it,” said Paul O’Brien, Executive Director of Amnesty International, during a press conference.
“Our weapons have been used to inflict atrocity after atrocity against Palestinians in Gaza. This is why HR 3565, the Block the Bombs Act, is so necessary. By passing it, Congress will prevent the Trump administration from delivering more bombs, artillery shells, and tank rounds that would enable further atrocities against the Palestinian people,” expressed Josh Ruebner, Policy Director of IMEU, at a press conference.
“We’ve documented how the Israeli government has collectively punished the civilian population, deprived the population of objects indispensable to its survival, and used starvation as a weapon of war. This year, Human Rights Watch found that US officials are complicit in Israel’s war crimes and will remain so unless and until weapons are suspended. Legislation like the Block the Bombs Act is long overdue. We hope members will support this effort in recognition of the humanity and dignity of the population suffering in Gaza and to bring US actions in line with US and international law,” Ida Sawyer, Director for Crisis and Conflict of Human Rights Watch.
For photos and videos of the event, click here.
BACKGROUND:
Israel’s war in Gaza began after a Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israel’s military campaign has killed over 54,000 people, mostly women and children. The offensive has destroyed vast areas, displaced around 90% of the population, and left people almost completely reliant on international aid. According to the United Nations, Gaza is “the hungriest place on Earth. The agency warns that the entire Palestinian territory’s population is at risk of famine, given that the mission to deliver help is “one of the most obstructed aid operations in recent history.”
At the moment, Hamas militants are still holding 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefire agreements or other deals.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By H. Christopher Frey, Glenn E. Futrell Distinguished University Professor of Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University
The first time Donald Trump was president, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a regulation known as the “science transparency” rule. The administration liked to call it the “secret science” rule.
“Transparency” sounds positive, but this rule instead prevented the EPA from using some of the best available science to protect human health.
For example, it required the EPA to ignore or downplay studies that established links between exposure to chemicals and health damage if those studies were based on confidential patient information that could not be released to the public. The problem: Many health studies, including those underpinning many U.S. pollution rules, rely on confidential patient information.
A U.S. District Court struck down the rule on procedural grounds a few weeks after it was issued. But now, the idea is back.
Trump’s so-called Restoring Gold Standard Science executive order of May 23, 2025, resurrects many features of the EPA’s vacated rule, but it applies them to all federal agencies.
To many readers, the executive order might sound reasonable. It mentions “transparency,” “reproducibility” and “uncertainty.” However, the devil is in the details.
“Transparency” implies that scientists should adequately explain all elements of their work, including hypotheses, methods, results and conclusions in a way that helps others see how those conclusions were reached.
“Data transparency” is an expectation that scientists should share all data used in the study so other scientists can recalculate the results. This is also known as “reproducibility.”
Trump’s executive order focuses on reproducibility. However, if there are errors in the data or methods of the original study, being able to reproduce its results may only ensure consistency but not scientific rigor.
More important to scientific rigor is “replicability.” Replicability means different scientists, working with different data and different methods, can arrive at consistent findings. For example, studies of human exposure to a set of pollutants at different locations, and with different populations, that consistently find relationships to health effects, such as illness and premature death, can increase confidence in the findings.
Replicability doesn’t require releasing confidential health data, as reproducibility would. Instead, it looks for the same results broadly from other sources.
The science transparency rule in the first Trump administration was intended to limit the EPA’s ability to consider epidemiologic studies like those that established the health harms from exposure to secondhand smoke and to PM2.5, fine particles often from pollution.
Many large-scale studies that assess how exposure to pollution can harm human health are based on personal data collected according to strict protocols to ensure privacy. Preventing policymakers from considering those findings means they are left to make important decisions about pollution and chemicals without crucial evidence about the health risks.
These attempts to create barriers to using valid science echoed tactics used by the tobacco industry from the 1960s well into the 1990s to deny that tobacco use harmed human health.
Trump’s new executive order also emphasizes “uncertainty.”
In the first Trump administration, the EPA administrator and his hand-picked science advisers, none of whom were epidemiologists, focused on “uncertainty” in epidemiological studies used to inform decisions on air quality standards.
The EPA’s scientific integrity policy requires that policymakers “shall not knowingly misrepresent, exaggerate, or downplay areas of scientific uncertainty associated with policy decisions.”
That might sound reasonable. However, in the final 2020 rule for the nation’s PM2.5 air quality standard, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler stated that “limitations in the science lead to considerable uncertainty” to justify not lowering the standard, the level considered unhealthy. PM2.5 comes largely from fossil fuel combustion in cars, power plants and factories.
In contrast, an independent external group of scientific experts, which I was part of as an environmental engineer and former EPA adviser, reviewed the same evidence and came to a very different conclusion. We found clear scientific evidence supporting a more stringent standard for PM2.5.
The executive order also requires that science be conducted in a manner that is “skeptical of its findings and assumptions.”
A true skeptic can be swayed to change an inference based on evidence, whereas a denialist holds a fixed view irrespective of evidence. Denialists tend to cherry-pick evidence, set impossible levels of evidence and engage in logical fallacies.
The first Trump administration stacked the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, which advises EPA on setting health-protective air quality standards, with opponents of environmental regulation, including people connected to industries the EPA regulates. The committee then amplified uncertainties. It also shifted the burden of proof in ways inconsistent with the statutory requirement to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety.
The current administration has been dismantling science advisory committees in various agencies again and purging key EPA committees of independent experts.
According to Trump, “violations” of his executive order will be determined by a “senior appointee designated by the agency head.” This means a political appointee accountable to the White House. Thus, science in each federal agency will be politicized.
The political appointee is required to “correct scientific information.”
Anyone can file a “request for correction” regarding a published agency report. During the first Trump administration, chemical companies or their representatives repeatedly filed requests for changes to final EPA toxicity assessments on ethylene oxide and chloroprene. The administration delayed health-protective actions, which were finally addressed during the Biden administration for both chemicals.
The request for correction process is intended to correct errors, not to bias assessments to be more favorable to industry and to delay protective actions.
While the language of the executive order may seem innocuous based on a casual reading, it risks undermining unbiased science in all federal agencies, subject to political whims.
Setting impossible bars for “transparency” can mean regulators ignore relevant and valid scientific studies. Overemphasizing uncertainties can be used to raise doubt and unduly undermine confidence in robust findings.
A politicized process also has the potential to punish federal employees and to ignore external peer reviewers who have the temerity to advance evidence-based findings contrary to White House ideology.
Thus, this executive order could be used to deprive the American public of accurate and unbiased information regarding chemicals in the environment. That would prevent the development of effective evidence-based policies necessary for the protection of human health, rather than advancing the best available science.
H. Christopher Frey receives funding from the California Air Resources Board via a research grant to North Carolina State University. He was on leave from NCSU to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2021 to 2024. From 2021 to 2022, he served as Deputy Assistant Administrator of Science Policy. From 2022-20224, he served as the senate-confirmed Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development and concurrently served as the EPA Science Advisor. He was a member of the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee from 2008 to 2012, and chaired CASAC from 2012 to 2015.
– ref. How Trump’s ‘gold standard’ politicizes federal science – https://theconversation.com/how-trumps-gold-standard-politicizes-federal-science-258277
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Ivey – Maryland (4th District)
WASHINGTON – Congressman Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), joined Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in leading 98 of their colleagues in pressing for answers from the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State around the decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals living in the United States. The lawmakers’ letter, sent to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, notes the devastating impact of this decision, including on the many Afghans who supported the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan and who face significant danger upon their return.
“We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country. Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions,” the lawmakers began.
They go on to note, “The Secretary of Homeland Security ‘may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.’ This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS.”
“The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls,” they stress.
The lawmakers close the letter urging the Administration to reverse course and seeking the following information:
Please provide any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023.
The TPS termination announcement stated that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.” Please provide additional details on how the Administration made this determination and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
Describe the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
Please provide any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
What steps are you taking to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan?
In addition to Senator Van Hollen, Congressman Ivey, and Senator Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Senators Alsobrooks, Baldwin, Blumenthal, Booker, Coons, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Durbin, Fetterman, Gillibrand, Heinrich, Hirono, Kaine, Kelly, Kim, King, Markey, Padilla, Reed, Rosen, Sanders, Schiff, Smith, Warner, Warnock, Welch, and Wyden and Representatives Amo, Ansari, Balint, Bell, Beyer, Budzinski, Carbajal, Carter, Casten, Castro, Chu, Clarke, Cleaver, Courtney, Dean, DeGette, DelBene, Elfreth, Evans (Pa.), Fields, Garcia (Calif.), García (Ill.), Garcia (Texas), Goldman, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gottheimer, Hayes, Jackson (Ill.), Jayapal, Johnson (Ga.), Johnson (Texas), Kaptur, Keating, Kelly (Ill.), Kennedy (N.Y.), Krishnamoorthi, Landsman, Larson, Latimer, Levin, Lieu, Lofgren, Lynch, McClain Delaney, McClellan, McCollum, McGovern, Meeks, Mfume, Moulton, Norton, Olszewski, Pallone, Panetta, Peters (Calif.), Raskin, Sánchez, Scanlon, Schakowsky, Sherman, Sorensen, Subramanyam, Swalwell, Titus, Tlaib, Tokuda, Tonko, Vargas, Veasey, and Watson Coleman.
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio:
We write with deep concern about the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, which is scheduled to take effect on July 14, 2025. This decision is devastating for resettled Afghan nationals in the United States who have fled widespread violence, economic instability, challenging humanitarian conditions, and human rights abuses in their home country. Many of these Afghans fearlessly served as strong allies to the United States military during the war in Afghanistan, and we cannot blatantly disregard their service. We respectfully ask that you redesignate Afghanistan for TPS to ensure Afghan nationals in the U.S. are not forced to return to devastating humanitarian, civic, and economic conditions.
The Secretary of Homeland Security “may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.” This is why, following the withdrawal of American troops and the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, in May 2022 the U.S. designated Afghanistan for TPS. In September 2023, the U.S. extended and redesignated TPS for Afghanistan. The Administration’s decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan negatively impacts approximately 9,000 Afghan nationals.
In your announcement, you state that “there are notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.” But you also concede that threats of violence and terrorism, as well as humanitarian concerns, remain. The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Afghan affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS), continues to launch attacks against ethnic and religious minorities and against the Taliban, leading to innocent civilian casualties. If Afghan nationals are forced to return to Afghanistan, they will be caught in the crossfire between the Taliban and ISKP. According to Human Rights Watch, in 2024, Taliban authorities intensified their crackdown on human rights, especially against women and girls. Women and girls are banned from attending secondary school or university and are unable to move freely. The Taliban also continues to detain and torture journalists, curtailing free speech and media. The 2023 U.S. State Department Human Rights Report covering Afghanistan found that women’s rights rapidly declined and restrictions on freedom of expression increased. The horrific human rights conditions in Afghanistan are unsafe for Afghan nationals to return to and returning would put their personal safety at immediate risk.
We are also deeply concerned about the State Department Human Rights Report finding that widespread arbitrary and unlawful killings against officials associated with the pre-August 2021 government have occurred. Afghan nationals who assisted the U.S. military should not be put in harm’s way because they supported the U.S. in its fight against the Taliban. This would be a betrayal of those who bravely served alongside our servicemembers for nearly two decades.
Afghan civilians still face devastating humanitarian and economic conditions. Over half of the population in Afghanistan needs urgent humanitarian assistance. Human Rights Watch reports that in 2024, 12.4 million people were facing food insecurity and 2.9 million were at emergency levels of hunger. The World Bank also found that in Afghanistan, as of May 2025, “per capita income has stagnated, while poverty and food insecurity remain pressing challenges, exacerbated by high unemployment and restrictions on women’s economic participation.”
The grave conditions that forced Afghan nationals to flee and seek refuge in the U.S. following the return of the Taliban to power remain. Because of this harsh reality, forcing Afghan nationals in the U.S. to return to Afghanistan would be reckless and inhumane, and would threaten the safety and well-being of thousands of individuals and families, especially women and girls.
In August 2021, Americans welcomed Afghan nationals at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia with open arms, and we refuse to turn our backs on them now. We strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan and ask that you respond to the following requests no later than two weeks of receipt of this letter:
Please provide any reports that credibly determine that conditions have improved in Afghanistan since 2023.
The TPS termination announcement stated that “there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.” Please provide additional details on how the Administration made this determination and how widespread these allegations of fraud and threats are.
Describe the collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security and Department of State to reach the determination that Afghanistan no longer meets the conditions for designation for TPS.
Please provide any reports that indicate the Taliban is no longer a threat to Afghan nationals that assisted the United States military during the war in Afghanistan.
What steps are you taking to ensure that Afghan nationals who previously had TPS will not be sent back to persecution or torture in Afghanistan? Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter and we hope to receive your responses soon.
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Maxwell Frost Florida (10th District)
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) slammed Donald Trump and his Administration’s latest cruel move to issue a sweeping travel ban targeting 12 countries and restricting travel from seven more.
In a statement, Rep. Frost says:
“Trump’s travel ban is cruel, inhumane, and rooted in bigotry. It does nothing to make our communities safer, but it does vilify immigrants. It will devastate our immigrant families across this country–especially the thousands of Cuban, Venezuelan, and Haitian families who call Florida home.
“Trump and MAGA Republicans have no actual plan for immigration, they simply want to use cruelty as a political weapon to instill fear and distract the American people from their reckless agenda to hand over tax cuts to billionaires and rip away healthcare and food assistance from working families. It’s no coincidence that this announcement is coming out as Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is proving to be wildly unpopular.
“We won’t give in to this political fear-mongering. Just like during Trump’s first term, this ban will be met with legal challenges and fierce public outrage. I’ll continue to stand with our immigrant families and demand fairness, humanity, and dignity for every immigrant, asylum seeker, or refugee. That is what every person deserves—no matter where they are from.”
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US Senate News:
Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, and U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media, introduced the bipartisan Secure Space Act of 2025 to protect America’s satellite systems from foreign threats and strengthen national security.
Companion legislation – sponsored by House Energy & Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) – passed the U.S. House on April 28, 2025.
“As satellite technology continues to advance, so do the threats to our national security. The Secure Space Act blocks satellite licenses for untrusted entities and protects our skies from foreign adversaries,” said Senator Luján. “This bill would help protect U.S. innovation and defend our communications networks from foreign entities that seek to hijack our future.”
“Americans rely on crucial communications services provided by our satellite systems now more than ever. That’s why we must prevent foreign adversaries like Communist China and Russia from undermining our ability to utilize these services safely and reliably,” said Senator Fischer. “My bill strengthens our communications infrastructure against these vulnerabilities to make Americans’ network access more secure.”
Background:
The Secure Space Act of 2025 prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from granting satellite licenses or U.S. market access for foreign-licensed satellite systems to any entity or its affiliates that produce or provide communications equipment or services deemed a national security risk.
The legislation amends the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to extend this prohibition to both geostationary and non-geostationary orbit satellite systems, including gateway stations. It applies to new licenses and authorizations issued after the bill’s enactment and requires the FCC to establish implementing regulations within one year.
Click here to read text of the bill.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s new executive order fully restricting the entry of nationals from 12 countries, which he said was necessary to combat “radical Islamic terrorists”:
“President Trump’s own statement makes it clear exactly what this new executive order is: the latest attempt to institute his unpopular and immoral Muslim ban which was thrown out time and again by the courts in his first term. Improving our national security should be a bipartisan goal, but fear and bigotry do not keep Americans safe. What this will do instead is cause chaos, inflict pain, and break apart families, just as his prior attempts did. This order should be reversed, and Congress needs to reassert our role by passing laws that make our immigration system secure, effective and humane. That starts with taking up and passing my NO BAN Act to send a clear message that religious-based discrimination in immigration has no place in our nation.”
Senator Coons is the author of the NO BAN Act, which would strengthen the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit discrimination based on religion.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)
This week, Rep. Jack Bergman sent a letter to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) admonishing them for their decision to disqualify the National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum in Ishpeming from receiving critical grant funding from the state of Michigan.
The National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum has been a cornerstone of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula tourism economy and a guardian of winter sports history for nearly three-quarters of a century.
In the letter, Rep. Bergman emphasized the cultural and economic importance of the institution, stating, “Located in Ishpeming – the birthplace of organized skiing in America – the Museum has, for nearly 75 years, contributed to the cultural and economic vitality of Michigan through its preservation of our state’s rich snowsports heritage and its promotion of tourism to the Upper Peninsula.”
“The Museum’s 2025–2026 grant application to MACC was recently disqualified due to what appears to have been a minor, unexplainable discrepancy in its Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Although the Museum’s UEI was copied directly from SAM.gov into the Michigan SmartSimple portal utilized by MACC for this grant, a single character variation occurred in which the letter ‘Z’ was recorded as a ‘2’ – resulting in the UEI being submitted as ‘W1KCYK2JBAH6’ instead of ‘W1KCYKZJBAH6.’ Unfortunately, this discrepancy was not flagged at the time of submission, ultimately leading to the application’s disqualification.”
Rep. Bergman urged both MACC and MEDC to reconsider the application, adding, “Given the unique and irreplaceable role the Museum plays in preserving and promoting Michigan’s snowsports heritage — and the fact that other entities with similar clerical discrepancies reportedly received successful appeals — I urge both MACC and MEDC to reassess the Museum’s application and explore every possible option to provide support. Whether through grant reconsideration, administrative flexibility, or alternate funding sources, a solution must be found.”
You can read the full letter here.
Source: Securities and Exchange Commission
Thank you, Natasha [Vij Greiner]. Good morning and welcome to the Third Annual Conference on Emerging Trends in Asset Management. Before I begin, I must remind you that my views are my own as a Commissioner and not necessarily those of the SEC or my fellow Commissioners.
Today’s four panels take us on a tour from the beginning of the ’40 Acts up to the most recent developments in asset management, and on to the developments likely to come in the near future. These panels are in keeping with the asset management industry, which is an iterative one in which new developments are rooted in the old. I am looking forward particularly to hearing from our “Forever Young” panel of former IM Directors who will reminisce on 85 years of the Investment Company and Investment Advisers Acts.
Thinking back to my arrival at the Division of Investment Management as a wide-eyed staff attorney 25 years ago makes me feel anything but young. But happy memories linger from my four years in the Division: Immersing myself in Division history with the well-worn green binder “bibles,” wrestling through current issues in a rulemaking, or imagining the future of asset management through the eyes of the red book. My colleagues, of course, were the highlight of that experience. Paul Roye as Division Director, Hunter Jones as remarkably patient supervisor, Bob Plaze as master rule-drafter, Martha Peterson as consummate mentor, and countless colleagues who only recently left the staff, including: Bill Middlebrooks, Beckie Marquigny, Chris Chow, Penelope Saltzman, Jennifer McHugh, Jennifer Sawin, Janet Grossnickle, and Nadya Roytblat, to name a few. These and other members of the Division staff poured themselves into administering the statutory framework within which the asset management industry has flourished.
Although I am not feeling it personally, the first panel’s “Forever Young” title is an apt reminder that the regulatory framework must retain nimbleness and flexibility even though these characteristics typically wane with age. As the panel embodies, however, the wisdom of the past should guide our exercise of that flexibility. The asset management industry is in the midst of an age of innovation, a topic which will occupy the last three panels. Continued product proliferation, increased retail access to private markets, and tokenization will expand the menu of investment options available to investors. Accompanying that expansion should be education, including the innovative use of new technological tools to educate investors and their financial professionals about innovative product offerings.
For the sake of portfolio diversification, retail investors need access to a broad range of investment opportunities. The breadth of the public markets, where retail investors do most of their investing, has suffered as the number of listed companies has declined,[1] companies wait longer to attempt an IPO, and several large companies dominate the public market indices. The Commission should work on reforming public company regulation to help address this decline. But some asset classes are not fit for the public markets. Accordingly, retail investors and the financial professionals that serve them also are looking for additional diversification in the private markets.
Commission rules and regulations along with Commission staff positions have contributed to keeping retail investors out of the private markets. We should consider how to amend the “accredited investor” definition in the Commission’s rules so that more people are eligible to invest in the private markets. In August 2020, the Commission supplemented slightly the existing net income and wealth categories for qualifying natural persons, a change the Commission admitted was marginal.[2] I would like to see more meaningful expansions as would many retail investors who resent being cut off from an increasingly large segment of the market. The Commission staff can take other steps at once to allow retail investors greater access to private markets. For example, as Chairman Atkins recently noted, since 2002, Commission staff has taken the position that closed-end funds investing 15% or more of their assets in private funds should impose a minimum initial investment requirement of $25,000 and restrict sales to investors that meet the accredited investor standard.[3] Neither the statute nor Commission rules require such limitations. Removing them would allow retail investors greater access to private investments through a closed-end fund wrapper with the benefit of professional management. I support the Chairman’s directive that the staff address this situation, including by ensuring that funds are making adequate disclosure regarding conflicts of interest, illiquidity, and fees for closed-end funds that trade on exchanges. We also should work with fund sponsors that want to experiment with interval funds.
Some retail investors also want to add digital assets to their investment portfolios. Until recently, the Commission mostly stymied their efforts to do so through convenient and cost‑efficient securities products. Some ’40 Act funds afforded investors indirect exposure to crypto assets, but only when pushed by the courts did the Commission greenlight the trading of spot bitcoin (and later spot ether) exchange-traded products under the 1933 Act. The Trading and Markets staff is working diligently through many applications to list a whole range of digital asset ETPs. A standardized approach for such ETPs could ease the burden for the industry and the SEC staff. Asset managers are also creating new products under the ’40 Act. Just as a reminder a fund that invests primarily in spot crypto assets that are not securities cannot register as an investment company under the ’40 Act.
Additional guidance could open the door to enhanced investor choice and increased portfolio diversification for investors. The Commission is working, for example, on providing clarity for investment advisers and investment companies. One area in which there is a lack of clarity is how investment advisers and investment companies can hold digital assets in compliance with the current Commission custody requirements. One issue causing significant uncertainty is whether using state-‑chartered limited purpose trusts as a custodian of crypto assets would be consistent with the custody requirements of the Investment Company Act and Investment Advisers Act, and particularly whether they meet the definition of a bank provided in both Acts. More options for crypto asset custody may be coming following the rescission of Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121[4] and clarifying statements made by federal banking regulators, including the OCC.[5] I hope that the staff of the Division of Investment Management can clarify how funds and advisers can treat a state trust as a bank with respect to the custody of crypto assets. More permanent clarity about how to apply the custody provisions to digital assets requires a deeper look at whether the custody requirements should continue to be based solely on qualified custodian status rather than on principles and qualitative criteria that may better ensure the safe custody of crypto assets. The Commission also should address questions as to whether registered investment companies may obtain exposure to crypto assets through investments that do not trade on a U.S.-regulated exchange and the tokenization of securities issued by registered investment companies.
The third panel deals with product proliferation, a testament to the creativity of the asset management industry and the flexibility of the governing statutes. The growth in and variety of exchange-traded funds is remarkable. The breadth of offerings serves a wide diversity of investor needs and often does so very cost effectively. Some of these products are complex and not fit for every client portfolio. Some of these products are designed not to be held for more than a day. They are tools for managing risk and volatility, enhancing returns, and limiting loss. If used incorrectly, they can have the opposite effects. The staff of the Commission, which is not a merit regulator, works hard with registrants to get the disclosures right for these products. Given the importance of understanding how these products work, I would like the Commission to consider whether overly conservative regulatory limits on marketing funds serve inadvertently to inhibit educational efforts by fund sponsors for financial professionals and investors.[6]
I look forward to seeing asset managers continue to innovate to serve investor needs. I hope that the SEC will commit itself to apply the many years of experience we have accrued with the flexibility necessary to accommodate innovation by incumbents and new entrants to the industry. May the rest of the conference help you to gain wisdom from industry and regulatory veterans, while staying forever young.
[1] The number of public companies listed on exchanges has fallen from 5,243 in 2004 to 4,862 in 2024, calculated based on Monthly Stock data from Center for Research in Security Prices, LLC (CRSP). As the following paper details, public company counts differ depending on what types of companies they include. See Vladimir Ivanov, Michael Pessin & Albert Sheen, Courts of Reporting Issuers Subject to the Securities Act of 1934 and Public Firms in 2023, Division of Economic and Risk Analysis, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, at 7 (Apr. 28, 2025), https://www.sec.gov/files/dera-registrant-count-2504.pdf.
[2] The change allowed certain natural persons to qualify as accredited based on defined measures of professional knowledge, experience, or certifications. Accredited Investor Definition, Rel. Nos. 33-10824, 34-89669, 85 Fed. Reg. 64234 (Oct. 9, 2020), https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-10-09/pdf/2020-19189.pdf. The Commission noted that it did not expect the number of newly eligible individual accredited investors to be significant compared to the number of individuals then eligible to participate in private offerings. Id. at 64243.
Source: US State of California
Thursday, June 5, 2025
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov
SAN DIEGO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today secured a 10-year sentence against Jose Hector Ruiz on felony counts of transportation for sale of a controlled substance weighing more than four kilograms. The arrest of Mr. Ruiz occurred after a joint operation in San Diego County resulted in the seizure of 720,000 fentanyl pills. In February 2024, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Fentanyl Abatement & Suppression Team (FAST), in collaboration with the California Department of Justice San Diego Fentanyl Enforcement Program (SD FEP), the United States Border Patrol (USBP), and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSD), arrested Mr. Ruiz in Alpine after the investigation determined he was driving a vehicle containing a large quantity of fentanyl.
“Today, I want to remind Californians that our work will continue until illicit fentanyl stops destroying lives,” said Attorney Rob General Bonta. “This sentence would not have been possible without the strong partnership between our Fentanyl Enforcement Program and the FAST Task Force. Whether by the seizure of illicit fentanyl through our ongoing enforcement efforts or by bringing California billions of dollars through our legal efforts to hold the opioid industry accountable, the California Department of Justice is all-in when it comes to protecting California families from the dangers of fentanyl. There are countless lives being saved because of this important and difficult work.”
“FAST represents the kind of focused and strategic partnership needed to confront the fentanyl crisis head on,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego. “This multiagency effort and lengthy sentencing demonstrates how combining resources and expertise is making communities safer and stronger by targeting the networks peddling this deadly drug.”
A total of 110 packages were removed from the vehicle with a total combined weight of 158.5 pounds. The packages contained blue pills with “M30” markings, and the investigation determined the pills contained fentanyl. Law enforcement estimated approximately 720,000 fentanyl pills were removed from the vehicle. The prosecution of this case was handled by the California Department of Justice, Special Prosecutions Section.
HSI FAST is a multiagency task force comprised of state, local and federal partners and was first established in August 2022, focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively working to prevent fentanyl trafficking across the border through coordinated efforts with federal and local law enforcement partners throughout California to stop fentanyl before it ever has a chance to make it into our neighborhoods. As of April 2025, DOJ has seized a total of 15,468,990 fentanyl pills, 6,793 pounds of fentanyl powder and have arrested 508 suspects on fentanyl related charges.
An image from the seizure can be found here.
The complaint can be found here.
# # #
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Eric Burlison (R-Missouri 7th District)
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Eric Burlison (MO-07) reintroduced the Reliable Grid Act to stop the damage caused by radical Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations pushed under Democratic administrations that have crippled America’s power grid and triggered a nationwide energy-reliability crisis.
The bill bars the EPA Administrator from enforcing any regulation that restricts power plant operations or reduces dispatchable power capacity unless the agency can definitively prove it will not compromise the reliability or security of the grid.
“The grid is on the brink because of years of reckless Democrat policies that shut down reliable energy in the name of climate extremism,” said Rep. Burlison. “From the Obama-era Clean Power Plan to Biden’s absurd 90% carbon-capture rule, these policies were designed to shut down affordable, reliable energy. My Reliable Grid Act puts an end to this madness and stops future radical EPA tyrants from destroying our energy infrastructure.”
According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s 2023 Long-Term Reliability Assessment, most of the United States is now at elevated or high risk of blackouts and energy shortfalls. The Reliable Grid Act requires that before the EPA can impose any new regulation on power plants, all affected regions must be rated at “normal risk” by NERC—a standard the agency cannot currently meet due to the damage already inflicted by its past policies.
Industry Support
Alex Epstein, president of the Center for Industrial Progress and creator of Energy Talking Points, issued the following statement in support of the Reliable Grid Act:
“America’s grid is in a state of rapidly worsening crisis, with the Federal government and many state governments pursuing a ruinous policy of reducing the supply of reliable power plants through shutdowns and increasing demand for reliable power through EV and other electrification mandates. The crisis is being compounded by new demand from data centers and AI.
I have said for years that the most obvious and urgent step is to pause all new grid-threatening activity by the EPA—the leading force shutting down reliable power plants—until the grid crisis is resolved.
Thankfully, Rep. Eric Burlison has offered a bill, the Reliable Grid Act, that does exactly that. If passed, the Act would stop the premature retirement of reliable generators by the EPA Administrator until the EPA demonstrates it can reliably meet electricity demand without frequent shortages in supply and in capacity safety margins.
I hope the new Congress and Administration takes up the Reliable Grid Act as a top priority. It is a crucial step toward undoing the near-fatal damage the outgoing administration has done to our grid and moving toward a future of abundant, affordable, and ultra-reliable American electricity.”
Cosponsor: Rep. Brandon Gill (TX-26)
Source: US Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)
Contact: Riley Pingree
(June 5, 2025) WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) sent a letter to New Jersey Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim urging them to support the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction relief for New Jersey families in the Senate’s forthcoming reconciliation package.
For more than a year, Congressman Kean has worked across the aisle and stood up to members of his own party to secure the full restoration of the SALT deduction for middle-class families in New Jersey’s Seventh Congressional District. Thanks to those efforts, the House-passed reconciliation package would allow families to deduct up to $40,000 in state and local taxes—putting thousands of dollars back in the pockets of hardworking homeowners and delivering long-overdue fairness for New Jersey taxpayers. This change ensures that residents in high-cost states like New Jersey are no longer penalized simply because of where they live.
In contrast, when Democrats held full control of Washington in 2022, Senator Booker and then-Congressman Kim voted for the Inflation Reduction Act to become law, even after then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer advanced a bill with no SALT relief. Then again last year, both lawmakers missed yet another opportunity to deliver for their constituents when they both voted to advance the Tax Relief for American Workers and Families Act — the same bill Congressman Kean had opposed because it failed to increase the SALT deduction.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has indicated that the House-passed reconciliation bill, containing long-awaited SALT relief, will come to the Senate floor this summer.
“New Jersey innovators, job creators, students, and working families consistently bear some of the highest tax burden and cost of living in the nation,” said Congressman Kean. “I have been disappointed by the repeated broken promises from Senators Booker and Kim on SALT, which have left our constituents without tax relief for years. I was pleased to see that the Budget Reconciliation bill, which the House Republican Conference sent to the Senate last month, would quadruple the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction and provide much-needed relief to every middle-class family in New Jersey. We have another opportunity to deliver this much-needed relief to our constituents, as the House-passed reconciliation package approaches the Senate floor. Again and again, Leader Schumer has sunk SALT; this time, I urge Senators Booker and Kim to join me in delivering the SALT relief New Jersey needs and deserves.”
Read the full letter HERE.
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Source: Government of Canada News
June 5, 2025 – Ottawa – Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) has completed its review of the Sussex Region Flood Diversion Project, a new permanent flood control management system in Sussex, New Brunswick, and determined that its potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through other means.
The proponent, the Town of Sussex, may now move forward with obtaining any necessary authorizations and permits from federal and provincial authorities.
To arrive at its section .16 decision under the Impact Assessment Act, IAAC engaged other jurisdictions, federal experts, stakeholders, the public, and Indigenous Peoples to review the project description and identify potential impacts to federal jurisdiction and ensure they can be appropriately mitigated.
After a careful review of these issues, the proponent’s response and other factors, including comments from the public, IAAC determined that the potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through existing federal and provincial laws and regulations. These include but are not limited to the Fisheries Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, Species at Risk Act, the New Brunswick Clean Environment Act, and the Watercourse and Wetland Alteration Permit under the New Brunswick Clean Water Act.
As a result, a more comprehensive impact assessment is not required.
The documents and list of factors considered can be found in IAAC’s decision with reasons.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)
“The Executive Branch advances an interpretation of the TPS statute that, in essence, rewrites the statute to claim a power that Congress did not delegate,” said the Members in the brief’s introduction and summary. “Further, the Executive Branch asserts an interpretation of the TPS statute that leaves no role for the judiciary.”
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) led 54 Democratic Members of Congress to support and defend Venezuelans from the Trump Administration’s baseless termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) by filing an amicus brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in National TPS Alliance v. Noem.
This filing follows the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to proceed with rapidly revoking the lawful status of Venezuelans while the case moves forward. Before its ruling, Wasserman Schultz led 48 Democrats in a similar brief to the Supreme Court.
“The Executive Branch advances an interpretation of the TPS statute that, in essence, rewrites the statute to claim a power that Congress did not delegate,” said the Members in the brief’s introduction and summary. “Further, the Executive Branch asserts an interpretation of the TPS statute that leaves no role for the judiciary.”
The brief continues, “Amici, drawing on their experience and expertise as members of Congress, explain how these offered interpretations are incorrect and further explain that the TPS statute does not allow for vacatur…noting the long history of bipartisan Congressional support for temporary protected status for Venezuelans who fled dangerous conditions in their country, conditions that persist today.”
Wasserman Schultz was joined by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8), House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS-2), House Rules Committee Ranking Member Rep. James McGovern (MA-2), House Committee on Small Business Ranking Member Rep. Nydia Velazquez (NY-7), House Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Greg Casar (TX-35), as well as all Democratic Members of the Florida Congressional Delegation.
Additional signers include Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-00), John Larson(CT-01), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Henry C. (“Hank”) Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), Dina Titus (NV-01), Emanuel Cleaver II (MO-05), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Darren Soto (FL-09), Robin L. Kelly(IL-02), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-27), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Troy Carter (LA-02), Nikema Williams(GA-05), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Dave Min (CA-47), and Luz Rivas(CA-29).
Wasserman Schultz, who co-chairs the Venezuela Democracy Caucus, also recently partnered with Reps. Darren Soto(FL-9) and María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) to sponsor bipartisan legislation to reverse Trump’s termination of TPS for Venezuelans and redesignate protections.
The full amicus brief can be found here.
####
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Reps. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) and his colleagues are demanding answers from the Trump administration over a disturbing shift in immigration policy that’s leaving abused and abandoned immigrant youth without basic protections. At the same time, Representatives Gomez, Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and 35 other lawmakers are working to pass their bipartisan Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act, a bill that would exempt Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) recipients from green card backlogs and ensure faster, permanent protection for eligible children. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is leading the companion effort in the Senate.
In a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and USCIS Acting Director Kika Scott, the lawmakers raised concerns that USCIS has stopped granting deferred action to youth approved for SIJS — a humanitarian program for children who have survived abuse, abandonment, or neglect. “Without deferred action, youth who have survived abuse, abandonment, or neglect are being forced again to confront years of legal limbo during which they will be unable to support themselves, and will remain at higher risk of exploitation, abuse, and deportation,” wrote the lawmakers.
Despite being a protection for vulnerable children, SIJS recipients are placed in the employment-based visa system, where they face years-long delays before becoming eligible for permanent residency. The bipartisan Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act would remove SIJS recipients from these arbitrary caps and allow them to move forward with their lives.
“I’m raising a toddler right now, and I can’t just watch while kids who’ve already been through hell get stuck in limbo,” said Rep. Gomez. “These young people deserve safety and a shot at a better life — not to be left hanging because of red tape. Let’s fix this and do right by them.”
“At a time when our immigration system is plagued with uncertainty and turmoil, it is imperative we act to provide immigrant children who have suffered abuse or neglect the certainty they deserve and an opportunity to start their lives in the United States. It makes no sense to place vulnerable immigrant youth in employment-based visa backlogs and subject them to arbitrary per-country caps. I’m proud to join my colleagues, once again, in introducing the Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act to ensure abused or abandoned youth can remain safely in the country they call home,” said Rep. Lofgren, a senior member of the House Immigration Subcommittee and a former immigration lawyer.
Advocates have also reported a rise in detentions and deportations of SIJS recipients, with some losing deferred action protections once taken into ICE custody — despite being eligible for relief. The lawmakers are calling on DHS and USCIS to immediately resume deferred action for all approved SIJS recipients and are urging Congress to pass their bill to deliver a permanent fix to keep these young people out of legal limbo.
The following Members of Congress signed onto the letter to DHS: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM), Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), as well as Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Danny Davis (IL-07), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), James McGovern (MA-02), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Luz Rivas (CA-29), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Paul Tonko (NY-20).
In addition to Rep. Gomez, Lofgren, and Espaillat, the Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act is cosponsored by Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-At Large) André Carson (IN-07), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Jim McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Luz Rivas (CA-29), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia Velázquez (NY-7), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Rep. Darren Soto (FL-09).
78 organizations endorse these efforts, including: End SIJS Backlog Coalition, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), American Immigration Lawyers Association, National Immigrant Justice Center, Center for Law and Social Policy, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, United We Dream Network, and more.
You can read the full letter here and the bill text here.
###
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
WASHINGTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s 2024 Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) annual report detailing trends in the foreign student population studying in the United States is now available. The 2024 calendar year report analyzes data in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a web-based system that the Department of Homeland Security uses to maintain and manage information on foreign students and exchange visitors who enter the United States temporarily and solely for the purpose of pursuing a full course of study or participating in a U.S. Department of State-designated program.
The total number of active F-1 and M-1 student records in SEVIS was 1,582,808 in calendar year 2024, an increase of 5.3 percent from calendar year 2023. These foreign students were from more than 229 countries and territories.
Asia had the largest number of active foreign student records in the United States, with 1,134,953 foreign students, accounting for 71.7 percent of the foreign student population. The 422,335 foreign student records from India represented an increase of 11.8 percent compared to 2023, while the 329,541 foreign student records from China represented a small decrease of 0.25 percent compared to 2023.
California schools enrolled the largest number of foreign students at 237,763 while New York schools enrolled the second largest number of foreign students at 172,522.
Roughly 91 percent of all foreign students were enrolled in an SEVP-certified associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral program. Specifically, foreign students in the United States pursued 1,434,748 degrees in higher education, which is an increase of nearly 82,000 from calendar year 2023. Bachelor’s or master’s degrees were the most popular, accounting for 79 percent of higher education degrees sought.
There was a decrease in the number of SEVP-certified schools eligible to enroll foreign students with 7,234 SEVP-certified schools in 2024 compared to 7,683 schools in 2023.
In 2024, the total number of unique foreign student SEVIS records with work authorization through a form of practical training was 381,140. This number removes duplicate counts for foreign students who may have had more than one work authorization issued in 2024. Foreign students may participate in more than one type of training program in the course of a year and thus may be counted multiple times. The number of foreign students approved for each type of practical training without removing duplicates was 194,554 through (optional practical training) OPT, 95,384 through STEM OPT (science, technology, engineering and math optional practical training) and 130,586 through CPT (curricular practical training).
The report lists the top 25 employers for students participating in pre- and post-completion OPT, STEM OPT and CPT in calendar year 2024.
The full 2024 SEVIS by the Numbers report can be viewed online, as well as previous years SEVIS data. Both SEVP and the Department of State use SEVIS to maintain critical information that allows DHS to protect national security and monitor foreign students and exchange visitors.
ICE reviews SEVIS records for potential violations and refers cases with possible national security concerns to its field offices for further investigation. Additionally, SEVP analyzes student and school records for administrative compliance with federal regulations related to studying in the United States.
Learn more about SEVP
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
HARLINGEN, Texas – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the support of Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Marshals Service, arrested 25 illegal aliens June 4 during a targeted worksite enforcement operation that took place at two construction sites, South Padre Island and Brownsville, Texas.
“Today’s arrests reflect ICE’s unwavering commitment to upholding the integrity of our immigration system and protecting our nation’s workforce. Individuals who violate federal immigration and employment laws not only undermine fair labor standards but also pose potential security and safety risks. ICE will continue to work with our partners to identify and investigate those who disregard the law and exploit our country’s systems for personal or commercial gain,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee.
The individuals arrested are citizens of Mexico and Honduras and are pending removal back to their home country.
Under federal law, employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all individuals they hire, and to document that information using the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9. ICE uses the I-9 inspection program to promote compliance with the law, part of a comprehensive strategy to address and deter illegal employment. Inspections are one of the most powerful tools the federal government uses to ensure that businesses are complying with U.S. employment laws.
ICE’s worksite enforcement strategy includes leveraging the agency’s other investigative disciplines, since worksite investigations can often involve additional criminal activity, such as alien smuggling, human trafficking, money laundering, document fraud, worker exploitation and/or substandard wage and working conditions.
Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
For more information about ICE HSI San Antonio and its efforts to enhance public safety in south and central Texas, follow us on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.
Learn more about worksite enforcement by visiting ICE’s Worksite Enforcement Investigations
