NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Security: MS-13 leaders sentenced for January 2022 double murder that resulted in nationwide lockdown of federal prison system

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    BEAUMONT, Texas – The last of seven defendants, all members of the violent transnational criminal organization La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, were sentenced in Beaumont for a double murder in 2022, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Juan Carlos Rivas-Moreiera, also known as “Juan Carlos Moriera” and “Stocky,” 45, a national of El Salvador and a high-ranking member and leader of MS-13, was sentenced to an additional term of life in federal prison on April 25, 2025, for his role in orchestrating and leading the violent plot to murder rival gang members.

    On April 29, Hector Ramires, also known as “Cuervo,” 31, a national of Honduras, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for his role in the attack.

    In April 2022, seven defendants, including Rivas-Moreiera and Ramires, were indicted with charges relating to the planning and execution of a violent attack orchestrated by members of MS-13 against Mexican Mafia and Sureños associates that resulted in two deaths, two attempted murders, and a nationwide lockdown of all inmates in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) for almost a week.

    “This case illustrates the danger posed, both in and out of prison, by MS-13, a foreign terrorist organization,” said Abe McGlothin, Jr., Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.  “MS-13 leaders in El Salvador ordered and plotted these heinous murders from thousands of miles away. MS-13 ‘soldiers’ incarcerated in a Texas prison executed that plan, murdering two rival gang members and stabbing two others.  These sentences should serve as a warning for any foreign terrorist organizations that the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s office, along with our law enforcement partners, will use all available resources to disrupt and dismantle their terrorist network. Thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI and BOP investigators, the deservedly stiff sentences handed out in this case will likely ensure that these MS-13 defendants never see life beyond the walls of a federal prison.”                 

    “The vicious brutality of MS-13 has no place in our prisons or our society,” said FBOP Director William K. Marshall III. “This heinous attack, which claimed two lives and endangered countless others, demanded a swift and decisive response. The life sentences handed down send an unmistakable message: we will relentlessly pursue and dismantle those who sow chaos and violence within our facilities. The Bureau of Prisons stands united with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice prevails and our communities are protected from these ruthless predators.”

    “In a brutal, calculated act designed to terrorize rival gangs, MS-13 members butchered two men with over 45 stab wounds and left others clinging to life in a Beaumont prison,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “This was no ordinary attack— it was one of the most violent prison executions in Texas history that triggered a nationwide lockdown of federal inmates and exposed the arrogance of MS-13 leaders, who believed they were beyond reach. Today’s sentencing shatters that delusion and sends a clear message: the FBI and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to guarantee these violent terrorists face the full consequences of their crimes.”

    MS-13 is a transnational criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, but also includes members from other countries such as Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Although the gang originated in Los Angeles, California, it quickly spread and is now a national and international criminal organization with an estimated 10,000+ members regularly conducting gang activities in nearly all of the United States, including Texas, California, New York, and in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. On Feb. 20, the U.S. Department of State designated MS-13 as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT).

    The Mexican Mafia controls large portions of the Hispanic prison population in California and Texas and the federal prison system. MS-13 has had a symbiotic relationship with both the Mexican Mafia and the Sureños, which is a close association of Hispanic gangs that pay tribute to the Mexican Mafia while incarcerated in federal and state prisons in the United States. That symbiotic relationship recently began to fall apart as MS-13’s leadership in El Salvador, the Ranfla Nacional, sought to exert more control and independence of its own members while incarcerated in prisons within the United States, including using MS-13 command and control structure to enforce their orders, including orders to commit murders, even while in prison.

    According to information presented in court, on January 31, 2022, at the U.S. Penitentiary (USP) in Beaumont, seven MS-13 members converged in a housing unit and attacked multiple Sureños members and one Mexican Mafia associate. Defendant Rivas-Moreiera began the prison attack when he came up behind Guillermo Riojas and stabbed Riojas twice in the chest.  Riojas fell immediately, and other MS-13 defendants stabbed and kicked Riojas while he lay motionless on the prison floor.  The MS-13 defendants then chased, cornered, beat, and repeatedly stabbed Andrew Pineda, and other Sureños members.  The prison attack lasted approximately eight minutes.

    Riojas, 54, died as a result of the attack after suffering three stab wounds to the chest, piercing his heart twice and his lung once.  He also suffered injuries to his head and stomach during the attack.  Pineda, 34, who also died as a result of the attack, was stabbed 20 times on the front of his body and 26 times to the back of his body, for a total of 46 distinct stab wounds.  Two other Sureños members received serious injuries during the attack and were transported to an area hospital with numerous stab and puncture wounds.   

    In addition to Rivas-Moreiera and Ramires, the following defendants have been sentenced for their role in the attack:

    Larry Navarete, 44, a national of Nicaragua, was sentenced to an additional 360 months in federal prison;

    Jorge Parada, 45, a national of El Salvador, was sentenced to an additional 360 months in federal prison;

    Raul Landaverde-Giron, 35, a national of El Salvador, was sentenced to an additional 360 months in federal prison;

    Sergio Sibrian, 32, a national of El Salvador, was sentenced to an additional 420 months in federal prison; and

    Dimas Alfaro-Granados, 42, a national of El Salvador, was sentenced to an additional 360 months in federal prison.

    This prosecution is the result of coordination between the Eastern District of Texas and Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV).  JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua (TdA) and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Northern District of Ohio; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division.  Additionally, the FBI; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and the FBOP National Gang Unit have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

    This case is also a 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.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, and now-co-directors of JTFV, Christopher A. Eason and Jacob Warren.  The case was investigated by the FBI and the FBOP.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: CIC – Issuer Call Notice (Titres Participatifs)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO RELEASE, PUBLISH OR DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT (SEE “DISCLAIMER” BELOW).

    Paris, April 30th, 2025

    Notice of Early Redemption

    To : (i)      The Noteholders of the below mentioned Notes;
    (ii)      Euronext Paris
    (iii)      Fiscal Agent.

    Dear Sirs,

    Crédit Industriel et Commecial S.A.,
    €137,205,000 “Titres Participatifs” Variable Rate Notes issued on 28 May 1985 (the ‘’Notes”)

    (ISIN Code: FR0000047805)

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial S.A., (formerly “Compagnie Financière de Crédit Industriel et Commercial’’) is the issuer (the “Issuer’’) of the Notes.

    In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notes (the ‘’Conditions’’), the Issuer hereby gives notice that it is exercising in whole its right to redeem the Notes pursuant to the provision Redemption (‘’Remboursement’’) of the Listing Particulars (“Issuer Call Option”) of the Notes.

    We, the Issuer, instruct you as Fiscal Agent, to authorise the French Central Securities Depository to cancel the Notes redeemed on 28 May, 2025 (“Early Redemption Date”).

    For the purposes of the Issuer Call:

    (i) the Issuer Call Date will be 28 May, 2025; and
    (ii) the Optional Redemption Amount(s) or Early Redemption Amount excluding accrued interest is: EUR 300.68 per Denomination.

    Unless otherwise defined in this notice, capitalised terms used in this notice shall have the meaning given to them in the Listing Particulars (‘’Note d’Information’’) dated Mai, 1985, as applicable, relating to the Notes.

    Yours faithfully,

    For and on behalf of

    Crédit Industriel et Commercial

    By: Alexandre SAADA

    Duly authorised

    DISCLAIMER
    This press release does not constitute an offer to purchase, or the solicitation of an offer to sell, the Instruments in the United States, Canada, Australia, or Japan or in any other jurisdiction, including France. The distribution of this press release in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this press release comes are required to inform themselves and observe any such restrictions. No communication may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction in which registration or approval is required. No action has been or will be taken in any jurisdiction where such action would be required; CIC disclaims any liability for any violation by any person of such restrictions.

    Contacts
    Corporate Communications and Press Relations Department: +33 (0)1 53 48 26 00 – compresse@cic.fr
    Investor Relations: bfcm-web@creditmutuel.fr

    About CIC
    CIC is a leading bank in France and internationally, and the bank of one in three businesses in France. It provides nearly 5.5 million customers with a French network of nearly 1,800 branches and 20,000 employees, as well as international branches in 37 countries. In order to meet the needs of all economic players and to build up a constantly efficient offer on a daily basis, it combines financial, insurance, telephony and cutting-edge technological services with a high level of financial solidity backed by that of its parent company, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale. For more information, visit cic.fr

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Slam Illegal DOGE Cuts to AmeriCorps

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    April 30, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined their Congressional colleagues in an effort led by Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to defend AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) members. The lawmakers are calling on President Trump to immediately reverse cuts to the critical national service agency made by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    Central Oregon-based nonprofit Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC), which supports 225 youth annually in workforce development, is experiencing the effects of DOGE’s AmeriCorps cuts. Operating in four Oregon counties and working with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, HOC relies heavily on AmeriCorps national and state grants to drive crucial projects in conservation, wildfire fuels reduction, affordable housing, and childcare. Without federal investment through AmeriCorps in the short term, HOC would need to eliminate up to 60 current or planned AmeriCorps service terms for local youth in our corps in their High Desert Conservation Corps and YouthBuild programs. Further, if pending new grant applications for this upcoming fall are not processed, up to 100 more service terms for local Central Oregon youth and young adults would be affected, from Warm Springs and Madras to Bend, from Sisters to Prineville.
    The lawmakers’ urgent demand comes as the Trump Administration recently placed a majority of AmeriCorps employees on leave, and dismantled AmeriCorps NCCC. The move jeopardizes work being done to address urgent community challenges, including workforce shortages and natural disaster recovery and response, while robbing young people of life-changing opportunities.
    “We are deeply concerned these actions will prevent the agency from continuing to deliver critical services, which include supporting veterans, fighting wildfires, tutoring in schools, combatting the fentanyl epidemic, and much more,”the lawmakers wrote.
    AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors deploy more than 200,000 Americans annually to carry out results-driven projects at over 35,000 locations across the country. In Oregon, more than 1,800 folks of all ages and backgrounds served at over 300 sites statewide through AmeriCorps programs in 2024 alone. This service was backed by $11.4 million in federal investments and another $4.4 million in support from businesses, foundations, public agencies, and other sources.
    The?lawmakers are hearing these concerns across the nation. Their letter to President Trump highlighted the program’s benefits to society, to AmeriCorps members, and to the economy, as it’s estimated $17 in benefits are returned for every taxpayer dollar spent.
    Additionally, Congress recently passed and the President signed into law a funding bill that maintains AmeriCorps funding through the end of Fiscal Year 2025. The Senators emphasized that the Trump Administration is expected to implement the law in a manner consistent with the funding levels enacted in Fiscal Year 2024. Failing to do so would be a violation of the law.
    “If not reversed, these recent actions will both stop current programs and prevent timely and efficient execution of the agency’s fiscal year 2025 appropriations, delaying or even halting the recruitment and deployment of new AmeriCorps members around the country,” the lawmakers added.
    The lawmakers are making the push for the Trump Administration to reverse course and restore AmeriCorps programs for all the communities in Oregon and across the country that have long depended on AmeriCorps to meet critical needs, deliver essential services, and drive lasting change. If the Trump Administration’s actions aren’t reversed, youth development would suffer and the foundation of Oregon’s rural and urban communities alike that is needed when disasters like wildfires strike would be eroded.
    “We are deeply concerned that this is the goal: to eliminate AmeriCorps, in direct conflict with recently enacted appropriations. However, even delays will disrupt programs Americans rely on for their health, education, and safety. We urge you to reverse these actions and instead work with Congress on bipartisan improvements to AmeriCorps so that more Americans have the opportunity to serve their communities,” the lawmakers concluded.
    In addition to Merkley, Wyden, and Coons, the letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Angus King (I-Maine), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.).?Additionally, 105 U.S. House Representatives signed on. 
    You can read the full text of the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski Leads Bipartisan, Bicameral Push to Support Coastal Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    04.30.25
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined U.S. Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27) in introducing legislation to strengthen coastal communities and the blue economy across the U.S. The bipartisan, bicameral Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation (Ocean ROI) Act, would direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish “Ocean Innovation Clusters,” while providing grants for their establishment, operation, and administration.
    Specifically, the Ocean ROI Act would require the Secretary of Commerce—acting through the administrator of the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and in consultation with the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—to designate at least one ocean innovation cluster in each of the five NOAA Fisheries regions, Gulf of America region, and the Great Lakes region. The bill would also authorize $10 million for competitive grants for cluster operation and administration to support ocean innovation clusters on the federal level.
    “A strong blue economy will require strong coordination and creativity, and that’s why I’m leading this effort to invest in our ocean clusters and take advantage of the opportunities for innovation and collaboration,” said Sen. Murkowski. “This effort doesn’t just focus on the untapped economic potential of our blue economy, but also ensures that collaboration is at the center of any conversation or effort to address the impacts of climate change on our coastal communities. By providing incentives and workspaces for Alaskans in maritime and maritime-adjacent industries, we can achieve real progress in strengthening the blue economy.”
    “From protecting orcas from vessel noise, to transitioning to a carbon-free future for our ports and maritime industry, Washington’s ocean cluster, called Maritime Blue, is working hard to solve complex challenges facing our economy. This bill would build on their success by creating a new grant program to fund ocean innovation clusters and grow Washington’s $60 billion maritime economy,” said Sen. Cantwell.
    “Ocean innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it relies on strong federal partnerships and trusted scientific institutions and federal agencies. As the Trump Administration doubles down on its attacks against climate research and ocean science, it’s more important than ever that Congress step up,” said Rep. Pingree, a senior appropriator and member of the House Oceans Caucus. “The Ocean Regional Opportunity and Innovation Act is a bipartisan, bicameral effort to invest in our Blue Economy, boost ocean-based industries, and strengthen the resilience of coastal communities from the Gulf of Maine to the Bering Sea. Congresswoman Salazar, Senator Murkowski, Senator Cantwell, and I represent some of the most iconic and vulnerable coastlines in the nation. We know just how vital the ocean is to our economies, our environment, and our future. The United States should be leading the world in ocean innovation, not dismantling the partnerships that make it possible.”
    “Miami’s beautiful coasts and pristine waters provide Florida with billions in tourism and commerce every year, and I am committed to preserving them for generations to come,” said Rep. Salazar. “I am proud to reintroduce this legislation to promote Miami’s development and improve our environment through the sustainable use of our oceans. The blue economy and the opportunities it provides are growing, and there is no better place to invest the best we have in research and technology than right here in South Florida.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ICYMI: On the 100th day, Trump sits down with ABC News, ‘We’re a respected country again.’ 🔥

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    ICYMI: On the 100th day in office, President Trump sits down with @ABC News in the Oval Office, ‘We’re a respected country again.’

    Watch the MUST-SEE recap!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AtCAZZvc4o

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: POTUS: “In a few short weeks, we’ve achieved the most secure border in American history, by far.”

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    #POTUS #Trump #donaldjtrump #donaldtrump #presidenttrump #usa #America

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKD9z7aPrFg

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: ICYMI: President Trump’s Largest Tax Cut in History

    Source: The White House

    Last night, President Donald J. Trump renewed his call for Congress to pass the “one big, beautiful bill” and once again deliver the largest tax cuts in history to the American people.

    In addition to finally exempting tips, overtime, and seniors’ Social Security from taxes, here’s what else that means:

    • Real wages will go up by as much as $3,300/year.
    • Take-home pay for median-income households will increase by as much as $5,000/year.
    • Short-run real GDP will be boosted by 3.3-3.8% and long-run real GDP by 2.6-3.2%.
    • 4.1 million jobs will be saved.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman Mast Delivers Opening Remarks at Hearing on State Department Authorization

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast delivered opening remarks at a full committee hearing titled, “The Need for an Authorized State Department.”

    Watch Here

    -Remarks- 

    As I said, I called this hearing really to establish a simple fact: the State Department has many broken parts, and it’s been in many ways a broken part of our government for many years. It’s been too big. It’s had no clear mission or definition for public diplomacy, has very little command and control over the dollars that it sends across the globe. It’s spent your tax dollars in ways that would have been better if the State Department just lit the money on fire in many cases.

    Right now, more than 80% of the State Department is not authorized by Congress. That includes the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, with a budget of $57 million and 247 employees; the Bureau of International Organizations, with a budget of $90 million and 370 employees; and the Bureau of Administration, with a budget of $394 million and a staff of 700.

    Now, despite 80% of it not being authorized, the State Department’s bureaus, offices, and programs continued to grow each and every year. Last year, the State Department employed more than 80,000 people across the globe. Between the year 2000 and the year 2024, the State Department’s budget grew from roughly $9.5 billion to more than $55 billion over the course of that time.

    Where did that money go? Does our foreign policy feel like it’s five times more effective as we’ve spent five times more dollars? Instead, we’ve had a State Department with plenty of duplicative programs, but again, not a clear mission and a clear outline on how to go out there and affect the missions positively on behalf of the American people and all of our interests.

    The largest operation of the State Department in any of our lifetimes was the withdrawal from Afghanistan, which was an abysmal failure. The State Department failed to plan everything from how many people would be requesting visas to how many people would be needed to process those visas and a thousand other things.

    The State Department is too big, and it’s also unaccountable because we’ve not conducted a comprehensive standalone reauthorization since 2002. It’s also prioritizing the wrong things, in my opinion. That is why we saw American dollars going out the door to foreign companies, foreign countries, foreign NGOs, and foreign adversaries like the Taliban with less oversight than it takes the average American citizen to get a driver’s license at the DMV.

    Don’t take my word for it. Listen to what the State Department’s funded with your tax dollars. Many of you heard me give lists of hundreds and hundreds of items. I’ll list just a couple: $14 million in cash vouchers for migrants at our southern border; $24,000 for a national spelling bee in Bosnia; $1.5 million to mobilize elderly, lesbian, transgender, non-binary, and intersex people to be involved in the Costa Rica political process; $20,000 for a drag show in Ecuador; $32,000 for an LGBTQ comic book in Peru.

    I would challenge anybody in here to refute that American tax dollars were not spent in this way. I don’t see anybody refuting that.

    I have hundreds of more examples of these, if not thousands. We have proof that these things happened. We have the documents. We have the photos. We have the receipts. These things are too stupid for us to try and make up, really.

    But this is not about scoring political points with each of those; otherwise, I’d give the full list. These programs were funded with American tax dollars because somewhere, some person down the line at the State Department thought that programs like that were actually public diplomacy. The spending was not life-saving. It didn’t make American citizens visiting those countries safer or American businesses operating there more prosperous or a better partner. It didn’t bring any of the countries in which the money was spent closer to America. In fact, many of these countries actively opposed what the State Department was actually doing.

    Yet State Department officials thought this was public diplomacy and exactly what America should be doing. Again, I personally disagree with that definition of public diplomacy, but we should have this debate and we should figure out what American tax dollars should and should not be used for abroad. That’s what the debate about a State Department reauthorization is all about. That’s what this hearing and a reauthorization process will accomplish.

    We need to restore command and control over the State Department so that you don’t have USAID betraying its core mission by funding an $850,000 transgender job fair in Bangladesh or $15 million in condoms to the Taliban. That did nothing to bolster America’s national security.

    Even worse, the lack of accountability allows USAID to create a bloated industry where D.C. contractors profited off sky-high overhead costs while people most in need received very little compared to what those contractors received. Even USAID admitted that just 12% of its grants went directly to local organizations.

    This lack of accountability at USAID is exactly why the agency needed to be brought back under the control of the State Department. And this is an idea that was embraced by Bill Clinton—President Bill Clinton—and President Joe Biden, and it’s a move that we should make permanent in our reauthorization bill.

    The State Department has been broken. That has been true. But it’s also our responsibility as the Foreign Affairs Committee to fix those issues permanently. Until now, the State Department has never shrunk. It’s never downsized its budget or eliminated an office or an envoy.

    President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and Doge are already making changes, and they’re looking at us to be a partner in that process. We look forward to seeing Secretary Rubio to speak to us about that later in the month, next month. The only way that we do this as authorizers in the U.S. House of Representatives is by conducting that first full comprehensive State Department reauthorization again since 2002.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Urges Appellate Court to Reinstate Funding for Fair Housing Organizations

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to reinstate congressionally-appropriated funding for fair housing organizations in New York and across the country. In February, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) cancelled 78 grants for fair housing organizations that provide vital work in 33 states, including New York. These funds help housing groups investigate discriminatory housing practices, educate the public of their rights and obligations under federal and state fair-housing laws, and enforce those laws in actions brought before government agencies and in court. Attorney General James and the coalition are urging the court to reinstate a lower court’s temporary restraining order to keep the funding intact.

    “The Trump administration’s funding cuts to fair housing groups will only worsen the nationwide housing crisis,” said Attorney General James. “Fair housing groups are critical in helping states stop housing providers and lenders from discriminating against vulnerable people, and we need them now more than ever to ensure that everyone has fair access to dignified housing. I am urging the First Circuit to restore congressionally approved funding for fair housing groups so we can continue to protect access to housing for those who need it most.”

    Congress established the Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP) in 1988 to provide funding to private, nonprofit housing organizations that work to investigate and eliminate discriminatory housing practices and enforce state and federal fair housing laws. In February 2025, HUD suddenly cancelled 78 preexisting FHIP grants to housing organizations doing fair housing work in 33 states. The cancellations were effective immediately and with no prior warning, despite HUD being statutorily required to provide such funding.  

    A group of 66 nonprofit fair housing groups subsequently sued HUD in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and are now calling on an appellate court to reinstate a temporary restraining order barring HUD’s action from taking effect. In their brief, the attorneys general argue that HUD’s sudden revocation of funding could result in more discrimination against families and vulnerable community members in need of housing, and will disrupt state programs that depend on collaboration with fair housing groups to root out discriminatory housing practices.

    The attorneys general assert that fair housing groups help states stop discriminatory housing practices in several ways. For example, as the brief highlights, FHIP organizations in New York routinely bring enforcement actions on behalf of disabled individuals seeking to redress discrimination in the design and construction of apartment buildings, or uncover new or previously undetected forms of discrimination, such as biases in the algorithmic models used in housing advertisements. In other states, FHIP organizations have brought enforcement actions against banks and mortgage companies after a multiyear investigation showed that foreclosed properties in Black and Latino communities were not maintained or marketed to the same standards as those in other, predominantly white communities. Housing organizations that receive FHIP funds also provide critical consultation and advocacy services for New Yorkers facing housing crises, by helping individuals access state resources, mediate disputes with landlords, and file claims with state agencies, like the New York Division of Human Rights, that investigate and adjudicate claims of housing discrimination. The attorneys general argue in their brief that without the funding from HUD, dozens of fair housing groups across the country will not be able to help tenants, report housing injustices, and stop discriminatory housing against low-income, marginalized, or disabled individuals.

    Joining Attorney General James in submitting this brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Indicted for Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpsonannounced that JHOSMY JOSUE PEREZ-ALVAREZ (“PEREZ-ALVAREZ”), age 24, a native of Honduras, was indicted on April 24, 2025, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8).

    According to court documents, on or about January 2, 2025, PEREZ-ALVAREZ, an individual unlawfully present in the United States, was found in possession of a Glock nine-millimeter handgun.  He was arrested by the New Orleans Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations officers, for violating immigration laws.

    If convicted, PEREZ-ALVAREZ faces a maximum penalty of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpsonpraised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

    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 (TCOs), 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Houston man charged with using endangered sea turtles to make boots

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A Laredo grand jury has indicted a 31-year-old Houston man for his role in trafficking boots made of sea turtle skin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Law enforcement has taken Alejandro Hernandez into custody in Midland. He is making his initial appearance there before U.S. Magistrate Judge Roland Griffin.  

    The five-count indictment alleges Hernandez smuggled and conspired to smuggle boots into the United States, illegally sold the boots and sent them through the mail.

    Hernandez allegedly operated an online store where he advertised selling custom boots made from any animal skin. He claimed the boots were genuine handmade items from Guanajuato, Mexico, according to the charges.

    In October 2024, Hernandez allegedly caused sea turtle skin boots to be imported from Mexico and sent them to a customer in Houston.

    If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan L. Oliver is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Man Charged with Receipt of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Boston man has been arrested and charged for allegedly receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

    Cess Frazier, 32, has been charged with one count of receipt of child pornography. Frazier was arrested at his residence yesterday and made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston. He has been ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for May 1, 2025.

    According to the charging documents, an ongoing investigation into the dissemination of CSAM allegedly identified Frazier as an individual who had purchased CSAM. During a search of Frazier’s cell phone approximately 100 media files that depicted CSAM were allegedly found saved in Telegram Messenger. The minor victims in the files are alleged to be between approximately three and 10 years old.  

    Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

    The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Indicted for Reentry of Deported Alien

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that BRYAN JAVIER PEREZ-ESPINOZA (“PEREZ-ESPINOZA”), age 33, a native of Honduras, was indicted on April 24, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).

    According to court documents, PEREZ-ESPINOZA, an illegal alien, was found in Orleans Parish on March 23, 2024. He had previously been removed to Honduras on September 30, 2022.

    If convicted, PEREZ-ESPINOZA faces a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter.  Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.

    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 (TCOs), 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National With Three Prior Deportations Charged For Illegally Reentering The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance Tuesday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after being removed from the country on three prior occasions. 

    Audencio Vazquez-Calletano, 31, is charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 13, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J. Youchah.

    According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and statements made during court proceedings, Vazquez-Calletano is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on May 13, 2011, February 22, 2012, and June 21, 2024, and reentered the United States illegally on or before April 14, 2025. 

    The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) arrested Vazquez-Calletano near Searchlight, Nevada, on April 14, 2025. Vazquez-Calletano unsuccessfully tried to flee CBP apprehension. Vazquez-Calletano has a prior felony conviction for Take Vehicle Without Owner’s Consent/Vehicle Theft, in Santa Barbara County, California.

    If convicted, Lopez Munoz faces the maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.

    United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. 

    The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Slams Trump’s First 100 Days: This Is A Story Of Incompetence, Theft, And Mind-Blowing Corruption

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
    [embedded content]
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to deliver a scathing indictment of President Trump’s first 100 days in office. Murphy detailed the litany of corrupt acts that have defined this Administration, including the sale of White House access for the Trump family’s personal profit, manipulation of federal agencies for financial gain, and the systematic dismantling of anti-corruption safeguards.
    “This is not normal. None of this is normal. This is outlandish, this is illegal, this is unconstitutional, brazen corruption, and this is only the first 100 days. I just detailed 40 instances of mind-blowing corruption in just 40 days, capped off by an attempt to just sell access to the White House to people who put money in the pocket of Donald Trump’s personal businesses. Donald Trump wants to numb this country into believing that this is just how government works. That he’s owed this. That every president is owed this. That government has always been corrupt, and he’s just doing it out in the open. But this is not how government works. This has been the story of his first 100 days, but it’s our choice as a nation to allow it to be the story of the rest of his term. We need to expose what he is doing. We need to rally everybody, from the left to the right. Nobody in this country, whether you’re a hardened conservative or a hardened progressive, should root for the president of the United States to be enriching himself off of this position. We need to rally this nation against this corruption and bring it to an end, because if Donald Trump gets what he wants, and we just start allowing our government’s leaders to openly steal from us during the first 100 days or for the rest of his term, then I am telling you, American democracy is not going to survive.”
    Last month, he highlighted Trump’s first six weeks of corruption.
    A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:
    MURPHY: “Thank you, Mr. President. My colleagues, you’re going to hear a lot of stories about the first 100 days of President Trump’s second presidency, and indeed there are a lot of stories. There is a story of incompetence. We’re dealing with multiple measles outbreaks all across the country. There is the story about abdicating our responsibility to lead around the world – Vladimir Putin is laughing at us as Trump goes about the business of handing Ukraine to a brutal Kremlin dictator. There is the story of a transferring wealth from the poor and the middle class through massive cuts to Medicaid, to the very, very wealthy, who are asking for another massive tax cut. 
    “But I would argue, Mr. President, that the most important story to tell is a story of corruption. A story of mind-blowing, massive, scalable corruption. That story is important because we are watching the theft of taxpayer money by the decision of the Republican Party to look the other way as Donald Trump essentially monetizes at scale the White House and the powers given to him by the Constitution and the American people in order to enrich himself and his friends. And if we don’t tell this story, and if we don’t mount a national bipartisan, apolitical resistance to this thievery, to this corruption, and it becomes normalized as just a part of doing business in America, a normal facet of residents in the White House, then shame on us, because our democracy will not survive this level of corruption, grift, and graft. 
    “So I am going to try to tell the story really quickly. I’ve got two charts and it’s hard to read – these words are really small – because over the course of 100 days, there are 40, 50, 60 individual acts of precedent-breaking corruption. And that’s intentional because what President Trump is trying to do is engage in so much public corruption that you just become normalized to it, that you stop paying attention to the corruption because can it be corruption if it is just playing out in public? He’s trying to make you think that this kind of stuff happens all the time behind the scenes and now all that’s different is you are seeing it publicly. 
    “But that is not true. This is not actually how government works. And I refuse to accept that just because the corruption is happening in public, in front of the cameras for everybody to see, that we should accept it. 
    “Okay. I’m going to try to do this. I’m going to try to do this as quickly as possible. I’m just going to highlight for you maybe the 40 most egregious examples of corruption in the first 100 days, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. 
    “So, on January 6th – this is before Trump is even sworn in – Amazon, which has a ton of business before the incoming Trump White House, pays $40 million to the Trump family to license a documentary in a series about Melania Trump. Just a cash payment from a company that has huge interests before the incoming White House to the Trump family. 
    “On January 17th, a few days before Trump is sworn in – maybe the most corrupt act in the history of the White House – this is the creation of the Trump meme coin. This is just a backdoor way for anybody with business before the Trump administration to send him millions of dollars in total secret. Trump doesn’t disclose who buys the coin. He launders his income from the coin through an unregulated Chinese exchange. He promotes the coin on his social media feeds. In the first minute of trading, one buyer – and what we know is that this was likely a Chinese individual – purchases six million coins, sending the price through the roof and immediately making a ton of money for Trump, who makes money off of every transaction. Trump knows who this person is, no doubt, but American citizens do not. 
    “January 20th, he is now sworn in and he fulfills a campaign promise to the oil and gas industry. There’s a report from the campaign that says they came down to Mar-a-Lago, I think, and said ‘We’ll give you a billion dollars in campaign contributions.’ This is not me alleging this, this is an open report. The oil and gas industry says we’ll give you a billion dollars in campaign contributions if you do what we want when you are sworn in. And the day he’s sworn in, Trump issues an executive order gutting environmental rules so that the oil and gas industry can start making bigger amounts of money. 
    “On January 25th, Trump eliminates the Inspectors General, the ethics officials in government and whistleblower offices. It’s a late-night purge, so you know it’s fishy. On January 25th, 17 Inspectors General get fired, clearing the way for the president to engage in even more corruption because that’s what the Inspectors General do. They sit in these agencies and they look for corruption. Now the Inspectors General are gone. They’re just gone. 
    “But that’s not good enough because on that same day, Trump fires the head of the Office of Special Counsel. Why would you do that? Well, that office is an investigative and prosecutorial office that works to end government and political corruption and protects government employees who become whistleblowers. That office is gone now, along with all of the whistleblowers. 
    “Two days later, Trump illegally fires NLRB member Gwen Wilcox. This effectively shuts down, illegally, the NLRB for a period of time. Why is that important? Because the guys who were standing behind Donald Trump on Inauguration Day, people like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, they are being investigated at the moment by the NLRB for massive workplace violations. Now the NLRB is shut down, a big gift to the people who financed Donald Trump’s inauguration and stood behind him to give him political endorsement and cover on his inauguration day. 
    “On January 31st, a trend begins: enforcement actions are paused against Trump loyalists. This is Representative Andy Ogles from Tennessee. He was being investigated for illegal, or potentially illegal, loans made to his 2022 campaign. But right after Rep. Ogles introduces a bill to amend the constitution to allow Trump to serve for a third term, what happens? Trump makes the investigation go away. Because as you will see, Trump’s justice system will often look the other way if you cheat or steal but you are a friend of Donald Trump.
    “At the same time, another of Trump’s friends, his IRS nominee Billy Long, gets his donors – almost all of them have direct interest before the IRS – to pay off his six-figure campaign debt. It’s a fabulously corrupt thing to do, but it’s just all normal now. So when Trump is showing you the way, then the folks who work for him follow suit. 
    “Alright, we’ll jump to February now. February 4th. We’re into Week 2 of the Trump White House. Trump hauls the PGA and the Saudi government into the White House to broker an agreement between the two rival golf leagues so that Trump can make more money hosting golf tournaments. He’s in business with one of the entities, the Saudi-owned LIV league. In a normal world, the president of the United States wouldn’t be in business with any foreign government. But the president is, and not only is that okay, but it is also apparently okay for him to bring the golf league that he’s in business with into the White House and pressure the other golf league, the rival golf league, to cut a deal. And guess what happens? The PGA, which had long said they were not going to host events at Trump’s courses, after being hauled into the White House, looking the president of the United States in the eye – somebody they clearly have to do business with – they announce that they’re going to start allowing their tournaments to be held at Trump courses. Big benefit to Donald Trump’s personal bottom line. 
    “February 6th, two days later: Trump ends the criminal enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Do you know what this is? You should. It requires people who are being paid by foreign governments to register. It’s no longer going to be enforced, so now members of the Trump administration can get backdoor payments from foreign governments and nobody is going to enforce the law. This isn’t theoretical. There were people who got arrested for doing this exact same thing, getting paid by foreign governments while working for the Trump administration, in term one. He wants to make sure it’s not a problem in term two, so he pauses enforcement of the actual act. 
    “Four days later, Trump eliminates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. This is just a magnificent present to all of his billionaire enablers because this is the agency that stops big businesses, banks, and other financial firms from ripping off consumers and now it is just shut down. 
    “The same day, DOJ drops charges against Eric Adams in a mind-blowingly public and brazen quid pro quo. Adams says he will pledge loyalty to Trump and support Trump’s political priorities in New York City, Trump drops the corruption charges against Adams. Just like the Ogles case, the door is now wide open to engage in corruption or criminality as long as you support Donald Trump. The thing that makes this one so egregious is that Adams and the White House go on TV to announce the corrupt deal. They don’t hide it. They just say that Adams is now supporting Donald Trump and we’re now going to drop the charges against him, and everybody gets the message. There’s a lot of stuff I can get away with as a corrupt official as long as I am in bed politically with Donald Trump. 
    “Same day, February 10th, DOJ pauses enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. This is the law that stops American companies from bribing foreign governments in order to get business. On February 10th, Trump suspends enforcement of an antibribery statute, paving the way for his friends in corporate America to start bribing foreign governments again. 
    “Two days later, the State Department forecasts that they are going to dramatically upscale the amount of money that they’re going to send to Tesla. This is the first time that Elon Musk shows up in this story. By February 12th, Elon Musk is pretty well embedded in the White House, and guess what? The State Department is now going to spend $400 million for armored Teslas – its largest expected contract in the upcoming year. 
    “February 12th, the same day, Musk infiltrates the Department of Labor and OSHA, giving him exclusive secret access to labor law violation data against him and his competitors. Unethical, corrupt, but this stuff is just happening every single day. A few days later, on February 15th and 16th, Musk now starts really testing the limits of what his boss will let him get away with. He fires a specific set of regulators at the FDA that are reviewing one of his medical products, Neuralink. The message is clear: you’ve got to do right by my applications or you risk getting the ax too. 
    “Three days later, on February 19th, Trump’s new U.S. Attorney for Washington, D.C., Ed Martin, starts to use his government power to harass Trump critics. He launches something called Operation Whirlwind and is pretty unapologetic about the fact that this is going to be an enforcement operation against anybody who just seeks to get in the way of DOGE. He doesn’t say he’s going after people who are acting illegally. He says anybody who tries to stop or protest or harass DOGE’s work is now going to be the subject of Operation Whirlwind, and he starts trolling critics of DOGE online. The U.S. Attorney for D.C. is now trolling DOGE critics online, obviously threatening criminal enforcement. 
    “You see what’s happening here? We’re 30 days into the administration, and everybody in Trump’s world, including the supposedly independent U.S. Attorneys, are getting the message: that it is now part of your job, if you work for Trump, to use your government powers to either enrich yourself or Trump or to help Trump politically. 
    “February 21st, two days later, the SEC drops a major investigation into a company called Robinhood. Why does this matter? You guessed it: this firm donated $2 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. 30 days later, the SEC drops an investigation into that firm. 
    “Put a pin in that, because you’re going to hear stories like it over and over again. 
    “Throughout February, we watched the rich guys that are surrounding Trump come up with new ways to monetize their positions. Kash Patel is a perfect example. He’s the nominee to head the FBI – maybe the most important independent bureau in the federal government – and while he’s going through that process, he is selling merchandise online ranging from T-shirts to playing cards, with the proceeds supposedly going to whistleblowers’ education and defamation cases. 
    “February 26th, news breaks that the FAA is considering giving a $2.4 billion contract to Elon Musk’s Starlink. But it’s not like a regular contract that’s up for bid. It’s a contract that was already awarded to one of Musk’s competitors, Verizon, and word leaks that the White House is thinking of just ripping the contract away from Verizon – because Verizon is not a political supporter of Donald Trump in the way Elon Musk is – and just giving it to Elon Musk. Now, that doesn’t happen. As reported, the contract has not been canceled yet. But there are regular reports of the administration still relentlessly attacking Verizon in a clear attempt to try to undermine their contract. 
    “February 27th, the next day, Trump drops a lawsuit against Capital One. Why does this matter? Capital One donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. It’s now just kind of automatic. You donate a big amount of money to Trump’s inauguration, and you can ask him for something. 
    “We’re not done. That same day, the SEC drops a lawsuit against Coinbase. You got the story now. Coinbase donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund. They are now told it’s okay to keep cheating consumers. 
    “We’re not done. On February 28th, a day later, the DOJ announced that it would drop a complaint against SpaceX, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for labor discrimination. Elon is like wait a second, all these other big donors to your inauguration are getting out of jail free, I want my get out of jail free card as well. He gets it from DOJ. 
    “We’re now into March. March 1st, a report breaks – this is maybe second to [the meme coin], the most stunning act of corruption. On March 1st, word breaks that Trump is selling meetings at Mar-a-Lago. On at least one occasion, Trump charged guests $1 million to dine with him at Mar-a-Lago. According to the same report, business leaders can secure a one-on-one meeting with the president of the United States for a $5 million payment to Donald Trump. 
    “If you were mayor of a medium-sized town and it was reported that you were selling meetings for like $200, you would be arrested. You would be run out of town. But not Donald Trump. He’s selling meetings for $5 million, according to this report. And because the corruption in this White House is daily and normal, he gets away with it. 
    “March 2nd, Trump launches a crypto reserve fund. This is going to involve government taxpayer dollars purchasing and holding a variety of digital assets in a strategic reserve fund –a move that definitely inflates and protects Trump’s investment portfolio, [which], by now, you understand, [is] very heavily dependent on crypto assets. This normally wouldn’t be a problem because normally when somebody takes a high position like president or governor or mayor, they divest from their own personal assets, or they put it all in a blind fund. Trump does none of that. He’s controlling his own assets, his family is controlling their own assets, while he makes policy that benefits himself and his family financially. 
    “On March 3rd, a really curious thing: DOJ intervenes in an obscure but open-and-shut 2020 Colorado elections case. This is the case of Tina Peters, who tampered with voting machines on Trump’s behalf in Mesa County, Colorado. She was convicted by a jury of her peers, open and shut. But because Peters is a MAGA loyalist, now DOJ, on March 3rd, said it’s going to step in and review the case because there are concerns about how it was prosecuted. This is just President Trump again clearly shielding those that violated the law to help him from consequences. 
    “Same thing, different day. No, not even a different day. This is actually still March 3rd. Yuga Labs, a blockchain company, donated $100,000 to the Trump inauguration fund. They now get in line. They get what everybody else is getting. The SEC closes an ongoing investigation into the company. 
    “On March 4th, DOGE lays off thousands of IRS employees. This is bad for a lot of reasons, but it certainly helps Trump’s Mar-a-Lago friends because the IRS now cannot enforce the law against the big, giant tax cheats in the way that it could have when it had those personnel on the books. Mar-a-Lago is celebrating. 
    “March 4th – same day – word breaks that the Commerce Department is considering changes to this very specific rural broadband program and who’s eligible. Why? Because Elon Musk wants to dominate that program. Under the program’s original rules, Starlink was capped at $4.1 billion. This curious change now will allow Elon Musk’s company, Starlink, to receive between $10 billion and $20 billion from the rural broadband program. 
    “This is like a broken record, but six days later, the CFPB – which is basically shut down but exists in name only – drops a lawsuit against the Bank of America and J.P. Morgan. Bank of America donated $500,000 to the inauguration. J.P. Morgan donated $1 million to the inauguration.
    “On March 11th, a day later, Trump and Musk hold this now very well-known advertisement for Tesla on the White House lawn. This is just taxpayer dollars used to support the personnel at the White House and the White House being used to sell cars for Elon Musk, and the message again is pretty simple here: if you are loyal to me, and you pay any kind of price for your loyalty to me, I will use government resources to help you, to get you out of trouble, even including free advertising. 
    “On March 19th – we’re eight days later – the GEO Group donated $500,000 for Trump’s inauguration fund. This is a private prison company, and the NLRB drops its investigation into this company. It’s really getting disgusting at this point. I don’t know that there’s anybody left that made a major donation to the inauguration fund that has not gotten their favor from Donald Trump. 
    “On March 24th, the Treasury Department guts something called the Corporate Transparency Act. This is the regulation that requires businesses to reveal their true owners to the government. These new rules now make it easier for billionaires to hide money, to avoid taxes, to engage in corruption – less accountability for corporations. 
    “March 25th, a day later, the SEC reduces, from $125 million to $50 million, an existing fine. So, this has already been litigated: this company, Ripple, it’s a blockchain-based digital payment company. It’s been fined, and Trump comes in and reduces the fine from $125 million to $50 million. You know the story by now. These guys made a big investment in the inauguration. Most of these companies that got a get-out-of-jail-free or had their investigations terminated were giving $500,000, $1 million. Ripple wanted to make sure they got it right. They made a $5 million donation to Trump’s inaugural fund, and they got their fine reduced by $75 million. 
    “March 28th, Trump pardons the founder of Nikola Autos, one of his campaign mega donors. Again, this is a pardon for one of his major campaign contributors. When asked about the pardon, Trump said ‘They say the thing they did was wrong, but he was one of the first people who supported me for president.’ He just tells you what he did. He said, ‘yeah, they said what he did was wrong, he did something that was probably pretty wrong, but he supported me for president, so I’m giving him a pardon.’ I’m not saying that there hasn’t been a lot of really bad stuff that’s happened in the pardon program under Democratic and Republican presidents, but let’s just name it when Donald Trump names it. 
    “April 8th, we’re into April. Trump issues an executive order to expand coal mining. This is part of his down payment on the promise he made to those oil executives. The shares of the company owned by Joseph Kraft, the billionaire coal magnate who helped lead those Trump fundraising efforts during the presidential campaign, immediately shoots up.
    “On April 9th, this really curious timeline of events plays out, in which Trump posts on his social media, ‘This is a great time to buy.’ A lot of his followers complied; they make investments in the market. There’s reports and speculation that many of his inner circle might have done the same thing, and then a couple hours later, he announces that he’s pausing most of his tariffs, and the market shoots up. People who followed his directions online make a lot of money, and potentially other people who had access to that insider information might have made a lot of money as well. 
    “On April 17th, Musk steers billions of taxpayer dollars to something called the Golden Dome. Reuters, on April 17th, reports that Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company, SpaceX, has emerged as the frontrunner to develop Trump’s proposed Golden Dome. This is a really ill-defined, technologically unproven defense system. It supposedly has a price tag of hundreds of billions of dollars, money that now looks as if it will be funneled directly to Elon Musk. At this point it is just head-shaking.
    “On April 23rd, now it’s like he can do anything he wants. He has just blown the lid off of any expectations about what a president can and cannot do to enrich himself. On April 23rd, a message appears on the homepage of the website for Trump’s meme coin declaring that the top 220 meme coin holders would be invited for an exclusive dinner with Trump and the top 25 coin holders – these are private investors in Donald Trump’s financial empire–would get a special VIP tour of the White House. After the message went up, the price of Trump’s coin jumped by more than 50%. In the two days following the announcement of the special VIP tour in the people’s house, the White House, Trump and his allies made nearly a million dollars in trading fees alone. They are just selling access to the White House out in the open.
    “April 26th, Trump’s family, this is just last weekend, announces the launch of a private club called the Executive Branch, a new private club in Washington. The initiation fee is around half a million dollars. It is advertised as a place where you can hold secret audiences with the Trump administration, as long as you pay Donald Trump’s family and their financial backers over $500,000 in membership fees. It is apparently already sold out.
    “This is not normal. None of this is normal. This is outlandish, this is illegal, this is unconstitutional, brazen corruption, and this is only the first 100 days. I just detailed 40 instances of mind-blowing corruption in just 40 days, capped off by an attempt to just sell access to the White House to people who put money in the pocket of Donald Trump’s personal businesses. 
    “Donald Trump wants to numb this country into believing that this is just how government works. That he’s owed this. That every president is owed this. That government has always been corrupt, and he’s just doing it out in the open. But this is not how government works. This has been the story of his first 100 days, but it’s our choice as a nation to allow it to be the story of the rest of his term. We need to expose what he is doing. We need to rally everybody, from the left to the right. Nobody in this country, whether you’re a hardened conservative or a hardened progressive, should root for the president of the United States to be enriching himself off of this position. We need to rally this nation against this corruption and bring it to an end, because if Donald Trump gets what he wants, and we just start allowing our government’s leaders to openly steal from us during the first 100 days or for the rest of his term, then I am telling you, American democracy is not going to survive.
    “I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Statement on Federal Government Dropping Criminal Charges Against Maude Family

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    April 30, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement after the federal government dropped criminal charges against Charles and Heath Maude, South Dakota-based ranchers who were involved in a land dispute with the Biden administration.

    “The political prosecutions during the Biden administration weren’t just focused on destroying President Trump – they also went after hardworking ranchers trying to run a small family operation,” said Lummis. “As a rancher, and someone with common sense, I’m grateful that Secretary Rollins, Secretary Bondi, and President Trump have ended the injustice that was perpetrated against the Maude family, a family with strong Wyoming roots. Government resources should be directed toward prosecuting actual criminals rather than generational farmers and ranchers.”

    Background: 

    Charles and Heather Maude were indicted separately nearly a year ago by the Biden administration on charges of theft of federal property stemming from a fence line dispute about a fence built before either were born.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis, Gillibrand Introduce Bill to Codify Trump Proposal to Suspend Production of the Penny, Save Taxpayers Money

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Representative Lisa McClain (R-MI), and Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA) introduced the Common Cents Act, bipartisan legislation, backed by President Trump, to suspend production of the penny and save American taxpayers money.

    “I agree with President Trump that the time has come to fully end production of the penny and save American taxpayers money,” said Lummis. “The fiscal reality is undeniable: the U.S. Mint spends three cents to produce each one-cent coin. With a $36 trillion national debt, we have to implement meaningful opportunities to reduce costs, update our currency system, and codify the elimination of government inefficiencies. It just makes cents!”

    “The penny is outdated and inefficient and no longer serves the needs of our economy,” said Gillibrand. “By suspending its production, we can reduce government spending, streamline transactions, and move toward a more practical financial system. It’s time to invest in a future that works for the 21st century economy, and that starts with suspending production of the penny.”

    Background:

    • On February 9, 2025, President Trump stated on TRUTH Social that he wants to stop minting the penny.
    • On February 18, 2025 Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the U.S. Mint will stop production of the penny soon.
    • The late Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi in 2017 introduced the COINS Act, which would have suspended minting of the penny.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Passed by Senate Commerce Committee: Fischer’s Bill to Strengthen U.S. Telecommunications Against Foreign Adversaries

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    FACT Act now eligible for Senate Floor vote

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer’s (R-Neb.) legislation to strengthen American telecommunications against foreign adversaries passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee. The Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency (FACT) Act now awaits consideration on the Senate floor. Fischer introduced the bill in January of this year. 

    If signed into law, the FACT Act would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to publicly identify entities that hold FCC licenses, authorizations, or other grants of authority that are owned, wholly or partially, by foreign adversarial governments. This includes the governments of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. In addition to Fischer, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.).

    “We cannot let authoritarian and adversarial regimes like China and Russia continue to have silent footholds in our tech and telecommunications markets. My bill will direct the FCC to evaluate the communications risks foreign ownership ties pose to America’s national securityand ensure that we can respond to these threats. I’m grateful a bipartisan group of my colleagues voted yes on this legislation, and I look forward to its passage on the Senate Floor,” said Fischer.

    “We must protect our nation in every way we can from global adversaries who are trying to hack our systems and access our information. I’m glad to see that our bipartisan bill to help protect our telecommunications systems from adversarial nations, including China, Russia, and Iran, passed out of committee today. I’ll keep pushing to secure our networks and strengthen our national security,” said Rosen. 

    Click here to view Fischer’s remarks in support of her FACT Act in today’s hearing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: At Hearing, Warren Secures Commitment From Defense Nominee to Support AI Competition and Innovation in Defense Contracting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 30, 2025

    Cadenazzi “thrilled” to work with Warren to stop anticompetitive practices in AI industry 

    Senator Warren plans to reintroduce the bipartisan Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act 

    Video of Exchange (YouTube)

    Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) secured a commitment from Mr. Michael P. Cadenazzi, nominee to be the next Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, to stop anticompetitive practices by Big Tech that could threaten our national security.

    Senator Warren explained that federal agencies should benefit from innovation in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, but instead, a few Big Tech companies could lock the government into expensive, anticompetitive products. She highlighted lessons from recent White House guidance on the federal acquisition of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, explaining that the guidance could provide valuable takeaways to make sure Big Tech companies do not lock the government into expensive, anticompetitive products.

    This month, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo on “Driving Efficient Acquisition of Artificial Intelligence in Government.” The memo laid out guidance on proper practices, such as vendor lock-in protections and prohibiting the use of classified agency data. 

    Though the guidance does not apply to the Department of Defense (DoD), Mr. Cadenazzi agreed with OMB’s guidance on interoperability and believes “it’s a great thing for the [DoD] to secure.” Cadenazzi also said he’d be open to working with Senator Warren to limit contractors from training their commercial tools on government data. 

    Next week, Senator Warren plans to reintroduce the Protecting AI and Cloud Competition in Defense Act with Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO.). Senator Warren previously introduced the bipartisan act to ensure that the DoD’s procurement of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing tools prioritizes resiliency and competition, offering meaningful regulation to limit Big Tech monopolies from elbowing out competitors in the AI and cloud computing markets.

    “[G]overnment contracts for AI and cloud tools should, one, prevent lock-in and, two, protect government data,” said Senator Warren.

    “[A]rtificial intelligence represents the most promising capabilities for transformational productivity and impact of the department. I would be thrilled if confirmed to work with you and Senator Schmidt on this issue,” said Mr. Cadenazzi of the bill reintroduction. 

    Transcript: Hearing to examine the nominations of Michael Cadenazzi, of Rhode Island, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Scott Pappano, of Pennsylvania, to be Principal Deputy Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration
    Senate Armed Services Committee
    April 29, 2025

    Senator Elizabeth Warren: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 

    Artificial intelligence presents big opportunities—and big risks—to national security. Federal agencies should benefit from AI innovation, but instead, a few Big Tech companies could lock the government into expensive, anticompetitive products.

    I’m working with Senator Schmitt on this, and last month, the Office of Management and Budget published guidance to ensure the government can “benefit from a competitive American AI marketplace.” The guidance doesn’t apply to DoD but is all the more important there given the billions DoD is set to give out in AI and cloud contracts. So today, I’d like to run through some lessons from OMB’s guidance.

    Number one: “interoperability.” A Big Tech contractor could build its cloud tool to work only with its own AI—which would trap DoD into paying sky-high prices, potentially for a subpar product. That’s why OMB encouraged agencies to require AI tools to work with other companies’ products.  

    Mr. Cadenazzi, do you agree that DoD would benefit from interoperability?

    Mr. Michael P. Cadenazzi: Senator, I appreciate the question. I’m not familiar with the term “interoperability” as defined in that particular report. But more broadly, in general, yes, it’s a great thing for the department to secure.

    Senator Warren: Okay, good. I’m going to take that as a yes, that you think the product should be able to work with other products. Work in connection.

    Mr. Cadenazzi: In general, more connectivity and flexibility to enable a networked approach is a good thing. 

    Senator Warren: Good. Okay, we’re at the same place then. Let’s do another: data use. The biggest AI contractors can also stomp out competition by training their models on troves of government data, so smaller companies don’t stand a chance. This is a disaster for competition and for data security. Data on the location of our service members or of DoD’s contracts shouldn’t be anywhere near a commercial AI model, for example. 

    The White House is clear here: it says contractors should not use government data to train publicly or commercially available AI algorithms without an agency’s permission. 

    So, Mr. Cadenazzi, do you agree it’s important for both competition and data security to limit contractors from training their commercial tools on government data? 

    Mr. Cadenazzi: Senator, I appreciate the question, and in general, yes, I’d say we want to make sure we’re following the law with regard to the application of these tools.

    Senator Warren: No, that’s not my question. This is not a question of law yet. This is just a question of what we should be doing in our acquisitions at DOD. 

    Mr. Cadenazzi: Senator, I’m not familiar with the White House’s particular guidance on this issue, but as you laid it out, it seems to make sense, and I would be supportive of discussing that with you if confirmed.

    Senator Warren: Okay. Look, government contracts for AI and cloud tools should, one, prevent lock-in and, two, protect government data. That’s all we’re talking about here. Senator Schmitt and I have a bipartisan bill to make sure DoD contracts do just that. Next week we will re-introduce the Protecting Cloud and AI Competition in Defense Act to make sure billions in DoD contracts go towards fueling innovation in AI and cloud technology – and not just helping the biggest companies get bigger on the taxpayer’s dime. 

    Mr. Cadenazzi, will you commit to working with me and Senator Schmitt to stop anticompetitive practices by Big Tech that could threaten our national security?  

    Mr. Cadenazzi: Senator, artificial intelligence represents the most promising capabilities for transformational productivity and impact of the department. I would be thrilled if confirmed to work with you and Senator Schmidt on this issue.

    Senator Warren: That looks good. I look forward to working with Senator Schmidt and with you and all of the members of this committee. I think we could make some real progress here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Blumenthal, Correa, Ramirez, 40+ Lawmakers Open Investigation into “Troubling” Customs and Border Protection Tactics

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 30, 2025

    Reports allege due process violations, mistreatment, prolonged detention, and politicized denials of entry at air and land ports.

    “We urge CBP to ensure that its agents properly respect travelers’ rights and ask that CBP provide information for us to better understand the agency’s evolving practices.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Lou Correa (D-Calif.) and Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), led a letter to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) demanding an explanation for the troubling reports alleging due process violations, mistreatment, prolonged detention, and politicized denials of entry at air and land ports since President Trump took office over three months ago.

    Several recent incidents have sparked serious concerns. For example, on March 7, a green card holder returning to the United States reportedly was “violently interrogated” at an airport — including being strip-searched, forced into a cold shower, and denied access to his medications. His mother reported that “[h]e hardly got anything to drink,” collapsed, and was later transported by ambulance to the hospital. 

    U.S. citizens have also reportedly been detained and mistreated by CBP in recent weeks. For example, on February 18, a U.S. citizen reportedly was handcuffed, chained to a bench, and “subjected to a humiliating body search” after asking CBP officials why her partner, a German national with whom she was traveling, was being detained. 

    CBP also appears to be more frequently searching travelers’ phones and sometimes denying entry after finding evidence of their political opinions on their devices. The CBP says it searches mobile phones and other electronic devices only “on rare occasions,” but early indications from the Trump administration suggest the practice is on the rise.

    “These incidents are a sharp departure from CBP’s normal practices,” wrote the lawmakers.

    To better understand the recent changes in the CBP’s practices, the lawmakers are pressing for answers to questions including: what steps CBP is taking to ensure that it promptly complies with time-sensitive court orders staying deportations; how CBP will comply with civil rights requirements like due process; among other questions. 

    The lawmakers are also requesting information, including the number of complaints regarding officer misconduct received by CBP; a copy of any policy documents related to questioning and vetting of travelers with valid travel documents; the number of travelers whose electronic devices CBP has searched; and the number of U.S. citizens CBP has detained.

    “We urge CBP to ensure that its agents properly respect travelers’ rights and ask that CBP provide information for us to better understand the agency’s evolving practices,” wrote the lawmakers.

    The following Senators joined in signing the letter: Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.).

    The following Representatives joined in signing the letter: Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Troy Carter (D-La.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Cleo Fields (D-La.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Henry Johnson (D-Ga.), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Kevin Mullin (D-Calif.), Eleanor Norton (D-D.C.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Vermont Delegation Statement on Mohsen Mahdawi’s Release

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, April 30 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Rep. Becca Balint (Vt.-AL) today released the following statement after Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordered the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, who was illegally detained by the Trump administration:  

    “We are relieved that Mohsen Mahdawi was released on bail from ICE detention in Vermont, and that the constitutional right to due process has prevailed. Mohsen Mahdawi is here in the United States legally and acted legally. He should never have experienced this grave injustice,” said Sanders, Welch, and Balint. “The Trump Administration’s actions in this case—and in so many other cases of wrongfully detained, deported, and disappeared people—are shameful and immoral. This is an important first step. We will continue the fight against President Trump’s assault on the rule of law.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vermont Delegation Statement on Mohsen Mahdawi’s Release

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Vermont Congressional Delegation, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-VT-At Large) today issued the following statement in reaction to Judge Geoffrey Crawford ordering the release of Mohsen Mahdawi, who was illegally detained by the Trump Administration:  
    “We are relieved that Mohsen Mahdawi was released on bail from ICE detention in Vermont, and that the constitutional right to due process has prevailed. Mohsen Mahdawi is here in the United States legally and acted legally. He should never have experienced this grave injustice,” said Sanders, Welch, and Balint. “The Trump Administration’s actions in this case—and in so many other cases of wrongfully detained, deported, and disappeared people—are shameful and immoral. This is an important first step. We will continue the fight against President Trump’s assault on the rule of law.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why are women paid less than men? New research in South Africa shows the company you work for makes the biggest difference

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ihsaan Bassier, Researcher in Economics, University of Surrey

    Why do women earn less than men? The usual suspects – occupation, hours, experience – explain some of it. But a powerful, often overlooked reason is simply this: where women work. The companies that hire them play a huge role in shaping their lifetime earnings.

    South Africa has a severe gender pay gap, much of which is unexplained by worker characteristics such as occupation, skills or experience.

    In our new study published in the Journal of Development Economics, using tax data on the universe of formal workers in South Africa, we uncover a striking fact: nearly half of the gender pay gap in South Africa is explained by women working at lower-paying companies than men. That is, more women tend to work at companies that pay all workers less.

    In addition, this phenomenon evolves dramatically over a woman’s life.

    We tracked millions of workers between 2010 and 2018 using tax data. We wanted to figure out how much money different companies paid, relative to each other, regardless of the type of worker. To do this, we compared what two companies pay the same worker. We looked at workers who switched companies and compared how their pay changed when they moved to a new company. By doing this for many workers and many companies, we could see how much more or less that company tends to pay people with the same kind of background or job.

    In the formal sector in South Africa, women, on average, get paid 12% less than men. We find that about 45% of this gap – 5.5 percentage points – is due to women being concentrated in firms that pay less overall (to both women and men).

    This isn’t because women are paid less within the same company — that kind of direct discrimination plays a much smaller role. Instead, it’s largely about sorting: women and men end up at different companies, and those pay differently.

    Women disproportionately enter lower-paying sectors such as education, retail, or personal care, while men are over-represented in high-premium sectors like construction, mining, and manufacturing.

    As labour and development economists, we argue that reducing the gender pay gap takes more than putting women into male-dominated jobs or promoting equal pay for equal work. It means tackling the invisible structures that steer women into lower-paying companies.

    A gender gap that grows, then shrinks

    What’s particularly revealing is how the firm-pay gap changes across the life cycle. For workers in their early twenties, this gap is almost nonexistent. But from the mid-20s to the mid-40s — roughly the child-rearing years — the gap widens significantly.

    Why does this happen?

    First, women who remain continuously employed through their 30s tend to move to worse-paying firms than men, even though they switch jobs at similar rates.

    Second, women entering or re-entering formal work (after a spell of unemployment or informal work) tend to start at lower-paying firms than men. This disadvantage when re-entering contributes to the overall gap, but is more constant over the life cycle.

    Interestingly, churn (moving in and out of employment) is common — but men and women do it at similar rates. The key difference is what type of firm they land in when they return. Nearly half the gap among entrants is explained by industry sorting — women disproportionately enter lower-paying sectors such as education, retail, or personal care, while men are overrepresented in high-premium sectors like construction, mining, and manufacturing.

    This isn’t because women have less (or different) skills. That might be another contributor to the overall gender gap in pay, but it’s not what we looked at. This is the pay disadvantage that women face from being at firms that pay less for the same job or skill.

    The firms that women join tend to be in lower-paying industries, have fewer resources, and are less likely to be covered by collective bargaining agreements (union-negotiated industry wages) that boost pay.

    Just like women leave or re-enter formal jobs at the same rates as men, they are in fact just as likely to switch jobs when employed. The problem then is that their job switches are less likely to lead to upward moves in the pay hierarchy, possibly due to employer discrimination or a need to prioritise non-pay job characteristics (like flexibility).

    Then something remarkable happens. As women age into their late 40s and 50s, the gender gap begins to close. They start making more advantageous moves than men. This is likely because, having been sorted into lower-paying firms earlier in their careers, they have more room to climb. And with child-related constraints easing later in life, they finally can.

    Firms in developing countries

    Our finding — that women ending up in lower-paying companies accounts for nearly half of the pay gap — is higher than estimates from high-income countries like Portugal or Italy, where it explains around 20%–25%. But in developing countries like Brazil and Chile, the contribution is similar to what we find.

    Why do firms matter more in places like South Africa?

    Labour markets are more “monopsonistic” — firms have more power to set wages due to high unemployment and few outside options for workers. So because formal jobs are scarce, entering or moving up within the formal sector is harder, especially for women. In fact, we show that in regions of South Africa with lower levels of formality, the gender gap in firm pay is wider.

    Policy takeaways

    One instructive exception is the public sector, where the state has actively pursued gender equity in hiring. Public administration employs a much higher share of women than men and offers relatively high pay premia.

    In developing countries especially, where formality is limited and transitions into good jobs are harder, policy can focus on easing women’s access to high-paying companies.

    This can mean policies that support childcare, promote flexibility without penalising pay, or reduce discrimination in hiring. Otherwise, sorting into low-paying firms will keep reproducing the gender pay gap, one job move at a time.

    Ihsaan Bassier has previously received funding for several research projects, including this one, through the SA-TIED joint initiative between UNU-WIDER and the South African National Treasury. He is a research affiliate at the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) at the University of Cape Town.

    Leila Gautham does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why are women paid less than men? New research in South Africa shows the company you work for makes the biggest difference – https://theconversation.com/why-are-women-paid-less-than-men-new-research-in-south-africa-shows-the-company-you-work-for-makes-the-biggest-difference-254221

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pettersen Statement on President Trump’s First 100 Days

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brittany Pettersen (Colorado 7th District)

    WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Representative Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) released the following statement as President Trump marks his first 100 days back in office:

    “In just 100 days, Donald Trump has done more to inflict harm on families than any other president. The cost of groceries, housing, transportation and everything in between is getting more expensive for families and businesses, and it will only get worse.

    “Not only are costs going up for all of us, he’s also slashing health care for kids and seniors, food assistance for veterans and families, and cutting education funding that our schools rely on. And all of this just to make the ultra-rich richer while also increasing our deficit by trillions.

    “I promise to do everything in my power to keep fighting back, and I know you will too. Our kids and country deserve so much better than this.”

    For a full list of actions taken by the Trump administration in its first 100 days, see the attached fact sheet. Some of the most egregious actions include:

    • Attempting to slash Medicaid and Head Start funding, threatening more than 11,600 Colorado families and children who rely on Head Start and health care for over 400,000 kids.
    • Raising tariffs on essential goods, driving up costs for Colorado small businesses and families.
    • Fast-tracking oil and gas drilling on public lands, setting back Colorado’s clean energy goals and putting lands at risk.
    • Firing federal land management staff and freezing wildfire mitigation and recovery funding, undercutting wildfire mitigation efforts ahead of wildfire season.
    • Rolling back education funding, weakening support for public schools that serve low-income and rural communities, jeopardizing all Colorado students. 

    Rep. Pettersen has spent the past three months holding town halls with record-breaking attendance and community meetings across Colorado, and hearing directly from families and small businesses who have been impacted. She continues to lead efforts in Congress to defend access to child care, health care, and education.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mann Applauds President Trump’s First 100 Days in Office

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) applauded President Trump’s first 100 days of his second term. During his remarks, Rep. Mann highlighted the Trump Administration’s milestone accomplishments including a 95% drop in border apprehensions, the signing of commonsense legislation including the Laken Riley Act and the Protection of Women and Girl’s in Sports Act, $5 trillion in new investments in the United States, and President Trump’s work with Congress to extend the 2017 tax cuts.

    “The only way to describe the first 100 days of President Trump’s historic second term is promises made, promises kept,” said Rep. Mann. He concluded in part, “100 days of winning and I look forward to many, many more.”

    You can listen to Rep. Mann’s remarks here.

    Below are Rep. Mann’s remarks as prepared:

    On November 5, 2024, 77 million Americans gave Washington, D.C. a mandate to restore common sense, secure our border, make America safe again, get our fiscal house in order, grow our economy, and get our country back on track. President Trump and our Republican majorities in the House and Senate have been laser focused on delivering on that mandate since the start of President Trump’s second term.

    For four years, President Biden and many Congressional Democrats blamed the crisis at our border on President Trump. They argued that the record-level inflation across the country was President Trump’s fault and not their Build Back Broke plan and so-called “Inflation Reduction Act.”

    Yet in just 100 days, the same leader my colleagues on the other side obsessed over and blamed for these Biden setbacks has fixed those same problems and gotten our country back on track. The only way to describe the first 100 days of President Trump’s historic second term is promises made, promises kept.

    President Trump promised to secure the border. While left-leaning news outlets tried to fearmonger and portray the enforcement of our nation’s border laws as an attempt to stop any immigrant from entering the United States, America knew this narrative couldn’t have been further from the truth. 100 days in, our nation’s border is more secure it has been in our nation’s history. 

    In March of this year, apprehensions along the southern border had dropped 95% from the average daily encounters under President Biden. After a year and a half of chaos when President Biden rescinded Title 42, the Los Angeles Times reported that crossings at the California-Mexico border had nearly come to a halt under President Trump. Along our northern border, Customs and Border patrol agents apprehended 54 migrants this past March, down 95% from March 2024.

    House Republicans and President Trump did what many Democrats were afraid to do—actually enforce the law and pass laws like the Laken Riley Act that make it clear there is no place for violent criminals illegally in the United States of America. While President Trump and his administration have worked tirelessly to remove these criminals from our country, it’s been a completely different story on the left. Some of my Democrat colleagues spent the Easter recess begging for an alleged MS-13 member to return to the United States. Meanwhile those same Democrats were silent when the Biden Administration abandoned Americans in Afghanistan after their botched withdrawal. The contrasts in priorities for Democrats and Republicans could not be more clear.

    It turns out the only thing we needed for the past four years was a President who doesn’t run from common sense and isn’t afraid to enforce the law. Promises made, promises kept.

    President Trump promised to revive the American dream and usher in the golden age of America. Over the last 100 days he and his administration announced more than $5 trillion dollars in new foreign and domestic investments, including in my home state of Kansas. Just last week, Fiserv announced they would make a $175 million investment in Kansas that will create good-paying job opportunities for individuals in the eastern part of our state. 

    The consumer price index continues to show that inflation is cooling, and prices are falling. Because of the leadership of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and President Trump, wholesale egg prices have fallen, and we anticipate that retail prices will soon follow suit. Americans are feeling far less pain at the pump because we have leadership in our nation’s capital that prioritizes an all of the above energy strategy instead of Green New Deal policies that pick winners and losers. President Trump has repealed Biden-era rules that tried to implement an electric vehicle mandate because he knows it won’t work in places like the Big First District, and it only drives up costs for consumers. Promises made, promises kept.

    President Trump made a promise to restore common sense and get our country back on track. I’m grateful we finally have a president who is not afraid to state the obvious. There are two genders, and biological men should not play in women’s sports. One of the first bills President Trump signed during his second term was the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act. President Trump has uprooted wasteful, fraudulent and abusive spending and gone line by line through our federal budget to make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely. While the Democrat Leader spent all day Sunday advocating for American families to have the largest tax hike in history, President Trump has spent the last 100 days working tirelessly with Congressional Republicans to extend his 2017 tax cuts. Promises made, promises kept.

    I am so grateful to have real leadership back at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue that fights for America’s families and a brighter future for our country. Thank you, President Trump, for your leadership and for all you’ve done to ensure our best days are ahead of us. 100 days of winning and I look forward to many, many more.

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nadler Opening Statement on the Markup of Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Reconciliation Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) made the following statement on the Markup of Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Reconciliation Bill.

    “This markup is just one small slice of a much larger, deeply dangerous reconciliation bill. But even this narrow portion tells you everything you need to know about Republican priorities.

    Let’s start with just one example: the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant Program. This is one of the few federal programs specifically designed to repair the damage done by decades of discriminatory infrastructure policy—when highways were deliberately routed through Black and Brown neighborhoods and tore those communities apart. These grants fund real, shovel-ready projects that reconnect people to jobs, schools, health care, and each other.

    And here’s what’s especially galling: half of this grant funding is headed to states that voted for Donald Trump—rural areas and small towns that have been left behind for generations and stand to benefit the most from these investments.

    So why are Republicans attacking it? Because instead of delivering for their own constituents, they’re trying to scrape together offsets to fund their extreme, unpopular tax cuts for billionaires. And they’re doing it by targeting the very programs their communities rely on—Medicaid, SNAP, and other lifelines working families depend on to survive.

    In fact, by passing a budget resolution instructing $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and billions more to SNAP, Republicans are proposing the most devastating assault on the health and well-being of American families in modern history.
    And let’s be very clear: in March, the CBO confirmed what we have known all along—the only way Republicans can cut at least $880 billion within the Energy and Commerce Committee’s jurisdiction is by making deep, harmful cuts to Medicaid. Additionally, we know that cutting waste, fraud, and abuse will not get you anywhere in the same universe as $880 billion.

    The consequences of these Medicaid cuts would be catastrophic. Medicaid alone covers one in five Americans—nearly 72 million people. In New York, it protects nearly 5.5 million residents, including 44 percent of all children, half of all births, and two-thirds of our nursing home residents. For tens of millions of Americans, Medicaid isn’t just a line in a budget. It’s how they survive. It’s how they manage cancer treatment, vaccinate their children, or afford a wheelchair for an aging parent.

    A new analysis from the Center for American Progress estimates that if Republicans succeed in slashing Medicaid’s federal match rate, more than 34,000 people could die each year. Their likely proposal to impose punitive work reporting requirements—which have consistently failed—would result in another 15,000 unnecessary deaths annually.

    And behind these numbers are real lives. Patricia, 83 years old, lives in poverty in New York and relies on Medicaid just to get to her doctor. She told us, “I have no transportation other than help from Medicaid. I also live on only my Social Security and SNAP. If I lose this precious help, I will be homeless and surely die.” That’s the real cost of these cuts.

    Nearly $9.3 billion in Medicaid payments go to New York hospitals each year, including billions in support for safety-net care. Half of New York’s community health centers’ revenue comes from Medicaid. If this bill passes, doors will close, jobs will vanish, and entire communities—especially in rural areas—will lose access to care altogether. It’s been reported that states like South Dakota, Missouri, and Oklahoma will face even more severe consequences from these cuts.

    And perhaps most absurdly, even after all these brutal cuts, this reconciliation bill will still add over $3 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade. Why? Because the tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy cost more than the services they’re gutting to justify them. My Republican colleagues aren’t even reducing the deficit—they’re exploding it.

    So my message to my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is simple: reject these cruel cuts. Refuse to take food and health care away from the people who elected you. Each of you has the power to stop this. And let’s be honest—hitching your wagon to a president with the lowest 100-day approval rating in 70 years is not just morally indefensible, it’s politically reckless. Your constituents are watching—and so is history”.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Larsen Releases Statement on the Passing of Yolanda Larsen

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Larsen (2nd Congressional District Washington)

    Today, Rep. Rick Larsen released a statement about the passing of his mother, Yolanda Larsen:

    “It is a sad day for me, my seven brothers and sisters, and mom’s friends and family. Our mom, Yolanda Jean Larsen (neé Rosenbach) died on April 29th. She just celebrated her 88th birthday this month. 

    “Mom was the center of our lives as kids and as adults. Our house on South French Avenue in Arlington was the center of activity for our friends. Dinner was at 5pm every night except Sunday, no exceptions without approval. Cookies were always available to anyone who would stop by. The door was always open or, at a minimum, unlocked, so friends could come and go as they pleased knowing Mom would always welcome them. 

    “When she wasn’t holding the fort down while Dad was at work, Mom was active in the local community, setting an example for her children to be part of the place where we would live. She was a participant and not just a spectator in Arlington and its surrounding communities.

    “She valued education first and pushed us to do well in school and be active in school sports and clubs. Although she never served on the five-member local school board, Mom was an unofficial sixth member since there was a Larsen kid in Arlington schools for 26 straight years.

    “We are still sifting through her 88 years of life and will have a further announcement on services soon. Until then, bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies, cheer for your kid to do well in school or make sure they are at the dinner table each weekday night to hear how their day went. That would be a great way to honor her.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pingree, Murkowski, Salazar, and Cantwell Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Push to Boost US Blue Economy, Support Coastal Communities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)





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  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter introduces bill streamlining critical minerals permitting process

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter introduces bill streamlining critical minerals permitting process

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today announced the introduction of his Streamlining Critical Minerals Permitting Act, a bill that will speed up the permitting process for facilities that process or refine critical minerals here in the United States without sacrificing environmental protections.


    About 70 percent of U.S. rare earth minerals currently come from China. This bill will give a facility that processes or refines a critical energy resource an interim status permit under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act until the final administrative disposition of its permit application or it is proven that the facility failed to provide information needed to process the permit application, ensuring timely and efficient approvals for vital projects.


    “It’s time that we start building in America again. We are too reliant on China for key energy resources, which poses a threat not just to our supply chains, but to our national security. By quickly approving permits for projects that produce critical materials, we will move towards energy dominance, uplift the American worker, and reduce global emissions while making our nation more resilient,” said Rep. Carter.

    Read the full bill text here.

    Read Rep. Carter’s Washington Times op-ed discussing the bill

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Torres Leads Introduction of Fairness to Freedom Act: A Call for Universal Legal Representation for Individuals Facing Deportation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    April 30, 2025

    Amid Rising Threats to Immigrant Communities, Legislators Demand Comprehensive Solutions to Protect Due Process and Preserve Family Unity

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Norma Torres, alongside her colleagues Congresswoman Grace Meng, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and Congressman Robert Garcia introduced the Fairness to Freedom Act—legislation aimed at ensuring the right to federal legal representation for all immigrants facing deportation.

    The stakes for immigrant communities have never been higher, as the Trump Administration is making it harder to get a fair process during immigration proceedings. The need for legal representation and the safeguarding of due process rights is more urgent than ever as anti-immigrant policies intensify under the Trump administration. Immigrant families are facing an increasingly harsh immigration detention system. President Trump’s threats of mass deportations are stoking fear and uncertainty, further escalating the anxiety within immigrant communities.

    Despite these challenges, a clear solution is on the table: universal representation for immigrants. From voters to lawmakers and advocates, there is a shared vision for a dignified immigration system that upholds the values of fairness, freedom, and justice. Universal representation would ensure that immigrants are not left to navigate complex deportation proceedings alone, protecting their right to stay united with their families, keep their jobs, and remain rooted in their communities.

    “No one should have to go through immigration proceedings alone. Unfortunately, under President Trump’s rhetoric and policies, the protection of due process rights has been undermined, and in some cases, denied entirely,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres. “ That’s why I introduced the Fairness to Freedom Act—to ensure that everyone has their fair day in court, fully understands their rights’ and can communicate with their loved ones. My constituents, and communities across the country, deserve to live with dignity, raise their families, access opportunities, and contribute to society. Universal representation is the key to making that a reality, standing as a safeguard against policies that threaten our shared values.”

    “We are seeing an all out assault on immigrants and immigration in this country, and it has never been more important to ensure that immigrants have access to legal representation,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. “Due process and the right to an attorney are fundamental cornerstones of our legal system – and should be for all who have cases before it. By ensuring universal access to representation for all immigrants, we can take a major step to protect immigrants from the cruel and inhumane actions of the Trump administration.”

    “As someone who has navigated our country’s immigration system, I know how overwhelming and complex it can be, especially when the consequences are deportation,” said Congressman Robert Garcia. “Under the Trump Administration, countless individuals have been wrongfully deported without due process, and people facing removal proceedings are not guaranteed legal representation in the courtroom. I’m proud to co-sponsor the Fairness to Freedom Act because we must protect people’s fundamental rights and ensure that immigration proceedings are fair for all.”

    “There is currently a backlog of more than 3 million deportation cases pending in our immigration court system. Most of these people—men, women, and children—do not have access to an attorney. This is not only inefficient, but inhumane,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng. “The Fairness to Freedom Act guarantees that everyone appearing before an immigration court has access to legal representation, understands their rights, and can communicate with loved ones throughout the process. I’m joining my colleagues in calling on Congress to pass this legislation to uphold due process-a fundamental right in our democracy-and ensure fairness in all courts throughout the United States.”

    Nicole Melaku, executive director of the National Partnership for New Americans, said: “Since Day One of his second term, President Trump has been causing harm through a chaotic and misguided attempt to govern. Instead of championing social and economic solutions, he has recklessly targeted immigrants, separated families, and brought chaos and uncertainty to people across the country. In the face of this, we need Congress to push back with solutions that bring safety and stability to everyone who calls the United States home. Congresswoman Norma Torres is doing just that—bringing forward legislation that upholds the right to due process and ensures that no one stands alone in defense of their freedom. We are proud to endorse the Fairness to Freedom Act that gives people their fair day in court, and we urge all members of Congress who oppose Trump’s lawless deportation agenda to support this urgently-needed legislation.”

    Shayna Kessler, director of the Advancing Universal Representation initiative at the Vera Institute of Justice, said: “Across the country, horrifying stories emerge daily of ICE detaining people without giving them any chance to defend themselves in court. This is a violation of due process—a right guaranteed to everyone under the U.S. Constitution. But due process means more than just advance notice and a hearing. Unlike in criminal court, people in immigration court aren’t guaranteed a lawyer if they can’t afford one. The Fairness to Freedom Act would change that. No one should have to face the devastating consequences of detention and deportation without access to a lawyer to defend their rights and freedom. In defense of due process, keeping families together, and the integrity of our democracy, we urge Congress to pass this bill.”

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    La Congresista Torres Lidera La Introducción de la Ley de Equidad Para la Libertad: Un Llamado a La Representación Legal Universal Para Las Personas Que Enfrentan La Deportación

    Ante las amenazas a las comunidades de inmigrantes, Legisladores exigen soluciones integrales para proteger las libertades judiciales y preservar la unidad de familias

    Washington, D.C. – Hoy, la Congresista Norma Torres, junto Congresista Grace Meng, la Congresista Pramila Jayapal, y el Congresista Robert García introdujeron la Ley de Equidad a la Libertad-legislación destinada a garantizar el derecho a la representación legal federal para todos los inmigrantes que enfrentan la deportación.

    Lo que está en juego para las comunidades de inmigrantes nunca ha sido más importante, ya que la Administración Trump está haciendo más difícil conseguir un proceso justo durante los procedimientos de inmigración. La necesidad de representación legal y la salvaguarda de los derechos del debido proceso es más urgente que nunca a medida que las políticas antiinmigrantes se intensifican bajo la administración Trump. Las familias inmigrantes se enfrentan a un sistema de detención de inmigrantes cada vez más duro. Las amenazas del presidente Trump de deportaciones masivas están avivando el miedo y aumentando aún más la ansiedad dentro de las comunidades de inmigrantes.

    A pesar de estos retos, hay una solución clara sobre la mesa: la representación universal para los inmigrantes. Desde los electores hasta los legisladores y defensores, existe una visión compartida de un sistema de inmigración que defienda los valores de equidad, libertad y justicia. La representación universal aseguraría que los inmigrantes no tuvieran que enfrentarse solos a los complejos procedimientos de deportación, protegiendo su derecho a permanecer unidos a sus familias, mantener sus empleos y seguir en sus comunidades.

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    MIL OSI USA News –