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Category: Latin America

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 5th, 2025 As Republicans Tank Economy, Heinrich Fights Against Trump-Musk Handouts to Billionaires at the Expense of New Mexico Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — Last night, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) stood up for New Mexico families by voting against Senate Republicans’ budget resolution that funds Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s tax handouts for billionaires at the expense of working people. 
    Heinrich pushed to amend Republicans’ resolution by repeatedly voting to lower costs for families — particularly as Trump’s tariffs push America to the brink of a recession. Heinrich and Senate Democrats also worked to block cuts to Medicaid, extend the tax credits for health care premiums, and prevent millions of Americans from losing health insurance, protect Social Security, and reverse cuts to the Social Security Administration, including cuts by Elon Musk’s DOGE. 
    Heinrich additionally led an amendment with U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) to prevent the sale of our public lands as Congressional Republicans publicly discuss public lands sales to fund their tax breaks for billionaires. Republicans blocked it.  
    “Republicans’ budget resolution is a massive tax handout for Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire donors. It has one aim: Billionaires win, American families lose.  
    “Throughout the night and into the early morning, I fought back, introducing and voting for dozens of amendments to shield New Mexico families from Republicans’ harmful legislation. Amendments that would rescind President Trump’s tariff taxes if the price of groceries, medicine, and other household goods increase, protect Medicaid by blocking Musk’s DOGE cuts that threaten rural hospital closures, reverse cuts to Social Security, and prevent the sale of our public lands to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Republicans blocked every single one of them.  
    “When Republicans had the opportunity to go on the record and show the American people whose side they’re on, they put their billionaire donors on a pedestal and threw working people under the bus. Rather than putting New Mexico families first, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their Republican enablers in Congress are tanking our economy, pushing us into a recession.” 
    Last night, Senate Republicans blocked Heinrich’s efforts to:
    Fight Increasing Costs, Including From Trump’s Tariffs
    Senate Republicans voted against: 
    Rescinding President Trump’s tariff taxes that increase the price of groceries, medicine, and other household goods. 
    Protecting food assistance for kids and seniors, who are otherwise significantly harmed by rising grocery prices. 
    Preventing essential services for children, families, and seniors from being defunded to give massive tax cuts to billionaires.  
    Protecting agriculture programs that support farmers and rural economies. 
    Prioritize Working Families Over Billionaires
    Senate Republicans voted against:  
    Providing tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses while ensuring large corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share. 
    Preventing tax handouts for people making over $100 million a year. 
    Preventing tax handouts for people making over $500 million a year. 
    Preventing tax handouts for people making over $1 billion a year. 
    Preventing tax handouts for corporations making over $1 billion a year. 
    Preventing more than $37 trillion from being added to the debt in 30 years—more debt than has accumulated over the past 249 years. 
    Protect Medicare and Medicaid
    Senate Republicans voted against: 
    Stopping cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. 
    Preventing cuts to Medicaid that could lead to rural hospital closures, increased costs for people with private insurance, and higher rates of uncompensated care. 
    Protecting Americans from losing health care through Medicaid, including seniors, children, families, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and military families. 
    Preserving access to health care by preventing cuts to Medicaid that could lead to loss of benefits or coverage, and slashed provider payments. 
    Lowering prescription drug costs for seniors and people with disabilities with Medicare. 
    Extending the health care premium tax credits created in the Affordable Care Act to prevent millions of Americans from losing health insurance. 
    Safeguard Social Security
    Senate Republicans voted against:  
    Reversing cuts to the Social Security Administration, including cuts by Elon Musk’s DOGE. 
    Preventing Elon Musk’s DOGE from closing Social Security field and regional offices, preserving access to benefits for seniors and people with disabilities. 
    Preventing Elon Musk’s DOGE from limiting access to Social Security phone services to protect seniors’ access to Social Security benefits. 
    Protect Our National Security and Provide Disaster Relief 
    Senate Republicans voted against: 
    Protecting service members by prohibiting the use of Signal and other commercial messaging applications for sharing information on the timing, sequencing, or weapons to be used related to impending U.S. military operations. 
    Prohibiting any reduction in U.S. security assistance and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. 
    Supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) role in providing nonpartisan and long-term disaster relief to disaster survivors. 
    Support Our Farmers and Federal Workers
    Senate Republicans voted against: 
    Ensuring contracts made with our farmers are honored. 
    Protecting legally binding collective bargaining agreements and the right to organize for federal workers. 
    Below is a total list of amendments that Heinrich filed to amend Republicans’ budget resolution to cut taxes for billionaires at the expense of working people:
    Amendment to prevent the sale of public lands. 
    Amendment to lower housing costs for Americans.  
    Amendment to reduce Department of Veterans Affairs wait times for 136,000 veterans per day. 
    Amendment to reduce Social Security Administration wait times for 344,000 Americans per day. 
    Amendment to scale up American manufacturing by supporting small and medium-sized manufactures enhance competitiveness, productivity, and technological performance. 
    Amendment to recruit and hire additional wildland firefighters. 
    Amendment to exempt federal wildland firefighters and personnel from hiring freezes and reinstate federal wildland firefighters and personnel fired by Trump, Elon Musk, or DOGE. 
    Amendment to increase forest health and wildfire mitigation forest treatments to support wildland firefighting.   
    Amendment to hire reforestation crews and promote the recovery of burned forest land to support healthy watersheds, outdoor recreation, and timber resources.  
    Last month, Heinrich attempted to amend Republicans’ prior resolution by offering an amendment to reinstate blocked grants for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and ensure law enforcement can hold predators and abusers accountable. Republicans voted against his amendment. Watch Heinrich’s video here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MICE tourism gains momentum

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Ballroom inspections and mahjong sessions may not be what automatically springs to mind when you consider Hong Kong’s appeal to visitors. Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions tourism – MICE tourism, for short – is not about being conventional, however.

    Recently, nine representatives from the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, hailing from Germany, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere, embarked on a five-day MICE tourism study mission in Hong Kong, at the invitation of the Tourism Board.

    Their first stop was a Wan Chai hotel that opened late last year. The delegation inspected its banquet halls, suites and facilities, and enjoyed an unexpected highlight – an impromptu mahjong session in the games room that gave them a taste of one of the most popular Chinese pastimes.

    The group then proceeded to the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) where they were shown around several exhibition venues and meeting rooms, learning about their layout and design, as well as the centre’s transport connectivity, and took the opportunity to gaze out over Victoria Harbour.

    Multiple facets
    For MICE visitors – whether squeezing in sightseeing activities around conferences or enjoying company incentive trips – riding the 130-year-old Peak Tram remains an essential Hong Kong experience, of course.

    Having ascended Victoria Peak by tram, the delegation embarked on a nostalgic journey through 1970s–80s Hong Kong at the Peak Tower museum, before marvelling at magnificent panoramic views of the city’s famous skyline and Victoria Harbour from the Sky Terrace.

    The group then descended to Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan, where they performed the ritual of touching the holy deer statue with gold foil to seek blessings. All in all, they were able to immerse themselves fully in Hong Kong’s commercial, cultural and religious facets in a single day.

    The tour participants represented diverse clients across sectors ranging from government to technology and pharmaceuticals, and are responsible for planning events across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. They said their experiences in Hong Kong would inform future decisions about staging professional conferences and summits in the city.

    Lasting impressions
    Among the delegation was Jocelyne Mulli, managing director of a German organiser of professional conferences. Her firm has been using Hong Kong as its springboard into the Asia-Pacific region since 2012.

    Though a frequent visitor to Hong Kong and to the HKCEC, she said her latest trip had opened her eyes to ongoing upgrades and more flexible service offerings in the city. In particular, she praised Hong Kong’s fusion of heritage and modernity, applauding its sustained achievements in MICE tourism development over the years.

    “You are a hub, you are a base, and you are in the best place to welcome international delegates,” she said. “It is not everywhere that you have ballrooms, venue spaces of such size. You have a multilingual society and you have these historical aspects.”

    For his part, Alejandro Ramirez Tabche, the CEO of a Mexican event planning company, said that seeing specific venues for himself had made him realise Hong Kong is the perfect MICE destination. Describing the city as “gorgeous”, he said he would recommend it to his peers as a location for holding events without hesitation.

    “Hong Kong is always a top destination and people experience real fun and happiness,” he enthused. “And also, you have luxurious hotels, good food and good attractions. The people are so kind and they are very eager to help anytime.”

    While in Hong Kong, the group also explored the Old Town Central neighbourhood’s blend of modern and historic elements, visited the giant panda twins at Ocean Park, and toured the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park, gaining a full appreciation of the city’s diverse offerings.

    Robust revival
    MICE tourism has emerged as a key driver of high-value travel to Hong Kong, with the city welcoming over 1.42 million overnight MICE visitors in 2024, a year-on-year increase of about 10%. Their average spending per capita outperformed overall overnight visitor expenditure by about 40% and catalysed growth across sectors including convention services, retail, dining and entertainment.

    The Tourism Board is adopting a multipronged approach to developing MICE tourism, sparing no effort to secure major events for Hong Kong, while also inviting global conference organisers to experience the city’s MICE facilities and tourism assets first-hand.

    Tourism Board Director & Business Development Team Lead of MICE Phoebe Shing outlined that the organisation has been successful in bidding for and facilitating 56 large-scale MICE events in Hong Kong this year, including 16 which are debuting in the city. The events span sectors ranging from innovation and technology to fintech, medical science and aviation.

    “In June, Hong Kong will host the International Society for Stem Cell Research 2025 annual meeting for the first time,” she said. “For the aviation sector, we will welcome Routes World 2025 in September, and also Airspace Asia Pacific 2025 in December.”

    These events are projected to attract approximately 170,000 MICE visitors from the Mainland and overseas, with total participation reaching 260,000.

    Ms Shing added that with MICE tourism’s robust recovery, coupled with the ongoing restoration of international flight capacity, further growth in MICE visitors is expected.

    “The Hong Kong Tourism Board will continue to promote MICE tourism, striving to bring more MICE events to Hong Kong. We will also solidify Hong Kong as the world’s meeting place in order to attract more high-yield visitors to our city.”

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OCEANIA – Debt crisis in the Pacific: Jubilee Year campaign aims to provide relief

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Port Moresby (Agenzia Fides) – “Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa are Pacific countries at risk of experiencing the worst consequences of internal and external debt. The Caritas Internationalis Jubilee campaign, ‘Transform Debt into Hope,’ should convince everyone to be vigilant about what political elites could do to avoid the dire circumstances of debt growth,” writes Father Giorgio Licini, missionary of PIME (Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions) and Caritas collaborator of the Episcopal Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, in a letter sent to Fides. “About fifty civil society and religious organizations around the world support the ‘Turn Debt into Hope’ petition and campaign. However, there are none from Oceania,” Father Licini points out, referring to the specific situation in Papua New Guinea, the country where he lives.”Papua New Guinea,” he points out, “owes creditors approximately 50 billion kina (approximately 11 billion euros, ed.), as the country prepares to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of its independence in September. The country’s solid financial position in the first two decades after independence from Australia, when the national currency was essentially equal to or more than the US dollar, is now a distant memory.” “The country,” he explains, “is classified as rich in resources but has poor human development indicators. About 75 percent of the population lives in poverty or has only the bare necessities of life, often in remote and inaccessible areas lacking basic services. The debt accumulated in recent years is more or less evenly distributed between domestic and foreign debt.”Corruption is a social challenge: “The perception that the country is at least partially determined by corruption and mismanagement is strong. Gaining government positions and jobs is widely perceived as an opportunity for personal enrichment, with family, clan, and allies benefiting in every way possible,” the missionary reports. “Yet,” he continues, “with clear political will, Papua New Guinea can curb corruption, keep its debt under control, and avoid the worst results seen in other developing countries, which are now unable even to pay the interest on their debts.”In light of this global concern, Caritas Internationalis has launched a campaign in the 2025 Jubilee Year entitled “Turn Debt into Hope,” which puts into practice the call for debt relief suggested by Pope Francis in the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year.There are concrete figures on the current “debt crisis,” which affects more than 100 countries: The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank estimate that 60 percent of low-income countries are in “debt distress” or are on the verge of defaulting on their repayment obligations. “As many as 48 developing countries,” says Father Licini, “spend more on debt interest payments than on health and education, further perpetuating inequality and poverty. More than 3.3 billion people live in these countries.”And while rich countries hold the majority of the debt, “the cost of borrowing for developing countries is two to twelve times higher, trapping many of them in a cycle of rising debt,” Father Licini notes. “In 2023, countries in the Global South spent 12.5 times more on debt repayment than on combating climate change, making them vulnerable to its devastating impacts. What we urgently need, then, is a bold commitment from governments and financial institutions to stop the debt crisis now: the cancellation of unjust and unsustainable debts to prevent debt crises from recurring by addressing their root causes.” They also call for “a reform of the global financial system to prioritize people and the planet” so that the same crisis cannot repeat itself cyclically.A particular goal of the Caritas Internationalis campaign, according to the missionary, “is the cancellation of ‘unsustainable debt,’ i.e., debt that cannot truly be repaid.” At the international level, the petition will be presented wherever world leaders gather to discuss politics and economics, for example at the G7 summit in Canada in June, the G20 summit in South Africa in November, and the COP30 summit in Brazil. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 5/4/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kean Highlights SBA Approval of I-80 Disaster Declaration and Upcoming Business Recovery Center

    Source: US Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)

    (April 5, 2025) Bernardsville, NJ – Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) issued the following statement after the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved New Jersey’s disaster declaration request, making Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to small businesses impacted by the I-80 sinkhole-related closures. The Congressman also highlights the upcoming opening of the SBA’s Business Recovery Center in Wharton, NJ, which will provide direct support to affected businesses. 

    “The SBA’s rapid approval of Economic Injury Disaster Loans for small businesses economically impacted by the I-80 closure will provide meaningful relief for businesses in Morris County, as well as the adjacent counties,” said Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. “Securing these federal resources took swift, coordinated action across federal, state, and local governments. I also want to call attention to the SBA’s Business Recovery Center opening in Wharton on April 8, which will offer real-time and on-the-ground support for local businesses.”

    “President Trump and Administrator Loeffler have made getting our small businesses back up and running after a disaster the SBA’s highest priority. SBA personnel are on the ground in New Jersey and opening our Business Recovery Center in Wharton on April 8. We are ready to assist those businesses and organizations economically impacted by the I-80 sinkholes,” said SBA Atlantic Regional Administrator Matt Coleman, who oversees the federal agency’s operations in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico & the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    “SBA is strongly committed to providing assistance to not just those small businesses & private non-profit organizations economically impacted by the sinkholes along I-80 in Morris County, but to those that have been impacted in adjacent counties of Essex, Hunterdon, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren too,” Coleman added.

    Background:

    On March 28th, Congressman Kean sent a letter to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy urging him to submit an official disaster declaration request to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in response to the I-80 sinkhole-related road closures. 

    After subsequent submission, the SBA granted this request within one day, unlocking federal assistance opportunities for qualifying small businesses that have suffered substantial economic loss during the I-80 closure. Small businesses in Morris County, as well as in adjacent counties of Essex, Hunterdon, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren can apply HERE for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

    From April 8 through April 22, SBA will operate a Business Recovery Center at the Wharton Municipal Building to assist businesses impacted by the I-80 sinkholes. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm, and on Saturdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm. For additional information on disaster assistance, please contact the SBA Customer Service Center Line at (800) 659-2955.

     ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: BexBack Launches No KYC, 100x Leverage, $50 Welcome Bonus, and Double Deposit – Start Trading Today!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, April 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As Bitcoin continues to trade below $85,000 and analysts predict that the crypto market will remain volatile, holding spot positions may not generate short-term profits. Recent economic shifts, including policy announcements such as President Trump’s tariff decisions, have brought some stabilization, but the volatility remains. For investors seeking to maximize returns in these uncertain times, BexBack Exchange offers a powerful solution. With 100x leverage, a 100% deposit bonus, and a $50 welcome bonus for new users, BexBack empowers traders to seize market opportunities. And with no KYC requirements, it provides a seamless and efficient way to trade.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $60,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $63,000, your profit will be (63,000 – 60,000) * 100 BTC / 60,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

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    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BexBack. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons condemns Trump’s tariffs, urges colleagues to end tariffs on Canada in speech before Senate vote

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor tonight, where he lambasted the new global tariffs imposed by President Trump this afternoon and called on his colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support a resolution that would end the tariffs President Trump has imposed on Canada. The resolution passed, 51-48. Senator Coons is a cosponsor of the resolution.

    “I rise to bring the attention of this body to a broken promise by our president. Our president promised in the campaign, and recently in an address to all of us here in Congress, to make America affordable again,” Senator Coons said. “Today, President Trump has announced he is going to impose tariffs on virtually every trading partner we have, and I rise in support of a piece of legislation we’re about to vote on here in the Senate that gives us a chance to do something.”

    Tonight, the Senate voted on a resolution by U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) to revoke the “emergency” President Trump earlier this year declared that has allowed him to unilaterally implement tariffs on Canada. Several decades ago, Congress passed a law giving the president the power to declare an emergency, assuming that presidents would only use that authority during a time of war or other national security crisis. President Trump has abused that power to unilaterally impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and other trading partners.

    “Canadians have served alongside us in virtually every war we’ve ever fought. They are a NATO ally and partner, and for my small but mighty State of Delaware, our major export destination and the nation from which we import the most,” said Senator Coons. “And yet…President Trump is moving ahead with slapping tariffs on Canada.”

    Earlier today, on what President Trump declared ‘Liberation Day,’ President Trump imposed sweeping new tariffs on nearly everything imported into the United States, as well as significantly higher tariffs on nearly every other country, from Taiwan to Israel to the European Union. Financial markets immediately plummeted upon the news. Economists and business organizations have called them “monstrously destructive” and “catastrophic for American families.”

    “This is not Liberation Day, but Tax Day – a new national sales tax that will harm the imports we buy from virtually every country, and because of the countervailing tariffs, harm our exports,” Senator Coons said.

    Senator Coons is a member of the Senate Small Business Committee. In February, he introduced the STABLE Trade Policy Act with Senator Kaine, which would institute a requirement of congressional approval before a president could impose new tariffs on U.S. allies and free trade agreement partners such as Canada.

    A video and transcript of Senator Coons’ remarks are available below.

    WATCH HERE.

    SENATOR COONS: Mr. President, I rise to bring the attention of this body to a broken promise by our president.

    Our president promised in the campaign, and recently in an address to all of us here in Congress, to make America affordable again. To deal with the high prices – groceries, of fruits and vegetables, of housing, of housing supplies, of energy – to deal with high prices. Millions of Americans who voted for President Trump said they did so out of frustration about high prices. Well today, President Trump has announced he is going to impose tariffs on virtually every trading partner we have, and I rise in support of a piece of legislation we’re about to vote on here in the Senate that gives us a chance to do something.

    So to my colleagues, if you’ve heard as I have from your constituents, calling with concern and alarm about how much prices have not gone down, but have gone up, I recommend you think about one country: one of our most trusted and loyal allies, some of the nicest people on the planet.

    Who doesn’t like Canadians? Canadians have served alongside us in virtually every war we’ve ever fought. They are a NATO ally and partner, and for my small but mighty State of Delaware, our major export destination and the nation from which we import the most. And yet, because of an emergency at our border – which I think is wholly unjustified by the data of how little fentanyl actually comes into our country across the northern border – President Trump is moving ahead with slapping tariffs on Canada.

    Tonight you have a chance, I say to my colleagues, to vote to undo the declaration of an “emergency” on our northern border. You can vote to undo the harm to businesses, to small families, to retirement accounts. Don’t look at your 401(k) if you want to know tomorrow the consequences of indiscriminately slapping tariffs on every one of our major trading partners. This is not Liberation Day, but Tax Day – a new national sales tax that will harm the imports we buy from virtually every country, and because of the countervailing tariffs, harm our exports.

    A tariff is a tax. Tonight we will take a vote, and I hope some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will join with Senator Kaine and many of us in recognizing it is ludicrous to use the special emergency powers that Congress gave to the president assuming he would only do so in a case of war or active open hostility, not in the case of one of our trusted and loyal partners and allies, the great and kind people of Canada.

    In recent meetings with Canadian leaders, they’ve said ‘Don’t make us do it. Don’t make us impose tariffs on you.’ But tonight, the Trump administration has imposed tariffs on dozens and dozens of our trading partners. To my friends and colleagues, let’s vote to undo this phony crisis and vote to undo the tariffs on US-Canada trade. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fatal human smuggling case and two alleged MS-13 members among those charged in relation to immigration and border security

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

    HOUSTON – A total of 225 cases have been filed in border security-related matters from March 28-April 3, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    As part of those cases, 70 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 144 people face charges of illegally entering the country, nine cases involve various instances of human smuggling with others relating to firearms and assault of a federal officer.

    Among those charged as part of these cases include an illegal alien and a McAllen resident who are now in custody for alien smuggling resulting in two deaths. Vicente Garcia Jr. was allegedly transporting one illegal alien whom he was to transfer to Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier. Baeza-Combaluzier had four other illegal aliens in his vehicle and departed the area with the passengers but eventually came to a stop due to a flooded road, according to the charges. When authorities attempted to make an approach, he allegedly accelerated and drove through a flooded area and eventually drove into a canal. Law enforcement immediately began rescue operations, but two drowned, including a 14-year-old child, according to the charges. If convicted they face up the life in prison or the possibility of a death sentence.

    Four of those charged in illegal reentry cases include two El Salvadoran males who are identified as potential MS-13 gang members. Authorities found Edwin Geovanny Parada-Granados near Hidalgo less than a year after he was previously removed, according to the charges. Misael Antonio Mendez-Mendez was allegedly found near Mission having previously been removed less than six weeks ago. The charges allege he is also a convicted felon.

    Another El Salvadorian male is alleged to be a convicted sex offender. Nicolas Alberto Hernandez-Lopez was previously sentenced to 60 months for second degree sexual assault, according to the charges and had been removed in 2023. However, he was found again in the United States near Escobares.

    Law enforcement also encountered Cesar Humberto Leal-Garcia unlawfully in the country and attempted to place him into custody, according to a criminal complaint. At that time, he allegedly assaulted two Border Patrol agents. Leal-Garcia is now charged with illegal reentry and assault on a federal officer. He has four prior convictions for illegal reentry after removal, according to the allegations.  

    Also charged this week is a Mexican national facing charges of trafficking firearms and smuggling goods from the United States. Pedro Cardiel Rodriguez allegedly attempted to transport a 9 mm pistol and 1,852 rounds of ammunition to Mexico through the Brownsville Gateway International Bridge. He purchased the pistol on behalf of an individual in Mexico, according to the allegations.

    Other relevant matters announced this week include the sentencing of a repeat illegal alien offender sent to prison for 33 months in a case out of the Brownsville Division. Fidel Jose-Ramirez has other criminal convictions including driving while intoxicated, assault family violence, criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. He was first ordered removed from the United States in 2019 and was previously convicted of being an alien unlawfully found in the United States after removal in 2023. After his conviction and subsequent removal, he had illegally reentered the country Jan. 3, 2024, after crossing the Rio Grande River.

    In Corpus Christi, an illegal alien with seven DWIs was also ordered to prison. In handing down the 24-month sentence, the court noted Arturo Cruz-Badillo’s previous driving while intoxicated convictions (DWI) and how they are very dangerous for communities and its citizens. He has seven prior DWI convictions in addition to a conviction for battery and was removed from the country three times between 2012 and 2023. However, on Aug. 22, 2024, law enforcement discovered Cruz-Badillo again in the country along with 10 other illegal aliens being smuggled in a commercial cargo trailer.

    Also announced this week was the conviction of another human smuggler in an event that resulted in death. Jose Guadalupe Antonio-Arredondo admitted to assisting in the smuggling of an illegal alien July 12, 2024. He guided the illegal alien and a brush guide to the border wall before he returned to Mexico. However, after they crossed the wall, the alien had trouble breathing and ultimately collapsed. The alien was pronounced deceased July 17, 2024.

    Also in McAllen, a Mexican citizen illegally residing in San Benito was indicted for using someone else’s identity to pose as an American citizen. Cristina Amezcua Valencia allegedly applied for a U.S. passport, claiming the identity of another individual. She later utilized the passport containing the individual’s name and date and place of birth so she could enter the U.S. from Mexico, according to the charges. If convicted, Amezcua faces up to 10 years for the false statement in application of a U.S. passport and up to three years for false claim to U.S. citizenship. She will also be ordered to serve a mandatory two years for identity theft, upon conviction, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The cases are 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.

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

    An indictment or criminal complaint 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 USA: Luján: On Heels of Disastrous Tariffs, Senate Republicans Push Partisan Budget That Guts Critical Programs Millions of Americans Rely On – All to Pay for the Next Tax Scam

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Senate Republicans Push Partisan Budget That Adds Trillions to Debt While Blocking Luján Amendment to Fight Food Insecurity
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans advanced their partisan budget resolution: 
    “On the heels of President Trump’s reckless tariffs and in the dark of night, Senate Republicans passed a partisan budget resolution that guts critical programs millions of Americans rely on – all to pass the next Trump Tax Scam. 
    “This Republican budget will not help everyday Americans. Instead, it will rip away Medicaid and SNAP benefits to give a tax handout to the wealthiest Americans and corporations while exploding the national debt. Tonight, I joined my Democratic colleagues in introducing dozens of amendments that would keep food on the table, protect Medicare, and support our nation’s farmers. These amendments would help Americans nationwide, but Senate Republicans voted down every single one. 
    “While Americans brace for the harsh impacts of President Trump’s tariffs, Republicans are making life harder and more expensive for working families.” 
    Senator Luján introduced and co-led a series of amendments to the Republican budget to keep food on the table for families, protect Social Security, and defend Medicaid. Senate Republicans blocked Senator Luján’s common-sense amendments that boost the quality of life for New Mexicans.
    Keeping Food on the Table for New Mexicans 
    As the cost of groceries rise, Senate Republicans are trying to make sweeping cuts to SNAP that would take food away from millions of Americans. In an effort to block these changes, Senator Luján led 26 of his colleagues in introducing an amendment to undo these drastic cuts. Every American deserves to be able to meet their basic needs, including the 1 in 5 New Mexicans who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. Watch Senator Luján’s floor speech HERE.
    Defending Medicaid
    Senator Luján co-led a series of amendments that would defend Medicaid from Republican cuts and protect Medicaid access for seniors, children, families, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and military families.
    Supporting FEMA
    As FEMA continues to provide disaster relief to communities across the country, Senator Luján co-led an amendment to support FEMA’s efforts to provide nonpartisan disaster relief, including long-term recovery assistance, to disaster survivors in all States, territories, and Tribal nations impacted by disasters. 
    Protecting Social Security
    As the Social Security Administration faces attacks by the Trump administration, Senator Luján co-led an amendment to ensure that seniors across New Mexico can continue to access their hard-earned benefits. 
    Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors
    To protect our seniors, Senator Luján co-led an amendment that would prevent increased prescription drug costs for seniors or people with disabilities on Medicare. 
    Senator Luján introduced 23 amendments that improve the quality of life for New Mexicans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: California aims to forge own trade path amid US tariffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a bold initiative on Friday to shield the state’s economy from the impacts of the U.S. tariff policies by pursuing independent trade relationships with international partners.

    “Donald Trump’s tariffs do not represent all Americans,” Newsom said in a video message. “California remains a stable trading partner,” he said, directing his administration to pursue new trade opportunities globally.

    The move came just two days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs, including a 10-percent “minimum baseline tariff” on all imports, with higher rates for certain trading partners, effective on April 5.

    The new tariffs have drawn backlash from economies around the world, with countermeasures already pledged by some. Newsom urged the state’s “long-standing trade partners” to exempt California-made products from any retaliatory measures.

    “California leads the nation as the #1 state for agriculture and manufacturing — and it’s our workers, families, and farmers who stand to lose the most from this Trump tax hike and trade war,” said the governor in a statement.

    “To our international partners: As the fifth largest economy in the world, the Golden State will remain a steady, reliable partner for generations to come, no matter the turbulence coming out of Washington. California is not Washington, D.C.”

    With a gross domestic product of 3.9 trillion U.S. dollars, California is the largest importer among all U.S. states, with more than 675 billion dollars in two-way trade supporting millions of jobs across the state. Its economy is 50 percent bigger than the GDP of the nation’s next largest state, Texas, according to the governor’s office.

    The initiative directed the state administration to identify collaborative opportunities with trading partners that protect California’s economic interests, including workers, manufacturers and businesses, as well as broader supply chains linked to the state’s economy.

    The tariffs announced by the Trump administration could result in a 2.3 percent increase in overall inflation in the United States this year, including a 2.8 percent increase in food prices and an 8.4 percent increase in automotive prices. The tariffs’ impact could cost the average household 3,800 dollars a year, according to analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale University.

    Newsom is particularly concerned about the state’s agricultural sector. California produces about 80 percent of the world’s almonds, generating an industry worth approximately 5.6 billion dollars and supporting more than 100,000 jobs.

    The almond industry alone contributes about 11 billion dollars in added value to California’s economy, according to industry data. About 70 percent of the state’s almond crop is exported to more than 100 economies worldwide.

    Beyond agriculture, Newsom’s administration was concerned about disruptions to the state’s manufacturing sector. Manufactured goods dominate both California’s exports (87 percent) and imports (89 percent), making the state particularly vulnerable to tariff impacts.

    The Port of Los Angeles, a major trade hub, anticipates a possible 10 percent decrease in cargo volume due to the tariffs, which could result in job losses in the port and related industries.

    The governor’s initiative also aimed to safeguard access to critical construction materials needed for recovery efforts following the recent Los Angeles wildfires. Officials noted that current tariffs on Canadian lumber of 14 percent could rise to nearly 27 percent, hampering rebuilding efforts.

    State officials also expressed concern about supply chains between California and Baja, Mexico. They argued that taxing component goods each time they cross the border will raise final product prices for Californians.

    Moreover, the Sacramento Bee reported Friday that Newsom faced another serious question: “How much of a problem will tariffs be for the state’s economy, which is heavily reliant upon high-income earners, many of whom draw their wealth from stocks.”

    The UCLA Anderson Forecast issued a recession watch last month, citing tariffs as one factor in a possible downturn. But there are others, notably Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants, which the Forecast saw as having the potential for reducing the labor pool in the state.

    Though legal experts noted that individual states do not have the constitutional authority to independently negotiate global trading deals regarding tariffs, as this power is reserved for the federal government, California has been cultivating relationships with foreign governments and officials independent of the current federal administration.

    California has a history of active engagement in international trade through various agreements and initiatives. It has entered into 38 international agreements with 28 different foreign partners, according to the governor’s office.

    The state government has established the International Affairs and Trade Development Interagency Committee, which advises Newsom on international trade matters and coordinates related state activities, and California maintains trade and investment desks in key markets to further its international economic objectives. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 4th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Introduce Legislation to Fully Fund Education for Individuals Living with Disabilities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined their colleagues in introducing the IDEA Full Funding Act to ensure all children with disabilities can access a free, high-quality public education. In 1975, Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to ensure that every child with a disability has equal access to education opportunities. While this was a historic step forward, Congress has failed to provide the promised funding. The IDEA Full Funding Act will bridge this gap.
    Under IDEA, the federal government committed to pay 40 percent of the average cost per student to provide special education services; however, that pledge has never been met. Current funding is at less than 12 percent, according to the Congressional Research Service. The IDEA Full Funding Act requires regular, mandatory increases in IDEA spending to finally meet Congress’ obligation to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed.
    “New Mexico kids deserve every opportunity to succeed, and that requires access to quality public education that meets their unique needs. While Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to dismantle America’s education system, I am focused on fighting for our kids’ future,” said Heinrich. “It’s past time that we make good on the promise Congress made in 1975: We need to deliver our fair share of funding for special education, delivering for our kids and our communities.”
    “It’s critical that students with disabilities can access a free appropriate public education,” said Luján. “When Congress passed IDEA, we promised to cover 40% of the extra cost of special education. For over 40 years, the federal government has failed to fund its fair share of the IDEA Act, leaving room for gaps in education. That’s why I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing this bipartisan legislation to fully fund IDEA for students with disabilities.”
    The legislation is led by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman. Alongside Heinrich and Lujan, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The legislation is co-led in the House by U.S. Representatives G.T. Thompson (R-Pa.-15), Joe Neguse (D-Colo.-02), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.-01), Angie Craig (D-Minn.-02), Pete Stauber (R-Minn.-08), Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.-05), Don Bacon (R-Neb.-02), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.-14), and Mike Bost (R-Ill.-12) and cosponsored by over 60 additional members of the House.
    The bill is supported by 60 organizations, including: The School Superintendents Association (AASA), AFT, AFL-CIO, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Occupational Therapy Association, American Psychological Association, Assistive Technology Industry Association, Association of Educational Service Agencies, Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators, Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO), Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, CAST, Center for Learner Equity, Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education, Coalition for Community Schools, Consortium of State School Boards Associations (COSSBA), Council for Exceptional Children, Council for Learning Disabilities, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, EDGE Consulting Partners, EdTrust, Education Reform Now, First Focus Campaign for Children, Higher Education Consortium for Special Education, Institute for Educational Leadership, Learning Disabilities Association of America, National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA), National Association for Music Education, National Association for Pupil Transportation, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS), National Association of Private Special Education Centers, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Center for Learning Disabilities, National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID), National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Down Syndrome Congress, National Down Syndrome Society, National Education Association, National PTA, National Rural Education Association (NREA), NBJC, Teach For America, The Advocacy Institute, The Arc of the United States, TNTP.
    The full bill text can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 4th, 2025 Heinrich, Hickenlooper Lead Amendment to Prevent Sale of Public Lands

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, are leading an amendment to the Senate’s budget resolution to prevent the privatization of our public lands.
    The amendment comes after recent reporting about Congressional Republicans’ plans to sell public lands to fund tax breaks for billionaires.
    “Public lands belong to all of us,” said Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Under the Republicans’ agenda, wealthy out-of-state landowners will be able to turn our most beloved and sacred public lands into their private resorts. Not on our watch. This is about protecting access to the places we know and love for our kids, grandkids, and generations to come.”  
    “Westerners know our forests, national parks, and public lands are priceless,” said Hickenlooper. “Some Republicans want to sell them off to bankroll tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. Our public lands are not – and should not be – for sale.”
    The text of the amendment can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meeks, McCaul, Cherfilus-McCormick Reintroduce Bipartisan Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    April 4, 2025

    Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, with Representatives Michael McCaul, Chairman Emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Co-Chair of the House Haiti Caucus, this week reintroduced H.R. 2643, the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act. The bill would require the Secretary of State to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the ties between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti and impose sanctions on political and economic elites involved in such criminal activities.

    “The bipartisan reintroduction of the Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act comes at a crucial point as Haiti endures existential economic, political, and security crises. Violence perpetuated by criminal gangs has upended daily life in Haiti and caused the displacement of more than a million Haitians, half of whom are children, from their homes. The current gang-fueled crisis doesn’t just represent a threat to innocent Haitians, it impacts U.S. national security and threatens stability and security across the entire region.

    “The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act aims to deal a blow to the enablers of the violent gangs driving the violence and displacement. The legislation will help Haitians fight back against the gangs, as well as the corrupt networks that fund, arm, and benefit from the current instability.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Curtis Bipartisan Bill to Counter Hezbollah’s Influence in the Western Hemisphere Passes Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Near East Subcommittee, announced that her bipartisan bill with Senator John Curtis (R-UT) to direct the U.S. Department of State and other federal agencies to assess and counter Hezbollah’s influence in Latin America advanced in committee. The No Hezbollah in Our Hemisphere Act requires an official determination of whether any Western Hemisphere country meets the legal definition of a terrorist sanctuary and imposes restrictions on officials who support Hezbollah.
    “Iran-backed Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that’s intent on targeting the United States and our allies, like Israel,” said Senator Rosen. “This terrorist group has operated in the Western Hemisphere for decades to raise funds for their illicit activities, which is a threat to our national security. I’m glad that my bipartisan bill to prevent Hezbollah from continuing to operate in this hemisphere has advanced through committee.”
    Hezbollah, with direct support from Iran, has built an extensive network in Latin America, using the region as a hub for terrorism, illicit financing, and organized crime. The group plays a central role in the cocaine trade, collaborating with Colombian and Mexican cartels to smuggle multi-ton shipments of narcotics across the hemisphere.
    While countries such as Argentina and Paraguay have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, many others have not—allowing the group to operate with impunity. Some authoritarian regimes in Latin America, particularly Venezuela under Nicolás Maduro, openly support Hezbollah and its Iranian backers. Brazil, Iran’s primary trading partner in the region, has even allowed Iranian warships to dock in Rio de Janeiro.
    Following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel, authorities in Brazil and Argentina intercepted multiple Iranian-backed terrorist plots targeting Jewish communities. The lack of coordinated regional action against Hezbollah poses a direct security threat to the United States and its allies.
    Senator Rosen continues to fight to protect the United States and our allies against terrorist organizations. Last Congress, she introduced a bipartisan resolution urging the European Union (EU) to fully designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Senator Rosen also introduced the bipartisan No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act to prevent any person who participated in Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attacks from entering the United States.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: California aims to forge its own path in global trade amid US tariffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a bold initiative on Friday to shield the state’s economy from the impacts of the U.S. tariff policies by pursuing independent trade relationships with international partners.

    “Donald Trump’s tariffs do not represent all Americans,” Newsom said in a video message. “California remains a stable trading partner,” he said, directing his administration to pursue new trade opportunities globally.

    The move came just two days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs, including a 10-percent “minimum baseline tariff” on all imports, with higher rates for certain trading partners, effective on April 5.

    The new tariffs have drawn backlash from economies around the world, with countermeasures already pledged by some. Newsom urged the state’s “long-standing trade partners” to exempt California-made products from any retaliatory measures.

    “California leads the nation as the #1 state for agriculture and manufacturing — and it’s our workers, families, and farmers who stand to lose the most from this Trump tax hike and trade war,” said the governor in a statement.

    “To our international partners: As the fifth largest economy in the world, the Golden State will remain a steady, reliable partner for generations to come, no matter the turbulence coming out of Washington. California is not Washington, D.C.”

    With a gross domestic product of 3.9 trillion U.S. dollars, California is the largest importer among all U.S. states, with more than 675 billion dollars in two-way trade supporting millions of jobs across the state. Its economy is 50 percent bigger than the GDP of the nation’s next largest state, Texas, according to the governor’s office.

    The initiative directed the state administration to identify collaborative opportunities with trading partners that protect California’s economic interests, including workers, manufacturers and businesses, as well as broader supply chains linked to the state’s economy.

    The tariffs announced by the Trump administration could result in a 2.3 percent increase in overall inflation in the United States this year, including a 2.8 percent increase in food prices and an 8.4 percent increase in automotive prices. The tariffs’ impact could cost the average household 3,800 dollars a year, according to analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale University.

    Newsom is particularly concerned about the state’s agricultural sector. California produces about 80 percent of the world’s almonds, generating an industry worth approximately 5.6 billion dollars and supporting more than 100,000 jobs.

    The almond industry alone contributes about 11 billion dollars in added value to California’s economy, according to industry data. About 70 percent of the state’s almond crop is exported to more than 100 economies worldwide.

    Beyond agriculture, Newsom’s administration was concerned about disruptions to the state’s manufacturing sector. Manufactured goods dominate both California’s exports (87 percent) and imports (89 percent), making the state particularly vulnerable to tariff impacts.

    The Port of Los Angeles, a major trade hub, anticipates a possible 10 percent decrease in cargo volume due to the tariffs, which could result in job losses in the port and related industries.

    The governor’s initiative also aimed to safeguard access to critical construction materials needed for recovery efforts following the recent Los Angeles wildfires. Officials noted that current tariffs on Canadian lumber of 14 percent could rise to nearly 27 percent, hampering rebuilding efforts.

    State officials also expressed concern about supply chains between California and Baja, Mexico. They argued that taxing component goods each time they cross the border will raise final product prices for Californians.

    Moreover, the Sacramento Bee reported Friday that Newsom faced another serious question: “How much of a problem will tariffs be for the state’s economy, which is heavily reliant upon high-income earners, many of whom draw their wealth from stocks.”

    The UCLA Anderson Forecast issued a recession watch last month, citing tariffs as one factor in a possible downturn. But there are others, notably Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants, which the Forecast saw as having the potential for reducing the labor pool in the state.

    Though legal experts noted that individual states do not have the constitutional authority to independently negotiate global trading deals regarding tariffs, as this power is reserved for the federal government, California has been cultivating relationships with foreign governments and officials independent of the current federal administration.

    California has a history of active engagement in international trade through various agreements and initiatives. It has entered into 38 international agreements with 28 different foreign partners, according to the governor’s office.

    The state government has established the International Affairs and Trade Development Interagency Committee, which advises Newsom on international trade matters and coordinates related state activities, and California maintains trade and investment desks in key markets to further its international economic objectives. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Outlines Importance of Border Security in Stopping Flow of Fentanyl into American Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    04.04.25

    Hoeven Outlines Importance of Border Security in Stopping Flow of Fentanyl into American Communities

    Click for video and audio.

    WASHINGTON – During remarks delivered on the floor of the U.S. Senate this week, Senator John Hoeven outlined the importance of border security in stopping the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. from Mexico and Canada. The senator pointed to the success of President Trump enforcing the law and reinstating the kinds of policies that discourage illegal crossings and empower U.S. border professionals to do their jobs. 

    The remarks come as part of Hoeven’s efforts to push back on illegal immigration, advance policies that will make the border truly secure and protect America’s communities against criminal organizations that smuggle fentanyl and other illicit substances into the U.S. Among other efforts, Hoeven joined the U.S. Senate last month in passing the Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) Fentanyl Act, legislation to permanently classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I and apply mandatory minimum sentencing for the trafficking of fentanyl-related substances.

    “The result of our country returning to common-sense border security policies can be seen in the numbers. In March, Border Patrol agents encountered just 7,181 illegal immigrants attempting to cross the southern border. This is a stark contrast compared to just one year ago, when under President Biden the total encounters for the month of March totaled 137,473. That represents a 95 percent decrease in crossings,” said Hoeven. 

    “On his first day in office, President Trump signed a series of executive orders addressing the border crisis that have been affecting our country, and began the process of removing criminals who had illegally entered under the previous administration. These executive actions have served as the first step in reversing the catch and release policies that allowed members of cartels, gangs, and violent transnational criminal organizations, like MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, to remain in the United States while operating criminal enterprises. By declaring an emergency at the border – DHS, DOD, and DOJ – were able to take a whole of government approach and began working together to identify the criminals that were illegally operating these networks within our country.

    “The result of these harmful Democrat open border policies has been felt by us all, and have turned every state into a border state. Leadership for the DEA Omaha Division, which includes my state, said it plainly and simply – the repeated presence of fentanyl in our communities is due to outside forces… CBP officers, Border Patrol agents, state, local, and tribal law enforcement are stepping up to take on the fentanyl crisis at our borders. I urge my Democratic colleagues to join us in a bipartisan way and support the effort to continue securing our border, and going after the criminals that have illegally entered our country and continue to do harm.”

    In addition, Hoeven stressed that the efforts of the Trump administration have resulted in Canada and Mexico stepping up their own border enforcement to help stop drug trafficking. Hoeven highlighted that:

    • In February, the President of Mexico agreed to send 10,000 National Guard troops to help secure its northern border with the U.S.
    • The Canadian government has:
      • Named a fentanyl czar and listed Mexican cartels as terrorist groups.
      • Launched a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.
      • Increased its law enforcement presence at the border with a 56 percent increase in border personnel at land borders and ports of entry.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Blasts President Trump’s Reckless Tariffs, Disastrous Republican Budget That Will Gut Critical Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    As President Trump’s Reckless Tariffs Jeopardize American Livelihoods, Senate Republicans are Ramming Through a Partisan Budget That Will Cut Programs for New Mexicans

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) delivered a floor speech and joined a press conference alongside Senate Democrats to call out President Trump’s reckless tariffs and Senate Republicans’ plans to advance a partisan budget that will gut funding for critical programs Americans rely on – all to fund the Trump Tax Scam 2.0. 
    During the floor speech and press conference, Senator Luján highlighted the staggering consequences of President Trump’s tariffs on working families, retirement funds, and small businesses. Senator Luján blasted Senate Republicans’ plan to advance a partisan budget that threatens New Mexicans’ access to Medicaid, Social Security, and SNAP benefits to give a tax handout to the wealthiest Americans and corporations.
    “I’m proud to join my Senate Democratic colleagues in pushing back against a Republican budget resolution that is wrong for the people, not just of New Mexico, but every corner of America. Today, Senate Democrats have uplifted the stories of Americans who are worried about the path that President Trump, Elon Musk, and Congressional Republicans are putting us on. Folks who feel the pain every time they go to the grocery store, moms and dads who don’t know how they’re going to afford food next week, grandmothers and grandfathers who are scared that their hard-earned benefits are going to be eliminated,” said Senator Luján in his floor remarks. 
    “My constituents can see the economy is slipping before their eyes. They feel it. And their paychecks are not going as far as they used to,” Senator Luján continued. “Now, President Trump is imposing sweeping, across-the-board tariffs that will increase prices for everyone back home. The tariffs are going to cost New Mexicans nearly $4,000 a year. $4,000 that a lot of folks don’t have.”
    Watch Senator Luján’s floor speech HERE.
    Watch Senator Luján’s press conference remarks HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 97 Border-Related Cases This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 97 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, receipt of bribes by public official, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).

    In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.

    A sample of border-related arrests this week, includes:

    • On March 24, Customs and Border Protection Officers Farlis Almonte and Ricardo Rodriguez were arrested and charged with Conspiracy to Bring in Aliens for Financial Gain, Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain and Receipt of Bribes by Public Official. According to court records, the officers allowed dozens of cars carrying undocumented immigrants to pass through their inspection lanes at the San Ysidro Port of Entry from August 2024 through January 2025, in exchange for cash.
    • On March 29, Osvaldo Parra Franco, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Parra attempted to cross into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl hidden in a spare tire and tailgate of his vehicle. He was intercepted by Customs and Border Protection officers after an alert from a narcotics detection canine.
    • On March 30, Jesus Eduardo Carrasco-Romero, a Mexican national, was arrested three miles east of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and charged with illegally entering the U.S. after previously being deported on March 20 in El Paso, Texas.
    • On March 31, Francisco Anguiano Rios, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with importation of a controlled substance after Customs and Border Protection officers found 209 packages containing 547 pounds of cocaine concealed in the fuel tank of the tractor trailer Rios was driving as it attempted to cross the border at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
    • On March 31, Miguel Angel Gonzalez Lujan and Jesus Miguel Gonzalez Garcia, Mexican nationals, were arrested in Campo near the U.S.-Mexico border and charged with Transportation of Illegal Aliens after Border Patrol agents used a spike strip to deflate the front tires of their fleeing vehicle. Four undocumented immigrants were inside.

    Federal law enforcement has focused immigration prosecutions on undocumented aliens who are engaged in criminal activity in the U.S., including those who commit drug and firearms crimes, who have serious criminal records, or who have active warrants for their arrest. Federal authorities have also been prioritizing investigations and prosecutions against drug, firearm, and human smugglers and those who endanger and threaten the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect the community.

    The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Leads Colleagues in Calling on Trump Administration to Reinstate Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, led 18 of his colleagues in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to reconsider the Trump Administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans who applied for TPS under its designation in 2023. The Administration’s decision has been temporarily put on hold by a court order, postponing the harm it will cause to approximately 350,000 people who remain at risk of losing TPS.
    “Contrary to your assertion that ‘there are notable improvements in several areas, such as the economy, public health, and crime that allow for these nationals to be safely returned,’ the country conditions in Venezuela have deteriorated significantly since 2023, as discussed in detail below,” the senators wrote. “There is no credible evidence demonstrating substantive improvements in the human rights or security situation at this time. Nicolas Maduro’s third term began in January 2025 and has thus far has been characterized by political violence, violent crime, and corruption. Indeed, he remained in power through violent repression surrounding his July 2024 election, which the United States and international observers deemed fraudulent. Numerous credible sources have documented how the regime uses waves of repression, including politically motivated arrests and forcible disappearances, to maintain power. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Maduro regime was holding over 1,000 political prisoners as of March 10, 2025.”
    “For the reasons discussed above, we ask that you reconsider your February 1, 2025 decision and instead extend TPS for Venezuelans in the United States for the maximum statutory period of 18 months. Congress intended TPS to be both a humanitarian tool and a pragmatic response to unstable conditions abroad,” they continued.
    Kaine has long advocated for TPS for vulnerable people from countries around the world, such as Cameroon, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Sudan, and Ukraine. Amid spiking violence in Haiti in 2024, Kaine also urged the Biden Administration to extend TPS for Haiti and urged the Trump Administration to reconsider the cancelation of this designation in 2025.
    In addition to Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT).
    Full text of the letter follows below and is available here.
    Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Noem:
    We ask that you reconsider your February 1, 2025 decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans who applied for TPS under the 2023 designation. While a court order has temporarily postponed the harms that will be caused by this decision, approximately 350,000 people remain at risk of losing TPS.
    Contrary to your assertion that “there are notable improvements in several areas, such as the economy, public health, and crime that allow for these nationals to be safely returned,” the country conditions in Venezuela have deteriorated significantly since 2023, as discussed in detail below.
    There is no credible evidence demonstrating substantive improvements in the human rights or security situation at this time. Nicolas Maduro’s third term began in January 2025 and has thus far has been characterized by political violence, violent crime, and corruption. Indeed, he remained in power through violent repression surrounding his July 2024 election, which the United States and international observers deemed fraudulent. Numerous credible sources have documented how the regime uses waves of repression, including politically motivated arrests and forcible disappearances, to maintain power. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the Maduro regime was holding over 1,000 political prisoners as of March 10, 2025.
    Through draconian legal measures and organized violence, the Maduro regime is engaging in an active campaign to violate human rights and repress civil society. For example, the National Assembly passed an “anti-NGO law” that provides legal pretext for targeting human rights defenders, political opposition, and journalists. In this environment, organized crime and humanitarian crisis have grown.
    Governance in Venezuela has broken down, leaving the basic needs of its citizens unmet – sufficient food, clean water, and medicines are inaccessible for most. The United Nations World Food Program estimates that approximately 40 percent of the population is experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity, and that four million people require urgent food assistance. The Venezuelan government is unable or unwilling to provide justice or protection for its citizens. In fact, the government of Venezuela is frequently itself a perpetrator or beneficiary of human rights abuses.
    The current conditions in Venezuela described above clearly continue to meet the requirement of INA §244(b)(1)(C) that “there exist extraordinary and temporary conditions in the foreign state that prevent aliens who are nationals of the state from returning to the state in safety.” Insofar as you have found that “even assuming the relevant conditions in Venezuela remain both ‘extraordinary’ and ‘temporary,’ termination of the 2023 Venezuela TPS designation is required because it is contrary to the national interest,” the lack of notice and opportunity for stakeholders and the public to comment on the termination and the national interest before it went into effect makes your decision legally infirm and deeply flawed policy-wise.
    On March 31, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ordered that the decision to vacate the extension of the 2023 designation and to terminate that designation be postponed pending further litigation. In a seventy-eight-page decision, the court relied on “[t]he lack of support for the vacatur – both legal and evidentiary” in postponing your decision.  
    For the reasons discussed above, we ask that you reconsider your February 1, 2025 decision and instead extend TPS for Venezuelans in the United States for the maximum statutory period of 18 months. Congress intended TPS to be both a humanitarian tool and a pragmatic response to unstable conditions abroad. While DHS has the authority to terminate TPS, that authority must be exercised with diligence, transparency, and fidelity to the law.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor to Oppose ‘Economic Idiocy’ of Tariffs, Program Cuts to Pay for Billionaire Tax Breaks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, spoke on the Senate floor to highlight his strong opposition to Republicans’ budget plan. President Donald Trump and Republicans are proposing using the revenue from tariffs and massive, across-the-board cuts to programs that Virginians rely on—including Medicaid—to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. Republicans are using a legislative process known as “reconciliation,” which allows certain legislation to be expedited and passed in the Senate by a simple majority, avoiding the 60-vote threshold needed for most other legislation.
    “President Trump deemed these tariffs as ‘reciprocal tariffs,’ but I got another phrase for them: They are economic idiocy,” said Kaine. “They will hurt our families, they will hurt our businesses, they will hurt our farmers, and all the economic signs suggest that President Trump is flipping the world’s strongest economy toward recession.”
    “President Trump started with the strongest economy in the world the day he was inaugurated—a strong stock market, strong consumer confidence, strong growth rates and growth projections, manufacturing up, infrastructure up, America building again,” Kaine continued. “In two months, his chaotic economic idiocy has turned it around… the American economy has nothing but red lights and question marks all over it.”
    “Trump says these are reciprocal tariffs—we are putting tariffs on nations who are treating us unfairly in trade. But he’s imposing tariffs even on nations that put no tariffs on U.S. products, that have no trade barriers on U.S. products,” Kaine continued. “He said he was imposing tariffs on nations where the U.S. has trade deficits … but guess what? We have trade surpluses with Brazil, Australia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the U.K. So what did Donald Trump do? He put tariffs on them anyway.”
    “The tariffs are not designed to punish adversaries since we are hurting allies and treating them worse than adversaries in many ways. The tariffs are not designed to lower trade barriers since nations with no trade barriers are still getting socked. The tariffs are not designed to counter trade deficits since nations where we have trade surpluses are getting socked,” Kaine said. “So why do them at all? Why punish Americans with a national sales tax, which all the economists say is the largest peacetime tax ever imposed in U.S. history?”
    “It’s about raising money to fund a tax cut for the rich,” Kaine continued. “These tariffs will raise $6 trillion over the course of the next 10 years—about $600 billion all taken out of the pockets of everyday Americans who are paying more for groceries, who are paying more for building supplies when they do a home renovation, farmers who are paying more for fertilizer… the $6 trillion dollars that these tariffs will raise all come out of the pocketbooks of Americans who are working hard and who don’t want to pay more taxes.”
    “President Trump and my colleagues here are setting up a budget where they’ll take that $6 trillion and they’ll add to it all of these ‘slash-and-burn’ cuts,” Kaine said. “They’ll combine the tariff revenue with the savings from Medicaid cuts or cuts to school nutrition or cuts to the Pell Grant program, and then they will take all of that revenue and hand it over to the richest people in this country, many of whom are the richest people on the Planet Earth.”
    “That’s what we’re going to fight against in this budget, and in the same way that we succeeded by getting Republicans to vote with us against the Canadian tariffs a few days ago, it is my hope that when we get to the end of this process, we will have some Republican colleagues, in this house and the next, who will stand up against a President who thinks one man can shatter the economy and impose costs on everyday people to benefit himself and his friends,” Kaine concluded.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, federal partners arrest alien fugitive wanted for homicide in Dominican Republic

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LAWRENCE, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and federal law enforcement partners from the FBI, and Drug Enforcement Administration arrested a Dominican fugitive wanted in his native country for homicide. Officers with ICE Boston working with agents from FBI Boston and DEA New England arrested the individual, April 3, in Lawrence.

    “This Dominican fugitive hoped to escape the law in his native country by hiding out in Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “We will now return him to the Dominican Republic to face the justice system there. We refuse to allow New England to become a safe haven for the world’s criminal elements. ICE Boston will continue to arrest and remove criminal alien offenders from our communities.”

    The alien illegally entered the United States on an unknown date, at an unknown location, and without being inspected, admitted or paroled by a U.S. immigration official.

    Dominican officials issued a criminal arrest warrant for him April 30, 2018, for homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

    Officers with ICE Boston, working with agents from FBI Boston and DEA New England, made the arrest.

    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.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROBoston 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Briefing with industry stakeholders on Canada’s response to U.S. tariffs

    Source: Government of Canada News

    April 4, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Department of Finance Canada

    Today, the Department of Finance hosted a recurring briefing with Canadian industry and labour stakeholders, as well as provincial and territorial representatives, on Canada-U.S. economic issues. Canada’s Embassy in the U.S. also joined the call.

    The discussion focused on the recent tariff actions by the U.S., including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act invoked on April 2 to apply “reciprocal tariffs” on goods from nearly all countries, not including Canada and Mexico, as well as new U.S. tariffs imposed on automobiles that entered into force on April 3.

    Officials highlighted Canada’s countermeasures response to U.S. auto tariffs, including yesterday’s announcement by the Prime Minister, and outlined the tariff support measures that have been introduced to support Canadian workers and businesses. This includes introducing temporary special measures to the EI Work-Sharing Program, providing up to $40 billion in liquidity to businesses by deferring corporate income tax payments and GST/HST remittances, and providing liquidity support through Canada’s financial Crown corporations.

    The government underscored its commitment to continue fighting against the unjustified tariffs imposed by the U.S. while protecting impacted workers and businesses and building Canada’s economy.

    Related links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Secures the Extradition from Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain and Thailand of Fugitives Wanted for Murder, Drug Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Cybercrime in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minne

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the United States Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailandresulted in the extraditions last week of individuals alleged to have committed murder child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and fraud.

    The fugitives extradited to the United States include:

    • Roberto Avina-Casillas, 30, a Mexican citizen, was extradited from Mexico to stand trial in Franklin County, Ohio for murder, felonious assault and endangering children. Avina-Casillas evaded arrest for more than 11 years after he was accused of the Aug. 7, 2013 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.
    • Justin David Lanoue, 44, a Canadian citizen, was extradited from Canada to stand trial in Washington County, Utah, on charges filed against him in 2015 related to child rape and felony sexual abuse of a minor. The Washington County Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
    • Dominik Rydz, 24, a Polish national, was extradited from Germany to stand trial in the state of Michigan, where he faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree and one count of unlawful imprisonment. On the night of Sept. 3, 2023, Rydz allegedly lured a woman away from her friends at a social gathering and proceeded to sexually assault the victim and would not let her leave. Rydz’s extradition was first sought from Poland, where he resided. While out on release from the Polish proceedings, Rydz travelled to Germany and was arrested there on an INTERPOL Red Notice.
    • Olof Kyros Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” 31, a Swedish national, was extradited from Spain to face conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, and money laundering charges in a 115-count federal indictment filed in the Central District of California alleging that he licensed the rights to use the name and persona of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors around the world by marketing and selling products — including flamethrowers and cellphones — that did not exist and that he never delivered to paying customers.
    • Ardit Kutleshi, 26, and Jetmir Kutleshi, 28, both Kosovo nationals, were extradited from Kosovo to face identity theft, access device fraud, and money laundering charges in the Western District of Pennsylvania for their roles as the alleged administrators of the Rydox cybercrime marketplace, an illicit website dedicated to selling stolen personal information, access devices, and other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are handling the prosecution.
    • Rene Javier Santos Alfaro, 53, a Honduran citizen, was extradited from Honduras to stand trial in the Southern District of Florida for drug trafficking offenses. Santos Alfaro is an alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization based in Honduras that was allegedly responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into Miami via commercial aircraft.
    • Cristian Eduardo Garcia Jerez, 36, a Colombian national, was extradited from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges in the Northern District of Georgia. Garcia Jerez is alleged to have owned two cocaine processing laboratories and coordinated the manufacturing of cocaine in Colombia and the smuggling of cocaine from Colombia into the United States.
    • Jose Guillermo Granja Rojas, 36, a Mexican national, was extradited from Colombia to face a money laundering conspiracy charge in the Northern District of Georgia. Granja Rojas was allegedly a money launderer for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars of proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the United States and transferred them to Mexico. DTO members directed the deposit of drug proceeds into accounts allegedly controlled by Granja Rojas, and Granja Rojas also allegedly traveled from Mexico to the United States to receive cash drug proceeds in person.
    • Tien Vy Tai Truong, 46, an alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Thailand to face conspiracy to export methamphetamine charges in a 2024 indictment filed in the Central District of California. Truong is alleged to have engaged in negotiations with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential human source to export about 200 pounds of methamphetamine from the United States to Australia for sale.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand for making these extraditions possible.

    An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures Court Order Against Trump Administration over Continued Disruptions to FEMA Funding

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granting the motion to enforce the preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration as states continue to face obstacles in accessing obligated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding, including FEMA funding for critical emergency preparedness and recovery programs. Specifically, the Court found that FEMA’s current freeze violates the Court’s preliminary injunction order. 

    “Today’s court order makes it unequivocally clear: the Trump Administration’s reckless effort to hold up millions in emergency funds is unlawful,” said Attorney General Bonta. “We won’t stand idly by as we continue to see the Trump Administration breaking the law and will be closely monitoring to ensure that the Administration follows the court’s order and critical funds are released.” 

    In January, a coalition of 23 attorneys general, led by the attorneys general of California, New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Massachusetts, sued the Trump Administration over its attempt to freeze up to $3 trillion in federal funding. The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island quickly granted the attorneys general’s request for a temporary restraining order, blocking the freeze’s implementation until further order from the court. Soon after, the attorneys general filed motions to enforce and a preliminary injunction to stop the illegal freeze and preserve federal funding that Congress appropriated and that families, communities, and states rely on. The Court granted the motion to enforce, ordering the Administration to immediately comply with its temporary restraining order, and later, the motion for a preliminary injunction. Despite the coalition’s success in unlocking billions in wrongfully frozen funds through a preliminary injunction and earlier motion to enforce, the Trump Administration has continued to freeze millions of dollars in FEMA funding for critical emergency preparedness and recovery programs. The current FEMA freezes have not affected Los Angeles wildfire recovery funds but have affected wildfire recovery funding in other states, including for the Maui wildfires. Today’s order grants the motion the coalition made last week, asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island to enforce its preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration’s FEMA freeze.

    Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin in securing this motion. 

    A copy of the order is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Secures the Extradition from Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain and Thailand of Fugitives Wanted for Murder, Drug Trafficking, Child Sexual Abuse and Cybercrime in California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minne

    Source: United States Attorneys General 11

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the United States Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailandresulted in the extraditions last week of individuals alleged to have committed murder child sexual abuse, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and fraud.

    The fugitives extradited to the United States include:

    • Roberto Avina-Casillas, 30, a Mexican citizen, was extradited from Mexico to stand trial in Franklin County, Ohio for murder, felonious assault and endangering children. Avina-Casillas evaded arrest for more than 11 years after he was accused of the Aug. 7, 2013 death of his former girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.
    • Justin David Lanoue, 44, a Canadian citizen, was extradited from Canada to stand trial in Washington County, Utah, on charges filed against him in 2015 related to child rape and felony sexual abuse of a minor. The Washington County Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution.
    • Dominik Rydz, 24, a Polish national, was extradited from Germany to stand trial in the state of Michigan, where he faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree and one count of unlawful imprisonment. On the night of Sept. 3, 2023, Rydz allegedly lured a woman away from her friends at a social gathering and proceeded to sexually assault the victim and would not let her leave. Rydz’s extradition was first sought from Poland, where he resided. While out on release from the Polish proceedings, Rydz travelled to Germany and was arrested there on an INTERPOL Red Notice.
    • Olof Kyros Gustafsson, also known as “El Silencio,” 31, a Swedish national, was extradited from Spain to face conspiracy, wire and mail fraud, and money laundering charges in a 115-count federal indictment filed in the Central District of California alleging that he licensed the rights to use the name and persona of the late Colombian narco-terrorist Pablo Escobar and defrauded investors around the world by marketing and selling products — including flamethrowers and cellphones — that did not exist and that he never delivered to paying customers.
    • Ardit Kutleshi, 26, and Jetmir Kutleshi, 28, both Kosovo nationals, were extradited from Kosovo to face identity theft, access device fraud, and money laundering charges in the Western District of Pennsylvania for their roles as the alleged administrators of the Rydox cybercrime marketplace, an illicit website dedicated to selling stolen personal information, access devices, and other tools for carrying out cybercrime and fraud. The Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania are handling the prosecution.
    • Rene Javier Santos Alfaro, 53, a Honduran citizen, was extradited from Honduras to stand trial in the Southern District of Florida for drug trafficking offenses. Santos Alfaro is an alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization based in Honduras that was allegedly responsible for importing large quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into Miami via commercial aircraft.
    • Cristian Eduardo Garcia Jerez, 36, a Colombian national, was extradited from Colombia to face drug trafficking charges in the Northern District of Georgia. Garcia Jerez is alleged to have owned two cocaine processing laboratories and coordinated the manufacturing of cocaine in Colombia and the smuggling of cocaine from Colombia into the United States.
    • Jose Guillermo Granja Rojas, 36, a Mexican national, was extradited from Colombia to face a money laundering conspiracy charge in the Northern District of Georgia. Granja Rojas was allegedly a money launderer for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) who collected hundreds of thousands of dollars of proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in the United States and transferred them to Mexico. DTO members directed the deposit of drug proceeds into accounts allegedly controlled by Granja Rojas, and Granja Rojas also allegedly traveled from Mexico to the United States to receive cash drug proceeds in person.
    • Tien Vy Tai Truong, 46, an alleged leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization, was extradited from Thailand to face conspiracy to export methamphetamine charges in a 2024 indictment filed in the Central District of California. Truong is alleged to have engaged in negotiations with a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confidential human source to export about 200 pounds of methamphetamine from the United States to Australia for sale.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. OIA and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions from Colombia. The Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) also provided assistance with the extraditions from Kosovo. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Canada, Colombia, Germany, Honduras, Kosovo, Israel, Mexico, Spain, and Thailand for making these extraditions possible.

    An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: WEEK 11 WINS: President Trump Unleashes Economic Prosperity

    Source: The White House

    It was another highly successful week for the American people as President Donald J. Trump continues his relentless pursuit of strength, prosperity, and peace — and lays the foundation for America to be the global powerhouse for generations to come.

    Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week 11:

    • Illegal crossings hit a stunning new record low — down 95% over last year.
      • The number of unaccompanied illegal immigrant children also reached a record low.
      • Los Angeles Times: “California-Mexico border, once overwhelmed, now nearly empty”
      • Bloomberg: “US-Bound Migration Plunges 99% Along Panama Jungle Route”
    • President Trump continued to rid our communities of illegal immigrant criminals.
      • The Trump Administration directed the successful arrests of three illegal immigrant MS-13 gang members in Florida, wanted on first-degree murder charges, and another high-ranking MS-13 member in New York, linked to 11 murders.
      • The Trump Administration directed the transfer of 17 violent illegal immigrant terrorists from the U.S. to El Salvador.
      • The Trump Administration, with state and local law enforcement, successfully arrested more than 40 individuals in a Texas operation targeting the brutal Tren de Aragua gang.
      • The Trump Administration deported an illegal immigrant “influencer” who infamously encouraged fellow illegal immigrants to become squatters.
      • Since taking office, the Trump Administration has arrested 113,000+ illegal immigrants, deported 100,000+ illegal immigrants, and released just nine illegal immigrants into the U.S. — a staggering 99.995% decrease over the same period last year under Biden.
    • President Trump implemented his bold plan for reciprocal trade as he seeks to reverse the decades of globalization that has decimated our industrial base.
      • Coalition for a Prosperous America: “A permanent, universal baseline tariff resets the global trade environment and finally addresses the destructive legacy of decades of misguided free-trade policies. President Trump’s decision to implement a baseline tariff is a game-changing shift that prioritizes American manufacturing, protects working-class jobs, and safeguards our economic security from adversaries like China. This is exactly the type of bold action America needs to restore its industrial leadership.”
      • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association: “For too long, America’s family farmers and ranchers have been mistreated by certain trading partners around the world. President Trump is taking action to address numerous trade barriers that prevent consumers overseas from enjoying high-quality, wholesome American beef.”
    • Americans saw early results of President Trump’s declaration that the days of economic surrender are over.
      • Nissan abandoned plans to eliminate a shift at its Tennessee production facility.
      • General Motors announced it will increase truck production at its Indiana assembly plant.
      • Guardian Bikes announced it will expand its production capacity and grow its U.S.-based investment.
      • Equipment giant JCB committed to doubling the size of its new U.S. manufacturing facility.
      • Ford Motor Company and Stellantis both announced they will offer U.S. consumers employee pricing on their vehicles.
    • President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
      • President Trump deployed additional military assets to the Middle East as a warning to the Iranian regime.
      • The Trump Administration inked a $2 billion air defense deal with Poland.
      • President Trump secured a pledge from Finland to raise its defense spending to 3% of its GDP.
      • President Trump held a successful call with Egyptian President El-Sisi to discuss the immense progress the U.S. has made in eliminating Houthi terrorists.
      • President Trump had a “productive call” with Vietnamese leader To Lam, who expressed willingness to cut the country’s tariffs on U.S. imports.
    • President Trump’s economic agenda delivered more relief for Americans.
      • The latest jobs report shattered expectations for the second straight month — highlighted by massive private sector job growth, a spike in full-time employment, wage growth, and an expanding labor market.
      • CNBC: “Private companies added 155,000 jobs in March, more than expected”
      • Wholesale egg prices continued to drop, falling to an average price of $3 per dozen — or nearly 60% since January amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the avian bird flu and repopulate the chicken supply.
    • President Trump secured the release of two U.S. citizens detained in Mexico.
    • President Trump signed an executive order to crack down on price gouging and ticket scalping in the entertainment industry.
    • President Trump established the United States Investment Accelerator to attract and facilitate billion-dollar investments in the U.S.
    • The Department of Energy unveiled plans to use thousands of acres of its land — including national laboratory campuses, nuclear sites, and former enrichment plants — to quickly develop data centers that will power the artificial intelligence revolution.
    • The Department of Energy removed additional regulatory barriers on liquefied natural gas exports.
    • The Department of the Treasury launched a new public-private partnership to safeguard the financial system against illicit activities by the Iranian regime and announced additional sanctions against Iran as part of the Trump Administration’s maximum pressure strategy.
    • The Department of the Treasury leveled new sanctions against financiers of the Sinaloa drug cartel, which has flooded our country with deadly fentanyl.
    • The Department of the Treasury announced additional sanctions against a network of Houthi terrorist facilitators.
    • The Department of the Treasury withdrew burdensome, duplicative climate-based financial risk guidelines from the banking industry.
    • The Department of the Interior announced its next oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of America, fulfilling President Trump’s pledge to unleash American energy.
    • The Department of the Interior implemented President Trump’s executive order to enhance public safety, clean up lands, protect federal parks, and preserve historic monuments in the District of Columbia.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services launched a department-wide restructuring to realign with its core mission and save taxpayers billions of dollars.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services announced states can bar welfare recipients from using taxpayer dollars to purchase unhealthy soft drinks.
    • The Department of Labor announced it will return $1.4 billion in unused COVID funds back to the U.S. Treasury.
    • The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced a record number of new agent applications under its new leadership.
    • The Department of Justice dismissed a Biden-era lawsuit against common-sense, effective Georgia election law reforms.
    • The Department of Justice launched investigations into DEI initiatives at Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Irvine.
    • The Department of Justice said it will pursue the death penalty for the accused cold-blooded killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency continued cutting wasteful spending, shuttering a politicized museum erected by the Biden Administration, consolidating office space, and eliminating duplicative grants and contracts — saving taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.
    • The Department of Defense directed a review of the military’s physical fitness standards to ensure it remains the strongest, most lethal fighting force on the planet.
    • The Department of Education and the Department of Justice launched a joint effort to ensure rapid investigations into violations of women’s civil rights.
    • The Department of Education issued a final warning to Maine over its ongoing refusal to comply with Title IX by forcing women to compete against men in athletics.
    • The Department of Education warned states with unlawful K-12 “diversity, equity, and inclusion” programs that they are at risk of losing federal funding.
    • The Department of Education encouraged state education officials to leverage federal funds to support school choice initiatives — a key part of President Trump’s education agenda.
    • The Department of Agriculture paused federal funding to Maine over its unlawful policies forcing women to compete against men in athletics.
    • The Department of Agriculture announced sweeping reforms to protect forests and boost domestic timber production.
    • The Department of Transportation announced an updated Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program, eliminating DEI and environmental justice requirements that prevented money from getting where it is needed.
    • The Department of Transportation continued making progress on the unprecedented backlog of unfulfilled grants left over by the Biden Administration.
    • The Department of Housing and Urban Development launched a streamlined website that efficiently provides vital information to Americans and saves taxpayers in the long run.
    • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services formally removed the option of a third gender on immigration paperwork, further restoring common sense to government.
    • Dr. Mehmet Oz was confirmed as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Matthew Whittaker was confirmed as the U.S. Ambassador to NATO — continuing the rapid pace at which President Trump’s nominees receive final approval.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Marches into April with 259 New Immigration Cases

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – Acting United States Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 259 immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from March 28 through April 3.

    Among the new cases, Mexican national Miguel Angel Torres-Segura resided illegally in San Antonio and was arrested March 28 for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Torres-Segura participated in a human smuggling organization (HSO) that transported illegal aliens using tractor trailers, carrying out at least 19 human smuggling events and leading to the apprehension of more than 900 aliens between May 2021 and June 2022. Torres-Segura allegedly communicated with high-level leaders and organizers and assisted the HSO by transporting aliens and preparing tractor trailers for transport. Torres-Segura has multiple convictions, including two illegal entries in 2009 and 2010 and an illegal re-entry in 2011. He was convicted again for illegal re-entry on March 26 following an October 2024 arrest and has now been charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

    On March 26, 2025, in Presidio County, Texas, Miguel Andres Aguilar, a citizen and national of Mexico, was found in the United States illegally after having been preciously deported. Aguilar was removed in February 2017 through San Ysidro California. Border Patrol Agents had determined Aguilar had been deported from the US on four prior occasions.

    On March 31, 2025, at the Camino Real International Bridge II in Eagle Pass, Texas, Customs and Border Protection Officers conducting outbound operations observed a black semi-automatic pistol in the luggage being carried by Roman Lagunas-Nazario.  Lagunas, a permanent resident alien, advised officers that he lives in Mexico and was in the US to visit family in Houston.  He admitted being hired to transport the firearm to Mexico for $100. Lagunas was charged with smuggling goods from the United States and faces imprisonment for up to 10 years.

    On March 27, 2025, Victor Alfonso Cruz-Garcia was charged with illegal reentry after deportation in Del Rio, Texas, after being arrested by US Border Patrol Agents.  Cruz had been previously removed from the US on two occasions and was previously convicted of second degree murder.

    Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry arrested Juan Sebastian Cortez-Calzada on March 26, 2025. Cortez was taken to Passport Control Secondary where record checks confirmed that he is a native and citizen of Mexico with no legal right to enter the United States. Record checks further revealed that Cortez was deported to Mexico on February 22, 2012, through the Port of Laredo, Texas. Additionally, Cortez has a felony conviction for a controlled substance prior to his removal.

    Ronald Keith Henderson Jr. was arrested near Eagle Pass, Texas on Sunday, March 27, 2025. The driver of a gray Chevrolet Malibu, he was stopped near the Kickapoo Reservation in Eagle Pass. Three subjects in the vehicle were determined to be illegally present in the United States and freely admitted to had just crossed the Rio Grande River. Henderson admitted to conspiring with unknown subjects to transport aliens further into the United Staes.

    Carlos Heliberto Solares y Solares, a Guatemalan citizen, traveling in a Chevrolet Malibu with California plates entered a checkpoint in Hudspeth County Texas on March 28, 2025. Solares told agents he was traveling from Los Angeles to Houston to visit his daughter. From Statements made by Solares, it was determined he was without immigration documents allowing him to remain in the United States legally. During an interview with Border Patrol Agents, Solares was asked if he knew he had been ordered removed by a judge and needed to leave the United States in which Solares stated “yes.”  Solares was ordered removed by an immigration judge on December 05, 2007.  Solares had been previously convicted for cruelty to the elderly and domestic violence in 2021 and 2022.

    In an area known as Rusty’s Canyon approximately 31 miles east of Fort Hancock Texas, LeonelaAlejandra Prado-Sanchez was apprehended attempting to conceal herself in the brush.  Prado was determined to be a native and citizen of Honduras without immigration documents allowing her to be in the United States legally. Prado had previously been removed from the United States to Mexico on February 5, 2025 through Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

    On April 1, 2025, Mexican national Gabriel Gonzalez Carillo was arrested in Hudspeth County 31 miles from Fort Hancock Texas Point of Entry. Gonzalez told agents that he would be paid to be a foot guide and that he was obtaining routes and other information via messages from an unknown smuggler in Mexico. Gonzalez and other illegal aliens were found attempting to conceal themselves in the brush in an area known as Rusty’s Canyon.

    Kelvin Sauceda-Reyes, a passenger on a Greyhound Bus that entered an immigration inspection lane in Hudspeth County was placed under arrest on March 30, 2025. Sauceda, a citizen of Honduras, handed Border Patrol Agents and expired immigration document. Further search by agents revealed fraudulent Social Security Card and a fraudulent Lawfully Permanent Resident card in his wallet. After questions, Sauceda admitted he purchased the documents for $70 USD.

    Luis Alberto Escobedo-Duenas was found approximately 2.8 miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry in Fort Hancock, Texas.  Escobedo is a citizen and national of Mexico who had previously been removed from the US on seven prior convictions and had been previously convicted of illegal entry in El Paso, Texas in 2008, on federal drug trafficking charges in Alpine, Texas in 2012 for which he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, on Indiana state marijuana dealing charges in 2015 for which he was sentenced to two years imprisonment in 2017, on Indiana state resisting law enforcement charges for which he was sentenced to one year imprisonment also in 2017, and was sentenced in 2018 to 13 months imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release after his 2012 supervised release was revoked.  Escobedo was arrested and charged in federal court in El Paso with illegal reentry after deportation.

    Eduardo Garcia-Gutierrez will face illegal reentry after deportation charges in El Paso, Texas, after he was arrested at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry.  Garcia presented himself for entry indicating he wanted to travel to California.  Garcia admitted that he did not have entry documents and was a citizen of Mexico who had previously been removed from the US.  Records checks revealed that Garcia had been previously removed on nine prior occasions, with the last being in 2023.  Criminal records check revealed Garcia had been convicted of transportation/sale of narcotics in 1994 for which he was sentenced to three years imprisonment, possession of narcotics and use of false citizenship documents in 1996 for which he was sentenced to three years imprisonment and was sentenced on four occasions for probation violations from 2018 to 2023.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are 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).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced To 15 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Reentry

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Richard A. Lazzara today sentenced Herman Vazquez-Padilla to 15 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after committing an aggravated felony. Vazquez-Padilla was found guilty on December 23, 2024.

    According to court documents, Vazquez-Padilla, an alien and citizen of Mexico, reentered the United States without obtaining permission, after removal, following a conviction of an aggravated felony. Vazquez-Padilla was convicted of conspiracy to transport one hundred or more illegal aliens on September 19, 2012. He was ordered removed on June 7, 2021, and was removed on November 10, 2021. Sometime after November 10, 2021, Vazquez-Padilla voluntarily and illegally reentered the United States. Vazquez-Padilla did not receive the consent of the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. On August 28, 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers found Vazquez-Padilla in Hillsborough County, Florida.

    This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: National Bank Holdings Corporation Announces Date for 2025 First Quarter Earnings Release

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DENVER, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — National Bank Holdings Corporation (NYSE: NBHC) expects to report its first quarter financial results after the markets close on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Management will host a conference call to review the results at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Interested parties may listen to this call by dialing (877) 400-0505 using the participant passcode of 7036929 and asking for the NBHC Q1 2025 Earnings Call. A recording of the call will be available approximately four hours after the call’s completion on the Company’s website at www.nationalbankholdings.com by visiting the investor relations area.

    About National Bank Holdings Corporation

    National Bank Holdings Corporation is a bank holding company created to build a leading community bank franchise delivering high quality client service and committed to stakeholder results. Through its bank subsidiaries, NBH Bank and Bank of Jackson Hole Trust, National Bank Holdings Corporation operates a network of over 90 banking centers, serving individual consumers, small, medium and large businesses, and government and non-profit entities. Its banking centers are located in its core footprint of Colorado, the greater Kansas City region, Utah, Wyoming, Texas, New Mexico and Idaho. Its comprehensive residential mortgage banking group primarily serves the bank’s core footprint. Its trust business is operated in its core footprint under the Bank of Jackson Hole Trust charter. NBH Bank operates under a single state charter through the following brand names as divisions of NBH Bank: in Colorado, Community Banks of Colorado and Community Banks Mortgage; in Kansas and Missouri, Bank Midwest and Bank Midwest Mortgage; in Utah, Texas, New Mexico and Idaho, Hillcrest Bank and Hillcrest Bank Mortgage; and in Wyoming, Bank of Jackson Hole and Bank of Jackson Hole Mortgage. Additional information about National Bank Holdings Corporation can be found at www.nationalbankholdings.com.

    For more information visit: cobnks.com, bankmw.com, hillcrestbank.com, bankofjacksonhole.com, or nbhbank.com. Or connect with any of our brands on LinkedIn.

    Contact:  
    Analysts/Institutional Investors:
    Emily Gooden, 720-554-6640
    Chief Accounting Officer and Investor Relations Director
    ir@nationalbankholdings.com

    Nicole Van Denabeele, 720-529-3370
    Chief Financial Officer
    ir@nationalbankholdings.com

    		 Media:
    Jody Soper, 303-784-5925
    Chief Marketing Officer
    Jody.Soper@nbhbank.com
       

    Source: National Bank Holdings Corporation

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Economic and Social Council Fills Vacancies in 15 Subsidiary Bodies

    Source: United Nations 4

    The Economic and Social Council convened today to conduct elections, nominations, confirmations, and appointments to fill vacancies in 15 of its subsidiary bodies. 

    The Council, which plays a vital role in advancing the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, oversees a complex ecosystem of subsidiary entities, comprising regional and functional commissions, standing committees, and expert and ad hoc bodies. 

    For instance, its Statistical Commission, established in 1946, is responsible for the development of international statistics concepts and methods, including their implementation at the national and international level.  The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, formed in 2000, advises the Council on Indigenous peoples’ rights and provides recommendations to Member States on issues affecting indigenous communities. And the Commission on Narcotic Drugs formulates international drug policies and oversees the implementation of global drug control treaties. 

    Statistical Commission

    The Council by secret ballot today elected Romania to the Statistical Commission for a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2029.  In a second round of balloting, the Russian Federation was elected for the same four-year term. 

    Since the number of candidates from the African States, the Asia-Pacific States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States was equal to the number of vacancies, the Council also elected Austria, Benin, Brazil, Burundi, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Finland, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru and Uzbekistan by acclamation for the same four-year term. 

    Commission on Population and Development

    To the Commission on Population and Development, the Council elected Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Ireland, Ghana, Malaysia, Mongolia, Norway, Russian Federation, Senegal, United Kingdom and the United Republic of Tanzania by acclamation for a four-year term of office beginning at the first meeting of the Commission’s sixtieth session in 2026 and expiring at the close of its sixty-third session in 2030. 

    The Council also elected Albania, by acclamation, to the Commission for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring at the close of the Commission’s fifty-ninth session in 2026.  Japan and the Philippines were elected, by acclamation, for a four-year term beginning at the first meeting of the fifty-ninth session and expiring at the close of the sixty-second session in 2029.

    Commission on the Status of Women

    To the Commission on the Status of Women, the Council elected Cabo Verde, China, Gabon, Japan, Maldives, Mongolia, Morocco, Qatar, United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe, by acclamation, for a four-year term of office beginning at the first meeting of the Commission’s seventy-first session in 2026 and expiring at the close of its seventy-fourth session in 2030.

    Commission on Narcotic Drugs

    To the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the Council elected from the Asia-Pacific States — by secret ballot — Pakistan, Kazakhstan, United Arab Emirates and Kyrgyzstan for a four-year term beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2029.  From the Eastern European States, it elected Slovenia, Lithuania and Ukraine, and from the Western European and Other States, it elected Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and, in a second round of balloting, France, for the same four-year term beginning on 1 January 2026. 

    Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

    From the African States and the Latin American and Caribbean States, the Council elected Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, Mauritania and Trinidad and Tobago, by acclamation, to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice for a four-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

    To the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the Council elected by secret ballot from the Eastern European States Valts Ernštreits of Latvia and Suleiman Mamutov of Ukraine for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    Since the number of candidates from the African States, the Asia-Pacific States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States was equal to or less than the number of vacancies, the Council elected Brenda Gunn of Canada, Nan Li of China, Rodrigo Paillalef Monnard of Chile, Diego A. Tituaña Matango of Ecuador and Anne-Chantal Nama of Cameroon, by acclamation, for the same three-year term of office. 

    Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund

    Since the number of candidates from the Asia-Pacific States, the Eastern European States, the Latin American and Caribbean States and the Western European and other States was equal to or less than the number of vacancies, the Council elected Antigua and Barbuda, China, Georgia, Guatemala, Iceland, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, by acclamation, to the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    The Council also elected by acclamation Canada, Türkiye and Liechtenstein to complete the unexpired term of office of Australia, France and Portugal, respectively, beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2027.  Australia, France and Portugal resigned from their seats on the Executive Board effective 31 December 2025.  

    Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund/United Nations Office for Project Services

    Next, the Council elected Armenia, Bolivia, China, Cuba, Estonia, Finland, Japan, Nepal, Norway, Rwanda and the United States, by acclamation, to the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme/United Nations Population Fund/United Nations Office for Project Services for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    The Council also elected by acclamation Monaco, New Zealand and Türkiye to complete the unexpired term of office of Austria, Luxembourg and Ireland, respectively, beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2026.  Switzerland was elected to complete the unexpired term of office of Belgium, beginning on 1 January 2026 and expiring on 31 December 2027.  Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Ireland resigned from their seats on 31 December 2025.

    Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women

    The Council next elected Burkina Faso, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Japan, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Rwanda and Senegal by acclamation to the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026. 

    Executive Board of the World Food Programme

    The Council also elected Cuba, Gabon and Kenya by acclamation to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.

    Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

    The Council by secret ballot elected Ukraine to the Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) for a three-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2026.  Further, it elected Kenya, by acclamation, to the Programme Coordinating Board for the same term.

    The Council then elected by acclamation the Philippines to complete the unexpired term of office of Japan, beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2027.

    Committee for Programme and Coordination

    The Council next nominated China, Cuba, Egypt, Nigeria, Republic of Korea and Senegal, for election by the General Assembly to the Committee for Programme and Coordination for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2026. 

    Commission for Social Development 

    To the Commission for Social Development, the Council elected Switzerland, by acclamation, for a term beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring at the close of the Commission’s sixty-seventh session in 2029. 

    Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting

    Next, the Council elected Belarus, Colombia, India and Kyrgyzstan, by acclamation, to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting, each for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2027.  Greece was elected, by acclamation, to the same body for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2026.

    Committee for the United Nations Population Award

    Finally, the Council elected Cyprus, by acclamation, to the Committee for the United Nations Population Award for a term of office beginning on 4 April 2025 and expiring on 31 December 2027.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Men Sentenced for Their Roles in a Deadly Human Smuggling Operation in Santa Teresa

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – Three men involved in a coordinated human smuggling operation in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, have been sentenced after their actions led to a fatal vehicle collision that claimed the lives of two undocumented non-citizens.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court records, on June 23, 2023, Jose Hermosillo-Camarillo, 22, of Albuquerque, drove a vehicle carrying four undocumented non-citizens at high speeds through Santa Teresa, New Mexico, with Jesus Manuel Soto, 20, a Mexican national, as a passenger in the same vehicle. Despite no law enforcement engaging in a high-speed pursuit, Hermosillo-Camarillo drove recklessly, running two red lights and attempting an illegal U-turn at an intersection. This resulted in his vehicle being struck by a semi-truck traveling at 60 mph, causing severe injuries to the occupants and leading to the deaths of two—one at the scene and another later at the hospital. U.S. Border Patrol agents responded to render aid and secure the area until New Mexico State Police arrived and took command.

    Sergio Raul Diaz, 20, also of Albuquerque, drove a second vehicle in tandem with Hermosillo-Camarillo’s car. After the collision, Diaz fled into Texas at high speeds, running a red light and evading capture until his vehicle was immobilized by a tire deflation device. Four undocumented non-citizens from Diaz’s vehicle attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol. Troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety arrested Diaz at the scene.

    Survivors revealed that smugglers charged approximately $1,500 per person for transportation. They also identified Soto as the foot guide that led them across the U.S.-Mexico border to meet Hermosillo-Camarillo and Diaz.

    Court records revealed that Hermosillo-Camarillo had been arrested previously for similar offenses in New Mexico and Arizona but had not been charged.

    Hermosillo-Camarillo, Soto, and Diaz each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport an illegal alien resulting in death. Hermosillo-Camarillo was sentenced to 144 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Soto received an 18-month prison sentence and will face deportation proceedings upon his release. Diaz was sentenced to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, made the announcement today.

    Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, New Mexico State Police, Hatch Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and New Mexico Department of Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy M. Castellano prosecuted the case as 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 –