NewzIntel.com

Category: Latin America

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Joins Bipartisan Bill to Help Lower Housing Costs, Incentivize Housing Development in Nevada

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced her support for a bipartisan bill to incentivize housing development and lower costs in Nevada. The bipartisan Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would increase the amount of Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) allocated to each state by 50 percent for the next two years. The LIHTC program provides tax credits for housing developers that incentivize construction of affordable housing units. 
    In Nevada, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit has developed or preserved 36,213 homes, supported 59,128 jobs, generated $2.325 billion in tax revenue, and generated $6.698 billion in wages and business income within the state.
    “Hardworking Nevada families are being squeezed by high housing costs and a dire shortage of affordable homes,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m joining this bipartisan bill to incentivize more development of housing Nevadans can actually afford and help lower costs for families. I’ll keep doing everything I can to bring down the prices of buying or renting a home.”
    “Senator Rosen’s support for the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act is a win for Nevada families,” said Maurice Page, Executive Director of the Nevada Housing Coalition. By championing the expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, she’s standing up for working Nevadans and ensuring that more people have access to safe, stable, and affordable homes. Her leadership gives a voice to those too often left out of the conversation.”
    “We applaud Senator Rosen for championing the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act,” said Wally Swenson, Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Nevada HAND. “This bipartisan legislation will provide the resources Nevada needs to expand access to safe, stable, affordable housing that empowers residents and strengthens communities. Nevada faces one of the most severe affordable housing shortages in the country, and the Low Income Housing Tax Credit is our most effective tool to create and preserve quality affordable homes for low-income seniors, individuals, and families.”
    “The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would be a true game-changer for our industry. It strengthens the public-private mechanisms that make attainable housing possible in communities across the country,” said Bill Brewer, Executive Director of Nevada Rural Housing. “This bill has long had strong support, and we’re thrilled to have champions like Senator Rosen helping to build momentum. Her support brings us closer to the traction we need to move this critical legislation forward and expand access to safe, affordable homes for those who need them most.”
    Senator Rosen is working to lower housing costs and prevent housing prices from increasing further. Earlier this year, she introduced the Housing Choice Vouchers Fairness Act to update the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s decades-old Housing Choice Voucher allocation formula so fast-growing cities like Las Vegas can access more of them. Senator Rosen also sent a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which are raising housing construction costs. Additionally, Senator Rosen introduced bipartisan legislation to invest in the construction workforce to be able to build more housing and help lower costs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn Praises Pres. Trump’s Approval of International Bridge Project in Laredo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
    Green Corridors’ Permit Approval Comes After Cornyn’s Letter
    U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today praised President Trump’s approval of Green Corridors’ permit application to construct and operate the Green Corridors International Bridge facility, an intelligent transportation systems (ITS) commercial international crossing between Laredo, Texas, and Colombia, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, that will increase the freight capacity through the Port of Laredo:
    “I am glad President Trump has approved the construction of the Green Corridors International Bridge facility, which will enhance efficiency and security at the Port of Laredo, our nation’s top port of entry for international trade,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I look forward to seeing the improvements this project will help accomplish and thank the Trump administration for prioritizing this application, which I was proud to support.”
    Background:
    In April, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to President Trump expressing his strong support for Green Corridors’ application for a presidential permit to construct and operate the Green Corridors International Bridge facility.
    The Senator’s letter can be found here. In addition, Sen. Cornyn continues to advocate for the expansion of the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge in Laredo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Sudan – As a measles outbreak spreads in Darfur, children are in urgent need of immunisation – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF

    Port Sudan, Sudan, 12 June 2025 – For a year now, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams in Darfur have been witnessing outbreaks of measles in the four Darfur states we currently work in. While massive vaccination campaigns are finally ongoing in several locations across the region, MSF insists on the need to increase efforts to catch up on the immunisation of children who have never been vaccinated.

    The first surge of measles cases observed and treated by MSF were in June 2024 in Rokero, a city in the north of the Jebel Marra Mountains in Central Darfur, where MSF teams have been running the local Ministry of Health (MoH) hospital without interruption since 2020. At the start of 2025, cases were also reported in East Jebel Marra, South Darfur and in Forbrenga, West Darfur. More recently, new surges are also being observed in Zalengei, Sortony and in Tine, East Chad – all places where MSF runs activities.

    From June 2024 until the end of May 2025, more than 9,950 patients were treated for measles in health facilities run or supported by MSF in the region. Around 2,700 were complicated cases requiring hospitalisation, and 35 deaths were recorded. To manage the influx of patients, we had to expand our paediatric beds capacity in three hospitals.  

    One of the root causes of this situation is the region’s already low immunisation coverage. “In Forbrenga, 30% of the measles patients we are receiving are above the age of five years and only 5% of them are vaccinated. This suggests that the lack of vaccination dates back further than the recent conflict,” explains Sue Bucknell, MSF’s Deputy Head of mission in West Darfur.

    “The ongoing conflict is also contributing to this outbreak, constraining the capacities of medical actors to both prevent and respond to outbreaks of contagious diseases,” adds Dr Cecilia Greco, MSF Medical coordinator for Central Darfur. “Mass population displacement has made the illness spread even faster across the region, further complicating the situation.”  

    Since the war broke out, constant administrative impediments and regular blockades of key supply roads have caused vaccine shortages throughout Darfur. This led to disruption in routine immunisation programmes in several locations, sometimes for months. In Sortony, for example, an internally displaced people (IDP) camp of North Darfur hosting more than 55,000 people, vaccination totally stopped from May 2024 to February 2025.

    These constraints and shortages have also limited the medical actors’ capacity to roll out proper response campaigns. Last year, MSF carried out several vaccination campaigns such as in November 2024 in North Jebel Marra where 9,600 children were vaccinated. However, due to limited vaccine supplies, MSF teams were forced to reduce the target and to exclude children over five, despite clear needs. This inevitably reduced the long-term impact of these campaigns. In North Jebel Marra, while the vaccination campaign initially slowed the outbreak, cases began to rise sharply again from February.

    Although mass vaccination campaigns are now happening in different parts of Darfur, negotiations and procedures have been lengthy. After MSF first raised the alarm about the multiple surges it was witnessing, it took months before the Federal MoH in Port Sudan and UNICEF released the needed vaccines from their stocks: finally enabling mass vaccination campaigns to be launched in different areas of Darfur. Last week, 55,800 children from nine months to 15 years old were therefore vaccinated in Forbrenga as part of a campaign led by the MoH and supported by MSF. 93,000 more children are set to receive the vaccine in North Jebel Marra and Sortony by the end of this week, in a similar campaign.

    “Even if they represent a certain achievement, these campaigns should have happened much sooner. Many measles cases and their consequences could have been prevented” says Dr Greco. “And as much as they are needed, such reactive campaigns are only a band-aid to an open wound unless massive efforts are put in place on immunisation and prevention across Darfur, including its most remote areas.”  

    Bucknell highlights the threat of further outbreaks of disease unless such efforts are initiated. “Measles is not the only contagious illness currently present in Darfur with the potential to turn into outbreaks. Over the last 10 days, about 200 suspected cholera cases were brought to MSF-supported health facilities in two different Darfur states. This follows a significant cholera outbreak in Khartoum state and other parts of Sudan,” she says.

    “It is essential that federal and local health authorities, UN agencies and all medical actors on the ground collaborate not only to catch up on the vaccination of all the children left behind by immunisation programmes over the years, but also to enhance their ability to respond quickly and efficiently should any other outbreaks, like cholera, start spreading over Darfur. This includes the capacity to supply vaccines in and across Sudan, without facing the same impediments anymore,” concludes Dr Greco.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy to HHS: Fight foreign shrimp imports that hurt Louisiana and threaten Americans’ health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging his department to work with its partners to prevent unsafe foreign shrimp from reaching American consumers.
    While U.S. shrimp manufacturers comply with bans on antibiotic use and numerous environmental regulations, not all shrimp producers in countries like India, Ecuador, Indonesia and Vietnam abide by the same standards. A recent decline in transparency among members of the foreign shrimp industry has raised further concerns.
    “I write to express my concern regarding the ongoing public health risk posed by the importation of farmed shrimp into the United States. In 2021, the United States imported approximately 1.9 billion pounds of shrimp, accounting for over 90% of the nation’s consumption,” Kennedy began the letter.
    “A growing body of academic research and investigative reporting indicate that imported shrimp frequently contain illicit antibiotics and harbor antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. One of the most prevalent risks associated with warm-water shrimp aquaculture is antibiotic use, which poses significant health threats related to potential parasitic infection along with disease outbreaks,” the senator explained.
    “Fortunately, President Trump is taking action. On April 17, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order titled Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness, which strengthens the domestic seafood industry and addresses the need to eliminate unsafe imports, promote ethical seafood sourcing, and level the playing field for domestic seafood producers,” Kennedy added. 
    “In light of the President’s executive order and the ongoing health risks posed by imported seafood, I urge the Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate with the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other relevant agencies to strengthen inspection capabilities and stop this harmful seafood from being sold domestically,” he wrote.
    Background: 
    In Dec. 2023, Kennedy introduced a bill to bolster the Seafood Import Monitoring Program’s ability to audit foreign seafood imports that its producers misrepresent. Senate Democrats blocked Kennedy’s bill.
    In May 2024, Kennedy questioned then-Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo on safety risks associated with imported shrimp and crawfish, drawing attention to foreign countries that subsidize their seafood industries and engage in false advertising.
    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REMARKS: Ranking Member Coons calls out Secretary Hegseth for misplaced priorities, failure to submit budget in Defense Subcommittee hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for a series of failures in his management of the military ranging from focusing on culture war issues instead of military readiness, to straining relations with crucial allies, to discussing classified military operations over unsecured messaging apps, to a refusal to strategically fund the department.
    “It pains me to point out the obvious at this budget hearing: that in the face of these threats, the Department of Defense is more internally divided and beset by challenges of its own making than at any point in my memory,” said Ranking Member Coons. “We cannot win the fight for the future without allies, nor deter China and Russia without a functional Department of Defense, and we on this committee simply cannot do our job without an adequate budget submission.”
    Ranking Member Coons’ comments came at a hearing to review the president’s Defense Department budget request for fiscal year 2026. Despite the president’s budget being announced in a press release nearly one month ago, the current request for the Defense Department still only consists of a one-page table. The department’s own website still shows an error page instead of a full budget, as Ranking Member Coons pointed out in the hearing. 
    “It should go without saying that the People’s Republic of China does not operate under a continuing resolution. The fiscal year 2026 request is no better.  If you go to [the] DOD fiscal year 2026 page right now, this is what you’ll see. This is what is currently publicly available, and the budget request was not much better,” said Ranking Member Coons. “More than a month after OMB’s press release, we are still waiting for real budget details. This is officially the latest budget submission of the modern era.”
    The lack of an actual budget request is just one of Secretary Hegseth’s repeated failures to ensure our military has the funds it needs during his first months in office. Secretary Hegseth failed to speak out against a continuing resolution (CR) for fiscal year 2025, resulting in the first year-long CR for the Department of Defense in our nation’s history that has undermined military operations, procurement, and readiness. Secretary Hegseth is currently advocating for increasing military spending through the Republican tax bill, rather than the normal appropriations process. Not only does linking military spending to a controversial, party-line bill needlessly politicize the process, any increase through reconciliation will be a one-time increase, making it harder for Defense Department leaders to plan for the future.
    Secretary Hegseth’s brief tenure has been filled with errors far beyond his failure to put future military spending on a consistent footing. In March, Ranking Member Coons called for Secretary Hegseth to resign over revelations that he shared critical information about military operations over an unsecure messaging app that could have endangered U.S. servicemembers if compromised. His department has chosen to spend $134 million illegally deploying Marines to Los Angeles, and as much as $45 million on a military parade in Washington that President Trump requested for his birthday at a time when the defense budget is already stretched. He has also spent much of his time on culture war issues – including personally directing the Navy to rename ships named after Thurgood Marshall and Harvey Milk – instead of addressing military threats in Eastern Europe and the Indo Pacific.
    A full video of his remarks can be found here.
    Senator Coons: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you as well, Secretary Hegseth, Chairman Caine, Ms. McDonald, for joining us here today.
    We are confronting a world more dangerous today than at any time since the Cold War, and our nation needs and deserves a strong and coordinated response to deter the threats we face, to protect our freedoms, and keep our citizens safe. The last several administrations correctly prioritized China, the People’s Republic of China, as the pacing threat to our nation’s security. More recently, as the Chairman just said, and as I strongly agree, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are increasingly aligned in ways that are making each of them more threatening to our national security.
    This is happening right now in Ukraine. Russia’s aggression is buttressed by Iranian drones, North Korean soldiers and Chinese components, technology, and funding. Ukraine is, though, not just a preview of geopolitics, it’s also the future of warfare, and the pervasive electronic warfare and drone swarms we see on the front lines are lessons from which we must learn. We need to address the urgency of this moment, to unify our efforts, and focus our precious time and money on what’s important. Chairman McConnell and I are ready to do that with anyone interested in engaging in good faith, which is why it pains me to point out the obvious at this budget hearing: that in the face of these threats, the Department of Defense is more internally divided and beset by challenges of its own making than at any point in my memory.
    Let’s start with the budget. Our Department of Defense and our troops are currently operating under a full year continuing resolution for the very first time. The continuing resolution provides tens of billions of dollars less in purchasing power than under the previous administration. This does not deliver on ‘peace through strength.’ No one on this subcommittee wanted this outcome.  Mr. Secretary, we appealed to your office to timely and publicly oppose the CR as all previous secretaries had done, but you were silent. You never responded. That CR’s cuts are forcing DOD to halt training and shrink exercises, and it fundamentally undermines readiness. DOD has made the CR worse by paying for DHS border activities with DOD funds meant for military quality of life – money to repair buildings, to relocate military families, to keep the Navy’s fleet operationally ready. Shrinking budgets will not speed up our acquisition system, complete kill chains, or deepen our magazines. We are falling behind thanks to some poor choices. It should go without saying that the People’s Republic of China does not operate under a continuing resolution. The fiscal year 2026 request is no better. If you go to DOD fiscal year 2026 page right now, this is what you’ll see. [Holds up 404 Not Found Page.] This is what is currently publicly available, and the budget request was not much better.
    We were given this on Monday. [Holds up single page.] More than a month after OMB’s press release, we are still waiting for real budget details. This is officially the latest budget submission of the modern era. For anyone not versed in how this should go at this stage, we would have received at least this, if not reams more. [Holds up large stack of papers.] This committee – to do its job – wants to work with you on the details of exactly which programs and exactly which deployments and exactly which end strength you are requesting, so that in a timely way, we can complete our work and avoid another disastrous continuing resolution, but the department has been AWOL in the [FY] 26 debate, as it was in the [FY] 25 debate. Bills are already being written, and the department’s inability to explain its budget is slowly making it less relevant to what it receives in fiscal year 26 in our appropriations process.
    What’s clear is the base request is exactly the same funding level as the FY 25 CR that’s created problems. Mr. Secretary, you’re requesting an increase instead through budget reconciliation, a partisan gamble that I believe shows poor judgment about how to handle our nation’s security. DOD’s ability to take care of our warfighters should not be contingent on whether Congress can pass a bill that also explodes the national debt, gives billionaires tax cuts, cuts access to health care – in short, is controversial and uncertain. I think it sends a bad message to the U.S. defense industry about the uncertainty of appropriations for key systems at precisely the time we want certainty and we want more from them.  
    Who wins in all this? Not the American people; our adversaries.
    Mr. Secretary, I’m also concerned that far more of your time so far has been spent inside the building on culture wars, rather than outside the building deterring real ones. This administration began by firing a long list of qualified uniformed leaders without cause: The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Vice Chief of the Air Force, the head of the National Security Agency, the U.S. military representative to NATO, the director of the Defense Health Agency, the head of the Coast Guard, and all of the Service Judge Advocates General; continues to push out tens of thousands of civilians who should instead be repairing our ships, testing equipment, providing healthcare. It’s rooting out fully qualified, combat proven service members solely because they are transgender to satisfy a petty animus, and it’s censoring service academy libraries so that no future leader of our military can read Maya Angelou or Janet Jacobs’ book on the Holocaust, even Jackie Robinson’s World War II service photo is not safe from culture warriors. In January of this year, any patriotic American who met the qualifications could serve our nation and the Marines at 29 Palms were training for the Indo-Pacific, not the streets of Los Angeles. We worried then about our enemies, rather than each other, and we should return to that model.
    We also, frankly, need to get back to partnering with and supporting our allies. This administration has publicly and repeatedly threatened to seize the territory of NATO allies and retake the Panama Canal. The president paused aid to Ukraine – both intelligence partnership and military support – in the middle of their just war against one of our primary global enemies. And at times, rather than help and partner with our allies, we have levied massive tariffs against our partners. The department’s fiscal year 26 request compounds these mistakes by explicitly eliminating assistance to Ukraine and slashing security cooperation with allies around the world, sending exactly the wrong signal. Our global network of strong allies is our asymmetric advantage. The administration’s budget request may try to abandon our allies, but this Congress should not. I’ll also cite a predecessor in your role, Secretary Mattis, who testified to Congress that we need to complement strong investments in defense with comparable investments in diplomacy and development. In fact, I think he once said famously, if we don’t spend adequately on diplomacy and development, I will need more bullets because we will be in more wars; yet, DOGE has shredded our development work, shredding trust as well with partners and allies.
    Last, I’m troubled by the chaos and poor judgment that have been on full display from the Pentagon front office. Mr. Secretary, you should not have shared operational details of U.S. military strikes on Signal with other executive branch officials or personal acquaintances. Mishandling important and sensitive military information in the middle of an operation by a secretary is unthinkable. You’ve also fired several top aides, and you’ve been unable to hire a new chief of staff for months.
    Mr. Secretary, this cannot continue. Your responsibilities to our troops and our nation are far too important. We cannot win the fight for the future without allies nor deter China and Russia without a functional Department of Defense, and we on this committee simply cannot do our job without an adequate budget submission. I welcome partnership on these important priorities, and I look forward to discussing why we haven’t been able to achieve that so far and where to go from here.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Cortez Masto Lead Senate Spotlight Forum on Trump’s Tariffs and Their Impact on American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Costs, Chaos, Corruption: The Household Impact of Trump’s Tariffs

    Photos from the forum available here.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), members of the Senate Committee on Finance, hosted a Spotlight Forum titled “Costs, Chaos, Corruption: The Household Impact of Trump’s Tariffs.” The forum examined how President Trump’s tariff policies fuel economic instability, raise costs on working families, harm the travel and tourism sector, and benefit special interests. The event featured testimony from policy experts, labor leaders, and small business owners directly impacted by the reckless tariffs. 

    “Across New Mexico and the country, Americans arefeeling pain from President Trump’s tariffs,” said Senator Luján. “Costs, Chaos, Corruption – those aren’t just buzzwords. They’re the reality for hardworking families in New Mexico and across America. President Trump’s tariffs are expected to cost American households $2,600 a year, a price that’s far too expensive for many Americans to afford. That’s why I partnered with Senator Cortez Masto to show the American people that President Trump’s tariffs are a tax on working families, a gut punch to small businesses, and a green light for corruption.”

    “President Trump’s tariffs and the haphazard manner in which he’s deploying them are causing real damage to real Americans,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It’s now more important than ever that we give a microphone to those most impacted by Trump’s shortsighted economic policies. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for working families.”

    During the forum, witnesses highlighted that President Trump’s reckless tariffs are hurting small businesses, the economy, and the American consumer.

    The forum featured testimony from:

    • Adam Posen, President, Peterson Institute for International Economics
    • Thea Lee, Economist and Former Deputy Undersecretary for International Labor Affairs
    • Preston Martin, CEO, Bicycle Technologies International
    • Steve Wright, President and General Manager of Jay Peak Resort 
    • Emma Jagoz, Owner of Moon Valley Farm

    “This is one of the worst ways to impose a tax and one of the most regressive ways to redistribute income from poorer to richer Americans and increase the tax burden on poorer people. In addition, because they cause uncertainty, provoke retaliation by other nations, and create opportunities for government corruption, tariffs have many destructive side effects that other forms of taxes do not,” said Adam Posen in his opening statement. 

    “The Trump tariffs bring all pain and no gain. In the short term, there will be uncertainty, supply bottlenecks, unpredictable price hikes on essential items, and likely decreases in both imports and exports as some trading partners implement retaliatory tariffs. In the long term, there will be irreparable rifts with valued trading partners and lack of coordination on shared goals,” said Thea Lee in her opening statement. 

    “With over 90% of bicycles, bicycle parts and bicycle accessories manufactured outside the US, the bike industry depends on a global supply chain. BTI imports from around the globe, especially Asia and Europe. Even our US sourced bike products are being affected since they are made from foreign-sourced raw materials. The bicycle industry works on low margins, thus cannot absorb higher tariff expenses,” said Preston Martin in his opening statement. 

    “In a normal year, roughly 750k Canadian tourists come into Vermont and inject roughly $150m into the State’s economy. Recent data shows that hotel reservations from CAD visitors are down 45% between Jan-April, credit card spending is down nearly 40% across that same time period, border crossings have been declining every month and are down nearly 35% and visits to the Vermont.com website, a data point reflecting the likelihood of visiting in the future are off 70% across the first few months of the year,” said Steve Wright in his opening statement. 

    “Small and medium-scale farmers of all political affiliations are bracing for a tough year. Input costs are rising, labor costs are soaring, USDA support is being cut, and consumers are stretched thin,” said Emma Jagoz in her opening statement. 

    Footage of the full forum can be foundHERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry for Third Time

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jackson, MS – A Mexican national pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States following multiple prior deportations and felony convictions.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about March 17, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol Agents were conducting enforcement operations in Rankin County on Interstate 20. Agents conducted a vehicle stop and Luis Simon Acevedo-Rodriguez, 32, freely admitted to being a citizen of Mexico and to being present in the United States without the requisite permission. He was arrested and processed for removal. Acevedo-Rodriguez’s fingerprints were scanned into DHS databases resulting in a computer match to his prior immigration records, including photographs. Acevedo-Rodriguez has been convicted three times in the Western District of Texas – once for improper entry by an alien and twice for illegal reentry by a deported or removed alien. He has been formally removed from the United States three times previously.

    Acevedo-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to unlawful return of an alien removed after conviction of a felony. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; Eric P. DeLaune, Special Agent-in-Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Adam M. Calderon, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, made the announcement.

    The United States Border Patrol investigated the case with assistance from the Rankin County Sherriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie is prosecuting the case.

    This case was investigated by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien in Los Angeles Charged with Spitting on ICE Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – An illegal alien from Mexico who is living in Los Angeles was charged today with a felony count for allegedly spitting on a federal agent executing a warrant for his arrest earlier this week.

    Omar Pulido Bastida, 41, of the Historic South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles, is charged with one count of assault of a federal employee, a crime that carries a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison.

    Pulido, who earlier this year separately was charged with being an illegal alien found in the United States following removal, was arrested and made his initial appearance on Tuesday in United States District Court in Santa Ana. A federal magistrate judge order him detained and scheduled his arraignment for July 16 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. He is expected to make his initial appearance in this case in the coming days.

    “This defendant found out the hard way: When you spit, we hit – with a felony charge,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Law enforcement officers risk their lives and safety to uphold the law. To treat them with the disrespect, like this defendant did, mocks our great nation and such behavior will be punished accordingly.”

    According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, on Tuesday morning, a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation officer arrived at Pulido’s residence to execute the arrest warrant on the illegal re-entry charge. After knocking on the door, the officer identified him as law enforcement with a warrant. Pulido, looking down on the officer from a second-story balcony, responded by insulting the officer.

    Several minutes later, the officer saw Pulido open the front door, which had an iron security gate separating the two men. When the officer told Pulido there was an arrest warrant for him, Pulido said, “No, get out of here. I know my rights. I’m calling my lawyer” then spat through the iron security gate onto the officer. At the time, the officer was leaning his head against the grated security gate to be able to see Pulido and felt the spit on his face. After spitting on the officer, Pulido retreated back into the residence.

    Shortly after, ICE personnel forced entry into the residence and found Pulido hiding in a second-story storage room. Pulido then said, “OK, you got me,” and was arrested.

    A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney MiRi Song of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal alien drug dealer sentenced for unlawfully returning to the country for fifth time

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old citizen of Mexico with a felony record has been sentenced for illegal reentry into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Jose De Jesus Soto-Gonzalez pleaded guilty March 5. 

    U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Soto-Gonzalez to serve 21 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. 

    In handing down the sentence, the court noted Soto-Gonzalez had a felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana and served approximately four years in prison before his removal in 2022. He illegally returned and was removed again in 2023. Authorities had also previously removed him in 2008 and 2014. 

    On Dec. 20, 2024, authorities encountered Soto-Gonzalez at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias. They discovered he was a citizen of Mexico without any permission to be back in the United States. The investigation revealed he had illegally reentered the country in July 2024 near Laredo after his 2023 removal.  

    Soto-Gonzalez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

    Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief Supporting Challenge to the Trump Administration’s Unlawful Freeze to Federal Research Funding for Harvard

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta this week, as part of a coalition of 21 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts in support of Harvard University’s motion for summary judgment in President and Fellows of Harvard College v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Service, a lawsuit challenging the Trump Administration’s freeze of federal funding for research grants at Harvard University. In their brief, the attorneys general argue that the freezing and termination of Harvard’s research grants would pose an existential threat to universities, disrupt state’s economies, public health efforts, and the pipeline for the next generation of researchers. 

    “The Trump Administration is going after Harvard because it refused to bend to its unprecedented – and blatantly unlawful – demands,” said Attorney General Bonta. “In California, we remain committed to upholding and protecting the constitutional and civil rights of our educational institutions and their students. I’m proud to stand with Harvard in ensuring that we continue to protect our students, their wellbeing, and their freedom of speech.”

    In April 2025, Harvard filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts arguing that the Trump Administration exceeded its statutory and constitutional authority and violated the First Amendment in freezing, terminating, and refusing to issue or continue research and other grants in retaliation for Harvard’s refusal to restructure its internal governance, change its hiring and admissions practices, and modify what it teaches its students to align with the government’s views.

    In the amicus brief, the coalition urges the court to grant Harvard’s motion for summary judgment, arguing that the Trump Administration’s unlawful freeze of federal funding poses an existential threat to the university which will (1) impact the state’s economy, (2) threaten current jobs and businesses, (3) halt career development for promising new scientists debilitating the pipeline for future innovators, and (4) prevent research for lifesaving medicines and transformative technologies with the potential to improve the health and lives of residents.

    Harvard’s contributions to Massachusetts are a prime example of the significant impact research universities can have. Since its founding in 1636, Harvard has been critical to Massachusetts’s flourishing, directing billions of dollars to the state’s businesses and organizations and driving countless of innovations in medicine and technology. In addition, Harvard is one of Massachusetts’s largest employers and frequently collaborates with state and local partners on initiatives that support the local economy.

    In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys generals of Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

    A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Coalition of 18 Attorneys General Issue Statement in Support of California’s Lawsuit Challenging Unlawful, Undemocratic Federalization of State National Guard

    Source: US State of California

    Wednesday, June 11, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND – Today, a coalition of 18 attorneys general issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s unlawful federalization of the California National Guard and supporting California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit against President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the U.S. Department of Defense:

    “The president’s decision to federalize and deploy California’s National Guard without the consent of California state leaders is unlawful, unconstitutional, and undemocratic.

    “The federal administration should be working with local leaders to keep everyone safe, not mobilizing the military against the American people.

    “As the chief law enforcement officers of our states, we are proud to protect our communities and oppose violence in any form. We support Attorney General Bonta in his challenge to the Trump administration’s illegal conduct.

    “We oppose any action from this administration that will sow chaos, inflame tensions, and put people’s lives at risk – including those of our law enforcement officers.”

    The statement was jointly issued by the attorneys general of New York, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, and Vermont.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Sanctuary cities can’t protect people from ICE immigration raids − but they don’t actually violate federal law

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Benjamin Gonzalez O’Brien, Professor of Political Science, San Diego State University

    While sanctuary policies for immigrants have grown in the U.S. since the 1980s, the Trump administration is the first to challenge them. Marcos Silva/iStock/Getty Images Plus

    The Trump administration plans to send special response teams of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to conduct immigration raids in four cities run by Democratic mayors, NBC news reported on June 11, 2025, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the planning process.

    NBC reports that New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago and Seattle are four of the five places that would be affected by this deployment, as well as northern Virginia. These cities are also among the other major metropolitan hubs – as well as more than 200 small towns and counties and a dozen states – that over the past 40 years have adopted what are often known as sanctuary policies.

    Special response teams are tactical units under ICE that are trained to respond to extreme situations such as drug and arms smugglers. These units have been used to respond to recent immigration protests in Los Angeles in response to ICE raids. President Donald Trump has also deployed 4,000 National Guard troops, as well as about 700 Marines, to quell protests in that city. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Gov. Gavin Newsom have said the presence of troops is exacerbating the situation and are challenging the legality of these deployments in court.

    While sanctuary policies often prohibit local participation in immigration enforcement or cooperation with ICE, if large-scale raids take place in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Seattle, their designation as sanctuary cities offers little protection to immigrants living without legal authorization from deportation.

    There is not a single definition of a sanctuary policy. But it often involves local authorities not asking about a resident’s immigration status, or not sharing that personal information with federal immigration authorities.

    So when a San Francisco police officer pulls someone over for a traffic violation, the officer will not ask if the person is living in the country legally.

    American presidents, from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden, have chosen to leave sanctuary policies largely unchallenged since different places first adopted them in the 1970s. This changed in 2017, when President Donald Trump first tried to cut federal funding to sanctuary places, claiming that their policies “willfully violate Federal law.” Legal challenges during his first term stopped him from actually withholding the money.

    At the start of his second term, Trump signed two executive orders in January and April 2025 which again state that his administration will withhold federal money from areas with sanctuary policies.

    “Working on papers to withhold all Federal Funding for any City or State that allows these Death Traps to exist!!!” Trump said, according to an April White House statement. This statement was immediately followed by his April executive order.

    These two executive orders task the attorney general and secretary of homeland security with publishing a list of all sanctuary places and notifying local and state officials of “non-compliance, providing an opportunity to correct it.” Those that do not comply with federal law, according to the orders, may lose federal funding.

    San Francisco and 14 other sanctuary cities, including New Haven, Connecticut, and Portland, Oregon, sued the Trump administration in February on the grounds that it was illegally trying to coerce cities to comply with its policies. A U.S. district court judge in California issued an injunction on April 24 preventing the administration – at least for the time being – from cutting funding from places with sanctuary policies.

    However, as researchers who have studied sanctuary policies for over a decade, we know that Trump’s claim that sanctuary policies violate federal immigration law is not correct.

    It’s true that the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over immigration. Yet there is no federal requirement that state or local governments participate or cooperate in federal immigration enforcement, which would require an act of Congress.

    A sign is seen at the Nogales, Ariz., and Mariposa, Mexico, border crossing.
    Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images

    What’s behind sanctuary policies

    In 1979, the Los Angeles Police Department was the first to announce a prohibition on local officials asking about a resident’s immigration status.

    However, it was not until the 1980s that the sanctuary movement took off, when hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Nicaraguans fled civil war and violence in their home countries and migrated to the U.S. This prompted a number of cities to declare solidarity with the faith-based sanctuary movement that offered refuge to Salvadoran, Guatemalan and Nicaraguan asylum seekers facing deportation.

    In 1985, Berkeley, Calif., and San Francisco pledged that city officials, including police officers, would not report Central Americans to immigration authorities as long as they were law abiding.

    Berkeley also banned officials from using local money to work with federal immigration authorities.

    “We are not asking anyone to do anything illegal,” Nancy Walker, a supervisor for San Francisco, said in 1985, according to The New York Times. “We have got to extend our hand to these people. If these people go home, they die. They are asking us to let them stay.”

    Today, there are hundreds of sanctuary cities, towns, counties and states across the country that all have a variation of policies that limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

    Sometimes – but not always – places with sanctuary policies bar local law enforcement agencies from working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the country’s main immigration enforcement agency.

    A large part of ICE’s work is identifying, arresting and deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. In order to carry out this work, ICE issues what is known as “detainer requests” to local law enforcement authorities. A detainer request asks local law enforcement to hold a specific arrested person already being held by police until that person can be transferred to ICE, which can then take steps to deport them.

    While places without sanctuary policies tend to comply with these requests, some sanctuary jurisdictions, like the state of California, only do so in the cases of particular violent criminal offenses.

    Yet local officials in sanctuary places cannot legally block ICE from arresting local residents who are living in the country illegally, or from carrying out any other parts of its work.

    Can Trump withhold federal funding?

    Trump claimed in 2017 that sanctuary policies violated federal law, and he issued an executive order that tried to rescind federal grants that these jurisdictions received.

    However, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2018 case involving San Francisco and Santa Clara County, California, that the president could not refuse to “disperse the federal grants in question without congressional authorization.”

    Federal courts, meanwhile, split over whether Trump could freeze funding attached to a specific federal program called the Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant Program, which provides about US$250 million in annual funding to state and local law enforcement.

    These cases were in the process of being appealed to the Supreme Court when the Department of Justice, under Biden, asked that they be dismissed.

    Other Supreme Court rulings also suggest that the Trump administration’s claim that it can withhold federal funding from sanctuary places rests on shaky legal ground.

    The Supreme Court ruled in 1992 and again in 1997 that the federal government could not coerce state or local governments to use their resources to enforce a federal regulatory program, or compel them to enact or administer a federal regulatory program.

    Under pressure

    The first Trump administration was not generally successful, with the exception of the split over the Edward Byrne Memorial Assistance Grant Program, at stripping funding from sanctuary places. But cutting federal funding – even if it happens temporarily – can be economically damaging to cities and counties while they challenge the decision in court.

    Local officials also face other kinds of political pressure to comply with the Trump administration’s demands.

    A legal group founded by Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff in the Trump administration, for example, sent letters to dozens of local officials in January threatening criminal prosecution for their sanctuary policies.

    Michelle Wu, the mayor of Boston, a sanctuary city, testifies during a House committee hearing on sanctuary city mayors on March 5, 2025, in Washington.
    Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

    The real effects of sanctuary policies

    One part of Trump’s argument against sanctuary policies is that places with these policies have more crime than those that do not.

    But there is no established relationship between sanctuary status and crime rates.

    There is, however, evidence that when local law enforcement and ICE work together, it reduces the likelihood of immigrant and Latino communities to report crimes, likely for fear of being arrested by federal immigration authorities.

    Sanctuary policies are certainly worthy of debate, but this requires an accurate representation of what they are, what they do, and the effects they have.

    This is an updated version of a story originally published on May 28, 2025.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Sanctuary cities can’t protect people from ICE immigration raids − but they don’t actually violate federal law – https://theconversation.com/sanctuary-cities-cant-protect-people-from-ice-immigration-raids-but-they-dont-actually-violate-federal-law-255831

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $2M Fine for Conspiring to Monopolize International Transit Industry, Fix Prices, Extort $9.5M, and Launder Money

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Carlos Martinez, 39, of Mission, Texas, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison and a fine of $2 million for his conduct in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency (TFA) industry in the Los Indios, Texas, border region. Martinez and his co-defendants controlled the TFA industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors.

    Transmigrantes transport used vehicles and other goods from the United States through Mexico for resale across Central America. There are only a few locations where transmigrantes are permitted to cross from the United States into Mexico, one of those being the Los Indios Bridge in Texas. TFAs are U.S.-based businesses that provide services to transmigrante clients, including helping clients complete the customs paperwork required to export vehicles into Mexico. According to court documents and statements made in court, Martinez and his co-defendants fixed prices for TFA services and created a centralized entity known as “The Pool” to collect and divide revenues among the conspirators, limit competition from other agencies, and increase prices for their services.

    “The defendants exploited hardworking professionals in the freight forwarding business using extortion and illegal price-fixing schemes to manipulate the market and inflate the cost of moving goods,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The lead defendant’s 11-year prison sentence reflects the serious economic harm inflicted on the business community along the southern border. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue and prosecute those who threaten fair competition and the integrity of our markets.”

    “Today’s sentence reflects the significant danger and harm the American people face from violent and extortive actions aimed at fixing prices and monopolizing the market for essential services in the Texas border region,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to aggressively pursue violent criminals who aim to corrupt America’s free markets and advocate for their incarceration.”

    “Price fixing is not a victimless crime; it harms customers in the form of artificially high prices. Consumers need to have faith that the prices they pay are fairly determined by the market, rather than the product of illegal collusion,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “The 11-year sentence Mr. Martinez received reflects the size and scope of his criminal operation, as well as his leadership role in organizing and facilitating the unlawful scheme.”  

    “All of these defendants used their positions with the TFA to extort hardworking individuals who relied on these services to support their families and livelihood,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises that prey on vulnerable communities, and today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse systems will be found, stopped and brought to justice.”

    “This case underscores the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks operating at our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “Carlos Martinez and his co-conspirators orchestrated a violent scheme that extorted small businesses, fixed prices, and laundered millions of dollars — all while threatening the safety and integrity of lawful commerce. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit legitimate industries through corruption and intimidation, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities and our economy.”

    Individuals in the industry who were not part of the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into The Pool or face financial and violent consequences. Martinez and other members enforced the rules by monitoring whether forwarding agencies were charging the agreed-upon prices and whether the forwarder was making payments to The Pool.  

    Martinez and some of his co-defendants also conspired to force forwarding agencies to pay other extortion fees, including a “piso” for every transaction processed as well as a “fine” for operating in the market outside of Pool rules. Martinez and his co-defendants intimidated, coerced, and used threats and acts of violence in furtherance of the antitrust and extortion conspiracies.

    Martinez was responsible for collecting at least $9.5M in extortion payments. Cash obtained from the extortions was laundered through bank accounts controlled by Martinez and his family, with the cash deposits disguised to hide the nature, source, ownership, and control of the dirty money.

    Martinez is the son-in-law of the former leader of the Gulf Cartel in Mexico, a violent criminal syndicate that operates at the U.S.-Mexico border and elsewhere. Martinez took control of  Los Indios Bridge and employed individuals who worked to track TFA transactions to calculate the piso owed by each forwarding agency. Pool and piso payments were made in cash to the individuals working for Martinez. Martinez ordered disciplinary actions against those operating in the transmigrante market without permission, those who violated Pool rules, those who did not charge the fixed prices, and those who did not pay the piso. Disciplinary actions could include clients not being allowed to cross Los Indios Bridge, cars being stolen, or more serious repercussions such as kidnappings, beatings, firebombings, shootings, and murder.

    Carlos Martinez pleaded guilty in February  to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services, conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion, interference with commerce by extortion, and money laundering conspiracy. The government will also seek forfeiture of at least one house, luxury vehicles, a boat, and expensive watches.

    Prior to Martinez’s sentencing, his co-defendants were sentenced as follows:

    Carlos Yzaguirre, 66, of McAllen, Texas, was sentenced to two years in prison, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.

    Sandra Guerra Medina, 70, of Rancho Viejo, Texas, was sentenced to eight months of home detention, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services and conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market.

    Juan Hector Ramirez Avila, 59, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served, after pleading guilty to one count of structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements.

    Jose Tapia, Mireya Miranda, Pedro Calvillo and Roberto Garcia Villarreal pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Three other defendants, Rigoberto Brown, Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto, were also charged in the superseding indictment and remain fugitives.

    The Court will determine the final restitution amount owed to victims of the conspiracies at a hearing set for Sept. 3, 2025. 

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section; Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis, and Michael G. Lepage of the of the Antitrust Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

    Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423; the FBI Tipline at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting the FBI San Antonio Field Office at 210-225-6741; or the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Fire in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon: girls and young women fighting for climate justice

    Source: Amnesty International –

    By Alicia Moncada, Americas climate justice researcher, and Tamaryn Nelson, legal advisor for business and human rights 

    SUCUMBÍOS, Ecuador.- 

    At night in the Ecuadorian Amazon, huge flames light up the darkness. Flames from the gas flares that tower over the oil wells and that, far from being a sign of progress, are living scars on the green lungs of our planet. Not only do they burn natural gas, needlessly wasting a non-renewable resource, but they also pollute the air, destroy biodiversity and threaten the lives and rights of nearby communities. Here, environmental justice has been a distant dream for over 57 years, while human rights burn with the gas.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: World Cup 2026: Growing threats to human rights set to undermine FIFA’s responsibilities one year out from kick off

    Source: Amnesty International –

    One year to go until the largest-ever sporting event across the USA, Canada and Mexico

    Urgent human rights risks in 2026 host countries – particularly in the USA – are impacting immigrants, the right to protest, and LGBTI+ rights

    Growing threats to civil liberties and human rights risk undermining FIFA’s commitments and responsibilities

    ‘FIFA and the US authorities must ensure that the World Cup does not become a pretext for stifling dissent or expanding mass surveillance’ – Daniel Noroña, Amnesty USA

    FIFA must take urgent and concrete action to uphold human rights for everyone involved in the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the Sport & Rights Alliance said today.

    With just one year remaining before the tournament begins across the United States, Canada, and Mexico – and only days before the Club World Cup kicks off on June 14 – growing threats to civil liberties and human rights risk undermining FIFA’s own commitments and responsibilities in this area.

    In its statutes, Human Rights Policy, and 2026 Bidding Process Guide, FIFA accepts its responsibility to respect human rights in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Bidding Process Guide specifically requires would-be hosts to document their commitment to “ensur[ing] that the hosting and staging of the Competition do[es] not involve adverse impacts on internationally recognised human rights.” The guide gives particular attention to “labour rights, the rights of children, gender equality, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and protecting all individuals from all forms of discrimination.”

    The Sport & Rights Alliance has identified several critical areas where government policies in the 2026 host countries, particularly the United States under President Donald Trump, pose significant and immediate risks to the human rights of immigrants; freedom of the press and free expression; LGBTI+ rights; safety for children; and the right to be free from discrimination, requiring urgent and transparent intervention.

    Andrea Florence, Executive Director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, said:

    “In 2018, the US, Mexico, and Canada provided clear human rights commitments in their bid documents to host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

    “Despite FIFA’s mantra that ‘football unites the world,’ a World Cup held under discriminatory and exclusionary policies risks deepening social divides rather than bridging them. FIFA should exert its leverage and demand concrete, legally binding guarantees that human rights won’t be further sacrificed for the sake of the game.”

    Right to protest; freedom of expression

    With the 2026 Men’s World Cup potentially serving as a spotlight for public criticism and controversy, the escalating crackdowns on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, particularly for people engaged in speech and protest related to Palestinian rights, is deeply troubling, the Alliance said. Students and activists have been detained and their visas revoked for speaking out about their views. The Trump administration has also deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles following protests against immigration arrests, claiming they constitute an act of “rebellion” against the government.

    FIFA’s stated commitments to free expression have also previously been contradicted when it has imposed rules prohibiting players and fans from making political or religious statements. At the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar, for example, Iranian fans displaying “Woman, Life, Freedom” banners were removed from stadiums, while rainbow flags were confiscated at a number of matches.

    Daniel Noroña, Americas Advocacy Director at Amnesty International USA, said:

    “The ability to peacefully protest without fear of retribution is a cornerstone of a free society, yet it is increasingly under threat in the United States.

    “There is a long history of peaceful protest in global football. FIFA and the US authorities must ensure that the World Cup does not become a pretext for stifling dissent or expanding mass surveillance, and every player, fan, journalist, and resident can participate and protest without fear of sanction, arbitrary detention or discriminatory treatment.”

    Discriminatory immigration policies

    FIFA anticipates that as many as 6.5 million people could attend the 2026 tournament across the host countries. The current US administration’s abusive immigration policies, including enforced disappearances under the Alien Enemies Act, travel bans, increased detention, and visa restrictions, threaten the inclusivity and global nature of the World Cup.

    Despite President Trump’s executive order stating that teams qualifying for the 2026 Men’s World Cup will be exempt from travel bans, as of now fans and extended family members from banned countries will not be allowed to enter the United States. Delays, denials, and the real prospect of detention for fans, media, and other participants from specific countries could severely disrupt the tournament.

    Minky Worden, Director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch, said:

    “FIFA should publicly acknowledge the threat US immigration and other anti-human rights policies pose to the tournament’s integrity and use its leverage with the US government to ensure that the rights of all qualified teams, support staff, media, and fans are respected as they seek to enter the United States regardless of nationality, gender identity, religion, or opinion.

    “FIFA should establish clear benchmarks and timelines for the US policy changes needed to ensure respect for immigrants’ rights during the 2026 World Cup and beyond.”

    Human Rights Watch wrote to FIFA on May 5 to say that it should use its leverage to push the Trump administration to roll back discriminatory immigration policies in the United States. FIFA responded on June 3, stating that it “expects … host countries take measures to ensure that any eligible persons who are involved in the Competition are able to enter the respective countries,” and “is actively working on this matter with relevant authorities.” FIFA also said it would engage with relevant authorities if it became aware of human rights concerns.

    Ronan Evain, Executive Director of Football Supporters Europe, said:

    “Fans travel to the World Cup to celebrate and express their passion, and any attempt to curtail our fundamental rights, including the right to free speech, is a betrayal of the spirit of football.

    “We’re particularly concerned about the potential for selective enforcement and discrimination against fans based on our perceived political views or national origin. FIFA must obtain the necessary guarantees to ensure fans from all over the world are able to safely travel and attend the games.”

    Discrimination and violence against LGBTI+ people

    The increasing legislative and rhetorical attacks on the rights of LGBTI+ people, particularly transgender people in the United States, underscore the current administration’s intention to erase transgender people from public life and dismantle crucial human rights protections. Discriminatory laws and the hostile political climate around LGBTI+ rights in the United States could directly threaten the security, bodily autonomy, dignity, and inclusion of LGBTI+ fans, players, and workers at the 2026 Men’s World Cup.

    In Mexico, LGBTI+ people, and especially trans and gender-diverse people, face violence across the country, which affects their daily lives and participation in public events. Federal and state authorities should take urgent steps to prevent and punish violence against LGBTI+ people, with particular attention to the specific risks faced by trans and gender-diverse communities.

    Gurchaten Sandhu, Director of Programs at ILGA World, said:

    “The alarming discrimination and violence against LGBTI+ individuals in the United States and Mexico cast a chilling shadow over the promise of an inclusive World Cup.

    “As organiser of the event, FIFA should demand that all host cities and states uphold universal human rights, ensuring no fan, worker, or athlete faces discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, or sex characteristics, and that any discriminatory laws are actively challenged and nullified.”

    Press freedom

    Journalists covering the 2026 Men’s World Cup face distinct and alarming risks in both Mexico and the United States. Mexico consistently ranks among one of world’s most dangerous and deadly countries for media professionals, who face threats, harassment, and violence from both organised crime and public officials. The pervasive impunity for these crimes creates a chilling effect and zones of silence in which critical information is suppressed. In the United States, journalists could face intrusive screening, social media monitoring, and be denied entry based on perceived political views, undermining their ability to report independently.

    Antoine Bernard, Advocacy and Assistance Director at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), said:

    “Journalists covering the World Cup must be granted unimpeded access, free from arbitrary restrictions, detention, or violence.

    “FIFA and the local authorities must implement exceptional measures to protect all media workers – not only ensuring smooth entry for foreign press but actively safeguarding all journalists who will be covering large crowds, excited spectators, and potential protests, and addressing the systemic impunity that allows violence against them to persist.

    “Local law enforcement’s policies need to be strengthened to ensure the distinction of journalists from demonstrators, bystanders, and fans, and they must clearly communicate the policies they intend to follow in ensuring this distinction, in full respect of journalists’ freedom and independence.”

    Labour rights

    The immense scale of the 2026 Men’s World Cup will necessitate a massive workforce in host cities to staff stadiums, hospitality, transport, and more. The Trump administration’s dismantling of federal programs and anti-union sentiment increase the risk of exploitation and child labour, wage theft, and unsafe working conditions for these critical workers.

    Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), said:

    “The extensive network of contracts for stadium construction, hospitality, and event services in the host cities must be built on a foundation of respect for workers’ rights.

    “We are gravely concerned that without strong, enforceable labour protections, this tournament will inadvertently fuel precarious work and child labour, suppress wages, and deny workers their fundamental rights to organise and bargain collectively. FIFA must demand robust social dialogue and binding agreements to protect every worker contributing to this World Cup.”

    Transparency and anti-corruption

    The Sport & Rights Alliance also harbours significant concerns related to low governmental transparency and weak anti-corruption regulations in and around the 2026 Men’s World Cup, particularly given recent policy shifts in the United States and Mexico. As the tournament approaches, robust oversight and unwavering commitment to ethical principles are needed to prevent the exploitation of this global event for private gain at the expense of human rights and public trust.

    Tor Dølvik, Special Advisor at Transparency International, said:

    “The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place in a global context where anti-corruption efforts are increasingly under strain.

    “All host countries and FIFA must uphold their anti-corruption responsibilities by establishing comprehensive risk management mechanisms that close potential loopholes for corruption, and reliable systems for detecting and reporting irregularities. Full transparency regarding all expenditures related to the World Cup – before, during, and after the events – will be vital in building trust and ensuring integrity throughout the process.”

    FIFA’s responsibility

    FIFA, as the chief actor responsible for an event that will leave a tremendous footprint, needs to conduct an updated human rights due diligence assessment, and unequivocally leverage its influence to ensure that the 2026 Men’s World Cup is a rights-respecting and rights-advancing event.

    A new human rights due diligence assessment should consider the need for tangible commitments to reverse discriminatory policies, strengthen protections for historically marginalised groups, ensure substantial accountability for human rights abuses, and establish truly effective, transparent, and independent grievance mechanisms for people to seek support and a remedy. Failure to act decisively risks irrevocably tarnishing the legacy of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup and setting a dangerous precedent for future mega-sporting events.

    About the Sport & Rights Alliance

    The Sport & Rights Alliance’s mission is to promote the rights and well-being of those most affected by human rights risks associated with the delivery of sport. Its partners include Amnesty International, The Army of Survivors, Football Supporters Europe, Human Rights Watch, ILGA World (The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association), the International Trade Union Confederation, Reporters Without Borders, Transparency International, and World Players Association, UNI Global Union.

    As a global coalition of leading nongovernmental organisations and trade unions, the Sport & Rights Alliance works together to ensure sports bodies, governments, and other relevant stakeholders give rise to a world of sport that protects, respects, and fulfills international standards for human rights, labour rights, child wellbeing and safeguarding, and anti-corruption.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Guatemalan Man Sentenced After Being in the United States Illegally

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A Guatemalan man who was in the United States illegally after being removed twice was sentenced today to 90 days in prison.

    Hector Palencia-Morales, age 55, a citizen of Guatemala, received the prison term after an April 7, 2025, guilty plea to being found in the United States after illegal reentry.

               On March 1, 2025, Palencia-Morales was found at a residence in Postville, Iowa, while law enforcement officers were executing a search warrant at the residence.  Officers confirmed he was in the country illegally.  Officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested him on March 14, 2025.  Palencia-Morales had previously been removed from the United States in 2013 following a conviction for illegal entry and again in 2022.  

    Palencia-Morales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Palencia-Morales was sentenced to 90 days’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) 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). 

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 25-CR-1012. 

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader in scheme to monopolize transmigrantes market imprisoned for 11 years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Mission man has been sentenced for his role in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency (TFA) industry in the Los Indios border region, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Carlos Martinez, who pleaded guilty Feb. 6, and his co-conspirators controlled the transmigrate industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors.

    U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Martinez to serve 132 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay a $2 million fine. 

    Martinez and others used fear to control pricing, eliminate competition and keep the transmigrante industry profitable through “pool” allocations and piso payments.

    Transmigrantes transport used vehicles and goods from the United States through Mexico for resale in Central America. Only a few U.S. border crossings, including the Los Indios Bridge, allow transmigrantes to enter Mexico.

    Transmigrante forwarding agencies are U.S.-based businesses that help clients complete customs paperwork to export vehicles into Mexico. Martinez and his co-conspirators fixed prices for forwarding services and created a centralized entity, known as the “pool,” to collect and divide revenue among conspirators. They used the pool to eliminate competition and raise prices.

    “Price fixing is not a victimless crime; it harms customers in the form of artificially high prices. Consumers need to have faith that the prices they pay are fairly determined by the market, rather than the product of illegal collusion,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The 11-year sentence Mr. Martinez received reflects the size and scope of his criminal operation, as well as his leadership role in organizing and facilitating the unlawful scheme.”

    “The defendants extorted victims trying to make an honest living in the freight forwarding business, and by fixing prices illegally drove up the cost of moving goods,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The lead defendant’s sentence of 11 years in prison reflects the harm caused to the business community along the Southern border. The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division will continue to work to ensure that competition is fairly preserved.”

    “Today’s sentence reflects the significant danger and harm the American people face from violent and extortive actions aimed at fixing prices and monopolizing the market for essential services in the Texas border region,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to aggressively pursue violent criminals who aim to corrupt America’s free markets and advocate for their incarceration.”

    “This case underscores the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks operating at our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “Carlos Martinez and his co-conspirators orchestrated a violent scheme that extorted small businesses, fixed prices, and laundered millions of dollars — all while threatening the safety and integrity of lawful commerce. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit legitimate industries through corruption and intimidation, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities and our economy.”

    “The FBI will remain laser focused on transnational criminal organizations, including organizations that use violence, threats or extortion to fix prices and eliminate competition,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The American people deserve access to fair markets, free from threats of violence or the corrosive impact of illegal market interference, manipulation, or collusion. Together with our partners, we are committed to protecting our borders and dismantling every component of transnational criminal organizations.”

    Martinez, the son-in-law of a former Gulf Cartel leader in Mexico, ran a violent criminal syndicate operating at the U.S.-Mexico border. He seized control of the Los Indios bridge near Harlingen and Brownsville and hired workers to monitor transmigrante forwarding agencies and calculate the piso each owned.

    Workers collected piso payments in cash and submitted them to Martinez’s organization. He enforced compliance by ordering disciplinary action against agencies that operated without permission, violated pool rules, failed to charge fixed prices or refused to make extortionate payments.

    Forwarders not involved in the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into the pool. Martinez and other pool members monitored whether agencies followed pricing rules and made required payments. Martinez and his co-conspirators also demanded additional extortion fees, including a piso for each processed transaction and a fine for operating outside the pool. They used threats, intimidation and violence to enforce compliance and further their antitrust and extortion conspiracies.

    Clients who didn’t comply faced consequences ranging from being denied access to the Los Indios Bridge to having their cars stolen. In more severe cases, they were kidnapped, beaten, firebombed, shot or killed.

    Martinez personally collected at least $9.5 million in extortion payments. He and his family laundered the money through bank accounts they controlled, disguising the deposits to hide the true source, nature and ownership of the illicit funds.

    To date, seven others have been convicted, three of whom have already been sentenced in the case.

    ICE-HSI and FBI conducted the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section; Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis and Michael G. Lepage, all of the of the Antitrust Division.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $2M Fine for Conspiring to Monopolize International Transit Industry, Fix Prices, Extort $9.5M, and Launder Money

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Carlos Martinez, 39, of Mission, Texas, was sentenced today to 11 years in prison and a fine of $2 million for his conduct in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency (TFA) industry in the Los Indios, Texas, border region. Martinez and his co-defendants controlled the TFA industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors.

    Transmigrantes transport used vehicles and other goods from the United States through Mexico for resale across Central America. There are only a few locations where transmigrantes are permitted to cross from the United States into Mexico, one of those being the Los Indios Bridge in Texas. TFAs are U.S.-based businesses that provide services to transmigrante clients, including helping clients complete the customs paperwork required to export vehicles into Mexico. According to court documents and statements made in court, Martinez and his co-defendants fixed prices for TFA services and created a centralized entity known as “The Pool” to collect and divide revenues among the conspirators, limit competition from other agencies, and increase prices for their services.

    “The defendants exploited hardworking professionals in the freight forwarding business using extortion and illegal price-fixing schemes to manipulate the market and inflate the cost of moving goods,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The lead defendant’s 11-year prison sentence reflects the serious economic harm inflicted on the business community along the southern border. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue and prosecute those who threaten fair competition and the integrity of our markets.”

    “Today’s sentence reflects the significant danger and harm the American people face from violent and extortive actions aimed at fixing prices and monopolizing the market for essential services in the Texas border region,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to aggressively pursue violent criminals who aim to corrupt America’s free markets and advocate for their incarceration.”

    “Price fixing is not a victimless crime; it harms customers in the form of artificially high prices. Consumers need to have faith that the prices they pay are fairly determined by the market, rather than the product of illegal collusion,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “The 11-year sentence Mr. Martinez received reflects the size and scope of his criminal operation, as well as his leadership role in organizing and facilitating the unlawful scheme.”  

    “All of these defendants used their positions with the TFA to extort hardworking individuals who relied on these services to support their families and livelihood,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “The FBI is committed to dismantling criminal enterprises that prey on vulnerable communities, and today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse systems will be found, stopped and brought to justice.”

    “This case underscores the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks operating at our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “Carlos Martinez and his co-conspirators orchestrated a violent scheme that extorted small businesses, fixed prices, and laundered millions of dollars — all while threatening the safety and integrity of lawful commerce. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit legitimate industries through corruption and intimidation, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities and our economy.”

    Individuals in the industry who were not part of the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into The Pool or face financial and violent consequences. Martinez and other members enforced the rules by monitoring whether forwarding agencies were charging the agreed-upon prices and whether the forwarder was making payments to The Pool.  

    Martinez and some of his co-defendants also conspired to force forwarding agencies to pay other extortion fees, including a “piso” for every transaction processed as well as a “fine” for operating in the market outside of Pool rules. Martinez and his co-defendants intimidated, coerced, and used threats and acts of violence in furtherance of the antitrust and extortion conspiracies.

    Martinez was responsible for collecting at least $9.5M in extortion payments. Cash obtained from the extortions was laundered through bank accounts controlled by Martinez and his family, with the cash deposits disguised to hide the nature, source, ownership, and control of the dirty money.

    Martinez is the son-in-law of the former leader of the Gulf Cartel in Mexico, a violent criminal syndicate that operates at the U.S.-Mexico border and elsewhere. Martinez took control of  Los Indios Bridge and employed individuals who worked to track TFA transactions to calculate the piso owed by each forwarding agency. Pool and piso payments were made in cash to the individuals working for Martinez. Martinez ordered disciplinary actions against those operating in the transmigrante market without permission, those who violated Pool rules, those who did not charge the fixed prices, and those who did not pay the piso. Disciplinary actions could include clients not being allowed to cross Los Indios Bridge, cars being stolen, or more serious repercussions such as kidnappings, beatings, firebombings, shootings, and murder.

    Carlos Martinez pleaded guilty in February  to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services, conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion, interference with commerce by extortion, and money laundering conspiracy. The government will also seek forfeiture of at least one house, luxury vehicles, a boat, and expensive watches.

    Prior to Martinez’s sentencing, his co-defendants were sentenced as follows:

    Carlos Yzaguirre, 66, of McAllen, Texas, was sentenced to two years in prison, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.

    Sandra Guerra Medina, 70, of Rancho Viejo, Texas, was sentenced to eight months of home detention, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate the market for TFA services and conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante market.

    Juan Hector Ramirez Avila, 59, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to time served, after pleading guilty to one count of structuring a financial transaction to evade reporting requirements.

    Jose Tapia, Mireya Miranda, Pedro Calvillo and Roberto Garcia Villarreal pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Three other defendants, Rigoberto Brown, Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto, were also charged in the superseding indictment and remain fugitives.

    The Court will determine the final restitution amount owed to victims of the conspiracies at a hearing set for Sept. 3, 2025. 

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section; Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis, and Michael G. Lepage of the of the Antitrust Division; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

    Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the HSI Tip Line at 866-347-2423; the FBI Tipline at tips.fbi.gov, or by contacting the FBI San Antonio Field Office at 210-225-6741; or the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard, British Virgin Islands Royal Marine Police assist mariner aboard demasted sailing vessel

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    06/11/2025 02:15 PM EDT

    US Coast Guard, British Virgin Islands Royal Marine Police, and Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard air and surface units rescued a sole mariner aboard demasted sailing vessel in Eastern Caribbean waters northeast of Anegada, British Virgin Islands, Tuesday. Rescued was French citizen Frank Rouvray, 58, who reportedly was on a voyage to the island of Saint Martin when the vessel became demasted, and the distress signal was transmitted to the Coast Guard.

    For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: US abuse of tariffs has resulted in global retaliation – Chinese Ambassador to Russia

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Moscow, June 11 (Xinhua) — The unilateral imposition of customs duties by the United States has caused widespread opposition around the world, not only causing systemic damage to the American economy, but also seriously damaging the international reputation of the United States, as a result of which the process of “de-Americanization” is taking place at an accelerated pace in many countries around the world, according to an article by China’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Zhang Hanhui published in the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

    The article notes that dissatisfaction with the government’s tariff policy continues to grow in the United States. It is noted that, according to polls, most Americans believe that the government’s economic policy will lead to a recession in the short term, since, on the one hand, the tariff burden significantly reduces the profits of enterprises and exacerbates the difficulties of doing business, and on the other hand, the abuse of duties has led to a sharp increase in the cost of living for the American population.

    Zhang Hanhui notes that the abuse of tariffs has caused discontent and resistance among US allies. The introduction of “mirror tariffs” has seriously damaged the US’s international reputation and deepened its rift with its allies. “A wave of boycotts of American goods is growing around the world. Following the “Buy Canadian” movement that began in Canada in February 2025, tens of thousands of people in Sweden, Denmark, France and other countries have called on social media to “not buy American goods,” while many Europeans have canceled subscriptions to Netflix, Disney and other American platforms,” the article states.

    According to the diplomat, the main victims of the US tariffs are the countries of the Global South, as the abuse of tariffs deprives these countries of economic sovereignty. Such a policy is outright “neocolonialism,” the ambassador said.

    The US tariff policy encourages the countries of the Global South to unite, accelerate the deepening of cooperation with each other and economic relations with other countries. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Zhang Hanhui recalls, said that the BRICS countries have the right to create a trading system completely independent of the US dollar.

    “China has repeatedly said that tariff and trade wars cannot be won, and that protectionism will ultimately harm the interests of all parties and will not find support,” the article says.

    According to the diplomat, China is ready to deepen cooperation and interaction with developing countries and emerging market countries together with Russia, strengthen coordination and cooperation within the framework of such mechanisms as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS. China is ready to “unite to counter economic blackmail by the United States, resolutely defend the common interests of the countries of the Global South, protect international justice and the international free trade system, and promote the construction of a more just and rational global governance system,” Zhang Hanhui emphasized. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Urges Immediate Action by Meta to Prevent Investment Scam Advertisements on its Platforms

    Source: US State of California

    Meta must do better to protect consumers from financial harm 

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 42 attorneys general, today sent a letter to Meta expressing deep concern regarding a flurry of investment scam advertisements (ads) running on its platforms — including Facebook newsfeeds. These investment scam ads threaten the pockets of consumers nationwide and Meta’s existing systems have been shown to be insufficient to address the problem. In response to this concerning trend, the attorneys general ask Meta to take immediate action to improve its capabilities to detect and respond to these ads.

    “It’s alarming to see how easy investment scam ads — which have cost some consumers their life savings — can be created and disseminated on Meta platforms. This growing trend, combined with Meta’s inadequate method of identifying these ads and its significant delay in removing them, makes this a recipe for disaster,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today, I urge Meta to prioritize the safety of its users against investment scam ads — Meta can and must do right by the millions of people that use its platforms.” 

    Investment scam ads running on Meta’s platforms deceive consumers with images of well-known investors. Upon clicking on the ads, users are prompted to download WhatsApp and become members of groups that are not in fact sponsored or affiliated with the investors identified in the ads.  They are then targeted in an illegal investment scheme, commonly known as a “pump and dump” scheme. As part of the scheme, scammers encourage users to invest in penny stocks, thus inflating or pumping up the stock price. Then the scammers quickly sell the stocks — leaving the users holding worthless stock that they can no longer sell to recover their losses. In some cases, these scams have resulted in users losing their life savings. The impact on victims is devastating, leading not only immense financial losses, but also significant psychological and social consequences. 

    In the letter, the attorneys general urge Meta to adopt protocols to properly tackle this pervasive issue — or otherwise ban all investment ads on its platforms. Although Meta uses a combination of automated systems and occasional human review to try to detect, block, and remove these advertisements, these systems do not work and allow vast numbers of scam ads to get through to publication.  

    The letter sent today highlights the latest way Meta fails to protect its users against harmful content. In 2023, Attorney General Bonta, along with a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general, sued Meta for its role in designing and deploying harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children and teens to their mental and physical detriment. This lawsuit remains ongoing. Last year, Attorney General Bonta sent a letter to Meta expressing concern regarding the increase in account takeovers and lockouts on Facebook and Instagram and the inadequacy of the company’s response to prevent and address consumer harm from these takeovers.  

    In sending today’s letter to Meta, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washinton, West Virginia, Wyoming, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

    A copy of the letter can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China supports Panama in upholding independence and protecting its legitimate rights – Chinese Foreign Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 11 (Xinhua) — China supports Panama, as a sovereign and independent country, in upholding its independence and self-reliance and firmly safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday.

    The Chinese diplomat made the statement at a regular briefing for journalists, commenting on the statement by the head of the Panama Canal Authority regarding the sale of its port assets related to the canal by the Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison.

    On June 10, the head of the Panama Canal Authority reportedly noted that “there is a potential risk of excessive concentration of ownership of the ports if the deal goes ahead as currently structured, which would harm Panama’s market competitiveness and would be contrary to the principle of neutrality.” He also said that it would be impossible to comply with the U.S. demand to allow U.S. government vessels to transit the canal without paying customs duties.

    Lin Jian recalled that the State Administration for Market Regulation of the People’s Republic of China and Chinese relevant departments have repeatedly commented on the sale of CK Hutchison’s overseas assets.

    “I would like to emphasize that China has always been firmly opposed to economic coercion, dictatorship and bullying,” the official said.

    On the issue of navigation of ships of relevant countries, China will, as always, respect Panama’s sovereignty over the canal and recognize its status as a permanently neutral international waterway, Lin Jian added. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Participates in Energy Hearing with Secretary Wright

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    Pfluger Participates in Energy Hearing with Secretary Wright

    Washington, June 11, 2025

    WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, participated in the Committee’s Energy Subcommittee hearing entitled “The Fiscal Year 2026 Department of Energy Budget.”

    Secretary of Energy Chris Wright testified before the subcommittee. During the hearing, Rep. Pfluger asked Secretary Wright about his top priorities for the year, for an update on the Mexico Pacific LNG export site, and how we can legislatively protect the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

    Click HERE or the image below to watch their full exchange.

    Watch their full exchange HERE or read highlights below.

    Rep. Pfluger: You have extreme expertise about how energy in this country works. I am worried about everybody who has testified here, especially those who have recently talked about data centers and the demand that we are going to see—rising demand for electricity consumption, and how we’re going to keep up with manufacturing. Just big picture priorities that you have set out that will enable us as a country to set the conditions for private industry to meet that demand with adequate supply. Love to hear your thoughts.

    Secretary Wright: Look, as you know, over the years, we’ve created huge regulatory burdens on building infrastructure, on building pipelines, on building power plants, on building transmission lines. If you make it harder and harder and more and more expensive to do things, well, guess what? You get less of them. And that’s what’s happened in the United States. I heard a comment earlier that U.S. oil and natural gas production were at all-time highs in 2023, which was true, but that’s because it’s dominantly on private land and state land, and it’s not on federal land. We’ve had huge federal obstruction efforts. They haven’t been entirely effective on oil and gas that’s produced on private lands and on state lands. But when you restrict the ability to build pipelines and grow the transportation, you ultimately restrict the growth of it. Power plants with the Clean Power Plan, if you build a new power plant today, you have to have carbon capture and sequestration injected underground, like 11 years from now. That’s a technology we don’t have at a commercial scale. A massively expensive parasitic load of maybe a third of the power plant has to go to that thing. People aren’t going to invest money and build power plants with constrictions like that. There are a lot of reasons we haven’t built as much new capacity as we should. And it’s critical for this administration and this Congress that we work together to remove these obstacles and barriers that chill investment. Because we need to lead in AI. We need to win in AI. We can lead and we can win in AI. But to do that, we need to get overly burdensome, truly not focused on the environment, regulations out of the way so that capital will flow and things will be built. We need some simplification with permitting. We need to make FERC move more efficiently. But I will tell you, in this administration, and I know in this Congress, there are many people working tirelessly to achieve just that, so I’m optimistic, but yes, big changes need to be made.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ICE Arrests Illegal Alien for Molotov Cocktail Attack on Law Enforcement Caught on Video

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    This illegal alien has been charged with attempted murder

    WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Emiliano Garduno-Galvez—an illegal alien from Mexico—for attempted murder after he threw a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement during the Los Angeles riots.  

    On June 9, 2025, ICE agents in Los Angeles arrested Garduno-Galvez after he was identified as a suspect who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement during the Los Angeles riot on Saturday, June 7. Last night, he was charged with attempted murder.

    “Emiliano Garduno-Galvez is a criminal illegal alien from Mexico who threatened the lives of federal law enforcement officers by attacking them with a Molotov cocktail during the violent riots in Los Angeles. ICE arrested Garduno-Galvez, and he is now being charged with attempted murder. These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “The Los Angeles rioters will not stop us or slow us down. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

    Garduno-Galvez had previously been deported. He has a previous criminal record: In 2024, Garduno-Galvez was arrested by the Anaheim Police Department in California for grand theft and by the Long Beach Police Department for a DUI.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Reveals More Heinous Criminal Illegal Aliens Including a Murderer, Pedophile, and Drug Traffickers Arrested during Los Angeles Operation

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    The rioters will not stop or slow ICE down from arresting criminal illegal aliens

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released more information about some of the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens arrested during the ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Los Angeles (LA), California (CA). These arrests occurred June 9 and 10 despite prolonged violent riots and assaults on ICE and other federal law enforcement officers.

    “Murderers, pedophiles, and drug traffickers. These are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect. How much longer will Governor Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass continue to prioritize these criminal illegal aliens over their own citizens?” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Secretary Noem has a message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE will continue to enforce the law and arrest criminal illegal aliens.”

    Below is a list of some of the violent criminal illegal aliens arrested in ICE’s Los Angeles Operation on June 9 and 10:

    Gerardo Antonio-Palacios, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested by ICE Los Angeles. He has criminal convictions for homicide and burglary. He was previously deported.

    Mab Khleb

    ICE Los Angeles arrested Mab Khleb, a 53-year-old illegal alien from Cambodia. Khleb’s criminal history includes a conviction for transport of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance, lewd action with a child, and battery.

    Sang Louangprasert

    ICE Los Angeles arrested Sang Louangprasert, a 66-year-old illegal alien from Laos. Louangprasert’s criminal history includes a conviction for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 in Fresno, CA and inflicting corporal injury, spouse or cohabitant in Santa Barbara, CA.

    Antonio Benitez-Ugarte

    Antonio Benitez-Ugarte, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested by ICE Los Angeles and has been convicted of drug trafficking.

    Alberto Morales-Mejia

    Alberto Morales-Mejia, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested by ICE Los Angeles and has criminal convictions for manufacturing amphetamine. He also has previous arrests for document fraud and possession of a weapon.

    Raul Teran-Guillen

    Raul Teran-Guillen, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested by ICE Los Angeles and has prior arrests for human smuggling and money laundering.

    Carlos Alberto Escobar-Flores

    ICE Los Angeles arrested Carlos Alberto Escobar-Flores, a 43-year-old illegal alien from Honduras. Escobar’s criminal history includes a conviction for Grand Theft: Money/ Labor/ Property.

    Jose Jimenez-Alvarado

    ICE Los Angeles arrested Jose Jimenez-Alvarado, a 48-year-old illegal alien from Honduras. Jimenez’s criminal history includes a felony conviction for two counts of theft.

    Jesus Romero-Retana

    ICE Los Angeles arrested Jesus Romero-Retana, a 52-year-old illegal alien from Mexico and a criminal history including convictions for threatening crime with intent to terrorize and battery.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Puerto Rican Man Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison For Trafficking Fentanyl into Maine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Bayamon, Puerto Rico man was sentenced on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, including 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Rafael Omar Ojeda Lopez, 44, to a term of imprisonment of 57 months, to be followed by five years of supervised release.

    According to court records, in September 2023, at the direction of agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a confidential source negotiated the purchase of a kilogram of fentanyl from Lopez for $40,000, following several smaller “test” buys. While Lopez and the source were working to finalize the transaction in Rockland, Maine, HSI agents arrested Lopez and seized the fentanyl, which was later lab confirmed to contain a mixture of fentanyl, caffeine, heroin, and xylazine, a powerful tranquilizer. The mixture of fentanyl and xylazine is particularly dangerous to drug users: because xylazine is not a narcotic, its effects cannot be reversed by naloxone, which serves to heighten the risk of overdose death.

    HSI and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA) investigated the case.

    Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Couple Indicted and Arrested for Marriage Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment on June 5, 2025, charging Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov, from Uzbekistan, and Keily Maisonet-Ortiz, San Juan, with marriage fraud.

    According to court documents, from February 29, 2024, through on or about April 29, 2025, the defendants entered into a marriage for the purpose of evading any provision of the immigration laws of the United States. Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov and Keily Maisonet-Ortiz obtained a marriage license and got married on March 13, 2024, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. On October of 2024 Maisonet-Ortiz submitted an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative in favor of defendant Shokir Kurbonovich Khalilov before the Department of Homeland Security and on the same date, Khalilov submitted a I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adult Status pursuant to his marriage to defendant Maisonet-Ortiz.

    The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud and marriage fraud. Defendant Maisonet-Ortiz is scheduled for her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Defendant Khalilov will have his initial court appearance next week. If convicted, the defendants face a sentence of up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Reggie Johnson, Chief Patrol Agent for the Ramey Sector of the US Border Patrol made the announcement.

    US Border Patrol is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Emelina M. Agrait Barreto is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: ICYMI: “For the first time in decades, the US-Mexico border is silent”

    Source: US Whitehouse

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    From the Arizona Republic:

    “Across the entire span of the U.S.-Mexico border, the change is stark — and it happened nearly overnight. Where Border Patrol agents encountered well over 100,000 migrants and asylum seekers every month just a year ago, they now see fewer than 10,000.

    More than four months into President Trump’s second term, one of his signature campaign promises — shutting down the flow of migrants across the border — seems fulfilled. Reporters with the USA TODAY Network traveled to 15 sites along the border from the Pacific to the Gulf, from California to Arizona and Texas, and found much of the same situation in each: few migrants were attempting to cross; once bustling shelters for migrants were ghost towns; local officials expressed relief for no longer having to assist with the flood of people. […]

    But as the border itself has gone quiet, Trump maintains that it remains in a state of crisis while touting the success of his efforts. The recently passed spending bill by the U.S. House of Representatives includes $150 billion in new money for immigration enforcement, including tens of billions for wall construction and facilities along the border along with tens of billions more for deportation efforts.”

    Click here to read the full story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: “For the first time in decades, the US-Mexico border is silent”

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
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    From the Arizona Republic:
    “Across the entire span of the U.S.-Mexico border, the change is stark — and it happened nearly overnight. Where Border Patrol agents encountered well over 100,000 migrants and asylum seekers every month just a year ago, they now see fewer than 10,000.
    More than four months into President Trump’s second term, one of his signature campaign promises — shutting down the flow of migrants across the border — seems fulfilled. Reporters with the USA TODAY Network traveled to 15 sites along the border from the Pacific to the Gulf, from California to Arizona and Texas, and found much of the same situation in each: few migrants were attempting to cross; once bustling shelters for migrants were ghost towns; local officials expressed relief for no longer having to assist with the flood of people. […]
    But as the border itself has gone quiet, Trump maintains that it remains in a state of crisis while touting the success of his efforts. The recently passed spending bill by the U.S. House of Representatives includes $150 billion in new money for immigration enforcement, including tens of billions for wall construction and facilities along the border along with tens of billions more for deportation efforts.”
    Click here to read the full story.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome dinner to mark state visit by Guatemala President Arévalo

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    Foreign Minister Lin hosts welcome dinner to mark state visit by Guatemala President Arévalo

    • Date：2025-06-06
    • Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

    June 6, 2025  

    No. 198  

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a dinner on June 5 to mark a state visit by President Bernardo Arévalo of the Republic of Guatemala and First Lady Lucrecia Peinado. Minister Lin conveyed a sincere welcome on behalf of the government of Taiwan and said that Taiwan hoped to build upon the existing solid foundation of cooperation with Guatemala to jointly forge an even more strategically significant partnership.

     

    In his remarks, Minister Lin said that Taiwan and Guatemala enjoyed a deep friendship and had maintained diplomatic ties for more than 90 years, adding that cooperation between the two sides had yielded fruitful results across various domains. He noted that during this state visit, President Arévalo had signed a letter of intent on semiconductor cooperation with President Lai Ching-te and that the two presidents had also witnessed the signing of an MOU on a political consultation mechanism between their respective foreign ministers and the signing of a letter of intent on bilateral investment in supply chains between their respective economic ministers. He stated that these actions not only demonstrated the two countries’ staunch and cordial relations but would also further deepen bilateral cooperation. Minister Lin emphasized that Taiwan’s government would continue to work hand in hand with the Guatemalan government under President Arévalo’s leadership to advance Guatemala’s national development; deepen trade, economic, and investment ties and semiconductor cooperation; and jointly advance comprehensive bilateral collaboration across all sectors. Minister Lin also mentioned how cordially he was received by President Arévalo and First Lady Peinado when he visited Guatemala last October. He said that he had brought home and continued to cherish a menu, signed by President Arévalo, from the banquet held at the president’s residence.

     

    In his remarks, President Arévalo thanked Minister Lin for his warm reception and expressed delight at being able to meet in Taipei again after October 2024, when his wife had visited Taiwan for National Day celebrations and Minister Lin and his wife had visited Guatemala. He said that their interactions had always been convivial and sincere. President Arévalo also pointed out that the attendees of the dinner were experts and leaders in different fields, highlighting how Taiwan-Guatemala cooperation had become more comprehensive and diverse. He said that the documents signed on the morning of June 5 would serve as guideposts for the direction of future cooperation between the two nations and voiced his firm conviction that the Taiwan-Guatemala partnership would continue to grow even closer.

     

    Among other attendees at the dinner were International Cooperation and Development Fund Secretary General Huang Yu-lin; National Taiwan University Professor Chang Pei-zen; Vice Superintendent of National Taiwan University Hospital Lou Pei-jen; President of Chunghwa Telecom Lin Rong-shy; and CIECA Chairman Joseph Jye-cherng Lyu. Interactions at the event were lively and cordial. (E)

    MIL OSI China News –