NewzIntel.com

Category: Law and Justice

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Bicameral Legislation to Protect Immigrant Access to Essential Service Locations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (February 11, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) in introducing the bicameral Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to codify protections for immigrants seeking essential service at locations like hospitals, schools, and courthouses. The legislation would prevent immigration enforcement officers from taking enforcement actions at sensitive locations. The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act codifies the Department of Homeland Security’s long-standing policies that have been recently rescinded by President Trump and expands on those policies to ensure that immigrants are able to access education, criminal justice, and social services without fear of deportation.

    The list of “sensitive locations” protected under this legislation includes, but are not limited to: medical treatment facilities and health care facilities of all types; public and private schools, early childhood learning centers, preschools, scholastic activities, and field trips; places of worship; federal and local courthouses; DMVs and social security offices; polling places; labor union halls; and several other locations which provide essential or emergency services to immigrant communities, such as rape crisis centers and homeless shelters.

    The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act is cosponsored in theSenate by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).

    The legislation is co-led in the House of Representatives by Representatives Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Don Beyer (VA-08), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), and Jasmine Crockett (TX-30).

    The legislation is endorsed by over 580 organizations, including Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

    “The Trump Administration’s reckless rescission of the protected areas policy is part of an effort to create a chilling effect, deterring parents from carrying out essential activities such as taking a child to school or a doctor’s appointment,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director of Immigration and Immigrant Families as CLASP. “Leaving it up to immigration enforcement agents to use “common sense” has proven misguided in the past, with our own research documenting immigration enforcement actions in child care parking lots. We support the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act because we believe that keeping locations critical to children and families safe from immigration enforcement supports the well-being of immigrant families, as well as the security and stability of entire communities.”

    “The Trump administration’s memo allowing ICE agents to enter schools and hospitals is an immediate threat to the well-being of our children and communities. All children.  It will cause irreparable harm, indelibly scarring not only immigrant families, but all families. We immediately asked the new President to reverse this. He has not. We need an act of Congress, that is why we wholeheartedly support the legislation introduced by Rep. Espaillat to reverse it. Schools and hospitals are supposed to be safe and welcoming places. We urge Congress to quickly pass the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act to reverse a policy that is both cruel and un-American,” said Randi Weingarten, President, AFT.

    The full list of endorsing organizations can be found here.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Syracuse Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William Seneca, Sr., age 65, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child sexual abuse material. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.

    As part of his prior guilty plea, Seneca admitted that, from approximately 2000 through 2008, he engaged in sexual conduct with a minor male child, starting when the child was about seven years old. On several different occasions during that period, Seneca created sexually explicit images depicting that child. Seneca also admitted that, on at least one occasion, he distributed the material he created to someone in Canada.

    In addition to the terms of imprisonment and supervised release, the district court also ordered Seneca to pay $1,141.14 in restitution to the victim, and he will have to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

    This case was investigated by HSI with the assistance of the New York State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norwich Man Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing a Short-Barreled Rifle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Benjamin Wheeler, age 20, of Norwich, New York was sentenced today to serve 8 months in federal prison for possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Craig. L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

    As part of his guilty plea, Wheeler admitted that on August 6, 2024, he knowingly possessed a Spikes Tactical AR-15 style rifle at his apartment in Norwich, New York, knowing that the firearm had a barrel length of less than sixteen inches. The firearm was not registered to Wheeler in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

    Senior United States District Judge David N. Hurd also sentenced Wheeler to a 3-year term of supervised release, to begin after his imprisonment.

    The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), New York Police Department (NYPD) and the New York State Police with assistance from the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Seeks to Strengthen RI’s Capacity to Combat Wildfires

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    PROVIDENCE, RI — In an effort to strengthen Rhode Island’s capacity to respond to wildfires, U.S. Senator Jack Reed helped deliver $306,457 in federal wildfire response funding to Rhode Island last year.  These federal funds may be used by the state to suppress and contain wildfires, improve and expand training, and employ prescribed burns as a tool to reduce the risk of wildfires.

    This month, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management’s (DEM) Forest Fire Program announced it will be offering a free, five-day, entry level course to train participants in the tools, tactics, and strategies used to suppress uncontrolled wildland fires. No prior experience in firefighting is needed to attend, but applicants must be at least 18 years of age.  The classes will be held in June and priority enrollment will be given to local municipal firefighters and DEM employees.  Registration is open through the end of the month.

    According to DEM, Rhode Island experienced a total of 75 wildfires last year, with the majority occurring in the fall between mid-October and mid-November.  DEM says wildfires are expected to become more frequent as climate change continues to create warmer, drier conditions, leading to longer and more active fire seasons. 

    “I commend DEM for their outstanding efforts to help safeguard our communities from the threat of wildfires and improve forest resiliency.  I am pleased to help provide the resources the state needs to prevent destructive blazes and protect lives, livelihoods, and property from the growing threat of uncontrolled brushfires and wildfires.  DEM is putting federal funds to work investing in equipment and expanding their outreach and training to help lower wildfire risks and increase the effectiveness of wild firefighting tools and strategies,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, which oversees federal funding for the U.S. Forest Service.

    Last year, DEM’s Forest Fire Program reported treating: “130 acres of state property with prescribed fire, nearly a threefold increase from 2023. Last year, DEM conducted shaded fuel break brush clearing projects along various stretches of forestland on state lands to lessen the risk of uncontrolled wildfires. DEM has trained 46 new wildland firefighters in the past two years to help build RI’s capacity to respond to wildfires.   DEM has trained 46 new wildland firefighters in the past two years to help build RI’s capacity to respond to wildfires.”

    Last year, DEM’s Fire Program received $132,561 in federal funding from the U.S. Forest Service for State Fire Capacity activities: These funds are allocated for salary, benefits, overtime (for training, prescribed fire and response etc.); and associated operating expenses for personnel assigned to the Fire Program.  The state also got an additional $38,896 to boost its Volunteer Fire Capacity to help purchase equipment and provide fire training for volunteer firefighters.  Reed also helped direct another $135,000 to Rhode Island last year under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the state’s Fire Program to purchase specialized firefighting equipment and a mini excavator used to fight wildfires.

    Senator Reed helped pass both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (P.L. 117-58) and the Inflation Reduction Act (P.L. 117-169) which together included over $7 billion in funding across federal interagency to enhance America’s ability to mitigate and respond to wildfires nationwide,

    The Trump Administration has put a freeze on federal funding and Congressional Republicans are threatening to claw back unspent funds under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act.  Senate Democrats have also decried the Trump Administration halting the disbursement of funds for forest management and restoration projects, as well as the universal hiring freeze for federal personnel, including permanent and seasonal firefighters.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Daines, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Stop Ban of Traditional Ammo, Tackle

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Steve Daines (R-MT), and 26 Republican colleagues introduced legislation to prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science.
    “Louisiana is known as Sportsman’s Paradise for a reason,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Federal bureaucrats who have never hunted or fished a day in their life should have no say in how our outdoorsmen enjoy our state.”
    “The great outdoors is a staple of our Montana way of life. Montana hunters and anglers play an important role in wildlife management, and a ban on lead ammo and tackle would be unfair to our sportsmen. I’ll keep fighting with my colleagues to make sure decisions impacting outdoor recreation are guided by commonsense science, not anti-hunting groups,” said Senator Daines. 
    Cassidy and Daines were joined by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-SD), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jim Risch (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), John Barrasso (R-WY), Rick Scott (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Mike Lee (R-UT), John Boozman (R-AR), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Katie Britt (R-AL), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jim Justice (R-WV), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) in introducing the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Daines Fight for Outdoorsmen Across the Country

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) in cosponsoring a bill to prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science—the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act. 
    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation last Congress.
    “From Sand Mountain to the Gulf of America, Alabamians devote a large portion of their free time to hunting in the great outdoors,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Placing a ban on lead ammo and tackle is unfair to those who choose to enjoy nature and wildlife. As an avid outdoorsman, I will keep fighting to ensure the rights of Alabama hunters and anglers are protected.”
    “The great outdoors is a staple of our Montana way of life. Montana hunters and anglers play an important role in wildlife management, and a ban on lead ammo and tackle would be unfair to our sportsmen. I’ll keep fighting with my colleagues to make sure decisions impacting outdoor recreation are guided by commonsense science, not anti-hunting groups,” said Sen. Daines.
    U.S. Senators Tuberville and Daines are joined by U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Katie Britt (R-AL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jim Risch (R-IN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Rick Scott (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Thune (R-SD), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in cosponsoring the legislation. 
    Read full text of the legislation here.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Venezuelan Men Charged with Bank Larceny Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Paducah, KY –A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued this week charging two Venezuelan men with conspiracy to commit bank larceny and attempted bank larceny.

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, and Police Chief Mike Canon of the Calvert City Police Department made the announcement.

    According to court records, on January 31, 2025, Jhoandiris Jimenez-Barrio, 26, and Yirvel Yonaiker Rios-Castro, 20, both citizens of Venezuela, attempted to steal money from an ATM located in Calvert City, Kentucky. That day the Calvert City Police Department responded to an ATM alarm and the men fled the scene in a vehicle traveling between 70 and 80 mph. The men struck another vehicle and fled the wreck on foot. The Calvert City Police Department apprehended the men near a service station in Calvert City. A search of their vehicle yielded a cordless drill, drill bits, latex gloves, a mask, and duct tape.

    Homeland Security Investigations verified that Jimenez-Barrio and Rios-Castro are Venezuelan and entered the United States illegally.

    Jimenez-Barrio and Rios-Castro are in state custody and will make initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky at a later date. If convicted on the charges in the complaint, the men face maximum potential penalties of 50 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    The FBI, HSI, and Calvert City Police Department are investigating.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Hancock and Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, are prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Corning sex offender pleads guilty to new child pornography charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ryan M. Newman, 33, of Corning, NY, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca. As a convicted sex offender at the time of his crimes, Newman faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 25 years in prison, of maximum penalty of 50 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Newman was convicted of child pornography crimes by New York State in 2012, sentenced to serve a local jail term and 10 years’ probation, and required to register as a Level 3 Sex Offender, which is someone considered to be at high risk of re-offending and a threat to public safety.

    In January 2021, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from Snapchat that a user had uploaded a video of child pornography. NCMEC sent the tip to the New York State Police, who executed a search warrant on Newman’s person and residence in 2022. The search determined that Newman uploaded the child pornography video to Snapchat and possessed other child pornography on his electronic devices. Newman remained out of custody following the 2022 search warrant by the State Police. In April 2024, the FBI Corning received a tip that pornography involving a child in the Corning area, was distributed to an undercover agent in Illinois. Subsequent investigation determined that Newman sexually abused the child and produced the child pornography. Newman was taken into custody by the FBI and Corning Police.

    Newman is also charged in Steuben County Court.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Corning Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Corning Police Department, under the direction of Chief Kenzie Spaulding.

    Sentencing is scheduled for  June 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Vacca.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Navy Detective Sentenced to 15 Months for Using Unreasonable Force and Making a False Statement

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Jonathan Christopher LaRoche, a former detective with Naval Base San Diego Criminal Investigations Division, was sentenced in federal court today to 15 months in prison in connection with his use of a carotid restraint on a handcuffed Navy sailor to the point of unconsciousness and later grabbing the man by the throat and pushing his head against a wall.

    LaRoche pleaded guilty in July 2024 to Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law in connection with the November 2023 incident of excessive force. He also admitted that he intentionally concealed his prior record of excessive force at the El Cajon Police Department in order to be hired as a detective by the Navy.

    During the hearing, the Navy sailor – identified in court records only as G.D. – told the court that LaRoche had subjected him to “unimaginable pain, trauma, and brutality” and left him “feeling violated, discarded, and dehumanized.”

    Before imposing sentence, U.S. District Judge John A. Houston told LaRoche that he “got a pass after three [excessive force] incidents with a local law enforcement agency” and then “lied your way into this job and set yourself up to harm someone else.”  Judge Houston observed that the excessive force used by LaRoche against G.D. was “extraordinary conduct for someone with your law enforcement experience” and called it “disgusting, violent, and extremely disturbing.”

    The defendant was ordered to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons by April 21, 2025.

    “The victim in this case was handcuffed, defenseless, and posed no threat—yet a sworn officer chose to violate his rights through violence,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “This office will hold accountable anyone who chooses to abuse their power at the expense of another’s rights.”

    “Mr. LaRoche betrayed his oath as a law enforcement officer when he used excessive force on a sailor who was handcuffed and defenseless,” said Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Carter of the NCIS Southwest Field Office. “NCIS remains committed to fully investigating criminal behavior that threatens the safety of our warfighters and their families.”

    As required by his plea agreement with the United States, LaRoche resigned from his position with the Criminal Investigations Division prior to the sentencing hearing. He is prohibited from seeking or applying for any position of employment with any law enforcement agency in the future.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins in coordination with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 24cr1431-JAH                           

    Jonathan Christopher Laroche                        Age: 41                                   Spring Valley, CA

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    False Statement – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001

    Maximum penalty:  Five years in prison and $250,000 fine

    Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law (misdemeanor) – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242

    Maximum penalty: One year in prison and $100,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Naval Criminal Investigative Service

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior sex offender pleads guilty to raping a 14-year-old and gun charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Kelvin Hunt, 48, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to production of child pornography, following a prior conviction, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that in March 1995, Hunt was convicted in Monroe County Court of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 2 to 6 years in prison. On February 2, 2024, he entered the home of a 14-year-old minor victim in Rochester, and forcibly raped her. Hunt then took the minor victim’s cell phone and took sexually explicit photos of her. After producing the pornographic images, Hunt forced the minor victim to another location, where he forcibly raped her again. On February 4, 2024, law enforcement located Hunt, took him into custody, and executed a search warrant on the hotel room he was staying in. Investigators seized a loaded semi-automatic handgun, and approximately 71 grams of heroin.

    The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the United States Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.

    Sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.

    # # # #

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 02/12/2025 VIDEO: Blackburn Details New Report Documenting Crimes Committed by Illegal Aliens in Tennessee During Biden’s Final Months

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor about the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference’s report documenting the widespread migrant crime in Tennessee that occurred during the final months of the Biden-Harris administration. In the final three months of 2024, thousands of illegal aliens in Tennessee were charged with driving under the influence, domestic and aggravated assault, child abuse, rape, vehicular homicide, murder, and other heinous crimes.  

    Click here to watch Senator Blackburn’s remarks. 

    REMARKS AS PREPARED

    Since President Trump Took Office, Migrant Encounters Are Down 87% at Southern Border

    In just his first weeks back in the Oval Office, President Trump has taken strong action to secure our border. Through executive actions alone, the President has restored the successful Remain-in-Mexico policy, restarted border wall construction, ended catch-and-release, sent troops to the southern border, conducted deportations, and done so much more to Make America Safe Again. Already, we’re seeing incredible results. 

    In operations across the country, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested 11,000 criminal illegal aliens, including many violent offenders and gang members. Since Inauguration Day, meanwhile, migrant encounters at the southern border have reportedly dropped 87 percent. To be certain, forceful efforts to secure our border are urgently needed.

    For four years, former President Biden allowed more than 10 million illegal aliens to enter our country, including tens of thousands of convicted criminals and more than 1.7 million known “gotaways.” And for four years, Tennesseans and Americans across the country have suffered the tragic consequences, including rampant migrant crime.

    New Report Documents Widespread Migrant Crime in Tennessee Under Biden

    Recently, the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference released a report documenting the widespread migrant crime in our state during the final months of the Biden administration. In many ways, the report confirms what we already know: During the Biden years, every town was a border town, and every state was a border state.

    In just the final three months of 2024, there were a staggering 2,719 reports of illegal aliens being charged or convicted of 3,854 offenses in the State of Tennessee. Among them, the most common offense was driving under the influence, at 654 arrests. Shockingly, these offenses accounted for more than 13 percent of all DUI arrests statewide.

    This problem is a big reason why, last year, my Republican colleagues and I introduced the Protect Our Communities From DUIs Act. This bill would automatically deport any illegal who is charged with driving under the influence.

    Over the same period—from October to December last year—illegal aliens committed hundreds of violent, heinous crimes: 154 instances of domestic assault, 80 of aggravated assault, 21 of child abuse, 9 of statutory rape, 8 of sexual exploitation of a minor, 7 of vehicular homicide, 4 of murder, 3 of rape of a child, and on and on. Disturbingly, these numbers are likely an undercount: Only 73 of Tennessee’s 95 counties reported data to the District Attorneys General Conference.

    Biden’s Open Border Enabled Thousands of Crimes by Illegal Aliens in Tennessee

    Under Biden, national data showed that illegal aliens were pouring in from countries all over the world—and the Tennessee migrant crime report also reflects this. Across all the offenders, there were 92 unique countries of origin, from Mexico and Guatemala to Jamaica and Romania.

    Here’s the bottom line: Because of Biden’s open border, thousands of crimes were committed by thousands of criminal illegal aliens in the State of Tennessee over just a three-month span. And this is just one state. We know this is happening in communities across the country.

    More than anything, the report underscores the importance of President Trump’s mass deportations, which are already underway. Thankfully, there are many ways for Congress to support these efforts. My CLEAR Act, for example, would ensure state and local law enforcement officials have the tools to help the federal government deport criminal illegal aliens.

    This is crucial—especially when far-left leaders like Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson are refusing to turn over criminal illegal aliens to federal custody. Thankfully, Attorney General Bondi is suing these sanctuary cities for allowing criminal illegals—who have no right to be in our great nation—to harm Americans.

    Blackburn Bills Would Allow Deportation of Illegal Aliens Convicted of Sex Crimes and Ensure Border States Have More Authority to Secure Their Borders

    I’ve also introduced the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which would allow the deportation of illegal aliens convicted of sexual offenses or domestic violence. Any illegal alien who commits these heinous crimes should be removed from our country immediately.

    And my CONTAINER Act would ensure that border states such as Texas have the legal authority to place temporary barriers on federal land to help stop the flow of traffickers, drugs, and criminals at the southern border. With help from states securing the border, ICE can direct more resources to deporting criminal illegals who are already in our country.

    With thousands of criminal illegals residing in Tennessee and across the country, we should be using every resource at our disposal to remove them from our country. In many ways, these bills would help President Trump get the job done.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NAB welcomes new scam prevention legislation

    Source: National Australia Bank

    NAB today welcomed the passing of the Government’s Scam Prevention Framework (SPF) legislation as a positive step to better protect Australian consumers and businesses.

    NAB Chief Financial Crime Risk Officer Paul Jevtovic said: “What makes Australia’s Scam Prevention Framework world-leading is a laser focus on prevention and stopping the crime from occurring in the first place. We need to shut Australia’s door on the criminals.

    “Scams are a global epidemic and this legislation will help the fight to better protect Australians and make our country a much harder place for these criminals to target.

    “Banks can’t stop dodgy text messages, impersonation phone calls or bogus investment schemes on social media, the same way telcos or social media platforms can’t put added measures around payments.

    “Working together and lifting measures across these sectors we can have a much greater impact on driving scammers out of Australia.

    “We look forward to continued consultation with Government and regulators on the establishment of SPF rules and the industry codes.”

    Customers, banking & finance

    SEE ALL TOPICS

    Media Enquiries

    For all media enquiries, please contact the NAB Media Line on 03 7035 5015

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Releases Footage from Investigation into Death of Vilmond Jean-Baptiste

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released police body-worn camera footage that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of Vilmond Jean-Baptiste, who died on September 13, 2024 following an encounter with members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in Brooklyn.

    At approximately 5:21 p.m. on September 13, members of the NYPD’s Brooklyn South Warrant Squad entered an apartment to serve a warrant. When officers encountered Mr. Jean-Baptiste in the apartment, he was allegedly holding a knife. Officers instructed Mr. Jean-Baptiste to drop the knife, but Mr. Jean-Baptiste allegedly failed to do so and instead approached the officers with the knife. One officer discharged his taser and three officers discharged their service weapons, striking Mr. Jean-Baptiste. Mr. Jean-Baptiste was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

    The Office of Special Investigation (OSI) of the Attorney General’s Office released footage from body-worn cameras that officers were equipped with during the incident. The release of this footage follows Attorney General James’ directive that camera footage obtained by her office during an OSI investigation be released to the public to increase transparency and strengthen public trust in these matters.

    Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

    The release of this footage is not an expression of any opinion as to the guilt or innocence of any party in a criminal matter or any opinion as to how or whether any individual may be charged with a crime. 

    Warning: These videos contain content that viewers may find disturbing. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Fossil fuel anti-protest bills in Montana, Virginia, and Illinois threaten free speech and climate advocacy

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    © Tim Aubry / Greenpeace

    Already this year, lawmakers in Montana, Virginia, and Illinois have introduced bills that would hand corporations and prosecutors new tools to suppress climate activism. 

    Although proponents frame these bills as public safety measures, there is no evidence that they improve energy reliability or make communities safer. To the contrary, they contain intentionally broad provisions that would make climate advocates, environmental defenders, and landowners vulnerable to felony prosecution for infractions that are historically linked to protest. 

    In light of Big Oil’s death drive to keep the world hooked on fossil fuels (now with the federal government’s total support), policies that take aim at our right to protest make all of us less safe by undermining the urgent action that is needed to preserve a livable future.

    Twenty-three states already have some form of these laws in place.1 Certain components of them pose an obvious threat to climate protest (for example, boosting penalties for simple trespass near fossil fuel infrastructure), but no less dangerous are vague provisions that target “impeding” fossil fuel infrastructure or “causing damages.”

    Under some laws, it is unclear whether these provisions could be used to impose draconian penalties upon individuals engaged in peaceful sit-ins or symbolic protest actions such as painting a slogan on a pipeline without damaging its functionality. In recent years, oil and gas companies have sought large monetary damages from activists for alleged costs associated with project delays.2 Moreover, fossil fuel spokespeople and their allies in government routinely frame acts of civil disobedience as violent attacks deserving of deterrence and aggressive retaliation.

    Laws with intentionally broad language allow authorities to hang the threat of prosecution over activists’ heads, even if the most extreme charges are not pursued or eventually dropped. Further, they can force individuals and organizations into costly legal battles.

    A closer look at the new crop of anti-protest bills below:

    • Montana HB 257 would build on the state’s existing anti-protest law by removing the condition that sites classified as “critical infrastructure” be enclosed by a fence or identified by signage. The bill drew support from business groups representing ExxonMobil, Continental Resources, the American Chemistry Council, and other members in a January 27 committee hearing.
    • Virginia HB 2215 would make “damaging” certain facilities and equipment a class 3 felony, punishable by 5-20 years in prison. The primary sponsor, VA Rep. Terry Kilgore, is a long-time member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and has accepted more than $380,000 in campaign donations from Dominion Energy over his political career. ALEC, an organization that invites corporate lobbyists to help draft model bills that are promoted with state officials around the country, has played a key role in the spread of anti-protest laws since 2016. Dominion Energy has also lobbied for anti-protest laws, including to explicitly “address civil disobedience towards pipelines,” according to emails obtained by public records request.
    • Illinois HB 1480 would create a new felony offense that could cover nonviolent protesters at pipeline and other infrastructure sites with maximum penalties of 3–7 years imprisonment and a $20,000 fine. It would also extend liability to anyone who “conspires with” a person to commit the offense. This last provision is especially pernicious due to the history of prosecutors using scattershot conspiracy allegations to target individuals and organizations with shared political views absent evidence of specific crimes. IL Rep. Patrick Windhorst, the primary sponsor of this bill, is also a member of ALEC.

    For more information about these anti-protest bills and related lobbying activity, see here.

    Related to the push for fossil fuel anti-protest laws are strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). Greenpeace is facing a costly SLAPP brought by Energy Transfer, the owner of the Dakota Access Pipeline, in North Dakota state court, which goes to trial this month. Further, California Attorney General Rob Banta, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups were sued for defamation by ExxonMobil this January after the defendants sought to hold Exxon legally accountable for its role in the plastics crisis.

     1Twenty-two states were counted for Greenpeace USA’s Dollars vs. Democracy 2023 report. The twenty-third state to pass a fossil fuel anti-protest law was Florida with H 275 / S 340 (2024).

    2 For example, see Mountain Valley Pipeline’s lawsuit against climate protesters. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/27/mountain-valley-pipeline-protest 

     3 For more about this, see “The Fossil Fuel Industry Used ALEC to Spread Fossil Fuel Anti-Protest Laws Across the Country” on page 30 of Dollars vs. Democracy 2023.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Presses Feds for Answers About Prosecutions for Attacks on U.S. Servicemembers and Former Servicemembers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 12, 2025

    Senator: “Members of our military must be protected to the full extent of the law.”

    Washington D.C.— U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today pressed the U.S. Justice Department to answer questions about its prosecution of cases under a 2009 federal law that established new penalties for attacks on U.S. servicemembers and former servicemembers who are within five years of discharge.

    Wyden’s letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi follows constituent concerns in Oregon that the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act does not track or appropriately enforce this law with basic measures such as the federal Justice Department failing to mention anything on its webpage about the law’s protections or enforcement as well as failing to document in its examples of hate crimes cases one example of hate crimes against servicemembers.

    “The statute established new penalties for attacks on U.S. servicemembers and former members of the armed forces who are within five years of discharge, on account of service or status as a servicemember. The law also ensures protections for the immediate family of U.S. servicemembers,” wrote Wyden, who supported the law when it passed in 2009. “Members of our military must be protected to the full extent of the law.”

    The senator’s letter asked the Justice Department to answer by March 14, 2025 questions that include whether it interprets “members of the U.S. Armed Forces” under the statute to include reserve components and any current or former National Guard personnel; and how many cases the department has prosecuted under this law.

    Wyden’s letter today follows a previous inquiry to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland that was not answered.

    “These important questions from servicemembers and former servicemembers demand answers no matter who’s heading the Justice Department,” Wyden said about his letter. “And I’ll keep pushing the Justice Department until it provides those answers.”

    A copy of today’s letter is here.

    Related Files

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Questions Trump DOJ Antitrust Nominee on Antitrust Enforcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Wednesday, February 12, 2025

    Today in a Senate Judiciary Nomination hearing, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) questioned Gail Slater, President Trump’s nominee to be Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice. Senator Hawley focused his questioning on Big Tech and antitrust enforcement,  and the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI). 
    “I am extremely concerned about what the emergence of AI and monopoly power in AI will mean for American consumers,” said Senator Hawley. 
    “We have got to give power back to individual Americans to protect their rights. Antitrust enforcement by the U.S. government is a critical part of that,” he concluded.
    [embedded content]
    Click here, or above to watch the full clip. 
    Senator Hawley previously served as chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution; Privacy, Technology, and the Law, where he worked to protect and defend the rights of Americans against powerful tech corporations.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Great Lakes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues in introducing legislation to extend federal funding and protections for the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2025 would reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) through 2031 and increase the program’s annual funding. The GLRI is the most significant investment to restore and protect our Great Lakes.

    “Wisconsin’s Great Lakes not only play a vital role in shaping our way of life, but they also drive economic activity in countless communities up and down the Fresh Coasts and help move our Made in Wisconsin economy forward,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to once again work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to continue protecting these natural resources for the next generation of Wisconsin families, businesses, and visitors.”

    The GLRI combines federal and nonfederal efforts to stop the spread of carp and other invasive species, restore coastline and habitats connecting streams and rivers, clean up environmentally damaged Areas of Concern, and prevent future contamination. While providing vital support for these efforts, the GLRI also helps ensure we can address new and emerging threats to the Great Lakes. One independent economic study found that for every dollar the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative invests, it produces an additional $3.35 of economic activity

    Since its inception, the GLRI has spurred tremendous progress throughout the Great Lakes region including nearly half of a million acres of habitat protected, restored, or enhanced, a five-fold increase in the successful cleanup and delisting of Areas of Concern (AOCs), a ten-fold increase in the remediation of environmental and public health impairments, and reducing the threat of harmful algal blooms. The GLRI’s efforts have also resulted in economic returns of more than 3 to 1 across the region. Senator Baldwin has been a strong supporter of the GLRI program, leading the introduction and passage of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2019, and as a member of the Appropriations Committee, works to secure continued funding in the annual budget process.

    Wisconsin is home to four existing AOCs, the St. Louis River on Lake Superior and the Fox River, Sheboygan River and Milwaukee Estuary on Lake Michigan. Because of previous investments to restore its waters through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the Lower Menominee River on Lake Michigan was removed in 2020. Senator Baldwin supported a $1 billion investment into address AOC’s in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which the Environmental Protection Agency projects will remove 22 of 25 remaining Great Lakes “Areas of Concern” by 2030, including all remaining sites in Wisconsin.

    This legislation is led by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Todd Young (R-IN), and co-sponsored by Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Jon Husted (R-OH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).

    The legislation also shares broad support among Great Lakes advocates, including the Council of Great Lakes Governors, Great Lakes Fishery Commission, American Great Lakes Ports Association, Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, American Sportfishing Association, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, League of Conservation Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, National Audubon Society – Great Lakes, Environmental Law & Policy Center, MI League of Conservation Voters, Save the Dunes, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Clean Wisconsin, Ohio Environmental Council, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, and Minnesota Environmental Partnership.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Climbers rescued from the Totem Pole at Cape Huoy

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Climbers rescued from the Totem Pole at Cape Huoy

    Thursday, 13 February 2025 – 10:52 am.

    Two climbers were rescued from the top of the Totem Pole at Cape Huoy on the Tasman Peninsula overnight.
    “About 6pm last night, Police Search and Rescue were notified that two climbers had become stuck at the top of a feature known as the Totem Pole at Cape Huoy on the Tasman Peninsula,” said Senior Constable Callum Herbert from Police Search and Rescue.
    “The climbers reported that due to high winds their ropes had become entangled and they were unable to reach safety.” 
    “Initial attempts to rescue the climbers by helicopter with deployment of a vertical rescue team was aborted due to high winds.”
    “In partnership with the Climbing Club of Tasmania Vertical Rescue Team, members of Police Search and Rescue and Ambulance Tasmania attempted to gain access to the Totem Pole via nearby cliffs using a police vessel, this was also unsuccessful due to a significant and dangerous swell.”
    “About 11:30pm, rescue teams departed from Fortescue Bay on foot and  found the climbers at the top of the Totem Pole.”
    “Members from the Climbing Club of Tasmania Vertical Rescue Team conducted a complicated vertical rescue of the two climbers. This involved members of the club partially scaling the Totem Pole in wet, dark and windy conditions. After communication and contact was made with the climbers they were secured to rescue ropes, moved to cliffs on the mainland and as dawn broke they were hauled approximately 50 metres to safety.” 
    “The climbers were treated at the scene by a wilderness paramedic but aside from being hungry, tired and cold, they had no injuries.”
    The climbers were from interstate and had reasonable climbing experience.
    “This was a particularly complicated rescue from a sheer sided standing rock 60 metres in the air. It was done at night in cold, wet and windy conditions by a team of dedicated volunteers and they have ours and the climbers heartfelt thanks.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal jury convicts Florida man of attempting to coerce minor for sex in Missoula undercover investigation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MISSOULA — A federal jury today convicted a Florida man of attempting to coerce a minor for sex after he was arrested in Missoula in an undercover investigation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    After a three-day trial that began on Feb. 10, the jury found the defendant, Stevenson Metelus, 36, of Margate, Florida, guilty of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Metelus faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years to a lifetime of supervised release.

    U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 24. Metelus was released pending further proceedings.

    “Metelus was a truck driver passing through Montana when he used social media to attempt to coerce a minor to have sex with him. The problem for him was he was unwittingly talking to an undercover law enforcement officer. This is the kind of critical work our office and our law enforcement partners are doing across the state to keep kids safe. Our work will continue, and it can only be done effectively due to the diligence, brilliance, and dedicated service of the people in our office and our law enforcement partners,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

    The government alleged at trial and in court documents that in October 2023, an FBI special agent, using a persona identified as Child 1, posted on MegaPersonals an advertisement for prostitution services in Missoula, listed the age of Child 1 as “99” and a phone number at which to contact Child 1. Metelus responded to the ad on Nov. 16, 2023 and asked Child 1 what her “specials” were. Metelus spoke with Child 1, eventually negotiating a price and sexual acts to engage in with her. Child 1 noted she was a minor girl. Ultimately, Metelus asked Child 1 to meet him in his truck when he arrived, but Child 1 said she had a room at the hotel and would leave the door open for him. Child 1 then said that she could meet him at a nearby gas station when he expressed concern about the plan. The undercover FBI agent had confidential source call Metelus and, acting as Child 1, spoke briefly with him. The confidential source again told Metelus that she was a minor. The parties then confirmed their plans to meet. Shortly thereafter, Metelus texted Child 1 that he had arrived at the gas station, where law enforcement arrested him. Metelus eventually admitted to law enforcement his intention was to meet Child 1 for commercial sex.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, Missoula Police Department and Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Attorney General Pamela Bondi Holds a Press Conference on Immigration Enforcement Action

    Source: United States Department of Justice (video statements)

    Attorney General Pamela Bondi held a press conference to announce a new Department of Justice legal action on immigration enforcement.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ca7_Hdq53iY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police hammer home security warning

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police in Counties Manukau South say a recent increase in burglaries from construction sites is a timely reminder to builders to ensure security is up to standard.

    In the past week, Police have charged four people in relation to industrial burglaries in areas including Pukekohe, Pōkeno and Papakura.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor, of Counties Manukau South CIB, says items including tap wear, light fittings, building materials, tools and appliances yet to be installed have been the targets of most burglaries.

    “As a result of our investigations, four people have been charged with various offences in connection to these burglaries in the past week, on top of others last month.

    “One of the four has also been charged with seven separate shoplifting charges and other driving matters.

    “Forensic evidence, CCTV and other investigative methods have been used to progress our enquiries.

    “It’s pleasing we have been able to hold these offenders to account for their actions, while also returning some of the stolen goods to their rightful owners.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says the burglaries are a reminder to all those involved in the construction industry to ensure appropriate steps are made to secure building sites.

    “We also encourage anyone who is the victim of a burglary to report it to Police straight away.

    “Burglaries, thefts or any suspicious behaviour should be reported to us on 111 if it’s happening now, or 105 after the fact.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says enquiries remain ongoing and Police are not ruling out further arrests or charges.

    Four men, aged between 26-45, have been charged with the respective burglaries Police have linked to them.

    TOP TIPS

    Police recommend a variety of measures to secure your building site:
    •             Install security gates
    •             CCTV
    •             Security patrols
    •             Labelling/marking/engraving valuable items (like tools)
    •             Recording serial numbers
    •             Ensure building materials and appliances are secured and/or installed soon after delivery

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests illegal Guatemalan national charged with forcibly raping Massachusetts minor

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Guatemalan national charged with three counts of forcible rape of a child and three counts of aggravated rape of a child when officers arrested Jose Fernando-Perez, 49, in Framingham, Massachusetts, Feb. 2.

    “Jose Fernando-Perez has been charged with some horrific crimes against a minor in our commonwealth,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He is exactly the type of alien we are targeting with our ‘worst first’ policy. He posed a significant danger to the children of Massachusetts, and we will not tolerate such a threat to our community. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize the safety of our public by arresting and removing egregious alien offenders from our New England communities.”

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

    The Lynn District Court in Massachusetts arraigned Fernando Dec. 6, 2005, for leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and for attaching inaccurate license plates. The court convicted him of those charges Oct. 19, 2012.

    The Lynn District Court arraigned Fernando April 19, 2022, for rape of a child by force. The court later dismissed the case due to an indictment in the superior court.

    ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Fernando May 16, 2022, with the Essex County House of Correction.

    The Essex County Superior Court in Salem, Massachusetts arraigned Fernando on three counts of rape of a child by force and three counts of aggravated rape of a child.

    The Essex County Superior Court ignored the immigration detainer against Fernando and released him on pre-trial conditions Oct. 6, 2022.

    ICE officers served Fernando with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge following his arrest, and he remains in ICE custody.

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Ernst Work to Protect Farm Families’ Access to Higher Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer, joined Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to protect farm families’ access to higher education. The Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act would amend the FAFSA Simplification Act to restore the original exemption of non-liquid, farm and small business assets when determining a family’s FAFSA eligibility.  
    “Farm assets can’t be cashed out in the same way traditional investments can,” Grassley said. “Last Congress, I worked with the Department of Education to ensure the FAFSA asset test is only applied to investment farms, not family farms. Our bipartisan legislation would codify this guidance to ensure farm kids and other small business operators get a fair shake when applying for need-based financial aid.” 
    “No one should have to sell off the farm – or their small business – to afford college. As a farm kid myself, I know the enormous impacts grants and financial aid have on rural students’ decision to go to college,” Ernst said. “I’m fighting for Iowa families, so unfair policies don’t hold them back from investing in their child’s education.” 
    Additional cosponsors include Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). 
    Download audio of Grassley discussing the bill HERE.  
    Find bill text HERE. 
    Background:
    Under the original FAFSA contribution formula, the expected family contribution didn’t factor in the non-liquid assets of family farms and small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. However, the 2020 FAFSA Simplification Act, which went into effect last year, created a new formula that didn’t explicitly exempt family farms and small businesses from declaration.
    The value of a farm family’s assets – including land, buildings, livestock, unharvested crops and machinery – could total millions of dollars, but the family’s annual salary is significantly less. Per Iowa College Aid, if the value of family farms is included in the FAFSA asset test, a family making $60,000 a year could face over $41,000 in annual college tuition costs, compared to $7,600 previously. 
    Grassley has voiced strong concerns about the new FAFSA contribution formula’s impact on Iowa families. An overview of Grassley’s FAFSA-related efforts follows: 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Longtime Champion of the False Claims Act, Urges AG Bondi to Fully Review Biden-Harris DOJ’s Pending Qui Tam Case Dismissals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and author of legislation that significantly strengthened the False Claims Act (FCA), is urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to immediately halt pending FCA qui tam case dismissals issued under the Biden-Harris administration and conduct a full review to ensure decisions were made appropriately and in accordance with the facts and law. According to the DOJ, in 2024 qui tam FCA cases yielded the lion’s share of recoveries, recouping $2.4 billion out of the $2.9 billion recovered.
    “The False Claims Act (FCA) is our Nation’s greatest tool to fight and deter government fraud and return money to the taxpayers. A critical part of the FCA is its qui tam provision, which allows whistleblowers who typically have inside knowledge of fraudulent conduct to sue on the government’s behalf,” Grassley wrote.
    Last year, Grassley wrote two letters to the Biden-Harris DOJ requesting information on the Department’s standards for dismissing FCA qui tam cases in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that DOJ may dismiss at any point during the litigation. Grassley raised concerns that the DOJ will be emboldened to dismiss qui tam cases, even years into the process and for reasons unrelated to the merits, after initially declining to intervene. The Biden-Harris DOJ failed to respond to either letter.
    “The Biden-Harris Justice Department’s failure to provide transparency into the process and standards it used to dismiss qui tam cases after initially declining to intervene raises questions with respect to whether fraudsters were potentially let off the hook at significant cost to the taxpayers,” Grassley continued.
    In her response to Grassley’s questions for the record, AG Bondi confirmed that she “will ensure the Department makes [FCA] dismissal decisions only as appropriate and in accordance with the relevant facts and law.” Grassley cited Bondi’s response in his letter and urged the DOJ to withdraw motions that do not align with the facts and the law.
    Text of Grassley’s letter to Attorney General Bondi follows: 
    February 7, 2025
    VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
    The Honorable Pamela J. BondiAttorney GeneralDepartment of Justice
    Dear Attorney General Bondi:
    The False Claims Act (FCA) is our Nation’s greatest tool to fight and deter government fraud and return money to the taxpayers.  A critical part of the FCA is its qui tam provision which allows whistleblowers, who typically have inside knowledge of fraudulent conduct, to sue on the government’s behalf.[1]  Since the updates I authored to the qui tam provision were enacted into law, the FCA has recovered over $78 billion in taxpayer dollars and saved billions more by deterring would be fraudsters.[2]  According to Justice Department statistics, in 2024 FCA cases recovered more than $2.9 billion lost to fraud.[3]  Of that $2.9 billion, over $2.4 billion came from qui tam cases.[4]
    On March 6 and May 9, 2024, I wrote to the Biden-Harris Justice Department requesting information and statistics concerning the Department’s dismissal of FCA qui tam cases after the Supreme Court’s June 16, 2023, decision in United States Ex Rel. Polansky v. Executive Health Resources, Inc., et al.[5]   In that case, the Supreme Court ruled that the Justice Department may dismiss a qui tam case at any point, so long as they first intervene.[6]  I am concerned that the Justice Department, after initially declining to intervene in a case, will now be emboldened to intervene at any point in litigation – even years into litigation – and dismiss FCA cases for reasons unrelated to the merits.[7]  My March and May letters were similar to my September 4, 2019, letter to then-Attorney General Barr requesting information about the Justice Department’s implementation of their new FCA dismissal policy, known as the “Granston Memorandum,” and its vague instructions that could potentially lead to a greater number of qui tam cases being dismissed for reasons unrelated to their merits.[8]  On December 19, 2019, then-Attorney General Barr responded to my letter and provided the list of cases I requested where the government moved to dismiss.[9]   However, the Biden-Harris Justice Department failed to respond to both of my letters. 
    The Biden-Harris Justice Department’s failure to provide transparency into the process and standards it used to dismiss qui tam cases after initially declining to intervene raises questions with respect to whether fraudsters were potentially let off the hook at significant cost to the taxpayers.  The process and standards the Biden-Harris administration used in determining whether to intervene and dismiss FCA cases post-Polansky may not align with the priorities of the current administration.
    In your response to my questions for the record about FCA dismissals, you stated “I will c decisions only as appropriate and in accordance with the relevant facts and law.”[10]  Accordingly, I strongly urge you to immediately halt all pending dismissals and conduct a review of all qui tam cases from June 2023 to the present with pending Biden-Harris Justice Department motions to dismiss to ensure that the decisions were made “only as appropriate and in accordance with the relevant facts and law.”  Should these motions to dismiss not align with the facts and the law, the Justice Department must withdraw them. In addition, I request that you provide responses to my March 6 and May 9 letters, which the Biden-Harris Justice Department failed to answer, which I’ve enclosed along with copies of my September 2019 letter to Attorney General Barr and his response.
    Thank you for your prompt review and responses. If you have any questions, please contact Brian Randolph on my Committee staff at (202) 224-7708.
    Sincerely,
    Charles E. GrassleyChairmanCommittee on the Judiciary

    [1] 31 U.S.C. § 3730(c).
    [2] Department of Justice, False Claims Act Settlements and Judgments Exceed $2.9B in Fiscal Year 2024, Press Release (Jan. 15, 2025) https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/false-claims-act-settlements-and-judgments-exceed-29b-fiscal-year-2024.
    [3] Id.
    [4] Id.
    [5] United States, ex rel. Polansky v. Exec. Health Res., Inc., 599 U.S. 419, 143 S. Ct. 1720, 216 L. Ed. 2d 370 (2023) https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-1052_fd9g.pdf.
    [6] Id.
    [7] G. Norman Acker III, John H. Lawrence, Michael H. Phillips, Supreme Court Affirms Government’s Broad Dismissal Authority In False Claims Act Suits, US Health Care and FDA Alert (Jul. 5, 2023) https://www.klgates.com/Supreme-Court-Affirms-Governments-Broad-Dismissal-Authority-in-False-Claims-Act-Suits-7-5-2023; see also Tirzah S. Lollar and Megan Pieper, DOJ Flexes Its Post-Polansky (c)(2)(A) Muscles and Moves To Dismiss Qui Tam Midway Through Discovery, Qui Notes: Unlocking the False Claims Act (Mar. 19, 2024) https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/perspectives/blogs/fca-qui-notes/posts/2024/03/doj-flexes-post-polansky-muscles; Brenna E. Jenny and Matt Bergs, First Court of Appeals to Apply Polansky Upholds DOJ’s Dismissal, FCA Blog (Aug. 8, 2024) https://fcablog.sidley.com/2023/08/08/first-court-of-appeals-to-apply-polansky-upholds-dojs-dismissal/; Paula Ramer and Alejandra C. Uria, Another One Bites the Dust: The Government Secures Its Third Federal Qui Tam Dismissal Under Its Broad (c)(2)(A) Authority Since Polansky, Qui Notes: Unlocking the False Claims Act (Apr. 23, 2024) https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/perspectives/blogs/fca-qui-notes/posts/2024/04/another-one-bites-the-dust.
    [8] Letter from Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley to Attorney Barr re: Granston Memo, (Sep. 4, 2019) https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2019-09-04%20CEG%20to%20DOJ%20(FCA%20dismissals).pdf.
    [9] Letter from the Justice Department to Senate Judiciary Chairman Charles E. Grassley re: Granston Memo, (Dec. 19, 2019) https://www.arnoldporter.com/en/-/media/files/perspectives/publications/2020/01/doj-response-to-senator-grassley.pdf.
    [10] On file with Committee staff.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing For Justice Department Executive Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 12, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the nominations of Todd Blanche to be Deputy Attorney General (DAG), and Gail Slater to be Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division (AAG-Antitrust).
    Key Quotes:
    “President Trump has vowed to use the Justice Department to advance his own interests and to seek ‘retribution’ against ‘the enemy within.’”
    “The Trump Administration already purged dozens of senior career leaders at the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation… And, the Administration has forced career law enforcement officers to retire, resign, or be fired simply for executing tasks that were assigned to them. These actions are nakedly partisan.”
    “Many members on the Democratic side of the aisle expressed fears that Attorney General Pam Bondi would put her loyalty to the President ahead of anything else. Our fears have been realized.”
    “On her first day as Attorney General, Pam Bondi issued 14 memos to Department of Justice staff that reflect the most extreme of President Trump’s priorities, including far-right Project 2025 policies. Attorney General Bondi established a ‘Weaponization Working Group’ that is a clear effort to make good on her pledge to ‘investigate the investigators.’”
    “Given the political retribution that is already being carried out with the blessing of the President at the Justice Department, Mr. Blanche’s nomination deserves heightened scrutiny. If confirmed, he will serve as the second-in-command at the Department, overseeing the day-to-day operations.”
    “With Ms. Bondi’s unyielding loyalty to President Trump already disclosed, we must ask ourselves whether Mr. Blanche would be willing to act as an independent voice within the Department’s leadership.”
    “Mr. Blanche, I enjoyed meeting with you in my office… You told me repeatedly that your true loyalty is to the rule of law. That’s the right answer from my point of view. But I am afraid I need to ask you more to conclude that you would be able to arise to the occasion which is likely to present itself.”
    “What is happening at the Federal Bureau of Investigation should give Republicans and Democrats pause. That great agency is entrusted with the safety and security of the United States of America. Making it political does not help.”
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Todd Blanche, Trump’s Nominee To Be Deputy Attorney General, During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    February 12, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Todd Blanche, nominated by President Donald Trump to be Deputy Attorney General (DAG), during today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing. Mr. Blanche represented President Trump in multiple criminal cases, including the hush money prosecution brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for which Trump was convicted on 34 counts. Mr. Blanche also represented President Trump in the criminal investigations and prosecutions pursued by Special Counsel Jack Smith regarding Trump’s mishandling of classified documents in Florida and his role in the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
    Durbin’s questions focused on reports that Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered Acting Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Brian Driscoll to compile a list of all current and former FBI employees who were assigned “at any time” to a January 6 investigation “to determine whether any additional personnel actions are necessary.”
    Durbin began by asking Mr. Blanche about the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
    “As a former prosecutor, when you saw those scenes, did it cross your mind that it should be investigated?” Durbin asked.
    Mr. Blanche responded, “absolutely.”
    Durbin then asked Mr. Blanche, “If you are going to have a federal prosecution of the people who assaulted the Capitol, it would be understandable that you would turn to FBI agents to conduct the investigation. True?”
    Mr. Blanche responded, “Well, yes.”
    “Of course, during the course of conducting the largest criminal investigation in the history of the Department of Justice, it is no surprise that some 5,000 FBI agents were called on and assigned duties to investigate those crimes,” Durbin said.
    Durbin continued, “Do you understand what is going on now? They are asking for the names of all of the FBI agents who were engaged in that investigation to be disclosed… I am just wondering, in this situation, how you can justify disclosing the identities of these individuals, many of whom were given an assignment. Didn’t you tell me that when you were a U.S. Attorney you didn’t have the luxury of picking the cases you worked on? You were told, at least at the beginning, that this is what you’ll do.”
    Mr. Blanche responded, “That is true.”
    Durbin went on to detail the crimes that January 6th insurrectionists, recklessly pardoned by President Trump, committed during the storming of the U.S. Capitol, including the violent assaults on law enforcement officers. Guy Reffitt was the first defendant to stand trial on charges related to the January 6 insurrection. He was sentenced to 87 months in prison for bringing a firearm to the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Reffitt’s 19-year-old son, Jackson, turned him into law enforcement after the attack. Jackson also indicated that Reffitt had threatened to shoot him and his sister, Peyton, if they reported him to authorities.
    Just weeks after his pardon, Reffitt returned to the Capitol to support Kash Patel, who has been nominated to serve as FBI Director despite a troubling record of peddling conspiracy theories about January 6 and whistleblower reports that he is personally involved in the ongoing purge of senior law enforcement officials at the FBI. Reffitt posted on social media: “Present and in support of @KashPatel as the leftist commies continue to spew lies, misinformation and disinformation. My man Klean House Kash…!!!”
    “Can you understand why the FBI agents would be reluctant to disclose not only their names but perhaps the locations of their families in an effort to justify keeping their jobs if this kind of person is on the loose?” Durbin said. “Let me lay it on the table. Are you prepared to say that if your nomination is approved by the United States Senate, you would stop any effort to disclose this information that might jeopardize the safety of FBI agents?”
    Mr. Blanche responded, “I cannot sit here and commit to anything beyond that statement that we will never do anything to put the lives of the family or the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in danger.”
    Durbin concluded, “There were 5,000 agents involved in this investigation, and they are now being asked to disclose if they were involved in it. I don’t think there is any precedent at the FBI of that kind of effort. And the impact it’s going to have on morale and the operation of that agency will not benefit the safety of Americans.”
    Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Leads Resolution Calling on NATO Members to Meet Defense Spending Commitments for Leadership Roles

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Jim Justice (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Mike Lee (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced a resolution that expressed the view that, to maintain leadership roles within NATO and continue receiving benefits from NATO, Allies must now, at a bare minimum, meet the current required commitment with an eye towards likely increases in burden sharing to come. 

    In 2006, NATO Defense Ministers agreed to commit at least two percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense spending to ensure the Alliance’s military readiness. This resolution asserts that countries not meeting this goal should be excluded from holding leadership positions within NATO or hosting significant NATO events, including summits or foreign ministers’ meetings. Additionally, it calls for members to either meet the two percent commitment or have a plan to do so by the NATO Summit in The Hague in June 2025.

    “Given the increased aggression from Russia in Ukraine, provocations from China, and other rising threats, it is crucial that our partner nations not only meet but exceed the current defense spending goals,” said Senator Tillis. “The existing two percent commitment is the bare minimum necessary. We must aim for higher targets, such as the proposed five percent from President Trump, to bolster and strengthen NATO.”

    “Conflicts in Europe and the Middle East and tensions in the Indo-Pacific threaten our global stability and security,” said Senator Cornyn. “It’s critical for NATO nations to honor their commitments to spend two percent of their GDP on national defense, ensuring military readiness within the NATO alliance.”

    “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, many of our European allies are finally pulling their weight when it comes to defense spending,” said Senator Daines. “However, the world remains dangerous and it’s time for the remaining European countries to step up. Raising defense spending is an important part of deterrence and the time to act is now.”  

    Full text of the resolution is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Protect Critical Mineral Production in the West

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today introduced the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act to allow critical mineral production to continue in the West.

    This legislation would provide clarity that mine support activities, like waste storage or processing, can proceed on lands that do not contain economically valuable minerals. Recent litigation has upended the long-held interpretation of the Mining Law and, without congressional action, will significantly impede critical mineral production on public lands across the West.

    “Domestic mineral production is critical to everyday energy, technology, and national security needs,” said Risch. “For too long, Idaho’s minerals have been tied up in red tape, preventing responsible use of our natural resources. The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act ensures mining projects in Idaho and across the West can proceed and provide invaluable support to our communities and country.” 

    “We need to streamline our federal permitting process to unleash the full potential of Nevada’s critical mineral economy,” said Cortez Masto. “I’m continuing my bipartisan push to pass this commonsense bill that will cut red tape, protect mining jobs in Nevada, help support clean energy projects nationwide.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sens. Moran, Scott Join Colleagues in Introducing Legislation to Ease Burdens on Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran

    WASHINGTON. – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined nine of their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to ease burdens and shield small businesses from excessive legal red tape. The Protect Small Businesses from Excessive Paperwork Act of 2025 would extend the filing deadline for businesses to report beneficial ownership information (BOI) until January 1, 2026, giving the U.S. Department of Treasury more time to educate business owners on the new reporting requirements, assess Biden administration BOI decisions and make certain small businesses are not overburdened or penalized for violating unclear and unnecessarily complicated regulations.

    The senators were joined by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.).

    “Small businesses are the backbone of our rural communities, and with limited staff and resources, the current reporting requirements place an unnecessary burden on our businesses,” said Sen. Moran. “Extending the filing deadline allows small businesses the additional time they need to comply with updated guidelines and avoid harmful penalties.”

    “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we need to ensure they have the necessary time and information to comply with reporting requirements from the federal government,” said Sen. Scott. “This commonsense bill will ensure small businesses are protected and not overly burdened by unclear and unnecessarily complicated regulations – allowing them to focus on serving their customers while following the law.”

    Representative Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) led companion legislation in the House, which passed on Monday by a vote of 408-0.

    BACKGROUND:

    • The Corporate Transparency Act was signed into law as part of the FY21 National Defense Authorization Act and established new reporting requirements around beneficial ownership for businesses.
    • During implementation of the rule, the U.S. Department of Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) failed to notify small businesses of the new reporting requirements. According to a survey by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), 80% of NFIB members have never heard of the new reporting requirements.
    • On January 23, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the enforcement of these filing requirements. Now, small businesses across the country are expected to comply immediately or face harsh penalties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious crash, Puruatanga Road, Martinborough

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Four people on a shared bicycle have been injured in a serious crash with a car in Martinborough.

    The collision happened on Puruatanga Road, between Regent Street and Todds Road, about 10.45am.

    At least one person is being flown to hospital with critical injuries. Three others have serious injuries.

    The driver of the vehicle is uninjured and is being spoken to by Police. 

    The Serious Crash Unit has been notified and the road will likely remain closed for some time. Members of the public are advised to avoid the area.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –