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Category: Law

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Reps. Matsui, Barragán, Schneider, Carbajal Introduce Legislation to Create Coordinated Federal Response to Climate and Health Crisis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 17, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Representatives Doris Matsui (CA-07), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and Brad Schneider (IL-10) today reintroduced the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act, legislation that would improve America’s public health response to climate change by establishing an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OCCHE was originally established by President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. In January 2025, President Trump eliminated OCCHE and terminated its staff. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are cosponsors of this legislation.

    The reestablished OCCHE would support climate health research, health impact monitoring, and climate resilience initiatives within the health sector. In addition to codifying OCCHE, the bill would also direct the Secretary of HHS to develop a National Strategic Action Plan to assist health professionals in preparing for and responding to the public health effects of climate change. 

    “Climate change is making people and the planet sicker, and we need a national treatment plan to address the worst effects,” said Senator Markey. “While the Trump administration tries to fire everyone with any ability to fight the health impacts of the climate crisis, and while Republicans pass bills that kick millions of people off their health care, we are demanding a different future—one with a resilient health system that protects us all. My Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will put us on track for a healthier, and brighter, future.”

    “Climate change is already endangering the health of Americans nationwide,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “President Trump and his Republican allies want to bury their heads in the sand, but we’ve seen the life-threatening effects of climate change in the Sacramento region, as flooding and wildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense. These impacts will only worsen as climate change accelerates. The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will ensure our healthcare system is prepared to face this new reality.”

    “The climate crisis is a persistent threat to our way of life – it is not just an environmental threat but is a public health emergency,” said Congressman Schneider. “The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will help ensure we are better prepared and supplied to protect the health and well-being of our communities and our planet. I’m proud to co-lead this bill with Reps. Matsui, Barragán and Carbajal and I’m hopeful that the coordination and investment it promotes will strengthen our ability to confront the health impacts of climate change head on.”

    “Climate change is already impacting the environment around us, and those changes bring real risks to our public health,” said Congressman Carbajal. “Our country must have a clear strategy for meeting these mounting threats to our air, water, and food supplies. This legislation marks a key step forward to defending both our environment and our well-being.”

    “Climate change is a very real problem that affects millions of Americans, from the growing health challenges they face to the care they receive,” said Congresswoman Barragán. “Yet, the Trump administration has undermined our federal agencies’ ability to protect our communities from climate change, especially as many of our underserved communities often fall through the cracks. That is why I am proud to co-lead this bill with Representative Matsui, which prioritizes public health and protects the environment by making sure that our agencies have the proper tools and resources they need to help combat climate change.”

    “The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act of 2025 would implement an evidence-based approach to protecting Americans from the health threats of hazards like extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and storms. Data shows these climate-related events are increasing in severity and frequency,” said Jenny Keroack, Director of Program Strategy & Management in Health Care Without Harm’s U.S. Climate Program. “As a civil servant who worked at the now-defunct HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, I was proud to help health care organizations support their patients and staff in the face of climate threats. We must redouble these efforts and use all of our public health tools to safeguard our communities from natural disasters and extreme weather.”

    “The climate crisis is also a health crisis and requires a robust whole-of-government approach to combat it,” said Ranjani Prabhakar, Legislative Director, Healthy Communities at Earthjustice Action. “From extreme heat to intense natural disasters, climate change is causing and exacerbating negative health outcomes in communities across the country. We thank Senator Markey and Rep. Matsui for recognizing the critical link between climate and public health and obligating the government to act.” 

    Specifically, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act would:

    • Formally establish an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity within the Department of Health and Human Services.
    • Provide technical support to state and local health departments to develop preparedness plans and conduct community outreach.
    • Enhance modeling of environmental and disease data and expand research into the relationship between climate change and health.
    • Prioritize communities who have been disproportionately harmed by the climate crisis.
    • Improve monitoring of infectious diseases and environmental health indicators.
    • Develop a National Strategic Action Plan for climate and health.
    • Require health impact assessments to determine how current and proposed laws, policies, and programs would protect against the health impacts of climate change.

    This legislation is endorsed by Health Care Without Harm, American College of Physicians, Center for Organizing, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Public Citizen, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Earthjustice, Climate Justice Alliance, and the International Transformational Resilience Coalition.

    Senator Markey has introduced several pieces of legislation to address the intersecting climate and health crises, including the Green New Deal for Health Act, which he introduced with Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) in 2023.

    In July 2025, along with Representative Barragán, Senator Markey introduced a resolution recognizing climate change as a growing threat to public health and calling for a coordinated federal strategy to protect communities from worsening climate-fueled harms. 

    Last Congress, Senator Markey introduced the Protecting Moms and Babies against Climate Change Act with Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-04), the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act with Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act with Representatives Paul Tonko (NY-20) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests foreign fugitive from Honduras wanted for homicide

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    EASTON, Pa – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia, in collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations Allentown and Drug Enforcement Administration Allentown arrested Yobani Bonilla-Bonilla, aka, Gilberto Perez-Alvarado, a 29-year-old citizen of Honduras in Easton, Pennsylvania June 14. Bonilla is a foreign fugitive wanted in Honduras for homicide, under the alias Gilberto Perez-Alvarado.

    Bonilla was previously arrested for driving under the influence by the Wilson Borough Police Department in Wilson, Pennsylvania.

    “ICE Philadelphia remains steadfast in our mission to protect public safety by apprehending and removing individuals who pose a threat to our communities,” said ERO Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “We will not allow foreign, violent actors to find sanctuary in the U.S. We will find them and remove them, so that they cannot harm the citizens of this country.”

    The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Bonilla near Hidalgo, Texas June 9, 2015, after he entered the U.S. without admission or parole by an immigration officer. He was subsequently served with a Notice and Order of Expedited Removal, finding him inadmissible to the U.S. pursuant to section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. On June 15, 2015, ERO San Antonio removed Bonilla from the U.S. to Honduras.

    On Jan. 4, 2016, a court in Honduras issued an arrest warrant for Bonilla for homicide.

    Bonilla again unlawfully reentered the U.S. without admission or parole by an immigration officer at an undetermined time and location.

    On Sep. 13, 2024, the Wilson Borough Police Department in Wilson, Pennsylvania arrested Bonilla for driving under the influence. These charges remain pending.

    Bonilla will remain in ICE custody pending prosecution for unlawful reentry and his removal from the U.S.

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

    Learn more about ICE Philadelphia’s mission to increase public safety in our Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia communities on X, at @EROPhiladelphia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 539, PROTECT Our Children Reauthorization Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 539 would reauthorize the PROTECT our Children Act of 2008 and authorize the appropriation of specific amounts for each year from 2026 through 2028 totaling $240 million for programs at the Department of Justice that assist federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in investigating and prosecuting child exploitation. Most of the authorized funding would support the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) program, a network of task forces that support state and local governments’ efforts to investigate and prosecute child sexual exploitation and other crimes against children committed over the Internet. S. 539 also would limit liability for ICAC task forces in civil and criminal lawsuits filed in federal or state courts with respect to investigations of crimes against children. The underlying authorizations for those programs expired at the end of 2024.

    Lastly, the bill would require the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to provide all supplemental information reported to the CyberTipline to law enforcement agencies. The CyberTipline is the national reporting system for online child sexual exploitation.

    Based on historical spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing S. 539 would cost $157 million over the 2025-2030 period and $83 million after 2030, assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts.

    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 750 (administration of justice).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 539
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		  
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2025-2030

    Authorization

    0

    70

    80

    90

    0

    0

    240

    Estimated Outlays

    0

    5

    20

    36

    48

    48

    157

    S. 539 would impose intergovernmental and private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) by providing certain liability protections against criminal or civil cases arising in federal or state courts with respect to ICAC’s investigations of crimes against children.This would remove a right of action from public and private entities. The cost of this mandate would be the lost financial rewards from successful litigation. CBO cannot anticipate the number of cases that would be prohibited under the bill, the outcome of such cases, or the financial awards from successful litigation. Therefore, CBO cannot determine whether the cost of the mandate would exceed the intergovernmental and private-sector thresholds established in UMRA ($103 million and $206 million respectfully, in 2025, adjusted annually for inflation).

    The bill also would impose a private-sector mandate on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by requiring NCMEC to include supplemental information with their reports on child abuse to law enforcement agencies. CBO assumes that this information is readily available because NCMEC already compiles this information in the process of creating those reports. Therefore, CBO expects the cost of this mandate would be well below the private-sector threshold established in UMRA.

    The CBO staff contacts for this estimate are Jeremy Crimm (for federal costs) and Erich Dvorak (for mandates). The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Homeland Security Task Force Created in Houston

    Source: US FBI

    Task Force Will Combat Emerging Transnational Criminal Threats

    HOUSTON—The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Field Office and FBI Houston announced the establishment of a regional Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) on July 17 to combat emerging threats from transnational criminal organizations in Southeast Texas.

    The task force was created as a regional component to the national Homeland Security Task Force established by the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice pursuant to an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump on January 29, 2025, to protect the American people from invasion by transnational criminals.

    The Houston HSTF’s objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations operating in Southeast Texas through a collaborative, whole-of-government approach. To accomplish this mission, the HSTF will conduct intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional investigations targeting drug trafficking, money laundering, weapons trafficking, human trafficking, alien smuggling, homicide, extortion, kidnapping, child exploitation, and other transnational crimes. The task force will work closely with state and local partners to identify, investigate, and eliminate violent criminal organizations and associates operating in communities throughout Southeast Texas.

    “As transnational criminal organizations, foreign terrorist organizations, drug cartels, foreign gangs and other bad actors continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, it’s vital that we work together as a law enforcement community to find transformative ways to confront emerging threats,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “This is especially true in Southeast Texas where we face a myriad of unique border-related challenges and threats from transnational criminal organizations. By establishing this permanently integrated multi-agency task force with dedicated personnel from federal, state and local law enforcement working side-by-side with a common mission, we will be better postured to detect and respond to any type of threat we might face.”

    “Foreign terror organizations who profit off violence, drugs, and human lives now face a united front unseen before in Houston,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “For the first time, law enforcement and intelligence agencies are focused on hunting down and eradicating transnational criminals within Houston communities. Federal, state, and local police will coordinate with the U.S. Intelligence Community and overseas partners to efficiently eliminate newly designated terrorists wreaking havoc in our neighborhoods.”

    The Homeland Security Task Force will be headquartered in Houston and have a satellite office in Corpus Christi. The heads of HSI Houston and FBI Houston will co-lead the task force with input from a regional executive committee comprised of leaders from participating agencies. Task force personnel will include law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff.

    Participating agencies will include the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director, U.S. Attorneys from the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, and other federal, state, and local partners.

    For more news and information on the Houston Homeland Security Task Force follow @FBIHouston and @HSIHouston on X.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Angola: Authorities must respect and ensure the right to freedom of peaceful assembly

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Angolan authorities must respect and ensure the right of peaceful assembly and guarantee that nationwide protests planned for 19 and 26 July against high cost of living, are facilitated and protected, said Amnesty International.

    Police must refrain from violating the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including through the use of unnecessary and excessive force against protestors as witnessed in past protests, including on 12 July, where some of the protesters were arbitrarily arrested and others injured following unlawful use of force by the police

    Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns in East and Southern Africa.

    The organization has documented how members of the Rapid Intervention Police and the Service for Criminal Investigation repressed similar protests held in Luanda, on 12 July where at least two people were critically injured, and 17 others were arrested.

    “Police must refrain from violating the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, including through the use of unnecessary and excessive force against protestors as witnessed in past protests, including on 12 July, where some of the protesters were arbitrarily arrested and others injured following unlawful use of force by the police,” said Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Campaigns in East and Southern Africa.

    “Angolan authorities must immediately open independent, thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations of human rights violations committed by members of the Angola Police and to bring the perpetrators to account in a fair trial”.

    “Authorities must refrain from harassing and intimidating those who exercise their right of peaceful assembly”.

    Background

    Members from civil society organizations, such as Movement Fúria 99, from the Union for Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) and from the Angola Students Movement called for a two-day protest on 12 and 19 July 2025, following high fuel and transportation costs. On 12 July, thousands of people joined the protest, which was planned to start at the São Paulo Square and to end at the Maianga Square, in front of the National Assembly, in Luanda. The protest was impeded by the Police.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA to Launch SNIFS, Sun’s Next Trailblazing Spectator

    Source: NASA

    July will see the launch of the groundbreaking Solar EruptioN Integral Field Spectrograph mission, or SNIFS. Delivered to space via a Black Brant IX sounding rocket, SNIFS will explore the energy and dynamics of the chromosphere, one of the most complex regions of the Sun’s atmosphere. The SNIFS mission’s launch window at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico opens on Friday, July 18. 
    The chromosphere is located between the Sun’s visible surface, or photosphere, and its outer layer, the corona. The different layers of the Sun’s atmosphere have been researched at length, but many questions persist about the chromosphere. “There’s still a lot of unknowns,” said Phillip Chamberlin, a research scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder and principal investigator for the SNIFS mission.  

    The chromosphere lies just below the corona, where powerful solar flares and massive coronal mass ejections are observed. These solar eruptions are the main drivers of space weather, the hazardous conditions in near-Earth space that threaten satellites and endanger astronauts. The SNIFS mission aims to learn more about how energy is converted and moves through the chromosphere, where it can ultimately power these massive explosions.  
    “To make sure the Earth is safe from space weather, we really would like to be able to model things,” said Vicki Herde, a doctoral graduate of CU Boulder who worked with Chamberlin to develop SNIFS.  

    The SNIFS mission is the first ever solar ultraviolet integral field spectrograph, an advanced technology combining an imager and a spectrograph. Imagers capture photos and videos, which are good for seeing the combined light from a large field of view all at once. Spectrographs dissect light into its various wavelengths, revealing which elements are present in the light source, their temperature, and how they’re moving — but only from a single location at a time. 
    The SNIFS mission combines these two technologies into one instrument.  
    “It’s the best of both worlds,” said Chamberlin. “You’re pushing the limit of what technology allows us to do.” 
    By focusing on specific wavelengths, known as spectral lines, the SNIFS mission will help scientists to learn about the chromosphere. These wavelengths include a spectral line of hydrogen that is the brightest line in the Sun’s ultraviolet (UV) spectrum, and two spectral lines from the elements silicon and oxygen. Together, data from these spectral lines will help reveal how the chromosphere connects with upper atmosphere by tracing how solar material and energy move through it. 
    The SNIFS mission will be carried into space by a sounding rocket. These rockets are effective tools for launching and carrying space experiments and offer a valuable opportunity for hands-on experience, particularly for students and early-career researchers.

    “You can really try some wild things,” Herde said. “It gives the opportunity to allow students to touch the hardware.” 
    Chamberlin emphasized how beneficial these types of missions can be for science and engineering students like Herde, or the next generation of space scientists, who “come with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of new ideas, new techniques,” he said. 
    The entirety of the SNIFS mission will likely last up to 15 minutes. After launch, the sounding rocket is expected to take 90 seconds to make it to space and point toward the Sun, seven to eight minutes to perform the experiment on the chromosphere, and three to five minutes to return to Earth’s surface.  

    [embedded content]
    A previous sounding rocket launch from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This mission carried a copy of the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE).Credit: NASA/University of Colorado Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics/James Mason

    The rocket will drift around 70 to 80 miles (112 to 128 kilometers) from the launchpad before its return, so mission contributors must ensure it will have a safe place to land. White Sands, a largely empty desert, is ideal. 
    Herde, who spent four years working on the rocket, expressed her immense excitement for the launch. “This has been my baby.” 

    By Harper LawsonNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Danish Presidency debriefs EP committees on priorities

    Source: European Parliament

    Denmark holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of 2025. This text will be updated regularly as the hearings take place.

    Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

    On 15 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, said that the Presidency will focus on easing the administrative burden for farmers while continuing to promote the green transition and animal welfare. Concluding the current negotiations on the common agricultural policy (CAP) simplification package and starting discussions on the post-2027 CAP will also be priorities.

    Several MEPs called for fair conditions between farmers inside and outside the EU in connection with the Mercosur Agreement and animal welfare. They asked how the presidency will help guarantee the EU’s protein and fertiliser self-sufficiency and support organic farmers. Others raised the issue of ensuring that the green transition does not compromise the agriculture sector’s sustainability.

    Regional Development Committee

    On 15 July, Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre argued that cohesion policy should continue to play a crucial role in the EU budget, as the Presidency works on proposals for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). She said that funding should also support competitiveness and be flexible in the face of unexpected events. Ms Bjerre highlighted the need to strengthen rule of law conditionality in the allocation of EU funds.

    MEPs agreed on the need to modernise cohesion policy and make it more flexible, but asked for the Presidency’s support in defending the policy’s core purpose – reducing inequalities between regions – and the role of regions and local authorities.

    Legal Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stressed the need to boost EU competitiveness but also to protect common values while advancing the green and digital transition. He committed to make progress on draft bills on the protection of adults and insolvency, while promoting rules on parenthood.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, will strive to simplify existing rules for the benefit of EU businesses in the upcoming negotiations on sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations. Mr Bødskov also intends to advance the patent package and the “28th regime” initiative (a single set of EU rules to support innovation).

    MEPs inquired about plans to strengthen the rule of law, fight illegal migration and improve licensing, considering the planned withdrawal of the proposal on standard essential patents. They also asked for work to move ahead on the special tribunal for the crime of aggression, for measures to ensure that simplification does not lead to deregulation, and for efforts to balance rights and copyright in the context of new technologies.

    Foreign Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said that the Presidency wants to advance EU accession negotiations with all candidate countries. She also added that the EU must act more independently to ensure its security. The dialogue with Türkiye will continue, but its accession negotiations will remain on hold.

    MEPs called for more support for some candidate countries on their EU path. They also enquired on possible new strategic partners for the EU, given recent developments in relations with the US, and called for the deepening of relations with Latin America. They also asked what steps the Presidency intends to take to help the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    Environment, Climate Change and Food Safety Committee

    On 15 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, highlighted the need to simplify EU legislation for farmers and food producers, and to promote innovation through tools such as new genomic techniques, on which the Presidency aims to strike a deal with Parliament. He stressed the importance of making the EU’s agri-food sector more competitive while maintaining high standards of sustainability and food safety. Other priorities include an EU strategy for plant-based proteins, animal welfare, and action to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

    MEPs raised questions about the future of the CAP, demanding greater fairness, increased support for smaller farms, and clear targets for pesticide reduction. MEPs also enquired about trade agreements, such as with Mercosur, and a possible ban on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

    Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, stressed the importance of reaching an agreement on the EU 2040 climate target, to offer clear guidance for climate action, investment, and industrial competitiveness. He underlined the need for an agreement before the COP30 in Brazil on 10–21 November 2025, to show EU leadership and unity.

    Some MEPs raised concerns about energy affordability and the social impact of the new emissions trading system, while others stressed excessive flexibility would undermine the 2040 target.

    Civil liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said the Presidency would prioritise work on the fight against serious cross-border and organised crime, action to improve victims’ rights, and police cooperation to counter migrant smuggling. The Presidency will also advance work on the directive and regulation to combat child sexual abuse.

    Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, called for implementation of the “Preparedness Union” strategy to strengthen EU security, resilience and preparedness. The Presidency will advance work on the reformed EU civil protection mechanism, the stockpiling strategy and measures to protect critical infrastructure.

    MEPs asked the Presidency about progress on the directives on combating corruption and victims’ rights. According to the Justice Minister, work on both will continue promptly as a priority. MEPs and the Ministers also discussed law enforcement access to data, and measures against terrorism and online radicalisation.

    Kaare Dybvad, Minister for Immigration and Integration, emphasised the need to implement the Asylum and Migration Pact in full. The Presidency will work on proposals on safe third countries, safe countries of origin and a common approach to returns. He also mentioned the possibility of developing external partnerships and possible return hubs in third countries, stressing the need to uphold international law and human rights. Other priorities are action to combat migrant smuggling and the EU talent pool.

    On Migration and Asylum Pact implementation, MEPs asked about the solidarity platform, protection of human dignity, and cooperation with third countries. The minister replied that priority should be given to people in need of refugee status. Economic migrants must use legal channels, and those with no right to stay need to be returned to their home countries.

    Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs, said the Presidency aimed to strengthen the link between respect for EU values and access to EU funds, enhance the Council’s rule of law dialogues, and support tools such as the Commission’s rule of law report. It will also work to reinforce the conditionality mechanism in the next long-term budget, by increasing funding for it and ensuring more automatic application.

    Some MEPs raised concerns about the situation in Hungary, and called for a stronger conditionality mechanism and better protection of media freedom and civil society. Others called for clarity on the definition of rule of law, and raised the issues of spyware use against journalists and the situation in Gaza.

    Employment and Social Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Employment Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen stressed that the Presidency would focus on investing in skills, fair labour mobility, strengthening social dialogue, and occupational health. She aims to advance the revision of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMRD) and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers. Minister for Social Affairs and Housing Sophie Hæstorp Andersen highlighted the need to improve independent living for persons with disabilities and to improve access to sustainable and affordable housing.

    MEPs highlighted the lack of legislative proposals in social areas and voiced concern about the future of the European Social Fund+. They stressed the need to strengthen the European Labour Authority, and addressed the working conditions of non-EU nationals, the lack of skilled workers, and the migration of qualified workers. Others asked for action on employment rights for persons with disabilities, the coordination of social security systems, and the European Child Guarantee.

    Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee

    On 15 July, Caroline Stage Olsen, Digital Affairs Minister, emphasised the need for action to boost investment and cut red tape. Special attention will be given to protecting minors online through firm Digital Services Act enforcement, new age verification rules and action to tackle addictive design. She supported postponing elements of the AI Act to give business, especially smaller companies, more time to comply.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, stressed the Presidency’s intention to tackle customs challenges, unfair competition, slow growth and job loss. The minister also expressed strong support for the green transition and the need to advance work on simplification packages and regulatory burden reduction targets.

    MEPs asked about the Presidency’s plans to work on e-commerce, the posting of workers, attracting talent and the “28th regime” (a single set of EU rules to support innovation). They also enquired about digital policy loopholes and the Digital Fairness Act, and the need to advance negotiations on the late payments regulation and the European defence industrial strategy.

    Development Committee

    On 15 July, Foreign Affairs Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called for a stronger Team Europe approach, given the widening gap between humanitarian needs and the resources available. Presidency priorities include the Global Gateway, the Samoa Agreement, the EU-African Union (AU) Summit, human rights and the sustainable development goals. The Presidency will champion external action in negotiations on the next long-term EU budget.

    MEPs stressed the importance of development aid and the need to make sure foreign investment upholds human rights, while also voicing concern over irregular migration. They called for a broader EU presence at the next EU-AU Summit, and asked about the Presidency’s plan for the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

    Public Health Committee

    On 16 July, Sophie Løhde, Danish Minister for Interior and Health, highlighted the need to strengthen EU preparedness through efficient medical countermeasures, ensure better access to medicines, and address antimicrobial resistance. She shared the Presidency’s commitment to finalising the Council’s position on the critical medicines act, hoping an agreement with Parliament could be reached on the pharmaceutical package by the end of the year.

    MEPs quizzed the minister on medicine affordability, rare diseases, and healthcare workforce shortages. Some called for a greater focus on women’s health, action against PFAS contamination, and improved EU coordination of health and military crisis preparedness.

    Constitutional Affairs Committee

    On 16 July, European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said the Presidency priorities were to advance a merit-based EU accession process and uphold the rule of law. She also highlighted the need to reinforce democratic resilience, for instance through the Commission’s Democracy Shield and improved transparency of foreign interests. The Presidency is also committed to strengthening interinstitutional cooperation and pursuing institutional reforms within the existing treaty framework.

    MEPs raised questions on the link between internal EU reforms and future accessions, the use of qualified majority voting to overcome institutional deadlocks, the right of inquiry, and electoral reform. Bjerre replied that the lack of consensus among member states on possible treaty changes made that a less feasible path.

    Security and Defence Committee

    On 16 July, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that one of the priorities was to continue to support Ukraine politically, militarily and financially, and work on integrating the Ukrainian defence industry into the EU one. This includes paving the way for Ukrainian companies to set up facilities in the rest of Europe. He also mentioned the need for Europe to be able to defend itself by 2030 by increasing its defence readiness and production, and freeing up defence financing.

    MEPs questioned the minister on a range of topics, including the use of frozen Russian state assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction, a dedicated European defence fund, removing hurdles to support the Ukrainian defence industry, and the pros and cons of non-EU country access to EU defence funds.

    Fisheries Committee

    On 16 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, said the Presidency would prioritise the green transition, simplification, including for the Ocean Pact, and better regulation of fisheries. They will also focus on fishing opportunities in the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea for 2026 to allow fishers to plan early.

    MEPs highlighted fleet renewal, the Baltic Sea’s herring situation and the MFF’s role in achieving sustainability, simplification, and climate goals. They expressed concern over the 24-metre fleet renewal restriction and called for specific funding mechanisms for the Ocean Pact. Finally, they welcomed the focus on 2026 fishing quotas and sustainability objectives.

    Transport and Tourism Committee

    Boosting competitiveness, easing the administrative burden, ensuring a green transition in transport and tourism, but also military mobility, are the main drivers of Danish presidency, said Thomas Danielsen, Minister of Transport on 16 July. He hoped to start talks with MEPs on passenger rights and rules on counting CO2 emissions, as well as to finish negotiations on railway capacity infrastructure. Morten Bødskov, Minister of Business, Industry and Financial Services, added the Presidency perspective on shipping transport and upcoming EU ports and maritime industry strategies.

    The majority of transport committee MEPs welcomed the Presidency priorities, the ambition to reach a Council position on weights and dimensions rules, while some questioned the focus on the green transition. On passenger rights, MEPs were frustrated with the Council decision to force into a tight deadline to reach a deal on future rules, and asked the minister not to forget the multimodal part of the package.

    Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee

    On 16 July, Minister for Environment and Gender Equality, Magnus Heunicke, outlined priorities including combating gender-based violence, promoting equal opportunities by involving men and boys, and strengthening LGBTQI equality amid rising hate and harassment. He announced that a Council meeting on 17 October would focus on equality and non-discrimination.

    MEPs raised concerns about the absence of an EU-wide consent-based definition of rape, the lack of progress on the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive, the under-representation of women in government, and the stalled horizontal anti-discrimination directive. In response, Heunicke confirmed that there would be a discussion on a consent-based rape definition, and that finalising the Victims’ Rights Directive negotiations was a priority.

    International Trade Committee

    On 16 July, Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen named agreements on the revised general scheme of preferences (GSP) and the foreign investment screening review as being among his priorities. The phasing-out of Russian gas imports and ratification of the trade agreement with Mercosur are also high on the agenda. The Presidency will also work to negotiate a new trade relationship with the US, while being prepared for other scenarios.

    MEPs welcomed the priorities, particularly on concluding the Mercosur Agreement, phasing out Russian gas imports and concluding the revision of the GSP. Some MEPs also questioned the Presidency on how EU-Israel trade relations should evolve given the humanitarian situation in the Middle East.

    Culture and Education Committee

    On 16 July, Mattias Tesfaye, Minister for Education and Youth, said that Presidency wanted to make vocational education and training more attractive, ensure learning mobility, and focus on how the digitalisation affects learning outcomes. The Presidency will also prioritise negotiations on the next generation of Erasmus+ and on the European education area.

    Many MEPs expressed their concerns about the future of the Erasmus+ programme and enquired about the protection of children online, recognition of competences, and the safety of young students in the workplace.

    Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Minister for Culture, Media and Sports Policy, highlighted the need to prohibit the use of images, voice and other personal features in deepfakes or lifelike imitations. The EU Copyright Regulation should be updated to address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence to the cultural and creative sectors, either by guaranteeing fair remuneration for rights holders or by achieving the best possible conditions for licensing agreements. In sport, the Presidency promises to do more to uphold democratic values and integrity in the awarding of international sports events.

    MEPs asked for measures to help EU countries implement the European Media Freedom Act and highlighted the revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. MEPs also raised issues such as protecting heritage against natural disasters and gender equality programmes in sport.

    Industry, Research and Energy Committee

    On 16 July, Caroline Stage Olsson, Minister for Digital Affairs, outlined two priorities: enhancing digital competitiveness and protecting minors online. She advocated for reducing the administrative burden on business and for strategic investment for a more sovereign Europe. She also highlighted work on enforcing the Digital Services Act (DSA), stricter regulations for age verification and data protection, and the establishment of a competitiveness fund.

    Some MEPs stressed the need to reduce dependency on non-European tech companies and to balance regulation with simplification, to foster innovation while protecting consumers. Questions were asked about the impact of the DSA on free speech and privacy, and about investment in less connected regions.

    Troels Lund Poulsen, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, outlined four priorities: enhancing Europe’s defence capabilities, supporting Ukraine, fostering cooperation with NATO and strengthening the EU’s defence against hybrid threats. He also stressed the importance of the European defence industry programme (EDIP) to this end.

    Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, focused on cybersecurity and highlighted three priorities: strengthening EU cyber resilience, framing a robust EU response to cyber crises, and simplifying the EU cyber legislation framework.

    MEPs enquired about the creation of a unified European defence market, the standardisation of defence products, and the need for joint procurement to enhance defence capabilities. Questions also focused on Baltic Sea security and measures to counter potential sabotage. Concerns were voiced about Europe’s dependency on non-European defence suppliers.

    Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, emphasised the importance of a secure, clean and affordable energy supply, as well as of a stronger energy sector, focusing on renewable and clean energy produced locally. He called for an approach that would balance environmental protection with economic competitiveness and for Europe to phase out its dependency on Russian energy.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs focused on competitiveness and highlighted the need for increased investment in green technologies and new critical technologies such as life sciences, artificial intelligence, biotech, and quantum. Mr Bødskov also stressed the need to simplify regulations to foster innovation and growth.

    MEPs stressed the need for a more efficient regulatory environment to foster innovation and competitiveness. They expressed concerns about high energy prices and highlighted the importance of investing in clean energy technologies and infrastructure to achieve energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several MEPs questioned the balance between environmental protection and economic competitiveness, and called for a more pragmatic approach to regulation that would not stifle innovation and growth.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Marshall Renew Bipartisan Push to Crack Down on Illegal Drug Activity on Social Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today reintroduced the bipartisan Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act to require social media companies to work with federal agencies to combat the sale and distribution of illicit drugs on their platforms. The Senators’ bipartisan bill would ensure that social media companies turn over basic information relating to illicit online fentanyl activity to federal agencies – empowering state and local law enforcement to use this data to combat fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth. 
    “In recent years, we’ve seen the startling role that social media has played in fueling the substance use disorder crisis impacting New Hampshire by making it easier for young people to get their hands on these dangerous drugs. It’s past time that Congress step in to put a stop to it,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our bipartisan bill would hold social media companies accountable to their obligation to keep our kids safe by requiring that they report illicit drug activity on their platforms and work with law enforcement to stop it. Families and communities across this country have dealt with enough heartbreak – as the substance use epidemic evolves, so must our response.” 
    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is named after two young men who both tragically lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning after purchasing a pill from social media. It is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN). 
    In recent years, organized drug cartels have dominated fentanyl trafficking in the country, and they have set up large, sophisticated distribution networks online via social media. In investigating fentanyl-related poisoning and deaths in teenagers and young adults, law enforcement agencies have found an alarming rate of these deadly pills acquired through platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. Unfortunately, federal agencies do not have the data to intervene and prevent these illegal activities. The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act would require social media companies and other communication service providers to take on a more active role in working with federal agencies to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This critical data will also empower state and local law enforcement to combat fentanyl, methamphetamine and fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth. Fentanyl remains the most dangerous drug threat facing Americans, and fatal poisonings are the fastest growing among adolescents, teenagers and young adults. After a decrease of deaths involving opioids from an estimated 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024, drug-related deaths are rising across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
    Shaheen has spearheaded crucial legislation and funding to fight the substance use disorder epidemic, including through her leadership on the pivotal U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, which funds the U.S. Department of Justice. Shaheen recently introduced her bipartisan Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act to help prevent youth opioid use and overdoses by establishing a new grant program that allows current or former Drug-Free Communities (DFC) coalitions to partner with schools to provide resources educating students about the dangers of synthetic opioids. Shaheen has also helped enact the FENTANYL Results Act to increase global cooperation in the fight against synthetic drug trafficking and the HALT Fentanyl Act to permanently schedules all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act to ensure law enforcement can keep them off the streets and hold drug traffickers accountable. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Opening Remarks at Full Committee Mark Up of Military Construction-VA, Commerce-Justice-Science Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray’s opening remarks***

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following opening remarks as the committee meets to consider the draft fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies and Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations acts.

    Senator Murray’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below:

    “Thank you very much, Chair Collins.

    “We are here to resume consideration of the CJS bill and to take up the MilCon-VA bill—and I do want to thank our MilCon-VA subcommittee leaders, Senator Boozman, and Senator Ossoff for all of your hard work.

    “It is a good thing that by working together, we were able to put together a solid bill that invests in folks back home. This is the way the process should work: Senators coming together and finding common ground on common sense investments.

    “But I do have to acknowledge the elephant in the room here. It is no secret the path to advancing more of our bills is going to be harder because of the unprecedented, partisan rescissions bill that Republicans just passed.

    “It is extremely frustrating to see so many of the colleagues that have worked with us to pass funding bills turn around and vote to rip away the funding that we all agreed on.

    “I have never seen anything like it because the Senate has never done anything like it. We have never—until now—passed a purely partisan rescissions bill. It is a dangerous new precedent. And it poses some hard questions my colleagues across the aisle need to start answering. Because Russ Vought has not been subtle: round two of these partisan cuts are on their way soon. He said that this morning.

    “So, what do my colleagues want to do? Do they want to turn this into the Rescissions Committee? Because that is one path we could end up going down, and as of now we are one big, alarming step down it.

    “It is not the path I want go down. I want to see us turn back to what has historically made this Committee so powerful—and so worth being on—in the first place. Which is working together to advance bills that deliver for our constituents and get signed into law. And it is unfortunate that many members of this body have voted to make that a whole lot harder. That is the reality—and there is no ignoring it.

    “Now, I do believe our work here is as important as ever: writing bills that make the voice of the Senate, and the voices of our constituents heard, instead of letting Donald Trump and Russ Vought make the decisions with a forever CR. There is no doubt in my mind the bills that we negotiate—together—will be far preferable to the partisan House bills that cut like there’s no tomorrow or another slush fund CR.

    “We have already seen this President abuse the power from the last CR to ignore our bipartisan decisions, spend taxpayer dollars as he sees fit, and rob money from blue states—exactly as I warned about. We’ve already learned that lesson the hard way. We cannot throw in that towel again and let OMB hold up funding for our states or zero out projects we secured for folks back home. That’s part of why bipartisan bills are so important. But everyone has to understand, getting to the finish line always depends on our ability to work together in a bipartisan way. And it also depends on trust—trust.

    “And as I warned on the floor, bipartisanship doesn’t end with any one line being crossed, it erodes over time—bit by bit. And frankly, I am alarmed by how quickly that erosion is happening right now, over the last six months, and certainly over the last 24 hours.

    “We are racing in the wrong direction, and it is really on my colleagues across the aisle to decide if they are going to hit the brakes or go over the cliff. The question of whether forging a bipartisan path is hopeless or not will depend very much on whether this Committee is able to lock arms, and whether our colleagues will defend bipartisan deals from a budget chief who believes quite plainly that Congress—and appropriators—should have as little say as possible on federal spending.

    “I appreciate that two Republican members of this Committee ultimately took a principled stand against the partisan rescissions package, I really hope that more will join us in standing up for our power of the purse.

    “Now, turning back to the bills before us today—the MilCon-VA bill is one that I care very deeply about. As the daughter of a World War II veteran, the programs we fund in our MilCon-VA bill are very personal to me.

    “Doing right by our vets, getting them the care they need and the support they were promised, is a moral obligation. I’ll have more to say as we debate the bill—including areas I’d like to have done more.

    “But the bottom line is—it delivers the funding needed to support safe and updated infrastructure for our troops and their families and to keep our word to our veterans.

    “As the Chairman noted, we will also take up the CJS bill. I spoke last week about the serious concerns I share with Senator Van Hollen. And it is frustrating that after a bipartisan amendment was taken up, instead of advancing the bill, we recessed and are only now taking it back up with consideration of a partisan amendment.

    “My hope is that we can ensure the integrity of the process for the FBI site, and it’s protected along with the prerogatives of this committee. I am prepared to see what happens as this bill moves forward but will probably vote no if it does not get addressed.

    “With that, I will turn it back over to Chair Collins.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury-Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm

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

    SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison Wednesday after a federal jury convicted him in February for one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dante Delray Vecera, 33, was found unresponsive in a locked and running vehicle blocking two lanes of traffic on the 410 frontage road. Police officers observed a bag containing white powder, a marijuana cigarette, and a bag of what appeared to be black tar heroin inside the vehicle. The officers provided Vecera with Narcan, fearing an overdose. While waiting for EMS to arrive on scene, officers looked for Vecera’s driver’s license in an attempt to identify him and located an unholstered, loaded pistol in the pocket of his pants. While officers were removing the weapon, Vecera regained consciousness. He refused all field sobriety tests and was taken into custody after being medically cleared.

    Prior to this arrest Vecera had been convicted of several violent felonies, including two prior Nevada convictions for burglary and sexually motivated coercion, and a Texas conviction for violation of a protective order and assault.

    U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, San Antonio Police Department and the Castle Hills Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Karina O’Daniel and Amy Hail prosecuted the case.

    This is a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Initiative case. VAWA was first enacted in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. It initially focused on providing resources and training to improve the responses and policies of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, to support victim services, and to address crimes historically treated as private matters. Recognizing that domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking require a coordinated community response that extends beyond the justice system, Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, enhancing its policies and expanding grant funding streams, in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. The Office on Violence Against Women has issued more than $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA in its lifetime.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Launches Investigation into Employment Practices at George Mason University

    Source: United States Attorneys General 12

    Note: Read the letter here

    Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division opened an investigation into George Mason University to determine whether it is engaged in discriminatory employment practices based on race and sex.

    The investigation stems from statements and policies made by the University’s president, which indicate that race and sex are motivating factors in faculty hiring and other employment decisions to achieve “diversity” goals. Multiple emails and internal documents suggest preferential treatment of certain races and sexes in hiring and other employment practices, including promotion and tenure of faculty members.

    “It is unlawful and un-American to deny equal access to employment opportunities on the basis of race and sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When employers screen out qualified candidates from the hiring process, they not only erode trust in our public institutions—they violate the law, and the Justice Department will investigate accordingly.”

    The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section will investigate whether George Mason University is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Demands Answers on Shadowy, Mass Collection of DNA from Immigrants by DHS

    US Senate News:

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

    July 17, 2025

    Agents Often Take DNA Without Explanation, Including from Thousands of Children; DNA Surveillance Targets Immigrant Communities and Resembles Authoritarian Government Practices

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., slammed the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice for massively expanding the DNA collection of immigrant children and adults to permanently store in a national criminal database that could be weaponized by the Trump administration. 

    Wyden demanded answers from the Trump administration, which has failed to explain why it has vastly expanded DNA collection from immigrants by 5000%. Department of Homeland Security agents fail to clearly notify immigrants their DNA is being taken, fail to follow the department’s own policies, and often threaten individuals with arrest or criminal charges if they refuse to give their DNA, according to reports.  

    “Governments exercising such broad discretion to involuntarily collect and retain DNA are repressive authoritarian regimes also engaging in gross human rights violations, such as genocide, ethnic cleansing, torture, and more,” Wyden wrote in a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. “In fact, the U.S. Government has condemned the involuntary collection of DNA by the People’s Republic of China and has sanctioned entities engaged in this practice, yet this practice appears to be ongoing on our own soil.”

    The collection of samples includes more than 133,000 children as young as four years old, whose DNA will be used by law enforcement for every potential future investigation. 

    Legal experts have warned that the Administration’s secret, mass-collection of immigrant DNA may also violate constitutional due process rights. The Trump administration has green lighted DHS agents’ ability to detain and collect samples from immigrants without prior judicial authorization. 

    In order for Congress and the American people to understand the Trump administration’s collection of DNA from immigrants, Wyden requested answers to the following questions by August 1, 2025:

    1. What is the United States Government’s interest in collecting and retaining DNA from noncitizens in the course of immigration detention and enforcement?

    2. Which agencies, including DHS subcomponent agencies, has the Attorney General authorized to participate in the collection of DNA from noncitizens?

    3. Please describe in detail how DHS is able to access and utilize DNA samples and related information collected in the course of immigration detention and enforcement once the samples and information are retained in CODIS and any other databases.

    4. Please describe in detail how DOJ is able to access and utilize DNA samples and related information collected in the course of immigration detention and enforcement once the samples and information are retained in CODIS and any other databases.

    5. When DHS or subcomponent agencies collect DNA material from individuals in immigration detention and enforcement, where are DNA samples stored following collection?

    6. To date, how many adult noncitizens have DHS officials collected DNA from during immigration detention and enforcement activities? Further, how many DNA samples from adult noncitizens have been collected by DHS since January 2025?

    7. To date, how many minors (18 years old and younger) have DHS officials collected DNA from during immigration detention and enforcement activities in the last five years?

    8. Further, how many DNA samples from minors have been collected by DHS since January 2025?

    9. What Department-wide guidance and/or agency-specific guidance is provided to DHS officials regarding the collection of DNA from noncitizens?

    10. How often is DNA collected by DHS, without judicial authorization, being used in criminal investigations and prosecutions?

    11. Does DHS policy prohibit intimidation, coercion, or the threat of criminal prosecution to compel a noncitizen to provide a DNA sample?

    12. Does DHS or any subcomponent currently have a process in place to expunge DNA and related information stored in CODIS that were collected in the course of a noncitizen’s detention?

    13. Does DHS by practice or policy notify individuals whose DNA and related information have been collected during immigration detention?

    14. What information are DOJ and DHS, respectively, able to extract from the DNA they retain? Is DNA accessed to determine any ethnographic or racial information about the individual?

    Wyden has consistently advocated in the Senate for humane immigration reform.  In July, he criticized the Trump administration’s hostile immigration policies and joined colleagues to introduce a bill to require immigration enforcement agents to display clear identification. In March, he slammed the Trump administration for its resurrection of a draconian immigration order that requires immigrants to register with the federal government and carry proof of their registration at all times. In April, he reintroduced legislation to guarantee legal representation for unaccompanied children in immigration court. In June, he reintroduced legislation to protect TPS and DED recipients from Trump’s attacks on immigrants.

    The text of the letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Launches Investigation into Employment Practices at George Mason University

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Note: Read the letter here

    Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division opened an investigation into George Mason University to determine whether it is engaged in discriminatory employment practices based on race and sex.

    The investigation stems from statements and policies made by the University’s president, which indicate that race and sex are motivating factors in faculty hiring and other employment decisions to achieve “diversity” goals. Multiple emails and internal documents suggest preferential treatment of certain races and sexes in hiring and other employment practices, including promotion and tenure of faculty members.

    “It is unlawful and un-American to deny equal access to employment opportunities on the basis of race and sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “When employers screen out qualified candidates from the hiring process, they not only erode trust in our public institutions—they violate the law, and the Justice Department will investigate accordingly.”

    The Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section will investigate whether George Mason University is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, sex, and other protected characteristics, pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Poland recalls ambassador to Hungary over asylum dispute

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

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

    BUDAPEST/WARSAW, July 17 (Xinhua) — Poland has officially recalled its ambassador to Hungary, the Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday.

    Polish Foreign Ministry spokesman Pawel Wronski told the Polish Press Agency that the mission of Ambassador to Hungary Sebastian Kenczyk officially ended on July 15. “There is currently a temporary chargé d’affaires in Budapest,” Wronski said, signaling a reduction in the level of Poland’s diplomatic presence in Hungary.

    Warsaw described the decision as a response to a “hostile act against the Republic of Poland,” referring to Hungary’s decision to grant political asylum to former Polish Deputy Justice Minister Marcin Romanowski.

    Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry State Secretary Levente Magyar acknowledged the downgrade in diplomatic relations in a statement on Wednesday, expressing regret over the developments but calling them temporary.

    “This unfortunate step is the result of a gradual deterioration in our political ties – an unprecedented case in the history of our relations with any partner in Central Europe,” L. Magyar noted.

    The current case highlights the growing political rift between two countries that once closely aligned their positions on many EU policy issues. –0–

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    .

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RELEASE: Mullin, Army Secretary Driscoll Emphasize Readiness and Highlight Oklahoma Excellence in Fort Sill Tour

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    RELEASE: Mullin, Army Secretary Driscoll Emphasize Readiness and Highlight Oklahoma Excellence in Fort Sill Tour

    Washington, D.C. – On Monday, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll joined U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) on a tour of Fort Sill. Included in the tour was a visit to Joint C-sUAS University where Senator Mullin showcased how Ft. Sill and Lawton are leading the way in equipping our warfighters with cutting edge technology and training.

    “The Lawton-Fort Sill community is critical to our mission of being the most prepared and lethal fighting force in the world,” said Senator Mullin. “It was an honor to have the Army Secretary in Oklahoma to be able to show him how we are leading the way in supporting our warfighters.”

    In a rapidly changing technological environment, Senator Mullin and the Secretary also discussed the importance of defending against drones and other modern threats. Readiness was also a key point of the visit as it is critical our warfighters have the most recent technology to protect and advance our interests.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Working together to strengthen legal aid

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sherman Announces $14.5 Million in Funding for Valley & Westside Projects Advanced by Key Congressional Panel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

    Sherman Oaks, CA – Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-32) announced today his requests of $14.5 million in federal funds for projects that will address vital needs across the San Fernando Valley and Westside of Los Angeles have been advanced by a key Congressional panel.

    Two relevant subcommittees of the House Committee on Appropriations voted to approve all 15 of the community projects Congressman Sherman submitted for consideration in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations process. The underlying legislation will now proceed to a vote by the full membership of the Appropriations Committee before the whole House of Representatives can consider the measure. Funding Members’ community projects in FY2026 will require full-year spending bills rather than a Continuing Resolution. Should FY2026 spending bills pass the House with community projects included, these same bills must also pass the Senate before they can be signed into law.

    The projects include:

    Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) – Santa Monica Mountains Brush Clearance & Wildfire Mitigation
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000

    Lands within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) are in need of habitat restoration, in particular brush clearance and the removal of invasive plant species. This project is critical to reducing wildfire risk and preserving the wildlife habitat.

    City of Los Angeles – The Crisis and Incident Response through Community – Led Engagement Program
    Committee Approved Amount: $2,062,000
    The funding will be used to help to expand the Crisis and Incident Response through Community-led Engagement (CIRCLE) program, a 24/7 unarmed response program that deploys trained teams to address non-urgent LAPD calls related to unhoused individuals.

    California State University, Northridge – High Bay Structural Test Lab
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000
    The technology and equipment in this 1,100-square-foot lab will expand research opportunities, through testing on structural systems using different types of loads that reflect real-world conditions. In addition, the laboratory provides workforce training to CSUN students in STEM pathways as the lab’s projects has real-world applications.

    Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles – Community Security Initiative Program
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000
    The funding will be used to strengthen the security of Jewish schools, synagogues, camps, groups, and organizations. 

    Labor Community Services Food Bank Equipment Upgrades
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,200,000
    The funding will be used for modernizing and upgrading the Labor Community Services (LCS) Food Bank Warehouse equipment to serve the Los Angeles community. 

    Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs – West Los Angeles VA Modular Home Construction
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    Los Angeles County will partner with West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs for the acquisition and installation of modular housing to serve as temporary housing under the VA’s Care, Treatment, and Rehabilitative Services (CTRS) Program.

    Los Angeles Fire Department Station Renovations 
    Committee Approved Amount: $2,000,000
    The funding will be used to improve several of the 20 fire stations in California’s 32nd Congressional District. 

    City of Los Angeles – Grancell Village Affordable Senior Housing Project
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    The funding will be used to build affordable senior housing units at Grancell Village campus in Reseda, supporting low-income and disabled seniors.

    Los Angeles Pierce College – Community Engagement and Enrichment Center
    Committee Approved Amount: $250,000
    The funding will be used to create the Pierce College Community Engagement & Enrichment Center, which will provide underserved populations of the San Fernando Valley with a safe and enriching environment.

    Los Angeles Police Department – West LA Real Time Crime Center
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,031,000
    The funding will be used to install a Real Time Crime Center in the West Los Angeles LAPD Division and expand the camera network around the community to reduce burglaries.

    Los Angeles River Greenway Studio City Habitat Restoration, Beautification, and Safety Project
    Committee Approved Amount: $250,000 
    The project will occur along the south bank of the Los Angeles River from Whitsett Avenue to Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Studio City and include new, native landscaping to replace existing, non-native plants. The project will also install public lighting, both along the path and along access pathways and seating areas.

    Malibu Canyon Road and Kanan Dume Road Tunnel Lighting Upgrade Project 
    Committee Approved Amount: $250,000
    The project will result in enhanced visibility and improve driver safety conditions for the tunnels along Malibu Canyon Road, Kanan Road, and Kanan Dume Road.

    Sepulveda Basin Pedestrian Safety & Access Improvements
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    The project will provide new and enhanced pedestrian pathways into the Sepulveda Basin recreation area, providing car-free access to LA28 Olympic Games venues. 

    Southwest Valley Park Improvements – City of Los Angeles
    Committee Approved Amount: $850,000
    The funding will be used to improve parks in the City of Los Angeles. 

    Beit T’Shuvah – Combatting Crime Through Integrated Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Education and Prevention Program
    Committee Approved Amount: $1,039,000
    This project seeks to reduce the prevalence of drug-related crime in Los Angeles County, Congressional District 32, through addiction treatment, prevention, and education opportunities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Out-of-state deer poachers ordered to pay nearly $120,000 in southern Illinois

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

    BENTON, Ill. – Five men from Mississippi were sentenced in southern Illinois federal court after admitting to using spotlights to illegally hunt white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties.

    Lee J. Johnson, 54, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution and a $10,000 fine.

    Steven J. Pique, 56, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution.

    Gerald B. Moran, 40, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and a $2,500 fine.

    Joshua A. Marshall, 30, of Saucier, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution and a $2,500 fine.

    John M. Pritchard, 57, of Biloxi, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful transport of wildlife in violation of the Lacey Act and was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution and a $5,000 fine.

    According to court documents, between 2018 and 2022, the poachers would use spotlights to scout white-tailed deer in Massac, Jefferson, Union, Pope and Clark counties in southern Illinois. Once a deer was located, members of the group would get a rifle, spotlight the deer again, and then shoot to kill. They would later return to collect the carcass.

    “This was not an isolated incident of unlawful hunting; rather, it was a calculated, multi-year operation that exploited Illinois’s prized wildlife resources for personal gain,” said Assistant Director Douglas Ault, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Targeting trophy deer under the cover of night, across multiple counties, and transporting them across state lines reflects a deliberate disregard for wildlife laws and the ecological balance we work tirelessly to protect. Such organized violations undermine decades of conservation progress and diminish the integrity of fair-chase hunting traditions that responsible hunters value nationwide.”

    After collecting the carcass, the poachers would then transport the animal over state lines from Illinois back to Mississippi where they would harvest and process the deer. Typically, the poachers would mount the deer’s head, antlers or other parts of its body.

    The defendants’ fines will go to the Lacey Act Reward Account through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and restitution will go to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

    “This case sends a clear message: wildlife laws are not only about species protection, but they also uphold the principles of fair chase and ethical hunting. The Illinois Conservation Police, in partnership with our dedicated federal agencies, consistently demonstrate professionalism and commitment to enforcing these laws,” said Jed Whitchurch, director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Law Enforcement. “The complexity and scale of this case required multiagency coordination, and thanks to that teamwork, we’ve reinforced the stewardship values that define responsible hunting and the importance of natural resources law enforcement.”

    The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Conservation Police, with support from USFWS Federal Wildlife Officers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Man Indicted for Illegally Possessing Firearm

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

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tracy Parker, 37, was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    The indictment alleges that on Oct. 23, 2024, Parker—who had previously been convicted of multiple felonies—possessed a firearm in violation of federal law.  The charge stems from an arrest of Parker in Jackson County on Oct. 13, 2024.  In the process of being apprehended, Parker dropped a 9mm handgun on the ground, which officers later recovered. 

    The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.  Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick.  It was investigated by the Kansas City Missouri Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

    Operation Take Back America

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: CBSA officers seize 70 kg of cocaine at Osoyoos port of entry in B.C.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 17, 2025             Vancouver, British Columbia         Canada Border Services Agency

    Today, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced a significant seizure of  suspected cocaine being smuggled into Canada at the Osoyoos port of entry in British Columbia.

    On June 11, 2025, border services officers at Osoyoos port of entry examined the pick-up truck of a Canadian citizen who was returning to Canada from the United States. Upon examination of the vehicle’s truck bed, officers found bricks of cocaine weighing a total of 70 kg. This is the largest cocaine seizure at this port of entry and represents an estimated 140,000 individual doses.

    The CBSA arrested the driver who was then transferred to the custody of the RCMP Federal Policing – Pacific Region.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Queensland rangers to support Canada wildfire fight

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 12 Jul 2025

    Eleven highly skilled fire-trained rangers from Queensland’s Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) are heading to Canada to support international efforts to battle the country’s devastating wildfires.

    The rangers will join a contingent of Australian firefighters assisting Canadian crews in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and other affected regions, where intense wildfires are continuing to escalate.

    It will be the first time DETSI has deployed female firefighters either outside Queensland or internationally to assist in fire operations, with four in the firefighting team.

    Canadian authorities are currently managing around 500 active fires, with many classified as “out of control”.

    The DETSI personnel have partnered with a further 10 firefighters from Western Australia to form a taskforce, taking their landscape fire management expertise to where it is needed most.

    The Queensland team met their Western Australian counterparts at Brisbane Airport for a briefing on Saturday, 12 July, before flying out on Sunday, 13 July.

    The DETSI team will work alongside Canadian and international fire agencies to protect communities, infrastructure, and vital environmental assets for the next 40 days.

    DETSI Deputy Director General, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Ben Klaassen, said the department was proud to contribute to the international effort.

    “Current weather conditions in many parts of Queensland mean we have the capacity to deploy a crew of our fire-trained rangers to assist our Canadian colleagues,” Mr Klaassen said.

    “Our team’s experience will not only help protect communities and the environment in Canada, but it will also provide some much-needed relief to local crews who have been working tirelessly in incredibly challenging conditions.

    “We wish our rangers every success and a safe return, and our thoughts are with the communities and firefighters affected by these devastating fires.”

    DETSI Fire Behaviour Analyst Senior Officer Bluey Harris said the deployment was a valuable opportunity to share knowledge and develop international firefighting skills.

    “We’re proud to lend a hand to our Canadian counterparts.

    “Wildfire fighting is something Queensland rangers know well, but this deployment will allow us to experience a different environment and learn from global approaches to managing large-scale incidents.
    “It’s a chance to exchange knowledge, improve our skills, and bring valuable lessons back to Queensland.

    “I’m interested to experience completely different ecosystems and learn an entirely different approach to fire management,” Ms Harris said.

    The DETSI team is expected to return to Australia on 17 August.

    The eleven DETSI personnel deploying to Canada are:

    • Ranger Ben Finnerty – Cairns, Northern Region
    • Senior Officer Bluey Harris – Rockhampton, Fire Services
    • Ranger Bradley Childe – Tewantin, Coastal & Islands Region
    • Senior Ranger Chris White (Strike Team Leader) – Atherton, Northern Region
    • Ranger Emily Gentle – Toowoomba, South West Region
    • Ranger Emma Stievano – Cairns, Great Barrier Reef & Marine Parks Region
    • Ranger in Charge Lindie Pasma – Diamantina, Central Region
    • Senior Ranger Miles Pritchett – Gold Coast, South East Queensland Region
    • Ranger in Charge Paul Harris – Boonah, South East Queensland Region
    • Ranger Peter Humphriss – Clermont, Central Region
    • Senior Ranger Terry Peschek – Manly, Coastal & Islands Region

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Deceased dingo investigation

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 17 Jul 2025

    The Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) is investigating the death of a dingo (wongari) on K’gari and is asking for public assistance.

    On 1 June 2025, rangers found the deceased dingo at Ngkala Rocks on the eastern side of the island, north of Waddy Point.

    An independent veterinary examination confirmed the dingo had died from a suspected vehicle strike and was then deliberately decapitated.

    Anyone who was visiting the Orchid Beach and Waddy Point area north to Ngkala Rocks in late May or early June or has dashcam footage is urged to contact DETSI.

    Rangers on K’gari are also asking people to drive cautiously on the beach following recent deaths of dingoes due to suspected vehicle strike.

    Anyone with information about the recent deaths of dingoes on K’gari can provide it anonymously by calling 1300 130 372 or (07) 4127 9150, via the DETSI website, or by emailing dingo.ranger@detsi.qld.gov.au.

    Dingoes are protected in Queensland National Parks as a native species under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

    The maximum penalty for wilfully killing a protected animal on K’gari is $483,900 or two-years imprisonment. The same penalty applies to the taking of parts of a deceased protected animal from K’gari.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texas Man Found Guilty on Drug Trafficking and Firearm Charges by Federal Jury in Monroe

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MONROE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Charles Logwood, 34, a military veteran from Houston, Texas, with ties to the Monroe area, has been convicted by a jury in Monroe on drug trafficking and firearms charges. Logwood was indicted in February 2024 and charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, and one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. The jury found Logwood guilty of all charges in the indictment. 

    Evidence at trial established that in 2023, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) began an investigation into Logwood, a suspected drug supplier from Texas supplying methamphetamine to individuals in the Monroe area for sale and distribution. In August 2023, agents received information that Logwood was coming to the Monroe area to exchange methamphetamine for cash with another individual. Surveillance teams were established by officers with the Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, and federal agents. After physical surveillance identified the vehicle Logwood was driving, agents conducted a traffic stop of his vehicle. When officers approached Logwood’s vehicle, the odor of marijuana was coming from inside the vehicle, and he was asked to step out of the car. When asked if he had any weapons inside the vehicle, Logwood admitted to having a gun in the car. 

    A search of Logwood’s vehicle revealed a Taurus pistol, Model: PT 1911, Caliber: .45 ACP under the seat and a large amount of cash on his person. In addition, approximately 1.5 kilograms of marijuana was found in the backseat in a backpack. The backpack also had a pill crusher with several crushed Percocet pills. In the rear part of the vehicle was a cardboard box with a large package wrapped in black plastic which contained suspected methamphetamine weighing approximately 4.5 kilograms. Logwood was subsequently arrested. The suspected methamphetamine was seized and sent to the DEA Laboratory for testing. DEA Chemists determined that the suspected methamphetamine had a 98% purity. 

    Logwood faces a sentence of 10 years to life in prison on the methamphetamine trafficking charge, up to 5 years in prison on the marijuana trafficking charge, and not less than 5 years in prison on the firearm charge, and a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both. 

    The case was investigated by the DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Monroe Police Department, and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Daniel J. Vermaelen.

    The investigation and conviction of Logwood was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is a program that 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.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Antonio Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court to 210 months in prison for receipt of child pornography.

    According to court documents, David Guzman, 44, knowingly received child pornography and, using his laptop and cell phone, searched for and downloaded files containing child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program called uTorrent. Of the files on his laptop, Guzman possessed 107 image files and 268 video files containing infants, toddlers, bondage, bestiality, and other sadistic acts.

    Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio executed a federal search warrant at Guzman’s residence on Nov. 30, 2022. He was arrested on Dec. 1, 2022, and was subsequently charged in a two-count indictment on Dec. 14, 2022. On April 10, 2024, he pled guilty to receipt of child pornography. In addition to the more than 17-year imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam sentenced Guzman to lifetime supervised release and ordered him to pay $65,000 in restitution.

    “Seeking out and downloading child pornography, as Guzman did, eternally victimizes the innocent children forced to engage in despicable acts and encourages the production of child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Protecting children from predators and criminal exploitation remains a priority in this district, and I thank our partners at HSI San Antonio for working with us to bring this predator to justice.”

    “Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to safeguarding children from exploitation and ensuring justice is served,” said ICE HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This 17 ½-year sentence reflects the seriousness of crimes involving the receipt of child pornography and underscores our commitment to holding offenders accountable. HSI will continue working tirelessly with our partners to protect vulnerable victims and pursue those who prey on them.”

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bettina Richardson and Kirk Mangels prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously Convicted Felon Found Guilty by Jury for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON –Guy Cummings, 29, of the District of Columbia, was found guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court of being a felon in illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

                Following a three-day trial, a federal jury found Cummings guilty on the one-count indictment charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by an individual previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year. Chief Judge James E. Boasberg scheduled sentencing for Nov. 3, 2025.

                This case is being prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful. Make D.C. Safe Again aims to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.

                According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2025, about 1:30 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department Officers were patrolling the 300 block of 50th Street NE, in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood.

                As officers approached a group gathered on the sidewalk, Cummings immediately turned away and ran. One of the officers pursued Cummings on foot through the snow, never losing sight of him. The officer saw Cummings make a tossing motion with his right hand over a brick wall. Shortly after, the officer apprehended Cummings and recognized him as someone who had been ordered to stay away from the neighborhood. Cummings had also been issued a barring notice from the DC Housing Authority Police Department for five years after being arrested for carrying a pistol without a license.

                Retracing Cummings flight path, officers found a loaded Glock 26 9mm pistol where it had landed in the snow after the officer had earlier watched Cummings throw an object over the wall. The firearm had previously been reported stolen.

                In 2017, Cummings had been convicted and sentenced to 36 months in prison for robbery and for carrying a dangerous weapon, and therefore was prohibited from possessing any firearm.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin, Benjamin Helfand, and Jared English.

    25cr44

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Larry Lee Woodard, Jr. (30, Bradenton) and Jesse Leahy (49, Sarasota) each to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Woodard and Leahy previously pleaded guilty. 

    According to court documents, Woodard and Leahy were involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in Bradenton and throughout Manatee County. They distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in Manatee County during the course of the conspiracy. 

    This case was investigated by a joint Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) which includes Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Central Florida Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) which includes the Bradenton Police Department, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the North Port Police Department, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Palmetto Police Department, the Sarasota Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also assisted with the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Maria Guzman, David Sullivan, and Suzanne Nebesky.

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks Leads Bipartisan Bill to Stop Fentanyl Sales on Social Media

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) today announced the reintroduction of the bipartisan Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act, legislation aimed at cracking down on the sale of deadly fentanyl on social media platforms and giving law enforcement the tools to combat this growing threat.

    The bipartisan bill, led by Miller-Meeks and Congresswoman Angie Craig (D-MN), requires social media companies and other communication service providers to alert federal law enforcement when illicit drug activity, including fentanyl trafficking, is detected on their platforms.

    “Fentanyl is tearing apart families and devastating communities across America,” said Miller-Meeks. “The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act gives law enforcement the tools they need to stop the online sale of deadly fentanyl and hold those targeting our kids accountable. By requiring social media and communication platforms to report fentanyl activity, we can save lives and shut down this growing threat. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan, bicameral effort to protect our youth and strengthen our national response to the fentanyl crisis.”

    “Fentanyl has wreaked havoc on Minnesota communities, and we know that too many fentanyl overdoses have been caused by drugs that were sold through social media,” said Rep. Craig. “We can and should hold social media companies accountable for drug trafficking on their platforms. That’s why I’m proud to be working across the aisle to pass this common-sense legislation that will force social media companies to report drug trafficking to the authorities, help law enforcement curb the sale of illicit drugs and keep Minnesotans safe online.”

    Background:

    The bill is named for two teenagers: Cooper Davis of Kansas and Devin Norring of Minnesota, who died after unknowingly taking counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl purchased through Snapchat. The National Crime Prevention Council estimates that eight in ten teen and young adult fentanyl overdose deaths are associated with social media contact.

    “Our family and the Devin J. Norring Foundation wholeheartedly support the Cooper Davis & Devin Norring Act – legislation that serves as a critical step toward protecting families from the deadly threat of fentanyl sold through social media,” said the family of Devin J. Norring and the Devin J. Norring Foundation. “This bill honors the lives of Cooper and Devin by holding tech companies accountable and giving law enforcement the tools they need to respond to this crisis. No parent should have to search for answers in a system that shields predators. It’s time for truth, transparency, and action.”

    “Our family continues to be extremely grateful for Senator Marshall and his colleagues’ dedication to this legislation,” said Libby Davis, mother of Cooper Davis. “We are both honored and saddened to have another name, Devin Norring, added to this bill. However, the harsh reality is that there are thousands of other teenagers’ names that could be added to this bill because they too lost their lives in this same tragic way. Each with a story demonstrating that this can happen to any family. We, as parents and grandparents, do so many things to keep our kids safe, from baby gates, car seats, and seatbelts, to bike helmets, sunscreen, and vaccinations. This is no different. We need our legislators to come together and get this bipartisan bill across the finish line so that countless children can be saved, theirs being no exception.”

    This reintroduction builds on Miller-Meeks’ leadership on fentanyl policy. Just yesterday, President Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, a bill Miller-Meeks helped introduce and champion in the House as an original cosponsor. The new law permanently criminalizes fentanyl-related substances and gives law enforcement the authority they need to get synthetic opioids off the streets.

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is endorsed by the Alexander Neville Foundation, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, the American College of Emergency Physicians, Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition, the Cooper Davis Memorial Foundation, the Devin J. Norring Foundation, Houston HIDTA, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the National Association of Counties, the National District Attorneys Association, the National HIDTA Directors Association, the Partnership for Safe Medicines and Snap, Inc..

    Representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Don Davis (D-NC), Addison McDowell (R-NC), Thomas Suozzi (D-NY), Derek Schmidt (R-KS) and Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ) are original co-sponsors of the legislation in the House. 

    It is sponsored in the Senate by Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN).

    Read the bill text HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Amit Shah highlights cooperative movement and agricultural growth at Rajasthan’s ‘Sahkar & Rojgar Utsav’

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, addressed the ‘Sahkar & Rojgar Utsav’ in Jaipur, Rajasthan, marking the International Year of Cooperatives – 2025. The event, attended by dignitaries including Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat celebrated the cooperative movement’s role in rural and agricultural development.

    During the event, Shah virtually inaugurated 24 grain storage warehouses and 64 millet outlets, distributed ₹12 crore in loans to 1,400 cowherds under the Gopal Credit Card Scheme, and provided micro-ATMs to over 2,300 milk-producing committees. He also launched the White Revolution 2.0 online registration platform for Primary Dairy Cooperative Societies (PDCS) and released a compilation of success stories under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Gareebi Mukt Gram Abhiyan and Vande Ganga Water Conservation Campaign. Additionally, 100 new vehicles for Rajasthan Police and armed forces were flagged off.

    Shah emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s establishment of the Union Ministry of Cooperation has extended cooperative benefits to villages, farmers, and the poor. He noted that cooperatives are active in 98% of rural areas, contributing significantly to India’s agricultural and economic landscape, including 20% of paddy and wheat procurement, 35% of fertilizer production, and 30% of sugar production. Over 31 crore people are connected to 8.5 lakh cooperative bodies.

    Highlighting the Ministry’s achievements, Shah stated that within four years, 61 initiatives have strengthened cooperatives, including the creation of 40,000 new Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) out of a target of two lakh, full computerization of PACS, and the establishment of cooperative institutions for organic products, exports, and seed promotion. He also underscored the Modi government’s commitment to purchasing pulses, oilseeds, and maize at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through NAFED and NCCF, ensuring farmers’ financial security.

    Rajasthan’s agricultural prominence was a key focus, with the state leading in the production of cluster beans (90%), mustard (46%), pearl millets (44%), oilseeds (22%), and millets (15%). The state ranks second in groundnut and third in jowar, gram, pulses, and soybean production. Shah noted that MSP for wheat, gram, mustard, and groundnut has increased significantly over the past 11 years. He also highlighted cooperative-led research on camel breed conservation and the medicinal properties of camel milk to ensure the species’ survival.

    Shah praised the Rajasthan government’s efforts under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, including cracking down on paper leaks through a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and signing MoUs worth ₹35 lakh crore at the Global Investment Summit. Other initiatives include reducing VAT on fuel, providing LPG cylinders for ₹450, and advancing water supply projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

    Shah lauded the PM Modi government’s welfare schemes, which have provided housing, electricity, gas, free food grains, and healthcare to 60 crore poor people over the past 11 years. He credited PM Modi with elevating India to the world’s fourth-largest economy and lifting 27 crore people out of poverty. On national security, he highlighted decisive actions like surgical and air strikes in response to terrorist attacks, reinforcing India’s strong stance against threats.

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Supreme Court news coverage has talked a lot more about politics ever since the 2016 death of Scalia and GOP blocking of Obama’s proposed nominee

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joshua Boston, Associate Professor of Political Science, Bowling Green State University

    Reporters used to treat the Supreme Court as a nonpolitical institution, but not anymore. Tetra Images/Getty

    The U.S. Supreme Court has always ruled on politically controversial issues. From elections to civil rights, from abortion to free speech, the justices frequently weigh in on the country’s most debated problems.

    And because of the court’s influence over national policy, political parties and interest groups battle fiercely over who gets appointed to the high court.

    The public typically finds out about the court – including its significant decisions and the politics surrounding appointments – from the news media. While elected officeholders and candidates make direct appeals to their voters, the justices and Supreme Court nominees are different – they largely rely on the news to disseminate information about the court, giving the public at least a cursory understanding.

    Recently, something has changed in newspaper coverage of the Supreme Court. As scholars of judicial politics, political institutions and political behavior, we set out to understand precisely how media coverage of the court has changed over the past 40 years. Specifically, we analyzed the content of every article referencing the Supreme Court in five major newspapers from 1980 to 2023.

    Of course, people get their news from a variety of sources, but we have no reason to believe the trends we uncovered in our research of traditional newspapers do not apply broadly. Research indicates that alternative media sources largely follow the lead of traditional beat reporters.

    What we found: Politics has a much stronger presence in articles today than in years past, with a notable increase beginning in 2016.

    When public goodwill prevailed

    Not many cases have been more important in the past quarter-century or, from a partisan perspective, more contentious than Bush v. Gore – the December 2000 ruling that stopped a ballot recount, resulting in then-Texas Governor George W. Bush defeating Democratic candidate Al Gore and winning the presidential election.

    Bush v. Gore is particularly interesting to us because nine unelected, life-tenured justices functionally decided an election.

    The New York Times story about the Supreme Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore indicated the justices’ names and votes but neither the party of the president who appointed them nor their ideological leanings.
    Screenshot, The New York Times

    Surprisingly, the court’s public support didn’t suffer, ostensibly because the court had built up a sufficient store of public goodwill.

    One reason public support remained steady following Bush v. Gore might be newspaper coverage. Although the court’s decision reflected the justices’ ideologies, with the more conservative members effectively voting to end the recount and its more liberal members voting in favor of the recount, newspapers largely ignored the role of politics in the decision.

    For example, the New York Times case coverage indicated the justices’ names and their votes but mentioned neither the party of the president who appointed them nor their ideological leanings. The words “Democrat,” “Republican,” “liberal” and “conservative” – what we call political frames – do not appear in the Dec. 13, 2000, story about the decision.

    This epitomizes court-related newspaper articles from the 1980s to the early 2000s, when reporters treated the court as a nonpolitical institution. According to our research, court-related news articles in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal hardly used political frames during that time.

    Instead, newspapers perpetuated a dominant belief among the public that Supreme Court decisions were based almost completely on legal principles rather than political preferences. This belief, in turn, bolstered support for the court.

    Recent newspaper coverage reveals a starkly different pattern.

    A contemporary political court

    It would be nearly impossible to read contemporary articles about the Supreme Court without getting the impression that it is just as political as Congress and the presidency.

    Analyzing our data from 1980 to 2023, the average number of political frames per article tripled. To be sure, politics has always played a role in the court’s decisions. Now, newspapers are making that clear. The question is when this change occurred.

    Across the five major newspapers, reporting about the court has gradually become more political over time. That isn’t surprising: America has been gradually polarizing since the 1980s as well, and the changes in news media coverage reflect that polarization.

    Take February of 2016, when Justice Antonin Scalia unexpectedly died. Of course, justices have died while serving on the court before. But Scalia was a conservative icon, and his death could have swung the court to the center or the left.

    How the politics of naming his successor played out after Scalia’s death was unprecedented.

    President Barack Obama’s nomination effort to put Merrick Garland on the court were stonewalled. The Senate majority leader, Republican Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said the Senate would not consider any nomination until after the presidential election, nine months from Scalia’s death.

    Republican candidate Donald Trump, seeing an opening, promised to fill the vacancy with a conservative justice who would overturn Roe v. Wade. The court and the 2016 election became inseparable.

    President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama pay respects to Justice Antonin Scalia, whose 2016 death brought lasting change in newspaper coverage of the court.
    Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

    Scalia vacancy changed everything

    February 2016 brought about an abrupt and lasting change in newspaper coverage. The day before Scalia’s death, a typical article referencing the court used 3.22 political frames.

    The day after, 10.48.

    We see an uptick in political frames if we consider annual changes as well. In 2015, newspapers averaged 3.50 political frames per article about the Supreme Court. Then, in 2016, 5.30.

    Using a variety of statistical methods to identify enduring framing shifts, we consistently find February 2016 as the moment newspapers shifted to higher levels of political framing of the court. We find the number of political frames in newspapers remained elevated through 2023.

    How stories frame something shapes how people think about it.

    If an article frames a court decision as “originalist” – an analytical approach that says constitutional texts should be interpreted as they were understood at the time they became law – then readers might think of the court as legalistic.

    But if the newspaper were to frame the decision as “conservative,” then readers might think of the court as ideological.

    We found in our study that when people read an article about a court decision using political frames, court approval declines. That’s because most people desire a legal court rather than a political one. No wonder polls today find the court with precariously low public support.

    We do not necessarily hold journalists responsible for the court’s dramatic decline in public support. The bigger issue may be the court rather than reporters. If the court acts politically, and the justices behave ideologically, then reporters are doing their job: writing accurate stories.

    That poses yet another problem. Before Trump’s three court appointments, the bench was known for its relative balance. Sometimes decisions were liberal; other times, conservative.

    In June 2013, the court provided protections to same-sex marriages. Two days earlier, the court struck down part of the Voting Rights Act. A liberal win, a conservative win – that’s what we might expect from a legal institution.

    Today the court is different. For most salient issues, the court supports conservative policies.

    Given, first, the media’s willingness to emphasize the court’s politics, and second, the justices’ ideologically consistent decisions across critical issues, it is unlikely that the news media retreats from political framing anytime soon.

    If that’s the case, the court may need to adjust to its low public approval.

    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. Supreme Court news coverage has talked a lot more about politics ever since the 2016 death of Scalia and GOP blocking of Obama’s proposed nominee – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-news-coverage-has-talked-a-lot-more-about-politics-ever-since-the-2016-death-of-scalia-and-gop-blocking-of-obamas-proposed-nominee-259120

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Siili Solutions Plc: Share Repurchase Programme Completed

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Siili Solutions Plc: Share Repurchase Programme Completed 

    Siili Solutions Plc Stock Exchange Release 17 July 2025 at 19:00 EEST 

    Siili Solutions Plc: Share Repurchase Programme Completed 

    Siili Solutions Plc announced on 26 May 2025 that the Board of Directors had decided to launch a share repurchase programme. The purpose of the programme was to acquire the company’s own shares to cover obligations arising from long-term share-based incentive schemes. 

    Siili has today completed the aforementioned share repurchase programme. The repurchases commenced on 2 June 2025 and ended today, 17 July 2025. During the repurchase period, Siili acquired a total of 31,000 own shares, corresponding to approximately 0.38 percent of the company’s total shares. The average price per share was EUR 6.38, and the total purchase price amounted to approximately EUR 197 809. 

    Following the repurchases, Siili holds a total of 31,698 own shares, representing approximately 0.39 percent of the total number of shares in the company. 

    Further information: 
    Aleksi Kankainen, CFO 
    Email: aleksi.kankainen@siili.com 
    Phone: +358 40 534 2709 

    Distribution: 
    Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd 
    Key media 
    www.siili.com 

    Siili Solutions in brief 
    Siili Solutions Plc is a forerunner in AI-powered digital development. Siili is the go-to partner for clients seeking growth, efficiency and competitive advantage through digital transformation. Our main markets are Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Siili Solutions Plc’s shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Stock Exchange. Siili has grown profitably since its founding in 2005. www.siili.com/en 

    The MIL Network –