NewzIntel.com

Category: Legal Issues

  • MIL-OSI USA: Leader of National Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Pleads Guilty and Admits to Selling Stolen Goods for More Than $600M

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A New Jersey man pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Northern District of Oklahoma to leading a multi-state operation that stole thousands of catalytic converters from private vehicles and sold them on a secondary market for millions of dollars, based on the value of the precious metals that the converters contain. 

    Navin Khanna, 41, of Holmdel, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive, possess, and dispose of stolen goods in interstate commerce and five counts of money laundering regarding his participation in the stolen goods scheme.

    “The defendant made $600 million and financed his ostentatious lifestyle by buying and selling stolen goods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to taking the profit out of crime. Sophisticated criminal schemes may afford you luxury cars and homes in the short term but will cost you a federal felony conviction in the long term.”

    “Khanna’s theft ring took advantage of hard-working citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma by stealing catalytic converters, rendering the vehicle unusable,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson for the Northern District of Oklahoma. “I would like to thank the Tulsa Police Department and our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts in bringing this senseless crime to justice.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Khanna admitted to being the owner and operator of New Jersey-based D.G. Auto Parts, a criminal enterprise that bought and sold auto parts across the country. From May 2020 through October 2022, Khanna conspired with others to purchase and transport large quantities of stolen catalytic converters from Oklahoma, Texas, and other states to New Jersey. Khanna admitted to receiving more than $600 million by reselling the stolen catalytic converters to a metal refinery that extracted the precious metals.

    In response to a drastic increase in catalytic converter thefts throughout Tulsa in 2020, the Tulsa Police Department initiated an investigation that soon uncovered a national criminal enterprise. During the investigation, search warrants were executed in Oklahoma, Texas, California, New Jersey and New York. Khanna was indicted by federal grand juries in the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Eastern District of California. Over twenty individuals throughout the country have been charged for their role in the conspiracy. Khanna’s 13 co-defendants in the Northern District of Oklahoma have pleaded guilty for their participation in the criminal scheme and are awaiting sentencing.

    As part of his plea agreement, Khanna agreed to forfeit almost $4 million in cash, 11 luxury vehicles — including a Lamborghini, two Mercedes AMGs, two Ferraris, a McLaren, a Porsche, a Ford F650 Truck, and a BMW M3 — real estate properties, high-end jewelry, gold bars, and over 200 pallets of catalytic converters, all seized by law enforcement during the execution of search warrants at Khanna’s properties. Khanna’s co-defendants have agreed to forfeit more than $3.2 million, including more than $250,000 from multiple bank accounts; two lots of land located in Oklahoma, cars, and stolen catalytic converters seized during the investigation.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma has agreed that Khanna’s sentencing will be transferred to the Eastern District of California, where he awaits further prosecution for related crimes.

    Khanna faces a maximum penalty of 168 to 210 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation. IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Tulsa Police Department, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyandotte Nation Police Department contributed to the investigation.

    Trial Attorney César S. Rivera-Giraud of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan Reininger and David Nasar for the Northern District of Oklahoma are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría for the Eastern District of California assisted in the prosecution of the case and is prosecuting Khanna and others there.

    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 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 Neighborhoods (PSN). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: THREE SANTA ROSA COUNTY MEN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR THEIR ROLES IN DRUG TRAFFICKING OPERATION

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

    PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – David Kennedy, 41; Michael McQueen, 51; and Roosevelt Jones, 52, of Milton, Florida, were sentenced to federal prison for trafficking in controlled substances in Santa Rosa County, Florida. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    “Working with our state and local partners, federal law enforcement was able to dismantle a significant drug trafficking ring that plagued Santa Rosa County for years,” stated United States Attorney Heekin.  “We are pleased with this successful operation, in particular, because all three men are repeat drug trafficking offenders. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America by cracking down on the drug traffickers plaguing our communities, and my office will not stop aggressively pursuing those who seek to victimize our citizens by flooding our streets with poisonous drugs.”   

    Court documents reflect that covert undercover purchases of illegal drugs, as well as surveillance and judicially authorized wiretap intercepts of telephone communications, enabled law enforcement to execute multiple search warrants in Milton that led to the seizure of cocaine, pure methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana.  In addition, law enforcement seized firearms and illicitly derived United States currency.

    David Kennedy was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

    Michael McQueen was sentenced to 11½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.

    Roosevelt Jones was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.  

    “Partnerships are key to disrupting drug trafficking activity, and we have great partners,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “Our communities will be safer with these drug peddlers off the streets.”

    “The successful collaboration between the federal, state, local agencies, and our Narcotics Detectives has been instrumental in removing dangerous drugs from our streets,” said Sheriff Bob Johnson, Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office. “More importantly, this joint effort led to the arrest of key drug dealers, ensuring they are held accountable for their actions and making our communities safer.”

    The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office; the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Pensacola Police Department; the Gulf Breeze Police Department; and the Florida Highway Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General.  To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn Man Charged with Arson of 10 NYPD Vehicles

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

    Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, a complaint was unsealed charging Jakhi McCray with arson for setting 10 New York City Police Department vehicles and a trailer on fire in a locked parking lot.  McCray was arrested today and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, New York Division (ATF); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Robert S. Tucker, Commissioner, New York Fire Department (FDNY) announced the arrest.

    “This destructive act of arson was deliberate, dangerous, and deeply disruptive,” said United States Attorney Nocella.  “Setting police vehicles ablaze is not a form of protest—it is a federal crime.  Our Office will not tolerate violence or destruction that undermines law enforcement efforts to ensure public safety and will prosecute this individual to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Mr. Nocella also expressed his thanks to the ATF-NYPD Arson & Explosives Task Force, the FDNY Marshalls, and the United States Marshalls Services NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force for their valuable contribution to the case.

    “Intentionally setting fire to police vehicles is a dangerous criminal act and a direct threat to public safety. The ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force — which includes ATF, the NYPD, and FDNY — is fully committed to identifying and bringing to justice anyone responsible for these dangerous and unlawful acts. This arrest demonstrates our shared resolve and unified approach to protecting our communities.  We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, U.S. Marshals Service NY/NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force, the NYPD and the FDNY for their continued partnership in pursuing justice,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Miller.

    “The arson attack against New York City Police Department vehicles in Bushwick, Brooklyn was as cowardly as it was criminal,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The defendant in this case may have wanted to send a message – but all he did was mobilize the full force of the NYPD, the ATF, and the FDNY to identify, locate, and arrest him.  Now, through the work of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, he will face much-deserved justice.  Thank you to all the NYPD detectives, as well as our law enforcement partners, who closed this case.”

    “Burning a police vehicle is an intolerable crime that could have killed a police officer,” stated FDNY Commissioner Tucker.  “We are grateful to our FDNY Fire Marshals for their role in investigating this crime, and our partners in law enforcement for their assistance in identifying the suspect.  Arson is a serious crime that must be punished.”

    According to the complaint, at 12:52 a.m. on June 12, 2025, McCray was recorded on surveillance video scaling a fence into a secure private lot for reserve NYPD vehicles assigned to precincts in northern Brooklyn.  The lot contained numerous NYPD vehicles and was located on DeKalb Avenue between Wilson Avenue and Central Avenue in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.  McCray remained in the lot for approximately 32 minutes, during which he lit 10 NYPD vehicles and one trailer on fire.

    At approximately 1:24 a.m., an NYPD officer arrived to inspect the lot.  As he approached, the officer saw the fire and observed McCray attempting to escape by scaling a fence, then fleeing through an existing hole in the fence.  Subsequently, NYPD personnel recovered at the scene a cigar lighter torch and a pair of sunglasses.  They also discovered 22 retail fire starters and 10 BBQ dragon egg fire starters that were placed under three undamaged vehicles.  It was later determined that the sunglasses had McCray’s fingerprints on them.  The vehicles were ignited two days before protests were scheduled to be held over the June 14-15, 2025 weekend.  The NYPD has estimated that the total replacement cost of for the damaged vehicles is over $800,000.

    The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and McCray is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, McCray faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca M. Urquiola is in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendant:

    JAKHI MCCRAY
    Age: 21
    Brooklyn, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-238

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man who Possessed Multiple Machinegun Conversion Devices Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison

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

    A man who possessed multiple machinegun conversion devices on more than one occasion was sentenced on July 18, 2025, to 108 months in federal prison.

    Gentile Kahungu, age 19, who was living in Marion, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025 guilty plea to possession of a machinegun. The evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that Kahungu possessed a total of 18 machinegun conversion devices, two of which were connected to firearms.  On June 25, 2024, Kahungu possessed some of the devices in his bedroom in his home in Marion along with a tan Glock magazine and ammunition. When he was later arrested in Cedar Rapids, he possessed additional machinegun conversion devices, along with a tan Glock firearm that had a machinegun conversion device connected to it.  The evidence at the hearing also established that Kahungu’s Glock firearm was used during two other shootings, one in Marshalltown, Iowa, and one in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

    Kahungu was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams.  Kahungu was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Kahungu is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Marshalltown Police Department, and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-CR-00088.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: TLB alerts public to fraudulent website

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    The Transport and Logistics Bureau (TLB) today (July 21) alerts members of the public to a fraudulent website (https://bhsb588[.]online/) that pretends to be the website of the TLB.

    The TLB advises that such a website has no affiliation with the TLB and has reported the case to the Police for follow-up.

    The TLB urges the public to stay alert to suspicious websites, to remain vigilant in protecting personal information, and not to click on any hyperlinks from unknown sources.

    For information about the TLB, please visit the TLB website (www.tlb.gov.hk).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Actions to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and the production and distribution of counterfeit products – E-002869/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002869/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dimitris Tsiodras (PPE)

    Products with geographical indications such as olive oil, meat, cheese, dairy products and beverages such as beer and wine are particularly vulnerable to counterfeiting. For example, alcoholic beverages have one of the highest counterfeiting rates compared to other products, with annual losses of EUR 2 289 million in sales and almost 5 700 jobs in the EU. In Greece alone, EUR 49 million in sales and over 200 jobs are lost in this sector every year. According to Europol,[1] criminals forge labels and packaging and adapt production processes, while counterfeit products containing dangerous substances have also been seized. These phenomena cause irreparable harm to producers and pose a significant risk to consumer health.

    In light of the above:

    • 1.How does the Commission intend to tackle imports of such products while ensuring a level playing field for European producers?
    • 2.What measures does the Commission intend to put in place to tackle the misuse of geographical indications and to strengthen cross-border cooperation and enforcement of anti-counterfeiting legislation?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    • [1] Report by the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) on the Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment in the European Union for 2025 (SOCTA).
    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission measures to protect Greece’s sovereign rights following the Libyan Note Verbale – E-002866/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002866/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Yannis Maniatis (S&D)

    At a time when the EU is trying to assert its geopolitical ‘stature’, there are still countries that blatantly disregard the sovereign rights of its Member States and – by extension – the interests of the Union.

    As from 2011-2014, Greece has adopted legislation (Law 4001/2011) and mapped the outer boundaries of the Greek continental shelf and EEZ on the basis of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Nonetheless, not only do Türkiye and Libya not respect this international treaty, but they are in flagrant violation of it by signing the illegal and invalid Turkish-Libyan memorandum of understanding, which has not even been ratified by the Libyan Parliament.

    In response to the publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (12 June) of a Greek tender for hydrocarbon exploration, the Libyan Government sent a Note Verbale to the UN in which – in breach of international law – it challenges the principle of the median line for defining the EEZs of Greece and Libya, threatening research that contributes to the EU’s energy autonomy. The Turkish-Libyan memorandum was condemned at a recent European Council meeting, which deemed that it violated the sovereign rights of Member States, was incompatible with the law of the sea and could not produce legal consequences for non-EU countries.

    What practical measures does the Commission intend to take against Libya to turn the European Council’s condemnatory decision into real action?

    Submitted: 14.7.2025

    Last updated: 21 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14, Relative to CBO’s January 2025 Baseline

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    CBO estimates that Public Law 119-21 will result in a net increase in the unified budget deficit totaling $3.4 trillion over the 2025-2034 period, relative to CBO’s January 2025 baseline updated to reflect enacted legislation. That increase in the deficit is estimated to result from a decrease in direct spending of $1.1 trillion and an decrease in revenues of $4.5 trillion.

    Some of those budgetary effects are associated with programs that are classified as off-budget. The increase in the on-budget deficit over that period is estimated at $3.4 trillion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Sues Trump Administration Over Cruel Directive Unlawfully Restricting Access to Head Start, Other Public Benefit Programs

    Source: US State of California

    Statute and longstanding federal policy have allowed access, regardless of immigration status, to specific community programs, including those deemed necessary for protection of life or safety 

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today sued the Trump Administration over its abrupt decision to restrict access to more than a dozen public benefit programs based on immigration status. This decision is contrary to law and a reversal of nearly three decades of federal practice allowing access, regardless of immigration status, to certain public benefits programs that have historically been determined to protect life or safety and contribute to the overall welfare of communities. In doing so, the Trump Administration has thrown programs across California into chaos and cruelly jeopardized the health and wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable families. At risk is access to Head Start, childcare services for low-income people, adult education, mental health and substance use disorder programs, and shelters for at-risk youth and domestic violence survivors, among many other safety-net programs. Attorney General Bonta, alongside a coalition of 20 other attorneys general, asks the court to enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing this devastating change, arguing that these new polices threaten the outright collapse of the states’ social safety nets.

    “Let’s be clear: This latest salvo in the President’s inhumane anti-immigration campaign primarily goes after working moms and their young children. We’re not talking about waste, fraud, and abuse, we’re talking about programs that deliver essential childcare, healthcare, nutrition, and education assistance, programs that have for decades been open to all because we understand that we are better off when everyone has the chance to succeed.” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration’s abrupt reversal of nearly three decades of precedent – and decision to put at risk not just support for undocumented families, but ultimately families who rely on these programs nationwide – is cruel, but unfortunately unsurprising. So is its lack of regard for the law. Six months into the second Trump Administration, I’ll repeat a familiar refrain: We’ll see President Trump in court.” 

    Since 1997, the federal government has interpreted The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) to permit states’ use of federal funds for certain programs that serve communities based on need regardless of immigration status. These programs work precisely because there are few barriers to access and include: 

    • Short-term shelter or housing assistance for people who are unhoused, for survivors of domestic violence, or for at-risk youth.
    • Programs, services, or assistance to help individuals during periods of heat, cold, or other adverse weather conditions (e.g., cooling centers).
    • Soup kitchens, community food banks, senior nutrition programs such as meals on wheels, and other such community nutritional services for persons requiring special assistance.
    • Medical and public health services (including treatment and prevention of diseases and injuries) and mental health, disability, or substance use treatment. 
    • Early childhood education, childcare services for low-income people, and adult education programs.

    Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Labor, and Department of Education issued notices related to the interpretation of “federal public benefit” under PRWORA restricting numerous “noncitizens” from receiving benefits under federally funded programs. Around the same time, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued its own notice revoking every one of the “life or safety” exemptions that DOJ had put in place 29 years earlier. 

    In California, the effects of these actions will be devastating – and immediate. The Head Start Program, founded in 1965, was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing young children from families with low incomes a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and educational needs. In 2023-24, California’s 100 direct Head Start regional recipients served over 80,345 children and families at 1,842 individual site locations. The Trump Administration’s new polices, which will require programs to verify immigration status, are expected to have a chilling effect, leading to decreased enrollment from participants, and an administrative and financial burden for recipients. Moreover, if regional recipients do not hit mandatory 97% enrollment targets, they will lose federal funding and these programs will shut down, harming all the children they serve, as well as the more than 25,000 staff members these programs employ, including in rural communities where Head Start is often a large employer.  

    Examples like this are countless across the public benefits programs at risk through the Trump Administration’s actions. Survivors of domestic violence and at-risk youth may be fearful of seeking services at shelters. Mixed status families may forgo access to public benefit services all together. Requiring citizenship or immigration status verification of any kind fundamentally creates a barrier to access. People will be reluctant to reach out to access needed services or to call for help for others who might benefit from such services. And requiring programs to expend resources to implement systems and train staff to verify citizenship or immigration status will impose a time and resource burden on programs already struggling to operate on narrow financial margins.

    In today’s filings, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that the Trump Administration’s abrupt announcement further limiting access to public benefit programs for undocumented individuals fails to provide notice and an opportunity to comment, is arbitrary and capricious, and contrary to law in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, and fails to give the states “fair notice” as required under the Spending Clause. They highlight that instead of saving money, the new verification requirements will lead to an overall cost to their states’ economies in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars each year and will endanger the ability of these programs to continue providing services to all of the residents of their states, not just noncitizens. They urge the court to preliminary enjoin the Trump Administration from implementing the order to prevent programs from shuttering, uncertainty, and tremendous impacts on the public health, education, and welfare of their states.

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New York, Washington, Rhode Island, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Wisconsin in filing the lawsuit.  

    A copy of the lawsuit is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Invests Over $800,000 In Housing and Supports for Women Leaving Custody

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 21, 2025

    A new multi-year agreement with Elizabeth Fry Society.

    The Government of Saskatchewan is investing $280,000 annually from 2025 to 2028 into the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan to support the delivery of the Wikowin Supportive Housing Program. This program will help ensure that women leaving custody or under community supervision have access to safe, affordable housing and the supports they need to successfully reintegrate into the community. 

    “Reintegration is not easy, but it is possible with the right supports. Without a safe place to go, many individuals risk falling back into the justice system,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod K.C said. “Through this investment, the Elizabeth Fry Society will help give women the footing they need to move forward and avoid returning to custody, which ultimately contributes to safer communities across the province.”

    As part of this program, Elizabeth Fry Society will provide consistent supervision of women residing at the property and provide a range of wraparound services, including addictions services, income assistance and where appropriate, family reunification. By targeting key risk factors and preparing participants for independent living, the program aims to reduce recidivism and promote successful reintegration.

    “This funding will allow us to provide safe, supportive housing for women leaving custody, women who deserve an opportunity to make meaningful change for themselves and their future,” Elizabeth Fry Society Executive Director Nicole Obrigavitch said. “We are grateful for this partnership with the Government of Saskatchewan, which reflects a shared commitment to doing things differently and supporting pathways to stability and healing.”

    This agreement builds on the province’s continued work with the Elizabeth Fry Society, including a separate $330,000 two-year investment announced last year to expand their presence in women’s correctional facilities to deliver culturally appropriate programs and supports to help clients succeed in their communities. The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to strengthening the justice system’s efficiency through initiatives and collaborations like these.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES STATEMENT ON AIRPLANE CRASH IN DHAKA  

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Know Your Immigration Rights

    If you or a loved one encounter immigration enforcement officials, it is essential that you know your rights and have prepared your household for all possible outcomes.

    Ask for a warrant: The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. You do not have to open your door until you see a valid warrant to enter your home or search your belongings.

    Your right to remain silent: The Fifth Amendment protects your right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself. You are not required to share any personal information such as your place of birth, immigration status or criminal history.

    Always consult an attorney: You have a right to speak with an attorney. You do not have to sign anything or hand officials any documents without speaking to an attorney. Try to identify and consult one in advance.

    The New York City Office of Civil Justice and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) support a variety of free immigration legal services through local nonprofit legal organizations. To access these resources, dial 311 and say “Action NYC,” call the MOIA Immigration Legal Support Hotline at 800-354-0365 Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or visit MOIA’s website.

    Learn more here: KNOW YOUR IMMIGRATION RIGHTS  – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Justice Department Dismisses Failed Biden-Era Lawsuit Challenging Tennessee’s Law Protecting Minors from Experimental Sex-Change Medical Procedures

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: The Justice Department Dismisses Failed Biden-Era Lawsuit Challenging Tennessee’s Law Protecting Minors from Experimental Sex-Change Medical Procedures

    Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division dismissed with prejudice the ill-fated Biden-era challenge to Tennessee’s law protecting minors from horrific and experimental sex-change medical procedures. The Department dismissed its complaint in intervention because it does not believe challenging Tennessee’s law serves the public interest.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The Justice Department Dismisses Failed Biden-Era Lawsuit Challenging Tennessee’s Law Protecting Minors from Experimental Sex-Change Medical Procedures

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Today, the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division dismissed with prejudice the ill-fated Biden-era challenge to Tennessee’s law protecting minors from horrific and experimental sex-change medical procedures. The Department dismissed its complaint in intervention because it does not believe challenging Tennessee’s law serves the public interest.

    Last month, the Biden Administration’s challenge was soundly rejected by the Supreme Court of the United States when the 6-3 majority held that Tennessee’s law does not violate the Equal Protection Clause.[1] The court held that Tennessee had a rational basis for enforcing the law as it “responds directly” to the “uncertainty” and “ongoing debate” about the “risks and benefits” associated with these medical practices. The Biden administration filed its complaint in intervention after individual plaintiffs and the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the law passed in 2023. After the Supreme Court’s decision, the individual plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their complaint.

    Tennessee is one of 25 states with laws protecting minors from sex-change medical procedures.

    “Last month, the Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee state law protecting vulnerable children from genital mutilation and other so-called ‘gender-affirming care,’” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.  “That was the right decision, and this Department of Justice will no longer be in the business of attacking laws like Tennessee’s that protect children.”

    “The United States today undid one of the injustices the Biden administration inflicted upon the country by dismissing a lawsuit against a Tennessee law that protects minors from invasive and mutilating procedures,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to fight to protect the health and welfare of our children and defend states that seek to ban these barbaric practices.”

    [1] United States v. Skrmetti, 145 S.Ct. 1816, 1826 (2025).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Scholten, Salazar, and Escobar Reintroduce Historic Bipartisan Immigration Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Hillary Scholten (D-MI), alongside U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX), announced the reintroduction of the Dignity Act of 2025, a historic, bipartisan immigration reform bill. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Adam Grey (D-CA), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Andriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Young Kim (R-CA) also co-sponsored the bill.

    This historic bipartisan legislation would address border security and infrastructure challenges, tackle critical workforce development issues, create legal status for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States, establish new pathways for asylum seekers, and create new legal pathways for economic migrants and unaccompanied minors.

    “As an attorney who has worked on immigration issues, both at the nation’s top law enforcement agency and at a community legal aid organization, helping migrants in West Michigan, I know this system. I’ve seen firsthand what patchwork and reactionary immigration policies do to families and communities, and I remain committed to creating a system that is both fair and humane, balancing humanitarian concerns with law enforcement. Our broken immigration system is a national security threat, an economic and workforce emergency, and a humanitarian crisis. This is Congress’s issue to solve, and we’re here to solve it,” said Rep. Scholten. “Congress must act now to reform our immigration system. It’s time to allow hardworking families to move out of the shadows and into the full light of the American dream. This bipartisan bill will make our communities and our country safer, bring our workforce into the 21st century, and bring dignity to millions of hardworking families already living in the United States to make our country a better place.”

    This comprehensive bill makes meaningful reforms to several aspects of our immigration system: 

    • Provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers
    • It creates the Dignity Program to grant legal status to undocumented immigrants already living in the United States;
    • It establishes new pathways for asylum seekers and creates new regional processing centers;
    • Enhances border security while creating additional accountability for ICE.

    The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in 1996, and that was driven by Republicans and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. That bill eliminated several legal immigration pathways, essentially making fewer people eligible for legal status while making more people deportable. Congress has had many opportunities to address this crisis. Over the last 10 years, 8 major pushes for immigration reform have failed:  

    • In 2013, the Senate on a bipartisan basis passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, but House Republicans refused to take up the bill.
    • In 2018, a bipartisan group of Senators advanced the Uniting and Securing America Act to protect Dreamers and provide a pathway to citizenship, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Again in 2018, the Senate tried to advance the United and Securing America Act “Common Sense” Proposal Amendment, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Yet again in 2018, the Uniting and Securing America Act made it to the Senate floor but was blocked.
    • In 2019, the House passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • In 2021, the House again passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans again blocked it.
    • In 2021 and 2022, the President proposed record funding for more border agents, more asylum officers, more immigration judges, more border technology, and more detention capacity. Republicans in Congress failed to fund both requests.
    • In 2024, the Senate failed to pass bipartisan immigration and border security bills after President Trump called on Senate Republicans to abandon the bill so Republicans could campaign on the issue.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Scholten, Salazar, and Escobar Reintroduce Historic Bipartisan Immigration Legislation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Hillary Scholten – Michigan

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Hillary Scholten (D-MI), alongside U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Veronica Escobar (D-TX), announced the reintroduction of the Dignity Act of 2025, a historic, bipartisan immigration reform bill. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Mike Levin (D-CA), Susie Lee (D-NV), Adam Grey (D-CA), Laura Gillen (D-NY), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Andriano Espaillat (D-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Don Bacon (R-NE), and Young Kim (R-CA) also co-sponsored the bill.

    This historic bipartisan legislation would address border security and infrastructure challenges, tackle critical workforce development issues, create legal status for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States, establish new pathways for asylum seekers, and create new legal pathways for economic migrants and unaccompanied minors.

    “As an attorney who has worked on immigration issues, both at the nation’s top law enforcement agency and at a community legal aid organization, helping migrants in West Michigan, I know this system. I’ve seen firsthand what patchwork and reactionary immigration policies do to families and communities, and I remain committed to creating a system that is both fair and humane, balancing humanitarian concerns with law enforcement. Our broken immigration system is a national security threat, an economic and workforce emergency, and a humanitarian crisis. This is Congress’s issue to solve, and we’re here to solve it,” said Rep. Scholten. “Congress must act now to reform our immigration system. It’s time to allow hardworking families to move out of the shadows and into the full light of the American dream. This bipartisan bill will make our communities and our country safer, bring our workforce into the 21st century, and bring dignity to millions of hardworking families already living in the United States to make our country a better place.”

    This comprehensive bill makes meaningful reforms to several aspects of our immigration system: 

    • Provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers
    • It creates the Dignity Program to grant legal status to undocumented immigrants already living in the United States;
    • It establishes new pathways for asylum seekers and creates new regional processing centers;
    • Enhances border security while creating additional accountability for ICE.

    The last time Congress passed immigration reform was in 1996, and that was driven by Republicans and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. That bill eliminated several legal immigration pathways, essentially making fewer people eligible for legal status while making more people deportable. Congress has had many opportunities to address this crisis. Over the last 10 years, 8 major pushes for immigration reform have failed:  

    • In 2013, the Senate on a bipartisan basis passed the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, but House Republicans refused to take up the bill.
    • In 2018, a bipartisan group of Senators advanced the Uniting and Securing America Act to protect Dreamers and provide a pathway to citizenship, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Again in 2018, the Senate tried to advance the United and Securing America Act “Common Sense” Proposal Amendment, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • Yet again in 2018, the Uniting and Securing America Act made it to the Senate floor but was blocked.
    • In 2019, the House passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans blocked it.
    • In 2021, the House again passed the American Dream and Promise Act, but Senate Republicans again blocked it.
    • In 2021 and 2022, the President proposed record funding for more border agents, more asylum officers, more immigration judges, more border technology, and more detention capacity. Republicans in Congress failed to fund both requests.
    • In 2024, the Senate failed to pass bipartisan immigration and border security bills after President Trump called on Senate Republicans to abandon the bill so Republicans could campaign on the issue.  

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: More Than $52 Million for UMaine System Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $52,350,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the University of Maine (UMaine) System in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bills. The legislation, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee this month, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 CJS and Agriculture Appropriations bills—an important step that now allows the bills to be considered by the full Senate.

    “The brilliant faculty and students at Maine’s public universities and at the flagship university are conducting cutting-edge research and making promising discoveries in a wide variety of fields,” said Senator Collins. “This funding to support these exciting projects across the UMaine System would promote workforce development, support marine research, and help to prepare the next generation of leaders. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

    “These investments—made possible through Senator Collins’ advocacy—would expand research opportunities, improve infrastructure, and support collaborative solutions that strengthen Maine’s economy and communities,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation for the UMaine System.

    “Located at the heart of our campus, the Reynolds Center is a hub of learning and connection. This investment would expand its role as a space for students to grow academically and socially — strengthening our commitment to the Downeast community,” said Megan Walsh, Dean and Campus Director, UMaine Machias.

    “The spruce budworm is one of the most significant threats to Maine’s forest economy, and proactive research is essential to protecting this vital resource,” said Dr. Adam Daigneault, Associate Professor of Forest Policy and Economics at the University of Maine. “With this support, UMaine can expand its leadership in forest health research, helping landowners, communities, and the forest products industry prepare for and respond to future outbreaks. We are incredibly thankful for Senator Collins’ investment in the resilience of Maine’s forests.” 

    Funding advanced by Senator Collins for the UMaine System in the FY 2026 CJS and Agriculture Appropriations bills is as follows:

    Gulf of Maine Ocean Observation System
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Coastal counties from Washington County to York County, ME
    Amount Requested: $5,000,000
    Project Purpose: To expand the ocean observation system in the Gulf of Maine, which is used by the maritime and fishing industries.

    University of Maine Health Science Complex
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Orono, ME
    Amount Requested: $45,000,000
    Project Purpose: To support the construction of a health and life sciences complex.

    University of Maine Forest Health Lab
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Orono, ME
    Amount Requested: $600,000
    Project Purpose: To support the construction of the University’s Forest Health Lab, which conducts spruce budworm research.

    University of Maine at Machias Early College Student Support Center
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Machias, ME
    Amount Requested: $750,000
    Project Purpose: To renovate a facility on campus to support early college students.

    American Lobster Settlement Index Expansion
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Walpole, ME
    Amount Requested: $1,000,000
    Project Purpose: To expand the Maine Collector Survey for lobster in the Gulf of Maine.

    In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: More Than $52 Million for UMaine System Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $52,350,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the University of Maine (UMaine) System in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bills. The legislation, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee this month, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 CJS and Agriculture Appropriations bills—an important step that now allows the bills to be considered by the full Senate.

    “The brilliant faculty and students at Maine’s public universities and at the flagship university are conducting cutting-edge research and making promising discoveries in a wide variety of fields,” said Senator Collins. “This funding to support these exciting projects across the UMaine System would promote workforce development, support marine research, and help to prepare the next generation of leaders. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

    “These investments—made possible through Senator Collins’ advocacy—would expand research opportunities, improve infrastructure, and support collaborative solutions that strengthen Maine’s economy and communities,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation for the UMaine System.

    “Located at the heart of our campus, the Reynolds Center is a hub of learning and connection. This investment would expand its role as a space for students to grow academically and socially — strengthening our commitment to the Downeast community,” said Megan Walsh, Dean and Campus Director, UMaine Machias.

    “The spruce budworm is one of the most significant threats to Maine’s forest economy, and proactive research is essential to protecting this vital resource,” said Dr. Adam Daigneault, Associate Professor of Forest Policy and Economics at the University of Maine. “With this support, UMaine can expand its leadership in forest health research, helping landowners, communities, and the forest products industry prepare for and respond to future outbreaks. We are incredibly thankful for Senator Collins’ investment in the resilience of Maine’s forests.” 

    Funding advanced by Senator Collins for the UMaine System in the FY 2026 CJS and Agriculture Appropriations bills is as follows:

    Gulf of Maine Ocean Observation System
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Coastal counties from Washington County to York County, ME
    Amount Requested: $5,000,000
    Project Purpose: To expand the ocean observation system in the Gulf of Maine, which is used by the maritime and fishing industries.

    University of Maine Health Science Complex
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Orono, ME
    Amount Requested: $45,000,000
    Project Purpose: To support the construction of a health and life sciences complex.

    University of Maine Forest Health Lab
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Orono, ME
    Amount Requested: $600,000
    Project Purpose: To support the construction of the University’s Forest Health Lab, which conducts spruce budworm research.

    University of Maine at Machias Early College Student Support Center
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Machias, ME
    Amount Requested: $750,000
    Project Purpose: To renovate a facility on campus to support early college students.

    American Lobster Settlement Index Expansion
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Walpole, ME
    Amount Requested: $1,000,000
    Project Purpose: To expand the Maine Collector Survey for lobster in the Gulf of Maine.

    In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14, Relative to the Budget Enforcement Baseline for Consideration in the Senate

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    CBO estimates that Public Law 119-21 will result in a net decrease in the unified budget deficit totaling $366 billion over the 2025-2034 period, relative to the budget enforcement baseline for consideration in the Senate. That decrease in the deficit is estimated to result from a decrease in direct spending of $1.2 trillion and an decrease in revenues of $849 billion.

    Some of those budgetary effects are associated with programs that are classified as off-budget. The decrease in the on-budget deficit over that period is estimated at $380 billion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Springfield Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

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

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man Jessie Bates, 38, was sentenced on July 17, 2025, to 17 years in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.

    At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Bates sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine to an individual and undercover agent. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Bates, he fled at a high rate of speed proceeding the wrong way down a busy on-way road. He then fled to the state of Georgia where he was ultimately arrested. The government also presented evidence that Bates committed the offense while out on bond for a Sangamon County case involving aggravated discharge of a firearm.

    Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that the Bates was a career offender and eligible for an obstruction of justice enhancement for recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person in the course of fleeing from law enforcement.

    Bates pleaded guilty in March 2025. He remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his arrest in January 2024.

    The statutory penalties for distribution of methamphetamine are at least 10 years and up to a life term of imprisonment, , at least five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $10,000,000 fine.

    “The only thing to be gained from a career as a drug dealer is a prison sentence,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger. “I appreciate the work of the ATF agents who came to central Illinois and went into the field to ensure this was a successful operation. Their work has made our community safer.”

    “This case was a direct result of our Violent Crime Initiative and our strong partnership with the Springfield Police Department,” said ATF Chicago Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “Through our targeted and collaborative enforcement efforts,  and with the unwavering support of retired Chief of Police Ken Scarlette, a violent drug trafficker is now off the streets and behind bars.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. The Illinois State Police provided assistance at sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Weekly Immigration Caseload Dips Below 200 in Western District of Texas

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

    SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 178 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 11 through July 17.

    Among the new cases, Edgar Josue Montelongo-Loera was charged in a criminal complaint in Del Rio for trafficking in firearms. On June 12, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, assisting in a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation, allegedly observed Montelongo-Loera transfer a plastic bag containing seven 9mm pistols to a non-immigrant alien co-conspirator at a parking lot in Eagle Pass. The criminal complaint states that HSI agents followed the co-conspirator to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers allegedly located eight firearms concealed inside the vehicle during an inspection. Further investigation by ATF revealed that Montelongo-Loera allegedly purchased one of the pistols at a retail location in San Antonio.

    Also in the Del Rio sector, Mexican national Jose Elias Gavina-Vasquez was arrested on July 14 and charged with illegal re-entry. Gavina-Vasquez has seven prior deportations, and he was most recently deported to Mexico on Feb. 23, 2023. He has a prior felony conviction from June 2022 and a separate conviction for driving while intoxicated from March 2022.

    Mexican national and convicted felon Juan Antonio Torres-Moreno was also arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio. Torres-Moreno has three prior removals and a voluntary departure, the last being a deportation in 2019. The 2019 deportation resulted from his second illegal-re-entry conviction. He was sentenced to nine months confinement in that case.

    Sergio Villeda-Hernandez, also a Mexican national, was arrested in Eagle Pass on July 13 and charged with illegal re-entry after he was recently removed from the U.S. on March 18. Villeda-Hernandez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced to just over a year in prison in 2007 for a felony battery, possession of cocaine, and selling cocaine in DeSoto County, Florida.

    In El Paso, Mexican national Mario Humberto Sanchez-Hernandez was found less than a mile and a half west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry without immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the U.S. Sanchez-Hernandez was just removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the third time on June 21 through San Diego and was convicted in October 2024 for driving under the influence in Newark, New Jersey.

    Two brothers were arrested in El Paso, each charged with one count of alien smuggling. U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted an undercover operation that led them to meet Marcos Dominguez, who allegedly believed the agents were transporting two illegal aliens and were in need of a stash house. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Marcos exited his vehicle to assist with transferring one of the illegal aliens from the agents’ vehicle to his own. Marcos was then detained for further investigation and agreed to guide the agents to his residence. At the residence, the agents encountered Marcos’s brother, Andres Dominguez, who allegedly admitted that illegal aliens were present inside. Agents located four subjects determined to be illegal aliens. The illegal aliens were arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station. The investigation revealed that Marcos allegedly housed more than 40 illegal aliens at his residence, was paid $200 per day for his smuggling actions, and would split the earnings with his brother Andres, whom he said helped him house and transport the illegal aliens.

    In Austin, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Team (FOT) encountered Honduran national Jimmy Reinel Espinal-Mejia on July 16. Espinal-Mejia was convicted for illegal re-entry in May 2024 after being previously removed in January 2024. For that conviction, he was sentenced to 63 days confinement and removed in July 2024. Six years earlier, in 2018, Espinal-Mejia was convicted for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

    In Waco, a Mexican national was charged with illegal re-entry on July 17 when Temple Police responded to a vehicle collision in Temple and identified Eloy Hernandez-Ponce as one of the vehicle occupants. ICE identified Hernandez-Ponce as a previously removed alien who was last deported in March 2010 following a felony conviction for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in Houston.

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

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

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

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc. Announces Pricing of Registered Direct Offering of $43.70 Million For Crypto Treasury Strategy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: MFH) (“Mercurity” or the “Company”), a leading innovator in digital asset treasury and blockchain-enabled financial infrastructure, today announced that it has entered into securities purchase agreements with institutional investors for the purchase and sale of its ordinary shares (or pre-funded warrants to purchase ordinary shares) and warrants to purchase ordinary shares in a registered direct offering. The offering is intended to support the Company’s crypto treasury strategy and its continued development of on-chain financial tools.

    Participants in this financing include LTP, Syntax Capital, OGBC Group, and Blockstone Capital, investment and financial services firms operating primarily in the digital assets and blockchain sector.

    Under the terms of the agreements, the Company will issue 12,485,715 ordinary shares and 12,485,715 warrants in a registered direct offering. The effective offering price for each ordinary share is $3.50. The warrants will have an exercise price of $3.50 per share and a term of five years. The offering is expected to close on or about July 22, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    The offering is being led by D. Boral Capital LLC, acting as sole placement agent. VCL Law LLP is serving as counsel to the Company. Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP is serving as counsel to the placement agent.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to advance its crypto treasury strategy, including ecosystem staking, tokenized yield instruments, and institutional-grade on-chain financial infrastructure, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    The securities described above are being offered pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-287428), which was previously filed with and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC and available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or be obatined by contacting D. Boral Capital LLC Attention: Syndicate Department, 590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor, New York, NY 10022, by email dbccapitalmarkets@dboralcapital.com, or by telephone at (212) 970-5150.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc.
    Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: MFH) is a fintech group powered by blockchain infrastructure, offering technology and financial services. Through its subsidiaries, including Chaince Securities, LLC, MFH aims to bridge traditional finance and digital innovation across digital asset management, financial advisory, and capital markets solutions.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results.

    Contacts:
    International Elite Capital Inc.
    Annabelle Zhang
    Tel: +1 (646) 866-7928
    Email: mfhfintech@iecapitalusa.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: AI and other future technologies will be necessary — but not sufficient — for enacting the UN’s Pact for the Future

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joyeeta Gupta, Professor, Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam

    In September 2024, members of the United Nations adopted the Pact for the Future at the Summit of the Future, held in New York City. The pact, including its two annexes on the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact, builds on multilateral agreements following the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.



    Read more:
    How the United Nations’ Pact for the Future could help heal a fractured world

    The pact commits to “protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through the actions stated in the pact.” These actions address the digital divide, inclusion, digital space that respects human rights and promotes responsible governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

    Additionally, the Declaration on Future Generations includes 10 principles and some actions. The pact also encourages accelerated development of AI, while considering both its positive and negative aspects within a broader aim to protect human rights.

    A 1972 image of the Earth taken during the Apollo 17 mission. Planetary justice means considering human and non-human life, Earth systems and responsible management of resources.
    (NASA)

    Meeting needs

    As the former co-chair of the Earth Commission and current co-chair of the UN 10-member group, I have worked on incorporating justice issues within environmental studies. Along with my colleagues, we recently published an article where we explain how we have developed Earth system boundaries based on the principle of not causing significant harm to others as part of a broader human rights and Earth systems justice approach.

    While the pact acknowledges and builds on the Sustainable Development Goals, it does not adequately take into account the latest science that shows we have crossed many safe and just Earth system boundaries. There’s also a challenge here: if we were to meet everyone’s minimum needs as required by the social Sustainable Development Goals, we will cross boundaries further.

    A human rights approach

    The pact and its annexes make reference to justice, future generations and Africa. Justice is anchored in a human rights approach. The pact only mentions reducing harm in relation to digital platforms and explosive weapons, but this could be strengthened with the addition of the no-harm principle — not causing significant harm to human and non-human others — in other areas such as climate change. Other forms of justice are scarcely accounted for.

    These include epistemic justice (or how different knowledge systems are included), and data justice (the right to create, control, access, apply and profit from data). Procedural justice — the right to information, decision-making, civic space and courts relating to the allocation of resources and responsibilities — is also vital.

    Other important forms of justice include recognition justice, interspecies, and intragenerational justice. Earth system justice is needed to identify and live within Earth system boundaries and equitably share resources and risks.

    The pact notes that “if we do not change course, we risk tipping into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown,” but it does not make reference to the latest science on planetary boundaries.

    Climate justice

    We argue that implementing the pact requires recognizing how boundaries, foundations and inequality are inextricably are linked together. The Earth Commission argues that safe planetary boundaries are not necessarily just. To minimize significant harm to others, it may be necessary to have more stringent targets.

    For example, 1.5 C is the proposed safe climate boundary for climate change, while 1 C is the proposed just boundary since, at this level, already tens of millions of people are exposed to extreme heat and humidity. Eight safe and just boundaries for climate, water, nutrients, biosphere and aerosols have been identified, seven of which have been crossed.



    Read more:
    What are ‘planetary boundaries’ and why should we care?

    In terms of foundations, theoretically, meeting people’s minimum needs would lead to further crossing these boundaries. We need to recognize that living within safe and just boundaries requires meeting everyone’s minimum needs.

    This requires deploying efficient technologies and redistributing resources to make up the deficit. But governments are reluctant to take this approach, probably because it limits the use of resources and sinks.

    Technological support

    Living within climate boundaries will require a just transition. Globally, if we wish to remain below the safe climate boundary, we will have to completely stop using fossil fuels. Since most remaining fossil fuel reserves are in the developing world, this will put a heavy burden on them. At the same time, climate impacts are considerable, so finance for a just energy transformation is needed.

    While the pact restates the importance of the 2030 agenda in bolstering sustainable development, it lacks a credible mechanism for monitoring whether the national pledges are implemented. This will require strong collaboration among policy, science and the private sector.

    There is a wealth of information in Earth observations from space that can assist in monitoring progress. This information, if made available to researchers and policymakers, can be integrated into national, regional and global environmental risk assessments.

    Digital twins are another technological development that can support these assessments. The European Commission’s Digital Twin of the Ocean, for example, is a virtual model. It integrates diverse ocean data sources and leverages the power of big data, advanced computing and AI to provide real-time insights and scenario simulations under a variety of conditions. Such systems can enhance our ability to cope with environmental challenges.

    As AI is likely to dramatically develop in the few two years, it is critical to be ready to shape and use its potential in a positive way to implement the Pact while reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.

    A ‘cash flow crisis’

    Finally, the pact calls for urgent, predictable and stable funding for the UN and developing countries. This will enable UN bodies to deliver services and administer programs in accordance with international law. The UN Secretariat is facing a severe “cash flow crisis,” as major contributors are paying too late or too little.

    The UN Honour Roll lists member states that have paid membership fees in full: 151 of 193 countries paid in full, but only 51 of them on time in 2024. Among 13 countries with assessed fees of more than US$50 million, only Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Germany and Italy paid on time.

    With most members paying late, and large ones not paying till later or only partially, this severely constrains the ability of the UN to provide planned, impartial and inclusive services to the global community.

    There is also a need for funding to enable developing countries to adapt and transform. But if such funding comes through loans, this may further exacerbate existing developing country debt: in 2023, developing countries made debt repayments of US$1.4 trillion.

    We need redistribution of resources. Until then, it is critical that new technologies such as AI are deployed to help us return within the boundaries and meet minimum needs without exacerbating climate change through its fossil fuels dependence. The UN plays a critical role in facilitating human, environmental and earthy system justice, but shrinking resources hamper its ability to deliver.

    Joyeeta Gupta receives funding from European Research Council and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

    – ref. AI and other future technologies will be necessary — but not sufficient — for enacting the UN’s Pact for the Future – https://theconversation.com/ai-and-other-future-technologies-will-be-necessary-but-not-sufficient-for-enacting-the-uns-pact-for-the-future-247511

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Slams USDA Proposal to Share Sensitive Data of SNAP Participants

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, leading a coalition of 14 attorneys general, slammed the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) demand that states turn over personal and sensitive information about millions of food stamp recipients, as well as its proposal to share that information with other federal agencies for purposes that have nothing to do with ensuring the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federally-funded, state-administered program providing billions of dollars in food assistance to tens of millions of low-income families across the country. SNAP applicants provide their private information to the states on the understanding, backed by long-standing state and federal laws, that their information will not be used for unrelated purposes. In a letter, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that USDA’s unprecedented actions are unnecessary, inefficient, and unlawful.

    “The Trump Administration continues to wage war on some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, deploying invasive and unlawful tactics in the process to intimidate them from accessing services to which they are lawfully entitled,” said Attorney General Bonta. “No Californian should be faced with the choice of having enough to eat or protecting their fundamental right to privacy. As California Attorney General, I will continue to use every tool in the toolbox to push back against any attempts by this administration to upend the rights of Californians. I urge the Trump Administration to reverse course and abandon its unprecedented proposal to share SNAP data for purposes far beyond ensuring the integrity of this program.”

    Since President Trump re-entered the White House in January, public reports indicate that federal officials are amassing huge databases of personal information on Americans and using that data for undisclosed purposes, including immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security has already obtained troves of personal information from both the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Health and Human Services Agency, including private medical information and other personal details on Medicaid recipients, which California has already challenged in court. USDA’s attempts to collect data from states about SNAP applicants and recipients appear to be the next step in this campaign.  

    In May 2025, USDA made an unprecedented demand that states turn over massive amounts of personal information on all SNAP applicants and recipients, including social security numbers and home addresses, dating back five years. In June, USDA published a “System of Records Notice” stating that it intends to “leverage data-sharing across Federal and State systems to identify and rectify” improper payments, and to share information across the federal government, as directed by one of President Trump’s executive orders. 

    As the attorneys general explain in their comment letter, USDA’s actions are unprecedented, threaten the privacy of millions of families, and ignore long-standing restrictions on the use and redisclosure of SNAP data. What’s more, the proposed collection and sharing of SNAP data is wholly unnecessary and inefficient; SNAP fraud rates are already low, thanks to robust auditing mechanisms that states and the federal government have cooperated on for years. And those mechanisms do not, and have never, required that states turn over sensitive, personally identifying information about millions of Americans without any meaningful restrictions on how that information is used or shared with other agencies.

    The attorneys general also highlight The Paperwork Reduction Act, which seeks to “minimize the cost to the Federal Government of the creation, collection, maintenance, use, dissemination, and disposition of information.” USDA purports to seek data to re-verify the eligibility of SNAP participants, a function that is already subject to other quality control mechanisms and already completed by the states. Although USDA’s Notice claims the agency may share data with law enforcement, it overlooks key limits set by the federal Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). USDA’s own rules further restrict SNAP data use to program-related purposes, like prosecuting fraud. The letter defends SNAP enrollees’ reasonable expectation of privacy, urging USDA “not to lose sight of the fact that SNAP exists to fight hunger.”

    In submitting this comment letter, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. 

    A copy of the comment letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Support Grows for Grassley’s Combating Organized Retail Crime Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Following a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on organized retail crime, Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed growing support for his bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) from retail industry leaders, law enforcement organizations and hundreds of affected businesses.

    Grassley and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev) introduced the bill to establish a multi-agency response to organized retail crime, enhancing coordination between retail industry representatives and law enforcement. The legislation would also strengthen reporting efforts, create new tools to assist in the investigation and prosecution of retail and supply chain crime, and support efforts to recapture stolen goods and their proceeds.

    The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act currently has 26 bipartisan Senate cosponsors and is endorsed by 38 state attorneys general. Additionally, the legislation has garnered significant support from advocacy groups, including the world’s largest retail trade association, major law enforcement organizations and a coalition of over 260 impacted businesses. Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Susie Lee (D-Nev.) are leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Watch experts and industry leaders discuss the Judiciary Committee’s hearing and the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act below, followed by statements of support from local, state and federal organizations and businesses.

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    The National Retail Federation and a coalition of over 260 impacted businesses:

    “We respectfully urge Congress to advance and pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 without delay. This bipartisan, commonsense legislation is essential to modernizing our national response to organized retail crime, which threatens not only public safety but also the health and security of America’s supply chains and consumer access to goods. By strengthening coordination, enforcement and prevention, CORCA will help protect American businesses, workers and families. The time to act is now.”

    The National Association of Attorneys General:

    “As Attorneys General of Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and South Carolina, we are joined by the 34 Attorneys General of the undersigned states to encourage action during the 119th Congress to support our efforts to combat the nationwide organized retail crime epidemic… CORCA would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal level to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice.”

    The National Police Association:

    “The [National Police Association] extends its gratitude to Sen. Grassley and Rep. Joyce for introducing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a federal bill that would allow the private sector and law enforcement partners at all levels to work in tandem to fight these crime syndicates. The government’s priority is to provide for the safety and welfare of its citizens, and this bill goes a long way in accomplishing this.”

    The American Trucking Association:

    “The trucking industry takes great pride in delivering America’s freight safely and on time; however, the billions of tons of goods transported by trucks from coast to coast have increasingly become a prime target for organized crime rings, including transnational organizations, putting truck drivers at risk and raising costs for consumer. ATA commends this bipartisan group of leaders for addressing this alarming trend and safeguarding our supply chain. By empowering federal agencies to improve cooperation across jurisdictions and ramp up enforcement actions, this bill would strike an effective blow against organized crime.”

    Brenda Neville, President and CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association:

    “We commend the Senate Judiciary Committee for shining a spotlight on the growing problem of cargo theft. Chairman Grassley’s legislation is vitally important for Iowa’s trucking industry and the more than 100,000 Iowans who work to keep freight moving safely and efficiently. Cargo theft not only threatens the security of Iowa’s freight—it puts these hardworking men and women at serious risk. We are thankful to Chairman Grassley and the entire committee for their efforts to protect the people and the industry that are vital to Iowa’s economy.”

    Matt Hart, Executive Director of the Illinois Trucking Association:

    “Cargo theft is an epidemic affecting the entire supply chain, and Illinois is at the epicenter of the problem. Our state is among the top three nationally in cargo theft occurrences, and it is critical that Congress pass common-sense legislation that deters these criminal actors and gives law enforcement the tools it needs to combat these sophisticated crimes. On behalf of the nearly 340,000 Illinoisans who work throughout the trucking industry, we call on Senator Durbin to support the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.”

    Eric Sauer, CEO of the California Trucking Association:

    “Cargo theft is an issue impacting the entire supply nation across the country, but nowhere is it more acute than in California. Without this much-needed legislation, sophisticated criminal organizations will continue to operate with impunity at a great cost to consumers, highway safety, and the hardworking men and women throughout our industry. Senator Padilla’s support of the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act means law enforcement has the tools it needs to prosecute these criminal actors.”

    The Association of American Railroads:

    “Organized criminal operations continue to evolve and escalate their targeted attacks against our nation’s supply chain and retailers. This alarming trend affects every industry – including the nation’s largest railroads, which experienced a 40 percent spike in cargo theft last year. Disrupting these organized crime networks requires a unified, federally-led response. Chairman Grassley and Rep. Joyce’s bipartisan legislation provides the strategic framework necessary to disrupt these criminal networks and safeguard our supply chain.”

    The Retail Industry Leaders Association:

    “Organized criminal enterprises are endangering communities across the country through brazen and violent criminal acts that put retail employees and customers in harm’s way. Whether stealing mass quantities of products from retail stores or hijacking consumer goods throughout the supply chain, these gangs are wreaking havoc. And these criminal rings use the profits from retail theft to support larger illicit activities such as human trafficking, gun smuggling, narcotics, and terrorism. In order to expose and prosecute these sophisticated criminal rings, we need federal, state and local law enforcement to be coordinated, which is exactly what CORCA will do.”

    The International Council of Shopping Centers:

    “Across the United States, communities small and large are facing an unprecedented number of [organized retail crime] incidents. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would provide the necessary resources to bring the people and organizations behind this nationwide problem to justice by establishing formal coordination between law enforcement and the private sector. We applaud Senators Grassley and Cortez Masto, and Representatives Joyce, Lee and Titus, for reintroducing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. We believe the bill represents a huge step in the right direction towards addressing this growing issue.”

    The Intermodal Association of North America:

    “The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act offers commonsense solutions to identify and deter organized crime throughout the supply chain by enhancing legal frameworks, improving enforcement capabilities, and fostering collaboration across relevant federal, state and local agencies. The legislation will strengthen the U.S. economy by enhancing supply chain efficiency, penalizing dangerous crime groups and protecting American workers and consumers.”

    The National Insurance Crime Bureau:

    “On behalf of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), I write to express our strong support of S. 1404, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. As a leader in the fight against insurance fraud and crime, NICB urges the Committee to take up and advance this bipartisan measure, which will deter retail and cargo theft that harms American consumers and job creators; finances organized, transnational criminal networks; and increases costs for all.”

    The Home Depot:

    “The Home Depot strongly supports CORCA, and we are pleased to see that the Senate bill has over 20 bipartisan cosponsors. The bill would create the Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center, bringing together federal, state and local law enforcement and private sector experts to share information and collaborate on strategies to keep our stores, customers, and associates safe and secure. The bill would allow us to expand upon the progress made at the local and state levels and address cases that reach certain thresholds or cross state lines.”

    Ulta Beauty, Inc.:

    “We support CORCA’s goal to establish a coordinated federal approach to fighting these crimes. By enabling real-time data sharing and cross-jurisdictional collaboration between federal, state and local authorities, CORCA would empower law enforcement to pursue and prosecute [organized retail crime] offenders more effectively, deterring future activity and protecting retail workers and consumers. We believe this bill represents a meaningful and necessary step toward a safer, more secure retail environment, and we respectfully urge Congress to advance its passage.”

    Donna Lemm, Chief Strategy Officer, IMC Logistics:

    “It is imperative that action is taken at the federal, state, and local levels to confront and neutralize this growing threat. The trucking industry and our supply chain partners need more cooperation and interagency information-sharing, as well as a more robust investigative and prosecutorial posture, to tackle these challenges head-on. For those reasons, we are proud to support and endorse the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a bill that will provide the tools and resources necessary to facilitate that unified response.”

    Scott McBride, Chief Global Asset Protection Officer, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.:

    “As a professional dedicated to protecting customers and associates, I implore all members of the Congress to work together to ensure that the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act urgently becomes the law of the land. This critical legislation will help us stop these senseless crimes in our communities.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Bipartisan Colleagues Take Aim at Social Media Drug Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in reintroducing the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act.

    The bipartisan legislation would require social media companies and communication service providers to take an active role in reporting the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This additional data would assist state and local law enforcement in combating online drug trafficking, as well as prosecuting those who prey on America’s youth.

    “Fentanyl overdoses claim the lives of tens-of-thousands of Americans each year, many of whom suffered accidental poisonings after taking deadly pills marketed on social media platforms,” Grassley said. “After successfully passing the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, Senate Republicans are continuing to advance legislation to combat America’s fentanyl crisis and save lives. Congress must hold Big Tech accountable for its ongoing role in the illicit drug trade.”

    “For four years, Joe Biden’s reckless open borders allowed fentanyl to flood our communities, creating a crisis in every state. We still lose a Kansan a day to fentanyl poisoning,” Marshall said. “Cooper Davis was a bright young man from Johnson County who tragically died from a pill laced with fentanyl purchased on the social media platform: Snapchat. The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act requires social media platforms to report any drug activity on their platform to law enforcement. We will not rest in our fight until no Kansan loses their life to fentanyl poisoning.”

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is cosponsored by Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

    The legislation is endorsed by the families of Cooper Davis and Devin Norring, as well as the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Directors Association, Partnership for Safe Medicine, the U.S. Deputy Sherriff’s Association, The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Association, the Alexander Neville Foundation, the National Fraternal Order of Police and the Kansas Sheriffs Association.

    “Our family continues to be extremely grateful for Senator Marshall and his colleagues’ dedication to this legislation. We are both honored and saddened to have another name, Devin Norring, added to this bill,” said Libby Davis, Mother of Cooper Davis. “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.”

    “Our family & 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.”

    Download bill text HERE.

    Background:

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is named after two young men who tragically lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning after purchasing counterfeit pills from social media.

    Cooper Davis, from Johnson County, Kansas, lost his life after taking half a fake pill that contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. The pill was allegedly purchased from a Missouri drug dealer on the social media platform Snapchat. Following his passing, Cooper’s family launched the non-profit ‘Keepin’ Clean for Coop’ to save lives, raise awareness and educate students and families on the dangers of counterfeit pills.

    Devin Norring was a 19-year-old from Hastings, Minnesota, who lost his life to fentanyl poisoning in 2020. In his honor, his family started the Devin J. Norring Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of fake pills and other illicit substances.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newly Declassified DOJ Watchdog Report Shows FBI Cut Corners in Clinton Email Investigation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today is bringing to light the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) findings that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) failed to fully investigate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server and mishandling of highly classified information during her time as Secretary of State. The newly declassified “Clinton annex” is an appendix to the DOJ OIG’s June 2018 report reviewing the DOJ and FBI’s handling of the Clinton investigation. DOJ, under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi, and other agencies declassified and provided the Clinton annex to Grassley at his request. Grassley has sought information from DOJ and FBI about the document since 2018 and again submitted his request to then-Attorney General Bill Barr in 2019. He, along with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), requested President Donald Trump declassify the document in 2020, and Grassley reiterated the request in 2025.

    “This document shows an extreme lack of effort and due diligence in the FBI’s investigation of former Secretary Clinton’s email usage and mishandling of highly classified information,” Grassley said. “Under Comey’s leadership, the FBI failed to perform fundamental investigative work and left key pieces of evidence on the cutting room floor. The Comey FBI’s negligent approach and perhaps intentional lack of effort in the Clinton investigation is a stark contrast to its full-throated investigation of the Trump-Russia collusion hoax, which was based on the uncorroborated and now discredited Steele dossier. Comey’s decision-making process smacks of political infection.”

    “I warned years ago that the Clinton investigation failed to hit the mark, and I’m grateful the American people can finally see the facts for themselves,” Grassley continued. “After nearly a decade in the shadows, this information is now coming to light thanks to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel’s dedicated efforts to fulfill my congressional request. I appreciate their ongoing commitment to transparency and strongly urge them to continue to fully review this matter, including its national security impact.”

    Read the Clinton annex HERE.

    The DOJ OIG’s Clinton annex shows the FBI obtained thumb drives from a source during the Clinton investigation, but then-FBI Director James Comey, as well as then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok and others, failed to perform additional, targeted searches of the drives, even though they contained information relevant to the inquiry. The DOJ OIG report illustrates that the FBI failed to thoroughly and completely investigate the Clinton matter as a result, as well as vet the serious national security risks created by Clinton’s careless handling of highly classified information. According to the DOJ OIG, the thumb drives contained highly sensitive information exfiltrated from U.S. government agencies, including the Department of State, as well as then-President Barack Obama’s emails and, potentially, congressional information. The thumb drives were never reviewed as part of the Clinton investigation, contrary to the recommendation of a draft FBI memorandum. The DOJ OIG report also shows the drives should have been immediately reviewed for foreign intelligence purposes, but were not.

    The FBI also obtained intelligence reports discussing purported communications between Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who was chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the time, and two different individuals who worked for the Soros Open Society Foundations. The intelligence reports alleged that the Obama administration took efforts to scuttle the investigation into Clinton and protect her candidacy. The DOJ OIG Clinton annex shows Comey, McCabe and Strzok, among others, did not make serious investigative efforts to determine the veracity, or lack thereof, regarding the intelligence reports.

    On July 5, 2016, Comey exonerated Clinton in a public statement regarding the investigation and recommended DOJ take no legal action to hold her accountable. Grassley’s oversight revealed Comey planned to exonerate Clinton even before interviewing her. Weeks later, on July 31, 2016, Comey’s FBI formally opened the bogus Crossfire Hurricane investigation into President Trump’s disproven collusion with Russia. On that day, Strzok texted Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer, saying: “And damn this feels momentous. Because this matters. The other one did, too, but that was to ensure we didn’t F something up. This matters because this MATTERS. So super glad to be on this voyage with you.”

    Grassley cited Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation as evidence that Comey lacked the ability to maintain the public’s trust in the FBI, and was therefore rightfully terminated.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

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

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Reshay Rashard Nelson (45, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Nelson pleaded guilty in April 2025.

    According to court documents, officers from the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Nelson on April 10, 2023. A search of Nelson and his vehicle resulted in the discovery of an ounce of cocaine, a scale, and a loaded firearm. Nelson received an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, obstructing an officer with violence, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and trafficking in cocaine.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province Finalizes RCMP Lease in North Battleford, Issues RFP for Building Renovations

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 21, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has finalized a lease agreement with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for space in the former Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) Retail Inc. store in North Battleford and has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to begin planning major tenant improvements.

    “The lease and upcoming renovations show our supports for long-term investment in public safety infrastructure, while making efficient use of existing government-owned property.” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said, “This is infrastructure that will directly strengthen front-line policing in Saskatchewan.”

    To prepare the space for RCMP’s use, the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement is seeking consultant services to lead the design, documentation and contract administration required for the renovation.

    “This lease agreement is great news for our community.” Health Minister and MLA for North Battleford Jeremy Cockrill said. “By bringing the RCMP into this space and investing in needed renovations, we are supporting community safety creating, local jobs and making good use of existing infrastructure.”

    The former SLGA site, located at 1001 – 101 Street, will be repurposed to enable the RCMP expand its Battlefords detachment. Renovation work will include schematic and detailed design, construction drawings, specifications, tender documents and project oversight during construction.

    The RCMP lease was ratified on July 2, 2025. This project represents a strategic reuse of existing government-owned infrastructure and supports the province’s commitment to community safety.

    SLGA owned 19 of its 34 store properties. The North Battleford location was one of four buildings which were identified to be repurposed for other government organizations. Buildings currently for sale are listed on slga.com.

    “The City of North Battleford is very encouraged that this lease has been signed, allowing this prominent downtown building to be put back into productive use. We are extremely pleased that the RCMP will be expanding its presence in the Battlefords region with the development of a regional RCMP training hub.” North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin said. “This project will bring significant economic benefits to our city and the surrounding areas through the addition of permanent RCMP staff and a steady flow of officers travelling to North Battleford to attend training. We want to thank the provincial government for partnering with the RCMP, and we are eager to see this vision become reality.”

    Renovations are expected to take between 18 and 24 months. The RCMP will begin operations in the building once the upgrades are complete.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update: Noosa crocodile

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 21 Jul 2025

    Queensland Parks and Wildlife Rangers investigated a reported crocodile sighting at Noosa Spit on 20 July 2025 but found no evidence of a crocodile.

    A follow-up search is planned for 21 July 2025. The investigation was prompted by a fisher reporting possible crocodile images on a boat’s depth-sounder to the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

    While the investigation is ongoing, people are asked to be vigilant around the water.

    The Noosa area is considered atypical crocodile habitat, and any crocodile confirmed to be present will be targeted for removal from the wild.

    Anyone who sees what they believe to be a crocodile in the Noosa area is encouraged to make a sighting report as soon as possible.

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE San Juan investigation leads to arrest of female teacher for child sex trafficking in Puerto Rico

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — On July 10, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Lizamarie Rivera-García, a 42-year-old woman from Bayamón, charged with sex trafficking of children.

    “We cannot let our guard down! Our children are being sexually exploited by individuals in positions of public trust. Law enforcement agencies are committed to being the voice of these victims,” said HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Rebecca C. Gonzalez-Ramos. “HSI’s multidisciplinary team will guarantee that our children receive the necessary assistance to overcome this trauma, and our agents will make sure that these individuals are arrested, away from causing more damage. A female religion teacher that had the responsibility to guide our children about principles and beliefs was actually developing a plan to sexually assault them. HSI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau are committed to protecting our children. We will not let these acts happen on our watch.”

    According to court documents, between December 2023 and October 2024, Rivera-García knowingly and willfully recruited, enticed, transported and maintained a 15-year-old boy to engage in commercial sex acts. Rivera-García is also accused with knowingly employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing the same child to engage in sexual activity; transporting him in a commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with intent that the male individual engage in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense; and using internet instant messaging services and social media to knowingly transfer and attempt to transfer obscene matter to an individual who had not attained the age of 16 years.

    In addition, from in or about December 2023 to November 2024, Rivera-García knowingly and willfully recruited, enticed, transported and maintained a 17-year-old boy to engage in commercial sex acts.

    If convicted on the charges, the defendant faces the following penalties: 

    • Sex trafficking of a child, with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and up to life in prison.
    • Transportation of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to life in prison.
    • Coercion and enticement of a minor, with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to life in prison.

    All convictions will be followed by a term of supervised release of no less than five years and up to life. A federal district court judge will determine Rivera-García’s sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov. Learn more about HSI San Juan’s mission to increase public safety in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Instagram, Facebook and X.

    MIL OSI USA News –