NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Kentucky Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by May Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Kentucky of the April 23, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides occurring on May 21-27, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Allen, Barren, Bell, Boyd, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carter, Christian, Clay, Crittenden, Edmonson, Graves, Grayson, Greenup, Hopkins, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Leslie, Lewis, Logan, Lyon, Marshall, McCreary, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio, Owsley, Perry, Simpson, Todd, Trigg, Warren, Webster and Whitley in Kentucky, as well as Lawrence and Scioto counties in Ohio, and Campbell, Claiborne, Henry, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart and Sumner counties in Tennessee. 

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and PNPs with financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises. 

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the small business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster. 

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.” 

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition. 

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 23, 2025. 

    ### 

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration 

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hobbs Man Who Sold Illegal Firearm Devices to Undercover Agents Pleads Guilty

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Hobbs man admitted to selling illegal devices that convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns to undercover agents investigating a series of shootings in Carlsbad.

    According to court records, the investigation began after several shootings involving juvenile suspects took place in Carlsbad, New Mexico, in 2024. During a review of a phone belonging to one of the juvenile shooting suspects, officers from the Carlsbad Police Department discovered conversations indicating the sale of machine gun conversion devices. These devices convert semi-automatic pistols into machine guns capable of firing hundreds of rounds per minute with a single trigger pull.

    The investigation led to Tevon Wayne Davis Cobbs, 24, who used the online aliases “Tee Swoo” and “TMURDA.” Subsequently, undercover agents with the Lea County Drug Task Force (LCDTF) contacted Cobbs through Facebook, posing as potential buyers, and arranged to purchase machine gun conversion devices. Over the course of two controlled buys, Cobbs sold the undercover agents multiple machine gun conversion devices and a silencer. He admitted to dealing in illegal firearm modifications for three to four years and showed the undercover agents videos of himself firing weapons converted to fully automatic capability. During these deals, Cobbs not only offered to sell the agents more machine gun conversion devices but also boasted that he had a machine gun on his person at that moment and offered to retrieve it from his car to show them.

    Cobbs pled guilty to four charges, including possession and transfer of a machinegun, possession of an unregistered NFA firearm, possession of NFA firearm without serial number and illegal transfer of NFA firearm.

    At sentencing, Cobbs faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Cobbs faces up to $280,000 in fines.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating this case with assistance from the Lea County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Ry Ellison is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti Convicted of Visa Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant ordered and carried out extrajudicial and political killings against the Haitian people

    BOSTON – The former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of illegally obtaining a Permanent Resident Card (commonly referred to as a Green Card) by means of a false statement, specifically, that he ordered and carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings, and other acts of violence, against the Haitian people.

    Jean Morose Viliena, 52, was convicted of three counts of visa fraud. Chief U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for June 20, 2025. Viliena was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.

    “The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes.  Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.”

    “Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.”

    “Viliena knowingly lied to conceal his violent past, deceiving immigration authorities to come to the United States. The brave witnesses who came forward to testify in this case relayed their experiences of extreme violence and oppression committed by Viliena and his associates. Thanks to their testimony, his fraud has been uncovered and he will now face consequences for his violence and deception,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations New England.

    “The men and women of CBP work diligently alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of the people in our communities. Emigrating to the United States is a privilege and if you conceal your criminal conduct to deceive your way into this country, you will ultimately be detected, held accountable and brought to justice,” said Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office.

    According to court documents, Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerts power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and security detail and led an armed group in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, the Korega militia enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting political opponents in Les Irois through armed violence.

    According to the indictment, as Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. The first occurred in or around July 27, 2007 when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal for that testimony, that evening, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’ home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’ younger brother, and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

    The second incident occurred in or around April 2008, when a group of local journalists and activists founded a community radio station. According to court documents, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized members of his staff and the Korega militia to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to the Korega militia members, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.

    On the day of the attack on the radio station, Viliena pistol-whipped an individual with his gun and struck him with his fists. When the individual tried to flee, Viliena ordered one of his associates to shoot and kill him. Shots were fired which hit the individual in the leg. The individual spent several months in various hospitals and his leg was later amputated above his knee. Another individual, also a citizen of Haiti, became a target of Viliena because of his association with the radio station. On the day of the attack of the radio station, that individual was present and when he tried to flee, he was hit by a bullet in the face. He required months of intensive medical treatment, including two surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his face, which left him permanently blind in one eye. According to court documents, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s scalp and arms.  

    On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the United States Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti where he submitted an Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, Part II in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires that each applicant state whether or not they are a member of any class of individuals that are excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded that he was not. Viliena thereafter swore to, or affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. According to court documents, thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008 and based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.  

    On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent residence status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card. Viliena has continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and has used such card on numerous occasions to enter the United States.  

    The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    U.S. Attorney Foley; Acting DOJ Head Galeotti; HSI SAC Krol; CBP’s Director of Field Operations De La O; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director of the Fraud Detection and National Security Division of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Malden Police Department and HRSP historian Christopher Hayden. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of the National Security Unit and Alexandra Skinnion of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Unit Section (HRSP) are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Southern District charges 265 individuals in border security-related cases this week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A total of 257 cases have been filed in relation to immigration and border security from March 21-27, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    Of those, 98 face allegations of illegally re-entering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 132 face charges of illegally entering the country, 23 cases involve various instances of human smuggling, and the remainder relate to firearms and other immigration matters.

    Among those charged as part of these new cases include two illegal alien human smugglers who engaged in a dangerous pursuit and crash (pictures attached). Jose Manuel Zamarripa-Torres picked up brush guide Daniel Flores-Hernandez and four illegal aliens who had crossed the Rio Grande in a raft, according to the allegations. Authorities attempted to stop the SUV he was driving, but the charges allege he fled which resulted in a 6.1-mile pursuit with Zamarripa-Torres ultimately crashing into an occupied civilian vehicle, a power pole and fence. If convicted, they both face up to 10 years in federal prison.

    Other relevant cases announced this week include a 20-year-old Mexican national affiliated with Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) was sentenced in Laredo for illegally possessing thousands of rounds of ammunition. Charbel Garza Macias admitted it was to be smuggled into Mexico and that it was for the CDN. In handing down the 63-month sentence, the court noted Macias was providing tools of war to a brutal criminal organization.

    In Corpus Christi, a jury convicted Cuban citizen Jorge Grimon Maturell for transporting seven illegal aliens in a tractor-trailer. They had been hiding in the corner of the sleeper area and underneath a mattress. Maturell had directed the illegal aliens where to hide when entering his vehicle and to not make any noise when they arrived at the checkpoint. As a result of the verdict, he is now in custody.

    The last of five members of an alien smuggling group also learned his fate for leading the conspiracy. Jaquon Davis was a long-time alien smuggler who recruited several people. On March 19, 2024, Davis and four others travelled in three cars using an access road in an attempt to avoid law enforcement. Authorities ultimately pulled them over and discovered a total of 12 illegal aliens in the vehicles. One was concealed in a box located in a truck bed. Davis will now serve 44 months for leading and coordinating the event.

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

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

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

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

    An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Premeditated Murder for Revenge Killing

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Deonte Patterson, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and other charges for the August 2021 shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on 9th Street NW, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Patterson also was found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and obstructing justice. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2025. Patterson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 2:24 a.m., on August 23, 2021, members of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department were in the area of 9th and T Street, N.W., when they heard the sounds of multiple gunshots. Officers canvassed the area and located Mr. Ali Al-Mahdi in front of 1822 9th Street, N.W., unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and transported Mr. Al-Mahdi to Howard University Hospital where all lifesaving efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m. Surveillance video and witness testimony placed Patterson in the area of the shooting. Mr. Al-Mahdi was shot as he was trying to get to his car. Minutes after the shooting, there was a car crash at 9th Street and Massachusetts Ave N.W., where a car flipped over multiple times. Patterson and a gun flew out from the vehicle during the crash. DNA tied the gun that flew out of the car to the defendant. That gun was consistent with having fired the 40 caliber casings at the shooting crime scene. Other casings at the shooting scene came from an unknown firearm suspected to be return gunfire that hit the defendant’s fleeing vehicle. The defendant’s firearm was in a fanny pack in the backseat of his car. The decedent had previously shot the defendant in 2019, pled guilty, and served time.

                An arrest warrant for Patterson was issued in January 2022 and he was on the run for a year until he was arrested on January 5, 2023. Since being held, the defendant communicated with his girlfriend in several jail calls instructing her not to say anything.

                This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

                It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Tamara Rubb.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Flood Insurance Policyholders in Kentucky Can Apply for FEMA Assistance

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: National Flood Insurance Policyholders in Kentucky Can Apply for FEMA Assistance

    National Flood Insurance Policyholders in Kentucky Can Apply for FEMA Assistance

    Frankfort, KY- If you were affected by the recent severe storms in Kentucky and have an insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), you may still be eligible for disaster assistance

    FEMA encourages everyone who was impacted by this disaster to apply for assistance in addition to filing a claim with your insurance company

    Disaster assistance may be able to help fill in the financial gaps that your insurance company will not cover

     NFIP Policyholders May be Eligible for Individual AssistanceFor eligible individuals, FEMA disaster assistance may help with uncovered expenses like temporary housing assistance or other needs, such as essential home repairs, essential personal property replacement, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other sources

    Use both resources as intended: accept FEMA assistance for immediate emergency needs while simultaneously pursuing your full insurance claim

    FEMA cannot provide money for expenses covered by insurance or duplicate benefits from another source

    Be sure to inform FEMA about your insurance coverage and claim status, and likewise inform your insurer about any FEMA assistance received

    It is important to keep detailed records to avoid duplicate payments for identical losses and comply with repayment requirements if overlaps occur

    For more information on what to do after a flood and how to start your flood claim, please visit floodsmart

    gov

    How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceIf you live in Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Simpson or Woodford County, and haven’t yet applied for FEMA assistance, you may still complete an application

    The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Friday, April 25

    You can visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to meet face to face with specialists from FEMA to get assistance filling out your application

    The Small Business Administration (SBA) and other state and local agencies are also in DRCs to answer questions about disaster assistance and other recovery resources

    You may also upload any documents needed for applications at the centers

    If you are unable to visit a DRC, there are other ways to apply: online at DisasterAssistance

    gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call 800-621-3362

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service

    When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted

    Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying

    Your Social Security Number

    A general list of damage and losses

    Banking information if you choose direct deposit

    If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

    For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube

    com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw

    For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4860

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

       
    martyce

    allenjr
    Fri, 03/28/2025 – 20:02

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: St Marys man charged after police seize homemade firearms

    Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

    St Marys man charged after police seize homemade firearms

    Saturday, 29 March 2025 – 7:35 am.

    A man has been charged after police seized five homemade firearms during a targeted search at St Marys yesterday.Officers from St Marys, along with members of the Dog Handler Unit and specialist police resources, executed a search warrant at a private residence on Friday 28 March.
    During the search police located and seized the illegal firearms – four of which were loaded – along with a quantity of ammunition, and property believed to have been stolen during recent burglaries in the St Marys area.
    A 33-year-old St Marys man was arrested and has since been charged with multiple firearms and drug-related offences as well as burglary and stealing.
    He was detained to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court today.
    Anyone with information about illegal firearms should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deadline to Submit Right of Entry Forms Extended to April 15

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Deadline to Submit Right of Entry Forms Extended to April 15

    Deadline to Submit Right of Entry Forms Extended to April 15

    Owner occupied condos and multi-family units now eligible for government funded debris removal program

    The deadline to submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form to be eligible for debris removal by the U

    S

    Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has been extended to April 15, 2025

     The federally funded debris removal program consists of structural debris removal and requires an ROE form, completed by the property owner and submitted either online or downloaded and submitted in person at a Disaster Recovery Center

     There is no out-of-pocket cost to have debris removed by USACE, however FEMA is unable to duplicate other forms of funding specific to debris removal

    If a property has insurance for debris removal, any residual amount not used by the property owner must be provided through the county to offset the cost of debris removal

     All property owners should submit an ROE form by April 15, 2025, either opting into the program or opting out

     FEMA’s authority is typically limited to the removal of debris from public areas, including public schools or administrative facilities

    In response to the Los Angeles wildfires, FEMA’s authority has been extended beyond public area debris removal to include single family residences to help mitigate the immediate public health threat and accelerate the economic recovery of impacted communities

    Based on a request made this week by the State of California, FEMA has also added owner occupied multi-family units

     Federal Debris Removal Program EligibilitySingle-Family PropertiesPrivate, residential single-family properties are eligible

    Homeowners must opt-in to debris removal by submitting an ROE form by the April 15 deadline

    Multi-Family PropertiesOwner OccupiedEach owner of a destroyed unit in a condominium or duplex must submit an ROE form, as well as the homeowner’s association of the building

    This allows the county, state, and FEMA to assess the property for eligibility for PPDR

    Residential commercial properties that contain at least one owner-occupied home are eligible for federally funded debris removal

    This includes most condominium and some multi-family buildings, even if there is a mix of owner-occupied and rental units within the same building

    Renter OccupiedRental units are generally not eligible

    The owner of the apartment business is expected to use their insurance and hire a licensed contractor to conduct debris removal

    See guidance for commercial properties below

    Apartment tenants may be eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program to help them rent another place to live and/or replace personal property that was destroyed in the fire

    Applications for the FEMA Individual Assistance program must be submitted by March 31

    Apply online at DisasterAssistance

    gov, by calling the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362, or by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center

     Commercial PropertiesGenerally, commercial properties are not eligible for federally funded debris removal

    FEMA has limited abilities to fund this cleanup

    Commercial property owners should work with their insurance company and begin debris removal as soon as possible

    If extenuating circumstances exist, businesses owners should communicate them to Los Angeles County

    Businesses may also qualify for SBA low interest loans to assist in their recovery and supplement insurance

    To apply for an SBA loan, property owners should visit sba

    gov/disaster, call 1-800-659-2955, or visit a Disaster Recovery Center or Business Recovery Center

    The deadline for submitting an SBA disaster loan application is March 31

    Public Buildings and Eligible Private Non-ProfitsPublic applicants and eligible Private Non-Profits (PNPs) that perform an essential service as defined under 44 CFR 206

    223 may be eligible for debris removal

     Contact Los Angeles County if you need more information about debris removal: Visit the LA County Debris Removal Website: recovery

    lacounty

    gov/debris-removal/ Call LA County’s Public Works Fire Debris Hotline: 844-347-3332Follow FEMA online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account

    For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready

    gov, on Instagram @Ready

    gov or on the Ready Facebook page

    California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process

    Visit CA

    gov/LAFires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance

    alberto

    pillot
    Fri, 03/28/2025 – 19:26

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Haitian Mayor Convicted of Immigration Crimes Based on Lying about Past Involvement in Haitian Political Violence

    Source: US State of California

    A jury has convicted Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.

    “Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.”

    “The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes.  Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.”

    “Viliena’s horrific violence, committed both by his own hand and by armed groups he directed, made him ineligible to enter the United States,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol, who oversees HSI operations in all of New England. “He has now faced the consequences of lying to come to live in Massachusetts.  HSI actively investigates and apprehends human rights violators who seek to escape their criminal pasts and come here, and we will not allow this country to become a safe haven for these criminals.”

    Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerted power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and other armed supporters in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, armed men enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting individuals in Les Irois through armed violence.

    As Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. According to evidence presented at trial, the first occurred on July 27, 2007, when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal, that evening, according to testimony at trial, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’s home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’s younger brother and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

    The second incident occurred in April 2008, after several community members founded a radio station. According to multiple witnesses’ testimony, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized armed members of his staff and supporters to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to his men, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.

    On the day of the attack on the radio station, according to evidence presented at trial, Viliena beat the man whose residence housed the radio station. Viliena ordered an associate to shoot him, according to witness testimony. The individual was shot in the leg and spent several months in various hospitals, resulting in his leg later being amputated. Viliena also beat up another individual present at the radio station that day and dragged him through the radio station to the front of the building, according to the evidence at trial. When he tried to flee, the individual was struck by bullets in his face resulting in him being blinded in his right eye after months of intensive medical treatment that included surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his body. According to evidence introduced at trial, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s body to this day, sometimes coming out of his skin on their own.

    On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he submitted an application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires each applicant to state whether they are a member of any class of individuals excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded “no,” indicating that this category did not apply to him. Viliena thereafter swore to, and affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. Thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008, based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.

    On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “Green Card.” Viliena continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and used such card on numerous occasions.

    The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Viliena is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The HSI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Invaluable assistance was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Boston Logan Airport.

    Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.

    Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California releases Master Plan to better support people with Autism and other developmental disabilities

    Source: US State of California 2

    Mar 28, 2025

    What you need to know: The Master Plan for Developmental Services: A Community-Driven Vision was released today with recommendations for strengthening support for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to live in the community.

    Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the release of the Master Plan for Developmental Services: A Community-Driven Vision (Plan). The Plan makes recommendations on improvements for the service system, including reducing barriers to service access statewide for the growing developmental disabilities community. The Plan reflects extensive and diverse input from the community, capturing what Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families want to see in employment, education, transportation, health, behavioral health, developmental services, and other programs to live and thrive in community.

    “California succeeds when ALL communities succeed. Our Administration has prioritized transparency, accountability, and equity in supports that make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. We are proud to receive this Master Plan from the people who are most impacted by our services and look forward to getting to work.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The Committee responsible for the development of the Plan was appointed by the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) Secretary in early 2024 and included five workgroups, all of which were made up of a diverse group of individuals with disabilities, family members, advocates, service providers, direct support professionals, and representatives from the state’s 21 regional centers. The Committee and its workgroups convened to develop the recommendations with public input through a robust year-long, statewide process. Additionally, more than 45 listening sessions were held with various diverse communities, service providers, policy experts, advocates, individuals and families.

    The Plan’s recommendations 

    • Ensure that people are treated fairly: Addressing disparities in service delivery for underserved communities by standardizing services statewide and removing language, cultural, and location barriers. 
    • Allow people to make their own life choices: Providing tools and resources needed to support individuals in decision-making.   
    • Get people the services they need and choose: Streamlining and simplifying processes to reduce wait times and provide timely access to critical services, as well as building stronger bridges across state service systems.  
    • Ensure people are part of — and served by — a strong workforce: Investing in training, compensation, and recruitment of direct support professionals. 
    • Accountability and transparency should guide all systems that serve people: Equipping individuals, families, advocates, and professionals with resources and information needed to understand how the state is providing services to individuals and families. 
    • Data should guide the future of the developmental services system: Establishing and implementing clear metrics to assess whether needs are being met effectively and where improvements are needed.  

    “This would not have been possible without the collaboration of community members committed to making California a place where everyone is valued and can thrive. We are deeply grateful for their contributions. These recommendations will inform the future for our State that meets the needs and goals of each person with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and the workforce that supports them.”

    Kim Johnson, CalHHS Secretary

    Learn more and read the full Plan HERE.

    Bigger picture

    The Newsom Administration has made historic investments in recent years for California’s system of community-based services supporting more than 500,000 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). 

    California provides the only life-long entitlement to services in the nation, funded with over $15 billion annually. The evolving needs of the community and access challenges highlighted the need to re-examine how the state delivers services locally to individuals with I/DD and to identify where stronger bridges can be built across employment, health, and social services systems. 

    Focus groups and public engagement sessions will continue across a variety of topics to gather input. These topics include employment, rate reform, early intervention, autism, and more. The Plan will guide these conversations for ongoing measurements, evaluations, policy changes, and fiscal investments. Legislation codified the Master Plan for Developmental Services in 2024 and requires annual reports to the Legislature through the next ten years. In preparation for those reports, bi-annual meetings of the Plan’s committee will be held to review recommendations and share updates.  

    Press Releases

    Recent news

    Mar 28, 2025

    News What you need to know: Owner-occupied condos, multi-family units, and certain commercial properties may now eligible for the LA fire debris removal program. The deadline to submit Right of Entry Forms has been extended to April 15. LOS ANGELES – Building on…

    Mar 27, 2025

    News What you need to know: California has formally requested that the federal government add commercial structures and multi-family units to the ongoing fire debris removal efforts in Los Angeles.  LOS ANGELES – Working to expand the scope of the fast-moving wildfire…

    Mar 27, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is taking additional steps to speed up the rebuilding process for Los Angeles by further suspending CEQA and the California Coastal Act to expedite the rebuilding of utility and telecommunication infrastructure, including…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal government approves California’s request to expand LA fire debris removal program

    Source: US State of California 2

    Mar 28, 2025

    What you need to know: Owner-occupied condos, multi-family units, and certain commercial properties may now eligible for the LA fire debris removal program. The deadline to submit Right of Entry Forms has been extended to April 15.

    LOS ANGELES – Building on California and the federal administration’s ongoing partnership for a fast-moving “LA fire fix,” the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today approved Governor Gavin Newsom’s request to expand the scope of the wildfire cleanup effort. That approval comes less than 24 hours after the state’s initial request.

    “Our federal partners continue to deliver for California. Together, we are going to rebuild Los Angeles in record time while supporting all those who have been impacted.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    FEMA today sent a letter to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) agreeing to expand the scope of cleanup to a number of facility types that were not previously eligible for debris removal, including owner occupied condominiums, multi-family units, and certain commercial properties.

    FEMA also extended the deadline for Right of Entry form submissions to April 15 to allow the newly eligible groups time to apply. 

    Yesterday, in a letter sent to FEMA, Cal OES Director Nancy Ward requested that commercial and multi-family residential properties be included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) debris removal program, specifically the special inclusion of small businesses and residential apartments, condominiums, and mobile homes.

    Under Governor Newsom’s leadership, California has expedited the cleanup process by cutting red tape and eliminating bureaucratic barriers, allowing highly trained crews to enter impacted communities sooner and help survivors rebuild their lives faster.

    Debris removal from private commercial property is typically the responsibility of property owners and is usually not eligible for federal programs. 

    Under today’s approval, commercial properties – including multi-family rental properties – will now be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The criteria for these properties being included in the USACE debris removal program is based upon: 

    • An immediate threat to public health and safety due to debris.
    • Barriers to the commercial entity completing debris removal independently.
    • Insurance coverage and status of claim.
    • Economic impact of debris removal on the commercial entity and community.

    Understanding the state-federal debris removal process 

    The federally funded debris removal program consists of structural debris removal and requires an ROE form completed by the property owner and submitted either online or downloaded and submitted in person at a Disaster Recovery Center.

    There is no out-of-pocket cost to have debris removed by USACE – however, FEMA is unable to duplicate other forms of funding specific to debris removal. If a property has insurance for debris removal, any residual amount not used by the property owner must be provided through the county to offset the cost of debris removal.

    All property owners should submit an ROE form by April 15, 2025, either opting into the program or opting out.

    FEMA’s authority is typically limited to the removal of debris from public areas, including public schools or administrative facilities. 

    In response to the Los Angeles wildfires, FEMA’s authority has been extended beyond public area debris removal to include single-family residences to help mitigate the immediate public health threat and accelerate the economic recovery of impacted communities. 

    Federal Debris Removal Program eligibility

    • Single-family properties
    • Private, residential single-family properties are eligible

    Homeowners must opt-in to debris removal by submitting an ROE form by the April 15 deadline.

    Multi-family properties

    • Owner occupied

    Each owner of a destroyed unit in a condominium or duplex must submit an ROE form, as well as the homeowner’s association of the building. This allows the county, state, and FEMA to assess the property for eligibility.

    Track LA’s recovery, including the latest air quality results, at CA.gov/LAfires. 

    Recent news

    Mar 27, 2025

    News What you need to know: California has formally requested that the federal government add commercial structures and multi-family units to the ongoing fire debris removal efforts in Los Angeles.  LOS ANGELES – Working to expand the scope of the fast-moving wildfire…

    Mar 27, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom is taking additional steps to speed up the rebuilding process for Los Angeles by further suspending CEQA and the California Coastal Act to expedite the rebuilding of utility and telecommunication infrastructure, including…

    Mar 26, 2025

    News Highlights California’s economic investments in creative economy, LA’s recovery What you need to know: Governor Newsom today joined Anna Wintour to welcome the Vogue World event to Hollywood, promoting the state’s proposal to more than double California’s Film…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Haitian Mayor Convicted of Immigration Crimes Based on Lying about Past Involvement in Haitian Political Violence

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    A jury has convicted Jean Morose Viliena, the former Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, for possessing and using a Permanent Resident Card he had fraudulently obtained by falsely stating he had not ordered, carried out, or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.

    “Today a jury found that Jean Morose Viliena lied his way into gaining entrance into the United States after committing unspeakable acts of violence in Haiti,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will not stand for human rights violators illegally entering and roaming the streets of our communities. Thank you to the brave victims and witnesses who helped our law enforcement partners and prosecutors begin to hold Viliena accountable for his crimes.”

    “The political corruption and violence that the people of Haiti endured at the direction of Jean Morose Viliena, is appalling,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “The United States is not where you come to hide from your crimes.  Today’s conviction is proof that running away from your crimes and lying to federal officials will catch up to you. I applaud the courage of the witnesses who spoke up about the abuse they suffered as a result of Viliena.”

    “Viliena’s horrific violence, committed both by his own hand and by armed groups he directed, made him ineligible to enter the United States,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol, who oversees HSI operations in all of New England. “He has now faced the consequences of lying to come to live in Massachusetts.  HSI actively investigates and apprehends human rights violators who seek to escape their criminal pasts and come here, and we will not allow this country to become a safe haven for these criminals.”

    Viliena was the Mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until at least February 2010. As a candidate and as Mayor, Viliena was backed by a political machine called Korega, which exerted power throughout the southwestern region of Haiti through armed violence. Viliena personally supervised his mayoral staff and other armed supporters in Les Irois aligned with Korega. Under Viliena’s direct supervision, armed men enforced Viliena’s policies by various means, including by targeting individuals in Les Irois through armed violence.

    As Mayor, Viliena was involved in several instances of violence. According to evidence presented at trial, the first occurred on July 27, 2007, when a witness spoke at a judicial proceeding in Les Irois on behalf of a neighbor who had been assaulted by Viliena. In reprisal, that evening, according to testimony at trial, Viliena led an armed group to that witness’s home, where Viliena and his associates shot and killed the witness’s younger brother and then smashed his skull with a large rock before a crowd of bystanders.

    The second incident occurred in April 2008, after several community members founded a radio station. According to multiple witnesses’ testimony, Viliena opposed establishment of the radio station and, on April 8, 2008, mobilized armed members of his staff and supporters to forcibly shut down the radio station and seize its broadcasting equipment. At that time, Viliena distributed firearms to his men, some of whom also carried machetes and picks.

    On the day of the attack on the radio station, according to evidence presented at trial, Viliena beat the man whose residence housed the radio station. Viliena ordered an associate to shoot him, according to witness testimony. The individual was shot in the leg and spent several months in various hospitals, resulting in his leg later being amputated. Viliena also beat up another individual present at the radio station that day and dragged him through the radio station to the front of the building, according to the evidence at trial. When he tried to flee, the individual was struck by bullets in his face resulting in him being blinded in his right eye after months of intensive medical treatment that included surgeries to extract shotgun pellets from his body. According to evidence introduced at trial, pieces of shotgun pellets remain in the individual’s body to this day, sometimes coming out of his skin on their own.

    On June 3, 2008, Viliena presented himself at the U.S. Embassy Consular Office in Port au Prince, Haiti, where he submitted an application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, Form DS-230, in order to gain entry to the United States. The form specifically requires each applicant to state whether they are a member of any class of individuals excluded from admission into the United States, including those who have “ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.” Viliena falsely responded “no,” indicating that this category did not apply to him. Viliena thereafter swore to, and affirmed, before a U.S. Consular Officer that the contents of the application were true and signed the application. Thereafter, on or about June 4, 2008, based upon Viliena’s false representations in the Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Form DS-230, the U.S. Department of State approved Viliena’s DS-230 application.

    On or about July 14, 2008 – as the result of the approval of his DS-230 application – Viliena gained entry into the United States and was thereafter granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States. As a further result, Viliena received a Permanent Resident Card, also known as a “Green Card.” Viliena continued to possess a Permanent Resident Card and used such card on numerous occasions.

    The charge of visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Viliena is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The HSI Boston Field Office investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC). Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Invaluable assistance was also provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Boston Logan Airport.

    Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan for the District of Massachusetts prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden.

    Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Myanmar: Military must urgently allow full access to humanitarian aid for earthquake victims in all areas

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Earthquake epicentre in area already ravaged by military air strikes and years of fighting

    Military has long denied aid to areas where resistance groups are active 

    Lack of information and images a stark reminder of junta’s crushing of press freedom

    ‘Human rights must be at the centre of all relief efforts, and there must be no discrimination in aid provision’ – Joe Freeman

    Responding to reports of widescale damage from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake reported in central and other parts of Myanmar, Joe Freeman, Amnesty International’s Myanmar Researcher, said:

    “This earthquake could not come at a worse time for Myanmar. More than three million people remain internally displaced from armed conflict that has raged since the 2021 military coup. Over a third of the population will need humanitarian assistance this year. At the same time, the impacts of US aid cuts on humanitarian services in the country are just starting to bite.

    “In a country where the military has banned many media outlets and internet access is restricted, we may not have a clear picture of the extent of damage and loss for some time. That there appear to be more images and information coming out of Thailand than the epicentre in Myanmar is a startling reminder of the military’s crushing of press freedom since the 2021 coup.

    “Central Myanmar, which is believed to be the epicentre of the earthquake, has been ravaged by military air strikes and clashes between resistance groups and the military. Myanmar’s military has a longstanding practice of denying aid to areas where groups who resist it are active. It must immediately allow unimpeded access to all humanitarian organisations and remove administrative barriers delaying needs assessments.

    “All parties to the armed conflict should be prioritising the needs of civilians whose lives have been upended in this disaster and ensuring that they have unfettered access to aid.

    “Human rights must be at the centre of all relief efforts, and there must be no discrimination in aid provision. Amnesty International is calling particularly for the protection of those with specific needs, including children, older people, people with disabilities, and women and girls in vulnerable situations.”

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Video: South Sudan, Southeast Asia Earthquake & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (28 March 2025)

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:
    Secretary-General / South Sudan
    South Sudan / Peacekeeping
    South Sudan / Humanitarian
    Southeast Asia Earthquake
    Democratic Republic of the Congo
    Central African Republic
    Occupied Palestinian Territory
    Lebanon
    International Day of Zero Waste
    Senior Personnel Appointment – UNTMIS
    Financial Contribution
    Briefing

    SECRETARY-GENERAL / SOUTH SUDAN
    In remarks to the press today on the unfolding situation in South Sudan, the Secretary-General urged the leaders to end the politics of confrontation, to release detained military and civilian officials now and fully restore the Government of National Unity.
    Mr. Guterres also urged the guarantors of the peace agreement from the regional and international community to speak with one voice and to support the peace process. Mr. Guterres reiterated that we will work in close cooperation with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, otherwise known as IGAD.
    The Secretary-General also called for dialogue and de-escalation for the sake of the long-suffering people of South Sudan. Three out of four South Sudanese need assistance, he sounded the alarm, that’s 9.3 million human beings in total. This is a humanitarian nightmare, he said.

    SOUTH SUDAN / PEACEKEEPING
    The Special Representative in South Sudan and Head of the peacekeeping mission there, Nicholas Haysom, just finished a meeting with President Salva Kiir.
    Mr. Haysom shared the Secretary-General’s concerns with the President that the country risks slipping into widespread conflict due to the recent political and security developments. Our peacekeeping colleagues tell us that the President, in response, reiterated his previous public message that he is steadfast in his commitment not to take the country to war.
    Mr. Haysom offered our full support to help de-escalate the tensions and encouraged the President to exercise leadership and take the necessary steps to give all South Sudanese confidence that peace will prevail in their country

    SOUTH SUDAN / HUMANITARIAN
    We can’t stress enough how deeply worried we are about the risk of the situation there worsening for the people of South Sudan.
    This humanitarian crisis is being driven by violence, by food insecurity, by political instability, by climate shocks, by disease outbreaks as well as the spillover from the conflict in neighbouring Sudan.
    Dozens of casualties have been reported due to the ongoing violence in the country in recent weeks, with up to 120,000 men, women and children having been forced to fleee their homes. The levels of acute hunger remain high, with some 7.7 million people who are severely food insecure and 650,000 children under the age of five at risk of severe acute malnutrition.
    Regarding disease outbreaks – a cholera outbreak in South Sudan is yet to be contained, with more than 42,000 cases reported and nearly 800 deaths. Once again, we call on the parties to put their weapons down and put all the people of South Sudan first.
    And at this critical juncture, we also appeal to Member States to swiftly supply the resources we need to stem the growing humanitarian crisis in the country, particularly in the face of funding cuts, So far, we’ve received just over 10 per cent of the $1.7 billion needed to reach 5.4 million people in South Sudan this year – which means we only about $174 million in our bank.

    SOUTHEAST ASIA EARTHQUAKE
    The Secretary-General expressed his condolences to the governments and people of Southeast Asia who were impacted by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit earlier today.
    The epicenter of the earthquake was in Myanmar and the de-facto authorities there have called for international assistance and we are mobilizing teams and support.
    We are gathering information on the number of people impacted, damage to infrastructure and immediate humanitarian needs, in order to guide our response in the best way possible. We will share more updates and information as it becomes available.
    our Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has made an initial allocation from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund of $5 million to support life-saving assistance in support of the operations of recovery following the earthquake.
    Meanwhile, Julie Bishop, the Special Envoy for Myanmar, said on social media that the earthquake is heartbreaking for the people of Myanmar and added that her thoughts are with all those affected across the region.
    The earthquake will compound an already dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar, where nearly 20 million people need assistance across the country, including more than 3.5 million people displaced from their homes.

    Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=28%20March%202025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy11_F6ZFLg

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: South Sudan: Leaders Must Choose Peace Over Conflict as Crisis Deepens – UN Chief | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Now more than ever, the leaders of South Sudan must hear a clear, unified and resounding message: Put down the weapons. Put all the people of South Sudan first.”

    The Secretary-General spoke to reporters today (28 Mar) in New York on the dramatic and dire situation that is unfolding in South Sudan.

    Guterres cautioned that all the dark clouds of a perfect storm have descended upon the people of the world’s newest country – and one of the poorest, with a security emergency, a political upheaval, a humanitarian nightmare, a displacement crisis, an economic meltdown and a funding crisis.

    “Let’s not mince words” he said, “what we are seeing is darkly reminiscent of the 2013 and 2016 civil wars, which killed 400,000 people.”

    The Secretary-General highlighted that the UN Mission in South Sudan is working around the clock to ease tensions – engaging all parties and boosting protection of civilians. “But we face operational limitations,” he added.

    Guterres appealed, “For the sake of the long-suffering people of South Sudan, it is time for dialogue and de-escalation.”

    “The Horn of Africa is already in turmoil and cannot afford another conflict. Nor can the people of South Sudan,” the UN chief added.

    To the leaders of the country, Guterres said, “End the politics of confrontation. Release detained military and civilian officials now. Fully restore the Government of National Unity. And vigorously implement the promises you made through your commitments to the peace agreement – which is the only legal framework to peaceful, free and fair elections in December 2026.”

    The Secretary-General also urged the regional and international community, as guarantors of the peace agreement, “to speak with one voice in support of the peace process and against any attempts to undermine it.”

    Guterres also reaffirmed that the UN supports the AU initiative to deploy the Panel of the Wise – as well as the efforts of the Special Envoy of President Ruto of Kenya. The world body is working in close cooperation with IGAD and the AU.

    The Secretary-General reiterated, “At this critical hour, the people of South Sudan need an infusion of support. Diplomatic and political support for peace. And financial support for lifesaving aid.”

    “South Sudan may have fallen off the world’s radar, but we cannot let the situation fall over the abyss,” the Secretary-General reiterated.

    On the earthquakes that hit the parts of Southeast Asia today, Guterres sent his condolences to the government and peoples of the region, adding that the United Nations system in the region is mobilizing to help those in need.

    He said, “The Government of Myanmar has asked for international support and our team in Myanmar is already in contact in order to fully mobilize our resources in the region to support the people of Myanmar.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF4M91Eq15k

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner & Kaine Respond to Trump’s Latest Attack on the Federal Workforce

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) issued a statement in response to President Trump’s latest attack on the federal workforce – an executive order targeting collective bargaining rights:
    “This is just another attempt by President Trump to ‘traumatize’ and illegally fire federal workers. Collective bargaining makes the federal workforce stronger, and undermining these rights does nothing to improve our national security. In fact, this order will only make us less safe, as this executive order is only Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s latest gambit to make it easier to fire the people who ensure public safety, prepare for pandemics, respond to natural disasters, and much, much more. This political attack on our civil servants must not stand.”  
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $8.6 Million for Louisiana in Hurricane Ida, Laura Relief

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $8,588,163.29 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Hurricanes Ida and Laura relief.
    “This funding supports critical recovery efforts in South Louisiana—from restoring schools in Terrebonne Parish to rebuilding port infrastructure in Lake Charles,” said Dr. Cassidy. “These investments help communities come back stronger and better prepared for the next storm.” 
    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description
    $1,515,421.78
    Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to the Bulk Terminal Ship Loader #2 as a direct result of Hurricane Laura.
    $1,734,597.39
    Community Center and Playground District Number 2 of Ward 4
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to Center Circle Park facilities as a direct result of Hurricane Laura.
    $2,466,919.65
    Terrebonne General Medical Center LHA
    This grant will provide federal funding for management costs associated with eligible recovery projects as a result of Hurricane Ida.
    $2,871,224.47
    Terrebonne Parish School Board
    This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to facilities at Bourg Elementary, Mulberry Elementary, and West Park as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Fire ant invasion in Sicily – risks and containment measures – E-001150/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001150/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Stefano Cavedagna (ECR), Carlo Fidanza (ECR), Nicola Procaccini (ECR), Sergio Berlato (ECR), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR), Francesco Ventola (ECR)

    The invasion of Solenopsis invicta (fire ant) in Sicily is extremely worrying, as it could spread throughout Europe. This invasive species from South America has already caused serious environmental and economic damage in the United States and Australia.

    The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) classifies it as a high-risk invasive pest, capable of establishing itself in southern European countries with a temperate, Mediterranean climate.

    Its spread could have devastating consequences on ecosystems, agriculture and public health. In Australia and the USA, it has wiped out native species, damaged crops and put humans at danger with its painful stings.

    The costs of controlling it are huge: Australia estimates the impact to be around AUD 1.65 billion per year, and has spent more than 400 million on eradication programmes since 2001.

    Timely and coordinated action is essential to avoid it spreading uncontrollably, which would make its eradication more difficult and expensive. Delays could exacerbate the problem, increasing the cost of containment.

    In view of this:

    • 1.Is there a structured monitoring programme and an updated map of the spread of S. invicta in Europe?
    • 2.What action has been taken to limit and eradicate its presence in infested areas?
    • 3.What funds and instruments have been or will be allocated to address this emergency at EU level?

    Submitted: 18.3.2025

    Last updated: 28 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Charged with Drug Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was charged in federal court today following his arrest during the execution of a federal search warrant yesterday.

    Jose Valencia-Soriano, 23, was charged in a three-count criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., on Friday, March 28.  As set forth in the attached complaint, Valencia-Soriano is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm  Valencia-Soriano was arrested yesterday and remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, on Thursday, March 27, agents with the Kansas City Field Division of the FBI, assisted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, were executing a federal search warrant at a home in the Kansas City area. According to the affidavit, during the execution of this warrant, Valencia-Soriano was discovered at the location, in addition to approximately 102 lbs. of finished crystal methamphetamine, over 406 lbs. of liquids containing methamphetamine in various states, three firearms in the main bedroom, and $48,634 in cash.  Two of the firearms recovered had been listed as stolen.  The underlying investigation is out of the St. Louis area and is primarily being handled by the St. Louis Field Division of the FBI.

    “FBI St. Louis prioritized this drug trafficking investigation after we confirmed this defendant entered the U.S. illegally,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “With the help of our law enforcement partners, we seized a large quantity of illicit drugs to include 100 pounds of finished crystal meth and 406 pounds of liquid that contained meth.”

    “This case serves as an important reminder that, in addition to fentanyl, large quantities of other dangerous drugs, in this case methamphetamine, are still a significant problem in our community.  This office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute every one of these cases with the goal of making our communities a safer place to live,” said Acting United States Attorney Jeffrey P. Ray for the Western District of Missouri.

    A courtesy copy of the complaint is attached to this release.

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

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City and St. Louis Field Divisions of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Rolla Area Drug Enforcement. HSI and KCMOPD also assisted with the execution of the warrant yesterday.

    Operation Take Back America

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Secures Extradition of More Than a Dozen Fugitives from 10 Countries

    Source: US State of California

    Defendants Wanted for Murders, Drug Trafficking, Alien Smuggling, and Cybercrime in the District of Columbia, California, Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Texas, and Washington State

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the U.S. Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom resulted in the extraditions this month of alleged murderers, a child rapist, an MS-13 leader, an alien smuggler, Colombian drug traffickers, a Russian cybercriminal, a Nigerian fraudster, and an immigration scammer.

    “The dedicated, persistent work of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs with foreign partners resulted in the extradition of fugitives wanted in the United States for violent crimes,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will aggressively pursue and bring to justice in the United States transnational criminals and hold them accountable for the death and violence they have committed here and abroad.”

    The fugitives extradited to the United States in March 2025 include:

    • Eswin Mejia, 28, was extradited from Honduras to face charges of vehicular homicide and failure to appear in court for the January 2016 killing of 21-year-old Sarah Root in Douglas County, Nebraska. Mejia was arrested and released on bond in February 2016 and subsequently fled the country to evade prosecution by the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.
    • Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 48, an alleged leader of a Guatemala-based alien smuggling organization, was extradited from Guatemala to face charges in the Western District of Texas for his alleged role in the June 2022 San Antonio mass casualty incident that resulted in the death of 53 Guatemalan, Honduran, and Mexican nationals, including children, and the injury of 11 others.
    • Moises Humberto Rivera Luna, 55, an alleged international leader of the violent gang MS-13, was extradited from Guatemala to face racketeering conspiracy charges in the District of Columbia regarding racketeering activities to include murder, narcotics distribution, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice, and other crimes.
    • Carlos Espino Farfan, 36, was extradited from Spain to face charges of first-degree felony rape of a child and first-degree felony sodomy upon a child filed by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
    • Jair Alberto Alvarez Valenzuela, 54, and Luis Carlos Diaz Martinez, 32, former Colombian Navy personnel were extradited to face charges in the Middle District of Florida for their alleged role in selling locations of Colombian Navy drug interdiction vessels to international drug traffickers.
    • Louie Hernandez, 61, was extradited from Mexico to face charges in King County, Washington, of first-degree murder in connection with the February 2024 fatal shooting of his alleged estranged partner, Reyna Hernandez.
    • Juan Ramirez, 37, was extradited from Mexico to face charges in Santa Clara, California, for the March 22, 2013, fatal stabbing of 29-year-old Sandra Cruzes-Gonsalez.
    • Solomon Sincler Gheorghe, 20, an Irish national, was extradited from France to face charges in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, of felony death by motor vehicle and felony serious injury by vehicle. Gheorghe is alleged to have been impaired by alcohol and drugs when he caused a multi-vehicle wreck on Sept. 20, 2023, resulting in the deaths of two adults and a 12-year-old boy, and with injury to others.
    • Rostislav Panev, 51, a dual Russian and Israeli national, was extradited from Israel to faces charges in the District of New Jersey for his alleged role as a developer for the LockBit ransomware group from its inception in or around 2019 through at least February 2024. The LockBit group has attacked more than 2,500 victims in at least 120 countries around the world, including 1,800 in the United States.
    • Marco Tulio Fernandez-Rodriguez, 24, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was extradited from the Dominican Republic to face charges in the Southern District of New York of murder, narcotics, and firearms in connection with his alleged role in an attempted gunpoint robbery of a Mount Vernon, New York, warehouse that sold various unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products. Two people — one employee of the warehouse and one member of the roughly 15-man robbery crew — were shot and killed during the failed robbery attempt.
    • Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, 41, a Nigerian national, was extradited from the United Kingdom to face charges in the Southern District of Florida for allegedly engaging in a transnational criminal organization that operated an inheritance fraud scheme targeting elder U.S. consumers.
    • Bikramjit Ahluwalia, 39, a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates living in Dubai, was extradited from Spain to face charges in the Western District of North Carolina of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to damage a protected computer, and wire fraud for his alleged role in an extensive tech support fraud scheme.
    • Danhong “Jean” Chen, also known as Maria Sofia Taylor, 60, a San Jose, California, immigration attorney, was extradited from the Kyrgyz Republic to face charges in the Northern District of California for allegedly committing visa fraud and related crimes to obtain immigration benefits for more than 100 foreign investors through the government’s Employment-Based Immigration Fifth Preference, or “EB-5,” visa program. Chen is the first extradition from the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States on federal criminal charges.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom for making these extraditions possible.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Secures Extradition of More Than a Dozen Fugitives from 10 Countries

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Defendants Wanted for Murders, Drug Trafficking, Alien Smuggling, and Cybercrime in the District of Columbia, California, Florida, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Texas, and Washington State

    Extensive coordination and cooperation efforts between the U.S. Department of Justice and law enforcement authorities in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom resulted in the extraditions this month of alleged murderers, a child rapist, an MS-13 leader, an alien smuggler, Colombian drug traffickers, a Russian cybercriminal, a Nigerian fraudster, and an immigration scammer.

    “The dedicated, persistent work of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs with foreign partners resulted in the extradition of fugitives wanted in the United States for violent crimes,” said Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Matthew R. Galeotti. “The Justice Department will aggressively pursue and bring to justice in the United States transnational criminals and hold them accountable for the death and violence they have committed here and abroad.”

    The fugitives extradited to the United States in March 2025 include:

    • Eswin Mejia, 28, was extradited from Honduras to face charges of vehicular homicide and failure to appear in court for the January 2016 killing of 21-year-old Sarah Root in Douglas County, Nebraska. Mejia was arrested and released on bond in February 2016 and subsequently fled the country to evade prosecution by the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.
    • Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 48, an alleged leader of a Guatemala-based alien smuggling organization, was extradited from Guatemala to face charges in the Western District of Texas for his alleged role in the June 2022 San Antonio mass casualty incident that resulted in the death of 53 Guatemalan, Honduran, and Mexican nationals, including children, and the injury of 11 others.
    • Moises Humberto Rivera Luna, 55, an alleged international leader of the violent gang MS-13, was extradited from Guatemala to face racketeering conspiracy charges in the District of Columbia regarding racketeering activities to include murder, narcotics distribution, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice, and other crimes.
    • Carlos Espino Farfan, 36, was extradited from Spain to face charges of first-degree felony rape of a child and first-degree felony sodomy upon a child filed by the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office.
    • Jair Alberto Alvarez Valenzuela, 54, and Luis Carlos Diaz Martinez, 32, former Colombian Navy personnel were extradited to face charges in the Middle District of Florida for their alleged role in selling locations of Colombian Navy drug interdiction vessels to international drug traffickers.
    • Louie Hernandez, 61, was extradited from Mexico to face charges in King County, Washington, of first-degree murder in connection with the February 2024 fatal shooting of his alleged estranged partner, Reyna Hernandez.
    • Juan Ramirez, 37, was extradited from Mexico to face charges in Santa Clara, California, for the March 22, 2013, fatal stabbing of 29-year-old Sandra Cruzes-Gonsalez.
    • Solomon Sincler Gheorghe, 20, an Irish national, was extradited from France to face charges in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, of felony death by motor vehicle and felony serious injury by vehicle. Gheorghe is alleged to have been impaired by alcohol and drugs when he caused a multi-vehicle wreck on Sept. 20, 2023, resulting in the deaths of two adults and a 12-year-old boy, and with injury to others.
    • Rostislav Panev, 51, a dual Russian and Israeli national, was extradited from Israel to faces charges in the District of New Jersey for his alleged role as a developer for the LockBit ransomware group from its inception in or around 2019 through at least February 2024. The LockBit group has attacked more than 2,500 victims in at least 120 countries around the world, including 1,800 in the United States.
    • Marco Tulio Fernandez-Rodriguez, 24, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was extradited from the Dominican Republic to face charges in the Southern District of New York of murder, narcotics, and firearms in connection with his alleged role in an attempted gunpoint robbery of a Mount Vernon, New York, warehouse that sold various unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products. Two people — one employee of the warehouse and one member of the roughly 15-man robbery crew — were shot and killed during the failed robbery attempt.
    • Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, 41, a Nigerian national, was extradited from the United Kingdom to face charges in the Southern District of Florida for allegedly engaging in a transnational criminal organization that operated an inheritance fraud scheme targeting elder U.S. consumers.
    • Bikramjit Ahluwalia, 39, a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates living in Dubai, was extradited from Spain to face charges in the Western District of North Carolina of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to damage a protected computer, and wire fraud for his alleged role in an extensive tech support fraud scheme.
    • Danhong “Jean” Chen, also known as Maria Sofia Taylor, 60, a San Jose, California, immigration attorney, was extradited from the Kyrgyz Republic to face charges in the Northern District of California for allegedly committing visa fraud and related crimes to obtain immigration benefits for more than 100 foreign investors through the government’s Employment-Based Immigration Fifth Preference, or “EB-5,” visa program. Chen is the first extradition from the Kyrgyz Republic to the United States on federal criminal charges.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrests and extraditions along with the U.S. Marshals Service. The Justice Department thanks and acknowledges the instrumental role of its law enforcement partners in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom for making these extraditions possible.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 20 Defendants – Convicted Felons Included – Charged Federally with Being Illegal Aliens Found in the United States Following Removal

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

    LOS ANGELES – This week, federal prosecutors working with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law enforcement partners filed criminal charges against 20 defendants who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal, the Justice Department announced today.

    Many of the defendants charged previously were convicted of felony offenses before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include vandalism and firearms crimes.

    One of the defendants, Antonio Espinoza Zarate, 55, a.k.a. “El Gato,” of the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, was arrested Wednesday on a federal criminal complaint alleging he sold two kilograms of fentanyl pills to a buyer from July 2023 to February 2025 and charging him with illegally re-entering the U.S. following removal and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. A federal magistrate judge ordered him jailed without bond a scheduled an April 15 arraignment for him in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Assistant United States Attorney Diane B. Roldán of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting Espinoza.

    Espinoza is a citizen of Mexico who has been previously deported in 2010, 2013, 2014, and 2017 and illegally reentered the United States following his removals, according to court documents. His criminal history includes felony convictions in 2008 in Los Angeles Superior Court for possession of narcotics for sale and in 2015 in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona for illegal reentry of a removed alien.

    The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-led El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multi-agency task force that includes federal and state investigators who are focused on financial crimes in Southern California, with support from special agents with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California – Criminal Investigative Division; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department regarding dangers to the community from the sales of narcotics and firearms.

    The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face up to 10 years in federal prison. Defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

    Some of the other recently filed cases are summarized below with information contained in court documents.

    • Efrén García Jiménez, 24, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal.  García Jiménez, who was removed from the U.S. in 2019, was charged after being convicted in Orange County Superior Court on January 24 of discharging a firearm at an inhabited residence and vandalism, for which he was sentenced to three years in California state prison. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa S. Rabbani of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this case.
    • Aristeo González Rosas, 24, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. González Rosas was federally charged after he was arrested on February 15 in Ventura County. Prior to this arrest, González Rosas was convicted in 2022 in Ventura County Superior Court of carrying a loaded firearm with a large capacity magazine, for which he was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, and again in Ventura County Superior Court in 2023 of being a felon/addict in possession of a firearm, for which he was sentenced to 16 months in California state prison. He was removed from the U.S. on August 31, 2024, and was removed again on September 5, 2024. Assistant United States Attorney Cameron C. Vanderwall of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    In another matter, a federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted Kevin Mauricio Ballardo-García, 24, a Mexican national, for allegedly transporting 148.12 kilograms (326.6 pounds) of methamphetamine from Mexico into Southern California. During a traffic stop in Westminster on March 11, law enforcement seized 13 buckets and one water container that held liquid methamphetamine from Ballardo-García’s Jeep Wrangler. He was ordered jailed without bond and his arraignment is scheduled for March 31 in United States District Court in Santa Ana. He is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Keenan of the Orange County Office is prosecuting this matter.

    Criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    ICE and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters. The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the Ballardo-García case with assistance from California Highway Patrol and the Irvine Police Department.

    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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norteño Gang Member Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison

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

    BOISE – Hector Aguirre, 28, of Caldwell, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced today.

    According to court records, in June 2023, officers contacted Aguirre during a traffic stop. Officers learned that Aguirre had absconded from supervision with the Idaho Department of Correction’s Probation and Parole. Officers searched Aguirre’s vehicle and found a loaded firearm and 66 fentanyl pills. Aguirre is prohibited from possessing firearms due to previous drug-related felony convictions. The investigation revealed that Aguirre is a Norteño gang member.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott commended the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Caldwell Police Department, which led to the charges. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kane Venecia prosecuted the case.

    This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.

    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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Conifer Holdings Reports 2024 Fourth Quarter and Year End Financial Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TROY, Mich., March 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Conifer Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNFR) (“Conifer” or the “Company”) today announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.  

    Year End 2024 Financial Highlights

    • Net income allocable to common shareholders of $23.5 million
    • $61 Million gain on sale of insurance agency operations in August 2024
    • Continuing Personal Lines business profitable for the fourth quarter of 2024
    • Book value per share of $1.76 as of December 31, 2024

    Management Comments

    Brian Roney, CEO of Conifer, commented, “2024 was indeed a transitional year for Conifer Holdings as we successfully sold our insurance agency operations, paid down considerable debt, further strengthened reserves, streamlined our organization overall, and focused our production efforts on select personal lines going forward.”

    Reduction of Commercial Lines Business

    For the full year 2024, total Gross Written Premium was down almost 50% from the prior year, and Net Earned premium was down 27.5% for the same period. As a result of the sale of Conifer’s insurance agency operations, completed in August 2024, we anticipated and planned for this significant decline in Commercial Lines revenue. We expect Commercial Lines business to represent a diminishing percentage of total gross written premium going forward.

    Future premiums are expected to consist primarily of Personal Lines business, notably our homeowner’s insurance portfolio in Texas and the Midwest. As detailed in the Personal Lines results overview below, gross written premium for those lines of business for the fourth quarter of 2024 increased 10.6% from the prior year period and increased 23.4% for the full year 2024 over the prior year.

    Additional information regarding the disposal of Conifer’s agency business and its impact on future Company operations can be found in the Company’s 2024 Annual Report to be filed March 28, 2025 on Form 10-K.

    2024 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Financial Results Overview

           
      At and for the
    Three Months Ended December 31,    		   At and for the
    Year Ended December 31,
      2024   2023   % Change
    		   2024   2023   % Change
      (dollars in thousands, except share and per share amounts)
                           
    Gross written premiums $ 13,683     $ 24,398     -43.9 %   $ 72,053     $ 143,834     -49.9 %
    Net written premiums   9,526       15,329     -37.9 %     49,338       68,688     -28.2 %
    Net earned premiums   12,708       14,821     -14.3 %     60,862       83,935     -27.5 %
                           
    Net investment income   1,352       1,411     -4.2 %     5,763       5,447     5.8 %
    Net realized investment gains (losses)   –       (20 )   **     (125 )     (20 )   **
    Change in fair value of equity investments   (21 )     13     261.5 %     (203 )     608     -133.4 %
                           
    Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders   (25,382 )     (19,479 )   -30.3 %     23,530       (25,923 )   **
     Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders $ (2.08 )   $ (1.59 )   -30.3 %   $ 1.93     $ (2.12 )    
     per share, diluted                      
                           
    Adjusted operating income (loss)*   (25,821 )     (19,411 )   -33.0 %     (34,558 )     (27,867 )   -24.0 %
     Adjusted operating income (loss) per share, diluted* $ (2.11 )   $ (1.59 )   -32.7 %   $ (2.83 )   $ (2.28 )   -24.1 %
                           
    Book value per common share outstanding $ 1.76     $ 0.24         $ 1.76     $ 0.24      
                           
    Weighted average shares outstanding, basic and diluted   12,222,881       12,222,881           12,222,881       12,220,551      
                           
    Underwriting ratios:                      
     Loss ratio (1)   254.6 %     191.1 %         120.2 %     97.8 %    
     Expense ratio (2)   38.3 %     40.6 %         35.8 %     37.1 %    
     Combined ratio (3)   292.9 %     231.7 %         156.0 %     134.9 %    
                           
    * The “Definitions of Non-GAAP Measures” section of this release defines and reconciles data that are not based on generally accepted accounting principles.
    ** Percentage is not meaningful                      
    (1) The loss ratio is the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of net losses and loss adjustment expenses to net earned premiums and other income from underwriting operations.
    (2) The expense ratio is the ratio, expressed as a percentage, of policy acquisition costs and other underwriting expenses to net earned premiums and other income from underwriting operations.
    (3) The combined ratio is the sum of the loss ratio and the expense ratio. A combined ratio under 100% indicates an underwriting profit. A combined ratio over 100% indicates an underwriting loss.
                           

    2024 Fourth Quarter Gross Written Premium

    Gross written premiums decreased 43.9% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to $13.7 million, compared to $24.4 million in the prior year period. This decrease reflects the Company’s operational shift away from commercial lines insurance business given the sale of our agency group earlier in the year.

    Commercial Lines Financial and Operational Review

             
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,  
      2024   2023   % Change 2024   2023   % Change
    		  
      (dollars in thousands)  
                             
    Gross written premiums $ 3,124     $ 14,850     -79.0 %   $ 26,686     $ 107,078     -75.1 %  
    Net written premiums   488       7,009     93.0 %     14,541       36,580     -60.2 %  
    Net earned premiums   4,254       7,296     -41.7 %     28,160       59,221     -52.4 %  
                             
    Underwriting ratios:                        
    Loss ratio   650.8 %     316.7 %         184.8 %     105.7 %      
    Expense ratio   33.8 %     38.4 %         29.8 %     35.5 %      
    Combined ratio   684.6 %     355.1 %         214.6 %     141.2 %      
                             
    Contribution to combined ratio from net                        
    (favorable) adverse prior year development   550.9 %     205.5 %         118.5 %     32.3 %      
                             
    Accident year combined ratio (1)   133.7 %     149.6 %         96.1 %     108.9 %      
                             
    (1) The accident year combined ratio is the sum of the loss ratio and the expense ratio, less changes in net ultimate loss estimates from prior accident year loss reserves. The accident year combined ratio provides management with an assessment of the specific policy year’s profitability and assists management in their evaluation of product pricing levels and quality of business written.  
       
                             

    The Company’s commercial lines production was down 79% for the fourth quarter of 2024 and represented roughly 23% of total gross written premium in quarter. Commercial Lines net earned premium was down 41.7% for the same period. The Commercial Lines loss ratio for the quarter increased significantly as the Company’s management focused on additional commercial lines reserve strengthening overall.

    Personal Lines Financial and Operational Review

                             
      Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,  
      2024   2023   % Change
    		   2024   2023   % Change
    		  
      (dollars in thousands)  
                             
    Gross written premiums $ 10,559     $ 9,548     10.6 %   $ 45,367     $ 36,756     23.4 %  
    Net written premiums   9,038       8,320     8.6 %     34,797       32,108     8.4 %  
    Net earned premiums   8,454       7,525     12.3 %     32,702       24,714     32.3 %  
                             
    Underwriting ratios:                        
    Loss ratio   55.2 %     69.0 %         64.6 %     78.9 %      
    Expense ratio   40.6 %     42.7 %         41.1 %     40.7 %      
    Combined ratio   95.8 %     111.7 %         105.7 %     119.6 %      
                             
    Contribution to combined ratio from net                        
    (favorable) adverse prior year development   0.9 %     -2.6 %         0.8 %     -5.6 %      
                             
    Accident year combined ratio   94.9 %     114.3 %         104.9 %     125.2 %      
                             

    Personal Lines premium represented 77% of total gross written premium for the fourth quarter of 2024. Personal Lines production increased 10.6% from the prior year period to $10.6 million for the quarter, led by growth in the Company’s low-value dwelling line of business in Texas and the Midwest.

    Despite storm activity in the full year, the combined ratio for personal lines business improved significantly in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

    Combined Ratio Analysis

     
      Three Months Ended
    December 31,
    		     Year Ended
    December 31,
    		  
      2024   2023     2024   2023  
         
                       
    Underwriting ratios:                  
    Loss ratio 254.6 %   191.1 %     120.2 %   97.8 %  
    Expense ratio 38.3 %   40.6 %     35.8 %   37.1 %  
    Combined ratio 292.9 %   231.7 %     156.0 %   134.9 %  
                       
    Contribution to combined ratio from net (favorable)                  
    adverse prior year development 185.0 %   100.0 %     55.3 %   21.2 %  
                       
    Accident year combined ratio 107.9 %   131.7 %     100.7 %   113.7 %  
                       

    Net Investment Income
    Net investment income increased 5.8% to $5.8 million for the year ending December 31, 2024, compared to $5.4 million in the prior year period.

    Change in Fair Value of Equity Securities
    During the quarter, the Company reported a loss of $21,000 from the change in fair value of equity investments, compared to a $13,000 gain in the prior year period.

    Net Income (Loss) allocable to common shareholders
    The Company reported a net loss allocable to common shareholders of $25.4 million, or $2.08 per share, for the fourth quarter of 2024. For the full year 2024, the Company reported net income allocable to common shareholders of $23.5 million, or $1.93 per share.

    Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)

    In the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company reported an adjusted operating loss of $25.8 million, or $2.11 per share. See Definitions of Non-GAAP Measures.

    About Conifer Holdings
    Conifer Holdings, Inc. is a Michigan-based property and casualty holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Conifer offers specialty insurance coverage for both commercial and personal lines, marketing through independent agents. The Company is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol CNFR. Additional information is available on the Company’s website at www.ir.cnfrh.com.

    Forward-Looking Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events or our future financial or operating performance, and include Conifer’s expectations regarding future revenue, premiums, earnings, its capital position, expansion, and business strategies. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management’s good-faith belief and reasonable judgment based on current information. The forward-looking statements are qualified by important factors, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including those described in our Form 10-K (“Item 1A Risk Factors”) filed with the SEC on March 28, 2025 and subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof or as of the date specified herein. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable laws or regulations.

    Definitions of Non-GAAP Measures
    Conifer prepares its public financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). Statutory data is prepared in accordance with statutory accounting rules as defined by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual, and therefore is not reconciled to GAAP data.

    We believe that investors’ understanding of Conifer’s performance is enhanced by our disclosure of adjusted operating income. Our method for calculating this measure may differ from that used by other companies and therefore comparability may be limited. We define adjusted operating income (loss), a non-GAAP measure, as net income (loss) excluding: 1) net realized investment gains and losses, 2) change in fair value of equity securities 3) other gains and 4) net income from discontinued operations. We use adjusted operating income as an internal performance measure in the management of our operations because we believe it gives our management and other users of our financial information useful insight into our results of operations and our underlying business performance.

    Reconciliations of adjusted operating income (loss) and adjusted operating income (loss) per share:

       
        Three Months Ended December 31,   Year Ended December 31,  
        2024   2023   2024   2023  
        (dollar in thousands, except share and per share amounts)  
                     
    Net income (loss) $ (25,382 )   $ (19,460 )   $ 24,347     $ (25,904 )  
    Less:                
    Net realized investment gains (losses)   –       (20 )     (125 )     (20 )  
    Change in fair value of equity securities   (21 )     13       (203 )     608    
    Other gains   646       –       646       –    
    Net income from discontinued operations   (186 )     (42 )     58,587       1,375    
    Impact of income tax expense (benefit) from adjustments *   –       –       –       –    
    Adjusted operating income (loss) $ (25,821 )   $ (19,411 )   $ (34,558 )   $ (27,867 )  
                       
    Weighted average common shares, diluted   12,222,881       12,222,881       12,222,881       12,220,551    
                       
    Diluted income (loss) per common share:                
    Net income (loss) $ (2.08 )   $ (1.59 )   $ 1.99     $ (2.12 )  
    Less:                
    Net realized investment gains (losses)   –       –       (0.01 )     –    
    Change in fair value of equity securities   –       –       (0.02 )     0.05    
    Other gains   0.05       –       0.06       –    
    Net income from discontinued operations   (0.02 )     –       4.79       0.11    
    Impact of income tax expense (benefit) from adjustments *   –       –       –       –    
    Adjusted operating income (loss), per share $ (2.11 )   $ (1.59 )   $ (2.83 )   $ (2.28 )  
                       

    * The Company has recorded a full valuation allowance against its deferred tax assets as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. As a result, there were no taxable impacts to adjusted operating income from the adjustments to net income (loss) in the table above after taking into account the use of NOLs and the change in the valuation allowance.

             
    Conifer Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries  
    Consolidated Balance Sheets  
    (dollars in thousands)  
             
      December 31   December 31,  
       2024     2023   
    Assets        
    Investment securities:        
    Debt securities, at fair value (amortized cost of $117,827 and $ 105,665     $ 122,113    
    $135,370, respectively)        
    Equity securities, at fair value (cost of $1,836 and $2,385, respectively)   1,603       2,354    
    Short-term investments, at fair value   21,151       20,838    
    Total investments   128,419       145,305    
             
    Cash and cash equivalents   27,654       10,663    
    Premiums and agents’ balances receivable, net   9,901       29,364    
    Receivable from Affiliate   –       1,047    
    Reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses   84,490       70,807    
    Reinsurance recoverables on paid losses   6,919       12,619    
    Prepaid reinsurance premiums   6,088       28,908    
    Deferred policy acquisition costs   6,380       6,405    
    Receivable from contingent considerations   8,070       –    
    Other assets   3,735       7,036    
    Assets from discontinued operations   –       3,452    
    Total assets $ 281,656     $ 315,606    
             
    Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity        
    Liabilities:        
    Unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses $ 189,285     $ 174,612    
    Unearned premiums   30,590       65,150    
    Reinsurance premiums payable   1       246    
    Debt   11,932       25,061    
    Funds held under reinsurance agreements   25,829       24,550    
    Premiums payable to other insureds   –       13,986    
    Liabilities from discontinued operations   –       4,083    
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses   2,494       5,029    
    Total liabilities   260,131       312,717    
             
    Commitments and contingencies   –       –    
             
    Shareholders’ equity:        
    Series A Preferred stock, no par value (10,000,000 shares authorized; 0 and 1,000      
    issued and outstanding, respectively)   –       6,000    
    Common stock, no par value (100,000,000 shares authorized; 12,222,881        
    issued and outstanding, respectively)   98,178       98,100    
    Accumulated deficit   (63,153 )     (86,683 )  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   (13,500 )     (14,528 )  
    Total shareholders’ equity   21,525       2,889    
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ 281,656     $ 315,606    
             
             
    Conifer Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries
    Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)
    (dollars in thousands, except share and per share data)
                     
      Three Months Ended   Year Ended  
      December 31,   December 31,  
      2024   2023   2024   2023  
                     
    Revenue and Other Income                
    Premiums                
    Gross earned premiums $ 19,721     $ 38,115     $ 106,612     $ 146,572    
    Ceded earned premiums   (7,013 )     (23,294 )     (45,750 )     (62,637 )  
    Net earned premiums   12,708       14,821       60,862       83,935    
    Net investment income   1,352       1,411       5,763       5,447    
    Net realized investment gains (losses)   –       (20 )     (125 )     (20 )  
    Change in fair value of equity securities   (21 )     13       (203 )     608    
    Other gains   646       –       646       –    
    Other income   41       144       328       552    
    Total revenue and other income   14,726       16,369       67,271       90,522    
                     
    Expenses                
    Losses and loss adjustment expenses, net   32,349       28,470       73,302       82,413    
    Policy acquisition costs   3,535       2,392       13,335       15,797    
    Operating expenses   3,165       3,969       11,831       16,738    
    Interest expense   862       845       4,883       3,206    
    Total expenses   39,911       35,676       103,351       118,154    
                     
    Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes   (25,185 )     (19,307 )     (36,080 )     (27,632 )  
    Income tax expense (benefit)   11       111       (1,840 )     (353 )  
                     
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations $ (25,196 )   $ (19,418 )   $ (34,240 )   $ (27,279 )  
    Net income (loss) from discontinued operations   (186 )     (42 )     58,587       1,375    
    Net income (loss)   (25,382 )     (19,460 )     24,347       (25,904 )  
    Series A Preferred Stock Dividends and Redemption premium   –       19       817       19    
    Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders   (25,382 )     (19,479 )     23,530       (25,923 )  
                     
    Earnings (loss) per common share, basic and diluted                
    Net income (loss) from continuing operations $ (2.06 )   $ (1.59 )   $ (2.87 )   $ (2.23 )  
    Net income (loss) from discontinued operations $ (0.02 )   $ (0.00 )   $ 4.79     $ 0.11    
    Net income (loss) allocable to common shareholders $ (2.08 )   $ (1.59 )   $ 1.93     $ (2.12 )  
                     
    Weighted average common shares outstanding,                
    basic and diluted   12,222,881       12,222,881       12,222,881       12,220,551    
                     

    For Further Information:
    Jessica Gulis, 248.559.0840
    ir@cnfrh.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Joins Colleagues in Supporting Foresters Affected by Natural Disasters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) in reintroducing legislation to help America’s landowners recover from the loss of timber after natural disasters. The Disaster Reforestation Act amends and makes improvements to the tax code to allow forest owners to deduct the value of their timber prior to the loss caused by a natural disaster.
    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress.
    “Natural disasters can’t be stopped, but we can help those who are affected by them,” said Sen. Tuberville. “Taking care of Alabama’s foresters is crucial to our state’s industry. This bill lightens the load when our forest owners are hit by a storm. It’s encouraging to see my colleagues on both sides of the aisle coming together to help future foresters in the wake of disaster.”
    “Louisianans know too well the importance of natural disaster relief,” said Sen. Cassidy. “When their lives and communities are torn apart by storms, they need a fix like this.”
    U.S. Sens. Tuberville and Cassidy were also joined by U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-AL), Angus King (I-ME), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) in cosponsoring the legislation.
    This legislation is supported by the Alabama Forestry Association, American Forest Foundation, Arkansas Forestry Association, Association of Consulting Foresters, California Forestry Association, Florida Forestry Association, Forest Resources Association, Forestry Association of South Carolina, Georgia Forestry Association, Hardwood Federation, Iowa Coalition For Trees and Forests, Iowa Woodland Owners, Kentucky Forest Industries Association, Louisiana Forestry Association, Massachusetts Forest Alliance, Mississippi Forestry Association, National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Association of State Foresters, National Woodlands Association, North Carolina Forestry Association, Ohio Forestry Association, Oklahoma Forestry Association, Pennsylvania Forestry Association, Society of American Foresters, Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Southern Group of State Foresters, Tennessee Forestry Association, Texas Forestry Association, The Carbon Fund, Trees Forever, Virginia Forestry Association, Washington Farm Forestry Association, Washington Forest Protection Association, and Wildlife Mississippi.
    Read full text of the legislation here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Previous disaster relief policies and programs provide much-needed relief for agriculture crops and farmers, however, they do not provide any economic relief for farmers whose timber crops were destroyed. The Disaster Reforestation Act allows landowners to deduct the full value of timber destroyed during disaster events in the same way the tax code treats other crops.
    In the case of the loss of uncut timber from fire, storm, other casualty, or theft, the basis used for determining the amount of the deduction may not be less than the excess of the appraised value of the uncut timber determined immediately before the loss was sustained or over the salvage value of the timber.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: WEEK TEN WINS: President Trump Fuels America’s Golden Age

    Source: The White House

    Ten weeks into his second term, President Donald J. Trump keeps delivering transformative wins for the American people — empowering our workers, securing our nation, and cementing our leadership as the envy of the world.

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

    • President Trump’s effort to secure the homeland continued in force.
      • The Trump Administration directed the successful apprehension of a key MS-13 gang leader — an illegal immigrant living in Virginia and operating as one of the top three MS-13 leaders in the U.S.
      • ICE arrested 370+ illegal immigrants as part of a major operation in Massachusetts — many of whom have serious criminal convictions and charges, including murder, child rape, fentanyl trafficking, and armed robbery.
    • President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imports of foreign automobiles and certain auto parts to end unfair trade practices and protect national security.
      • United Auto Workers: “We applaud the Trump administration for stepping up to end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities for decades. Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today’s actions.”
    • President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all goods from countries that import Venezuelan oil to sever the financial lifelines of the corrupt Maduro regime.
    • President Trump’s unrelenting pursuit of American manufacturing dominance continued to deliver results.
      • Hyundai announced a $20 billion investment in the U.S., which will create 14,000 new jobs. The investment includes $5.8 billion for a new steel plant in Louisiana, which will create nearly 1,500 jobs.
      • Schneider Electric announced it will invest $700 million over the next four years in U.S. energy infrastructure.
      • Rolls-Royce is expected to shift production to the U.S. and expand its domestic workforce.
      • Vietnam announced it will cut duties on U.S. imports, including liquefied natural gas and automobiles.
    • President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
      • U.S. airstrikes eliminated dozens of ISIS jihadis hiding within a cave complex in Somalia.
      • Following U.S.-led negotiations, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a Black Sea ceasefire.
    • President Trump’s economic agenda delivered more relief for Americans.
      • Large egg prices have dropped nearly 60% since last month amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the avian bird flu and repopulate the chicken supply.
      • New data showed new home sales rose 5.1% over last year — with median home prices down 1.5% over last year and 3% over January.
    • The President signed several key executive orders to improve our nation.
      • President Trump signed an executive order aimed at making Washington, D.C., safe, beautiful, and the greatest capital city in the world.
      • President Trump signed an executive order on election integrity, including requiring proof of citizenship in voter registration, setting standards for voting equipment, identifying election fraud, and banning foreign interference in elections.
      • President Trump signed executive orders to protect America’s bank account against waste, fraud, and abuse and modernize payments.
      • President Trump signed an executive order exempting agencies with national security missions from federal collective bargaining requirements in order to bolster border, national, and energy security.
      • President Trump signed an executive order to remove anti-American propaganda from federal museums and national parks.
      • President Trump ordered the immediate declassification of all FBI files related to the sham Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
    • The Department of the Interior disbursed $350 million in energy revenues from the Gulf of America to oil-and-gas-producing states, including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
    • The Department of the Interior announced nearly $40 million in total receipts from its first oil and gas lease sales of the year.
    • The Department of Commerce blacklisted more than 50 Chinese companies in a bid to reduce the Chinese Communist Party’s intellectual property theft.
    • The Department of Housing and Urban Development canceled taxpayer-backed mortgages for illegal immigrants.
    • The Department of Energy slashed unnecessary bureaucratic red tape that accounted for 60% of costs when building and purchasing new laboratories.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services axed $300 million in grants to California related to radical gender ideology and DEI.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services formally warned California for allowing graphic sex education, including about sex toys and “role-plays,” to be taught to children as young as ten years old.
    • The Department of Education revoked waivers that allowed certain colleges to divert federal funds intended for low-income students and students with disabilities to illegal immigrants.
    • The Department of Education launched an investigation into the California Department of Education for withholding information from parents about their child’s gender identity.
    • The Department of Education launched an investigation into Portland Public Schools and the Oregon School Activities Association for allowing a male student athlete to compete in a girls’ track and field competition.
    • The Department of Agriculture reinstated critical reports canceled by the Biden Administration, including the July Cattle Report and the County Estimates for Crops and Livestock — giving farmers the data needed to make important decisions for their operations.
    • The Department of Agriculture announced an investigation into California for possible noncompliance with President Trump’s executive order on radical transgender ideology.
    • The Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against additional Iranian intelligence officers involved in the probable death and cover-up of FBI Special Agent Bob Levinson.
    • The Department of Labor canceled nearly $600 million in “America Last” grants, including millions for “gender equity in the Mexican workplace” and “assisting foreign migrant workers” in Malaysia.
    • The Department of Justice seized hundreds of thousands of dollars of cryptocurrency intended to support Hamas and other terrorist organizations.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency terminated a $2 billion Biden-era grant to a non-governmental organization linked to partisan politics.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency announced it “successfully completed its mission assignment in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.”
    • The Office of Management and Budget cut a wasteful $3 billion Biden-era slush fund.
    • The Small Business Administration announced actions to reverse Biden-era mismanagement of its Core 7(a) loan program.
    • The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a $1 billion contract for dozens of heavy icebreaker ships — which play a critical role in the defense of American interests.
    • The University of Michigan announced it will end its “diversity, equity, and inclusion”-related programming following President Trump’s executive order earlier this year.
    • President Trump’s nominees continue to be confirmed at a rapid pace, with the Senate confirming Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, and Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Dan Bishop.
    • President Trump pardoned Devon Archer, a former business partner of Hunter Biden whose key testimony in the Biden corruption scandal made him a target for prosecution by the Biden Administration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Task Force, Spokane Co. Sheriff’s Office Execute Search Warrant in Murder Investigation of Drive-By Suspect

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Spokane, WA – The U.S. Marshals Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force, in coordination with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant March 27at a residence on East Indiana Avenue in Spokane while looking for a man suspected in the drive-by shooting March 21 at Moses Lake that killed a 14-year-old and injured four others.

    The operation targeted Jose Beltran-Rodriguez, 20, who is wanted on an arrest warrant issued March 25. Beltran is charged with murder in the first-degree murder, five counts of assault in the first degree, drive-by shooting, and felon in possession of a firearm.

    A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information leading to Beltran’s arrest. Beltran and any associates should be considered armed and dangerous. Law enforcement urges the public not to approach and to immediately report any information regarding their whereabouts to contact the nearest U.S. Marshals office, the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or send tips via the USMS Tips app.

    This remains an active investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available.

    The Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force is a U.S. Marshals-led partnership comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement officers from Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. The task force’s primary mission is to locate, arrest and return to the justice system the most violent and egregious federal and state fugitives.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Blumenthal, Hirono, Padilla Send Letter To Deputy Director Bongino Raising Concerns Over His Ability To Lead The FBI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    March 28, 2025

    Senators to FBI Deputy Director Bongino: “As the newly appointed Deputy Director, your past public statements raise concerns about your ability to impartially lead the Bureau and credibly command the respect of its workforce”

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Alex Padilla (D-CA), sent a letter to the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Dan Bongino, raising serious concerns over his ability to lead the Bureau with FBI Director Kash Patel. Deputy Director Bongino is a former conservative political commentator, podcast host, and conspiracy theorist peddler. The position of the FBI Deputy Director is not Senate-confirmed.

    The Senators wrote, “As the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) finalizes its new leadership structure, we are deeply concerned that Director Kash Patel’s senior leadership team is unprepared forthe challenges of managing our nation’s premier law enforcement agency and its approximately 38,000 public servants.”

    “As the newly appointed Deputy Director, your past public statements—which include inflammatory remarks and unsubstantiated accusations against the FBI, including calling for the Bureau’s disbandment—raise concerns about your ability to impartially lead the Bureau and credibly command the respect of its workforce. Your record, on the other hand, does not reflect the expertise required to manage the FBI’s complex and expansive operations,” the Senators continued.

    In the letter, the Senators ask for clarification regarding Deputy Director Bongino’s past controversial comments including when he said on his podcast, “The only thing that is going to stop the FBI from doing what they’re doing now, which is become full-time activists and bouncers, in many cases, thugs for the Democrat [sic] party, is imposing real material losses on them (emphasis added). Fire everyone involved in this stuff. Everyone—no excuses. Disband the entity.”

    On November 14, 2024, Deputy Director Bongino described the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the placement of pipe bombs outside of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters as an “inside job” and said, “There is a massive cover-up, because the person who planted those pipe bombs—they don’t want you to know who it was, because it’s either a connected anti-Trump insider, or this was an inside job. Those bombs were planted there. This was a setup. I have zero doubt… And whoever goes into FBI… you better get an answer… about why.” He continued to say, “It is clear, this all adds up to they know who this person is. They just don’t want you to know who this it is. Later in the podcast, Bongino went on to say that “the FBI knew the entire time the identity of this person and then tried to unknow it, because it was an insider and an inside attack and a plot to, you know, stop Republicans from questioning the election results.”

    The Senators continued, “Your claim that the FBI is responsible for a cover-up is an extremely serious allegation that you have an obligation either to substantiate or repudiate. Now that you have access to the information you have long claimed that the FBI possesses, can you answer who was responsible for the pipe bombs on January 6, 2021 and provide evidence proving their identity to the public and Congress? If no, will you apologize to the men and women of the FBI for spreading this dangerous and irresponsible lie?”

    The Senators asked for clarification of these statements by April 11, 2025.

    The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

    Dear Deputy Director Bongino:

    As the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) finalizes its new leadership structure, we are deeply concerned that Director Kash Patel’s senior leadership team is unprepared for the challenges of managing our nation’s premier law enforcement agency and its approximately 38,000 public servants. As the newly appointed Deputy Director, your past public statements—which include inflammatory remarks and unsubstantiated accusations against the FBI, including calling for the Bureau’s disbandment—raise concerns about your ability to impartially lead the Bureau and credibly command the respect of its workforce. The Deputy Director oversees all FBI domestic and international investigative and intelligence activities and has historically been a career agent with extensive experience in the Bureau. Your record, on the other hand, does not reflect the expertise required to manage the FBI’s complex and expansive operations. To help address these concerns, we ask that you answer the following questions by April 11, 2025:

    1. You previously said, “We don’t just fire the people who did this. Everyone who stood by and did nothing while the Department of Justice and the FBI have been ravaged, ravaged by ‘corruptocrats’ [sic].Everyone gets fired. Everyone (emphasis added).” As Deputy Director, do you still believe that every one of the FBI’s employees who “stood by” should be fired? How do you intend to determine which of the FBI’s approximately 38,000 employees “stood by”?
    2. On September 26, 2022, you said on your podcast: “The only thing that is going to stop the FBI from doing what they’re doing now, which is become full-time activists and bouncers, in many cases, thugs for the Democrat [sic] party, is imposing real material losses on them (emphasis added). Fire everyone involved in this stuff. Everyone—no excuses. Disband the entity.” Now that you are a member of the Bureau’s senior leadership team, do you believe the thousands of personnel who report to you still need to suffer “real material losses”? Do you still believe the FBI should be disbanded? If yes, how do you plan on implementing such an agenda?
    3. On August 29, 2024, in response to the FBI releasing information about the Butler assassination attempt, you posted: “Folks, the FBI is at it again. I don’t trust these people at all.” How can the FBI’s career law enforcement personnel earn your trust in light of this statement? Conversely, how do you intend to earn their trust when you have spent years attacking their integrity?
    4. On November 14, 2024, you described the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol and the placement of pipe bombs outside of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters as an “inside job” and said:

    There is a massive cover-up, because the person who planted those pipe bombs—they don’t want you to know who it was, because it’s either a connected anti-Trump insider, or this was an inside job. Those bombs were planted there. This was a setup. I have zero doubt…. And whoever goes into FBI… you better get an answer… about why.

    Now that you are inside the FBI, have you seen evidence to prove your implausible and outrageous allegation that the January 6 attack was an “inside job”? If yes, when do you plan to provide that evidence to the public and Congress? If no, will you apologize to the American people for perpetuating this baseless conspiracy theory?

    1. Earlier this year, you said on your podcast about the unsolved January 6, 2021 pipe bombs case:

    It is clear, this all adds up to they know who this person is. They just don’t want you to know who this it is. Later in the podcast, you went on to say that “the FBI knew the entire time the identity of this person and then tried to unknow it, because it was an insider and an inside attack and a plot to, you know, stop Republicans from questioning the election results.

    You then claimed that “they did conduct an investigation, a legitimate one, for probably a couple of weeks because a friend of mine, who’s a federal agent, was involved in it. And they told him, once they started to hone in on who it was, to stand down.” We are disappointed that the pipe bomb case remains unsolved, given the significant danger this threat presented to the public, staff, and elected officials at the RNC and DNC on January 6, 2021. Your claim that the FBI is responsible for a cover-up is an extremely serious allegation that you have an obligation either to substantiate or repudiate. Now that you have access to the information you have long claimed that the FBI possesses, can you answer who was responsible for the pipe bombs on January 6, 2021 and provide evidence proving their identity to the public and Congress? If no, will you apologize to the men and women of the FBI for spreading this dangerous and irresponsible lie?

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

    Sincerely,

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 03/27/2025 Senate Democrats Block Blackburn Resolution Condemning Violence Against Tesla

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor before and after Senate Democrats blocked her resolution condemning the recent acts of violence, arson, and domestic terrorism committed against Tesla properties throughout the United States. Click here to read the full resolution.

    REMARKS AS PREPARED

    Elon Musk Is a Patriot for Tackling One of the Biggest Threats our Nation Faces: $36 Trillion in Debt

    Mr. President, there can be no doubt that Elon Musk is a patriot. 

    He has revolutionized entire industries with his companies—from PayPal and Tesla to SpaceX and Neuralink.

    Across his businesses, there are a lot of things he could be working on. But when President Trump asked him to join the administration, he answered the call and committed himself to serving the American people.

    In many ways, he is tackling one of the biggest threats our nation faces: our $36 trillion debt. 

    Elon understands that our fiscal path is unsustainable.

    Today, we are spending more money to service our debt than to fund our entire military.

    And as our debt grows, it will become more and more difficult to fund basic government functions.

    That’s why he is leading the Department of Government Efficiency: to rein in reckless spending and put our country on a better fiscal path.

    So far, DOGE has had a lot of success. In just two months, they have discovered $130 billion in potential savings by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse across the federal government.

    They hope that number will reach $2 trillion by Independence Day next year—our nation’s 250th birthday.

    The Radical Left Is Targeting Elon Musk for Helping President Trump

    Every American should be applauding this effort. Our children and grandchildren’s future depends on it.

    But because Elon is helping President Trump, he has become a target for the radical Left—which has launched a domestic terrorism campaign against his company, Tesla. 

    In Las Vegas, suspects set Tesla vehicles on fire with Molotov cocktails.

    In Oregon, a man shot up a Tesla dealership.

    And across the country, Tesla owners have had their cars destroyed with arson and vandalism.

    Now, Democrat-aligned groups are organizing a “Global Day of Action” on Saturday to target Tesla.

    Democrats Are Eerily Silent While the Left Launches Domestic Terrorism Campaign Against Tesla

    The reason for this campaign is simple: In November, the American people rejected the Left’s radical agenda.

    They’ve lost the debate. But instead of making a better pitch to voters, they are trying to stop Republicans with violence and intimidation.

    The Democrats spent the last four years denouncing domestic terrorism and supporting electric vehicles, yet now they are eerily silent.

    And when they do comment, they celebrate Tesla’s setbacks.

    Tim Walz—Democrats’ failed vice presidential candidate—claimed he gets a daily “boost” from checking on Tesla’s stock price, which has declined amid the terrorism campaign.

    Democrat ally and late night host Jimmy Kimmel seemed to endorse the violence, sarcastically telling his audience, “Don’t ever vandalize Tesla vehicles.”

    Last week, Democrat congresswoman Jasmine Crockett said that all she wants for her birthday is to “see Elon taken down.”

    Democrats Must Condemn Political Violence Against Tesla

    This rhetoric is inexcusable. And as the world’s greatest legislative body, we should jointly condemn political violence.

    That’s why I am asking for unanimous consent to pass my resolution that condemns the horrific acts of violence, arson, and domestic terrorism committed against Tesla dealerships and facilities across the country.

    There is absolutely no reason why Democrats should oppose this resolution. They should join Republicans and let the United States Senate speak with one voice: political violence and domestic terrorism have no place in our country.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 90 Border-Related Cases This Week

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 90 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

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

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

    A sample of border-related arrests this week includes:

    • Mexican national Aurora Karina Sanchez Quioano was arrested on March 23, 2025, and charged with illegally entering the U.S. after being previously deported after the U.S. Coast Guard reported a vessel onshore at Dog Beach in Ocean Beach. When a U.S. Border Patrol agent arrived at Dog Beach following the report, citizens pointed him towards a jogging trail where he found Sanchez soaking wet.  Sanchez was previously deported on August 8, 2024.    
    • On March 23, 2025, Angel Alonso Peralta Fuerte and Juan Jose Diaz-Guerena, both citizens of Mexico, were arrested and charged with alien smuggling for financial gain after the vessel they were operating with 19 individuals on board was detained by the U.S. Coast Guard. All 19 passengers on the vessel admitted that they are citizens of Mexico without lawful documents allowing them to enter the United States and were arrested by San Diego based U.S. Border Patrol Agents.  Peralta was previously deported on February 26, 2025, less than a month prior to this arrest. Two of the individuals on the vessel were also charged with attempted reentry of removed alien based on their prior criminal and immigration history.  According to the complaint, several individuals of the boat stated they were paying between $3,000-15,000 if successfully smuggled into the United States.
    • Xavier Garcia, a United States citizen, was arrested on March 26, 2025, when he attempted to cross into the U.S. from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry on drug importation charges. According to a federal complaint, he was the driver and registered owner of a vehicle in which Customs and Border Protection officials found 503 packages containing more than 500 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the engine area, seats, spare tire, doors, roof, tailgate, and center console of his vehicle.

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

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

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

    MIL Security OSI –