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Republicans advance Trump administration budget focusing on border security
Republicans in the House Committee on Homeland Security advanced its budget reconciliation recommendations to fund President Donald Trump’s border security efforts. The budget recommendation will complete the border wall and increase U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel while... Read More »
Maryland, DARPA sign quantum research agreement
DARPA and the state of Maryland announced they had reached an agreement to test and evaluate quantum computing prototypes and systems. The Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub is part of DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) that will assess which quantum computing approaches, if any, can... Read More »
Congressional committees unveil legislation seeking to invest $150B to modernize American military
U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), chair of the House Armed Services Committee, unveiled legislation that would invest $150 billion to modernize the American military. The legislation was developed in conjunction with the Senate Armed Services Committee to prioritize defense spending on... Read More »
Accused terrorists pleads guilty to firearms charges
An Afghan national charged in connection with a planned Election Day attack inspired by ISIS recently plead guilty. Abdullah Haji Zada plead guilty to knowingly receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition with the intent to commit a federal crime of... Read More »
Internet crimes increased 33 percent in 2024
In 2024, there were 859,532 complaints of suspected internet crime and reported losses exceeding $16 billion, a 33 percent increase in losses from 2023, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) annual internet crime report. Other... Read More »
DOJ charges 27 Tren De Aragua members with racketeering, other offenses
The U.S. Department of Justice announced it had charged nearly 30 alleged Tren De Aragua (TdA) gang members with racketeering, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery and firearms offenses. In two superseding indictments, the DOJ said those charged were either alleged members of TdA, or... Read More »
Legislation aims to crack down on drone surveillance
U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) introduced legislation that will make drone surveillance of national defense sites illegal. The Drone Espionage Act will update the Espionage Act of 1917 and make videography of sensitive national defense sites a crime punishable with a fine, 10 years in prison or... Read More »
DHS celebrates milestone in child exploitation protection
Over the course of an online child exploitation public awareness campaign, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it has coordinated an effort to address the problem. The Know2Protect campaign, housed within the DHS Cyber Crimes Center, has reached millions through traditional and... Read More »
WHO member states make progress on pandemic agreement
Member states of the World Health Organization recently forged a draft agreement to help make the world safer from pandemics. The proposal, which will be considered at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May, aims to strengthen global collaboration on prevention, preparedness and response to... Read More »
Panamanian doctor charged in VA fraud scheme
The U.S. Department of Justice said a Panamanian doctor has pleaded guilty to a widespread fraud scheme involving the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Officials said Dr. Rolando Chin, a surgeon in Panama, was one of several people involved in submitting false and inflated claims to the... Read More »
ICE operation apprehends 133 illegal aliens in New York
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeted criminal illegal alien offenders and other immigration violators in western, central, and northern New York and apprehended 133 illegal aliens between March 24 and March 28. During the operation, four criminal search warrants were served... Read More »
Program to protect sensitive data from foreign adversaries implemented by DOJ
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said on April 11 it has taken steps to move forward with a program to prevent China, Russia, Iran and other foreign adversaries from accessing and exploiting American citizens’ personal data. The Data Security Program implemented by the National Security... Read More »
NY Gov. Hochul warns federal cuts could impact infrastructure projects across New York
A number of projects across the state of New York will lose funding as a result of the Trump administration’s cuts to the Building Resilient Infrastructures and Communities program, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. As part of the cuts to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, more than... Read More »
Bill to address transnational repression passes out of committee
A bill focusing on coercive tactics used by repressive foreign governments to silence political dissention has passed out of the House Homeland Security Committee, U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) said. The Strengthening State and Local Efforts to Combat Transnational Repression Act, introduced... Read More »
Legislation introduced to combat Chinese-backed cyberattacks
U.S. Reps. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Mark Green, MD (R-TN) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) reintroduced legislation that would help combat Chinese-backed cyberattacks. The legislation, Strengthening Cyber resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act, would require the federal government to assess and... Read More »
Senators voice concern over NSA firings
U.S. Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Chris Coons (D-DE) are voicing their concerns over the recent firing of the director of the National Security Agency (NSA), and the reassignment of the agency’s deputy director. In a letter to President Donald Trump, the senators led their... Read More »
Legislation introduced to reauthorize Project Safe Neighborhoods program
A group of Republican Senators introduced legislation that would reauthorize a national program allowing law enforcement to use evidence-based, data-driven approaches to reducing violent crime. U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Thom... Read More »
Legislation would restore FEMA as independent agency
Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate would restore the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent cabinet-level agency. The FEMA Independence Act would remove FEMA from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The agency then would report directly to... Read More »
ICE, USCIS investigation leads to arrest of 370 illegal aliens in Massachusetts
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement partnered with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in an investigation that led to the apprehension of 370 illegal aliens in Massachusetts. The agencies said that during a six-day enhanced operation in March, federal law enforcement partners and... Read More »
Legislation exempting taxes on military bonuses introduced
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) introduced legislation that would exempt from taxation all bonuses paid to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The No Tax on Military Bonuses Act, would exempt all taxes on the enlistment, reenlistment, retention or other incentive bonuses. Currently, service members... Read More »
Legislation to extend concealed carry privileges to law enforcement officers reintroduced
U.S. Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) said their legislation extending concealed carry privileges to law enforcement officers would improve public safety and offer real solutions to terrorism and mass shootings. The Law Enforcement Officers Safety Reform Act (LEOSA) would extend... Read More »
Coast Guard increases presence near Mexico border
The Coast Guard recently increased its operational presence near the border between the United States and Mexico with the goal of enhancing border security and immigration enforcement. Coast Guard District Eleven has increased its counter-illicit-maritime-activities since Jan. 21, tripled its... Read More »
DOJ seizes cryptocurrency intended to fund Hamas
Officials with the U.S. Department of Justice said a court-authorized seizure of more than $200,000 in cryptocurrency will disrupt an ongoing Hamas funding scheme. According to a press release from the DOJ, the office seized $201,400 in cryptocurrency held in wallets and accounts intended to... Read More »
Congressmembers applaud contract modification for Polar Security Cutter program
Congressmembers in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee applauded the U.S. Coast Guard’s decision to award a contract modification to Bollinger Mississippi Shipyards for the Polar Security Cutter (PSC) program. U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Mike Ezell (R-MS) said the... Read More »
Legislation reintroduced to use AI to prep for, respond to pandemics
Legislation re-introduced into Congress this week would direct the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence to create a program leveraging artificial intelligence to prepare for and respond to pandemics. Sponsored by U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM),... Read More »
Congress members seek answers on monitoring, countering drones
A group of five Republican Congress members recently sent a letter to Pete Hegseth, Department of Defense secretary; Kristi Noem, Department of Homeland Security secretary; and Chris Rocheleau, Federal Aviation Administration acting administrator; to question how the agencies are monitoring and... Read More »
Legislation to prohibit U.S. investments from fueling Chinese aggression introduced
Legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Andy Barr would prevent U.S. capital from financing the Chinese Communist Party, officials said. The legislation, the Foreign Investment Guardrails to Help Thwart (FIGHT) China Act, would establish a comprehensive outbound investment screening regime to... Read More »
Legislation would exclude certain service members from federal taxes
Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would ensure that U.S. service members stationed in certain high-risk areas receive critical tax exclusion benefits. The bill would extend the Qualified Hazardous Duty Area (QHDA) designation to Chad, Burkina Faso,... Read More »
MS-13 leader arraigned in court on federal terrorism, racketeering charges
A high-ranking MS-13 leader, who was added to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List in February, was arraigned in federal court Wednesday. Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, also known as Veterano de Tribus, 47, of Ahuachapán, El Salvador, and Veracruz, Mexico, had been a fugitive for nearly... Read More »
Central Command Forces kill ISIS #2 leader
U.S. Central Command forces announced they have conducted a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, that killed the Global ISIS #2 leader. Officials with Central Command said Emir-Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as “Abu Khadijah,” chief of operations was killed in the... Read More »
Rep. Garbarino urges DHS to examine Cyber Safety Review Board
U.S. Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) urges the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to look into the structure of the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) as the Trump administration considers reconstituting it. In a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Garbarino, the chair of the House Homeland... Read More »
Legislation to counter transnational repression introduced
Members of the House Committee on Homeland Security reintroduced legislation to strengthen the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s response to countering transnational repression on U.S. soil. Transnational repression occurs with foreign actors, like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or... Read More »
CBP closing processing facilities due to low border apprehensions
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it has begun reducing the number of soft-sided facilities along the southwest border due to low apprehensions. CBP will close soft-sided facilities in Donna, North Eagle Pass and Laredo, TX, as well as in Yuma and Tucson, Ariz. SSFs in San Diego,... Read More »
Air Force, Space Force leaders tell Senate they’re ready but facing challenges
Officers with the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Space Force testified in a Senate subcommittee hearing that their services are ready and capable, but that budget challenges remain. U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief for Operations Lt. Gen. Adrian Spain, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, and... Read More »