3 in 10 Americans trust Secret Service to protect candidates: Poll
Less than a month after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday, July 13, Americans expressed skepticism about the United States Secret Service’s ability to protect presidential candidates. According to a new poll published by AP-NORC on Friday, Aug. 2, only three of 10 U.S. adults have high confidence in the agency’s ability to keep presidential candidates safe.
The poll also found that when it comes to what’s to blame for the attempt on Trump’s life, Americans do not let the agency totally off the hook. More than 70% of those surveyed said that the Secret Service bears moderate responsibility for the attack.
However, not all blame is directed at the agency. More than three quarters of Americans blame political divisions in the country for the violence at the Trump rally last month. Additionally, nearly 60% said that both the availability of guns and the media were to blame for the attack.
Breaking it down further, half of those polled said that political divisions bear a “great deal” of responsibility for the attempted assassination of Trump. When it was broken down along political lines, 60% of Democrats pointed to gun accessibility for the attack, and half of Republicans faulted the Secret Service.
In the wake of the attempt on Trump’s life at the Pennsylvania rally, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned and admitted that the incident was the “most significant operational failure” for the agency in “decades.”
New Acting Director Ronald Rowe said that he was ashamed and called it “indefensible” that the roof used by the gunman was not secured, during testimony to U.S. Congress.
Meanwhile, the poll also revealed skepticism over the ongoing investigation into the shooting. Only one-third of Americans were extremely confident or very confident in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security conducting a full and fair investigation.
Venezuela’s violent Tren de Aragua gang approves attacks on Denver PD
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reportedly released a memo on Tuesday, July 30, that members of the Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua (TDA) were given the “green light” to open fire on and attack Denver Police Department officers. The agency said it was tipped off to the threat by Albuquerque, New Mexico, law enforcement.
The gang is allegedly linked to hundreds of crimes, including the shootings of two New York Police Department officers who were attempting to arrest one of its members in June. Reports have also tied the gang to the brother of the suspect in the murder of Georgia student Laken Riley. Both men are undocumented immigrants from Venezuela.
U.S. border officials said that members of TDA have been sneaking over the southern border disguised as asylum-seekers.
According to U.S. government officials, the gang is linked to human smuggling and sex trafficking in the United States, as well as involved in murder, kidnapping, gun smuggling and a number of prison riots in Venezuela. Authorities warn that TDA has infiltrated cities like Denver, Chicago, Miami and New York City.
U.S. Border Patrol has been tracking the criminal organization and since last year has captured 70 of its members.
The Denver Police Department said it is taking the warning from federal authorities seriously and is making sure officers are aware of the safety concerns raised.
Judge tosses Fox News lawsuit brought by Nina Jankowicz
A federal judge has thrown out a defamation lawsuit against Fox News by a U.S. government official who served on the Biden administration’s short-lived media disinformation board. Nina Jankowicz sued Fox News, saying the outlet defamed her on multiple occasions and caused her to receive online attacks and threats of violence.
In rejecting the lawsuit, the judge said it was clear 36 of the 37 statements made on Fox News that were included in the suit were about the Disinformation Governance Board, not Jankowicz herself. The remaining statement, which was also not referencing Jankowicz, was ruled to be factual.
In May 2022, the Department of Homeland Security paused the board’s work and accepted Jankowicz’s resignation, just weeks after it was started. The board was officially dissolved and its charter rescinded in August 2022.
The Biden administration launched the disinformation board in an effort to counter disinformation from Russia and misleading information circulated by human smugglers targeting migrants looking to travel to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Comer, Raskin call on Secret Service Director Cheatle to resign
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle did not instill confidence in her leadership during a hearing on Capitol Hill Monday, July 22. Members on both sides of the aisle called on her to resign or be fired for her agency’s failure to stop the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
“It is my firm belief, Director Cheatle, that you should resign,” Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., said.
🚨BREAKING- Chairman James Comer and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin call for United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to resign.
Director Cheatle:
On July 13, 2024, the United States Secret Service under your leadership failed to protect former President Donald Trump… pic.twitter.com/rTgMjmyGzr
“If you have an assassination attempt on a president, a former president or a candidate, you need to resign,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said.
Cheatle indicated she doesn’t plan on going anywhere and will continue leading the investigation.
“I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” Cheatle told lawmakers.
Members were openly frustrated with Cheatle and demanded answers about the agency’s planning for the rally and the ongoing investigation into the shooting. She was largely unable or unwilling to provide information.
“I’m unable to answer details of exactly how the individual accessed the roof at this time,” Cheatle said.
“I personally do not review security plans for events that take place across the country,” she told another lawmaker.
Cheatle also dodged questions from Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., which he appeared to be asking in an attempt to make a point about gun violence. However, she kept dodging, drawing his ire.
“I’m asking you, did the availability of that AR-15, which is replicated all across America, make your job harder or easier,” Connolly questioned. “And you’re not willing to answer that question. And you think, and you wonder, why we might have a lack of confidence in your continued ability to direct this agency.”
Cheatle was also asked about inconsistencies with information that has been released. For instance, the day after the shooting, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said, “There’s an untrue assertion that a member of the former president’s team requested additional resources and that those were rebuffed. This is absolutely false.”
A week later Guglielmi put out another statement acknowledging some additional assets had been denied, but not for the rally.
“In some instances where specific Secret Service specialized units or resources were not provided, the agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protectee,” Guglielmi told The New York Times. “This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee.”
“What a change from ‘absolutely false, unequivocally false’, to, ‘Oh, by the way, there were some times where we didn’t give them what they wanted.’ That’s a huge change in five days,” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said. “And the fact that you can’t answer how many times you did that, that’s pretty darn frustrating, not just for me, but for the country.”
The Department of Homeland Security announced the creation of an independent review panel, which will take 60 days to lead an inquiry into the planning and failures at Trump’s campaign event.
Panel members will include: former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, former adviser to President Bush Frances Townsend, former Deputy Attorney General Mark Filip and David Mitchell, who has held state level law enforcement positions in both Delaware and Maryland.
Judge rules students may sue US gov’t over fake university created by ICE
In a recent ruling, a three-judge panel of a federal appeals court determined that foreign students who were duped into enrolling at a fake college in Michigan set up by federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have the right to sue the U.S. government. ICE officials established the fictitious University of Farmington in 2015 as an undercover operation to target students suspected of illegally extending their visas.
The university had a fabricated office, website and an admissions process that closely resembled legitimate institutions.
Hundreds of students, primarily from India and legally residing in the country, enrolled at what they believed was the University of Farmington, hoping to pursue studies in technology and science. However, in 2020, the government arrested and deported nearly 250 of these students.
Despite being legally present on F-1 student visas, these students were scammed out of more than $11,000 in tuition fees. One student, Teja Ravi, paid $12,500 to the fake university after contacting it in the fall of 2018. He neither attended any classes nor completed assignments.
The decision states the student “was unaware that the university was not a university at all but had been formed and advertised to offer educational services for money — though not actually provide them — as an undercover operation of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to target fraud involving student visas. the government’s operation eventually came to light but the government neither provided the paid-for education nor gave Mr. Ravi his money back.”
Lawyers representing the students argue that they were falsely led to believe the school was legitimate. The ICE website even listed the University of Farmington among schools approved by the U.S. government for foreign students.
Approximately 600 students lost their visas and some were held in immigration detention centers, according to lawyers. Despite the court ruling, the Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to the court’s decision.
400 migrants brought to US by ISIS-affiliated network, 50 still at large: Report
An ISIS-affiliated human smuggling network has facilitated the entry of more than 400 immigrants from Central Asia into the United States, according to government officials who spoke with NBC News. The officials said over 50 of these immigrants are currently at large within the country and their whereabouts are unknown.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has classified these immigrants as “subjects of concern.” Recently, DHS has intensified its scrutiny of migrants originating from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Russia, citing ISIS-K’s activity in these countries.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) allowed the 400 immigrants into the country several months ago without realizing their ties to the ISIS-affiliated smuggling network. The migrants were not on the terror watch list upon entry.
More than 150 of the immigrants have been arrested, with some facing deportation. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues to search for over four dozen individuals, intending to apprehend them on immigration charges once their locations are confirmed.
A senior Biden administration official informed NBC News that new evidence linking some of these immigrants to ISIS has prompted officials to exercise caution. The administration aims to mitigate potential risks by using its authority expansively and appropriately.
When asked about the initial report, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas called the reporting “incorrect.”
“We do not have identified 400 people with potential ISIS ties,” Mayorkas said. “And let me again assure you that individuals who are identified to have those ties would pose a concern to us from a public safety and security perspective, and they would be priorities for detention and removal.”
Earlier this month, Straight Arrow News reported that authorities detained eight suspected terrorists with possible ties to ISIS in major U.S. cities. Federal sources said that all eight individuals underwent thorough vetting and were subsequently released into the U.S. after crossing the southern border in 2023 and 2024.
FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a warning to Congress in March, emphasizing the escalating terrorist threats facing the nation.
“I believe the terrorist threat level we’re currently contending with is at a whole other level from the already heightened threat we were seeing even before Oct. 7,” Wray said. “We’ve witnessed a veritable rogue gallery of foreign terrorist organizations calling for attacks against the U.S. in ways we haven’t seen in a long time.”
Report: Feds, police are spying on the mail of thousands of Americans
Law enforcement has requested thousands of pieces of letters and packages every year for the past decade from the U.S. Postal Service without a court order. According to a report released on Monday, June 24, the Postal Service has mostly fulfilled the requests.
Data from 2015 through 2023 showed that federal agencies and state and local police made more than 60,000 requests to the Postal Service for information from Americans’ envelopes and packages. The Postal Service reportedly approved 97% of those requests.
The practice of monitoring mail goes back to 1879, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a Fourth Amendment case that it was legal but required a warrant to be obtained in order to open a sealed letter. The Mail Covers Program has been used to track down suspects, find fugitives or compile evidence — as long as all the details obtained came from the outside of the package or envelope.
The Postal Inspection Service has previously been reluctant to release the full scope of activity within the program out of fears that it could “alert criminals” to the practice and jeopardize the program’s effectiveness.
For more than a year, a bipartisan group of senators has been demanding to know more about the surveillance program. In a June 2023 letter, they shared concerns over the spying on U.S. citizens and accused postal officials of keeping customers in the dark about the fact that they have been the subject of monitoring.
The lawmakers also wrote that sensitive information is still on the outside of the mail, encompassing things like bills and political mail, which can reveal a person’s political beliefs and other sensitive information, like the church they attend. The lawmakers requested a federal judge to sign off on the requests by law enforcement before getting the green light.
Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale argued that Americans shouldn’t expect privacy when it comes to the outside of their mail, and contends that the spying is not widespread.
Barksdale said the Postal Service receives approximately 6,700 requests per year from law enforcement and the practice is only allowed for national security purposes and to help police in criminal investigations.
Mayorkas reports drop in US-Mexico border crossings after Biden order
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said U.S.-Mexico border crossings have fallen “materially” since President Joe Biden signed an executive order limiting migrant asylum claims. Mayorkas told a group of Bloomberg reporters that U.S. border officials are seeing results and recorded 2,600 migrant encounters between ports of entry Sunday, June 16 — a major drop since the president announced the asylum changes.
According to the secretary, it was one of the lowest daily totals since Biden took office.
Biden’s executive order shut down asylum requests at the southern border when illegal crossings exceed 2,500 a day. Restrictions will be lifted once migrant encounters dip to 1,500 per day for a week.
According to Biden, the order was required because Congress wouldn’t act on immigration as the crisis grew and migrants from around the world sought access to the U.S.
A recent report from the Mexican government said nearly 1.4 million people from 177 countries traveled through Mexico to reach the U.S. from January through May.
Earlier this year, congressional Republicans blocked a bipartisan immigration deal because of opposition to the included $60 billion price tag in foreign aid for Ukraine and $14 billion in funding for Israel.
Meanwhile, U.S. officials continue to warn of fentanyl-related deaths due to drugs pouring over the southern border. Officials also warn of a rise in human smuggling, murders, sex trafficking and kidnappings related to Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a transnational gang that’s made its way into the United States.
Homeland Security officials said earlier in June there are now more than 100 ongoing investigations involving suspected gang members. Border Patrol agents arrested 10 people with ties to the Venezuelan gang at the southern border in May alone.
Attorney General Merrick Garland held in contempt of Congress
The head of the Department of Justice, Attorney General Merrick Garland, held in contempt of Congress. And “life-threatening” flooding in south Florida as more torrential rain is expected Thursday. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, June 13, 2024.
Attorney General Merrick Garland held in contempt of Congress
In an effort led by Republicans, the U.S. House voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress Wednesday, June 12. Lawmakers also voted to refer the top Department of Justice official for criminal charges.
It comes after Garland refused to turn over audio recordings of President Joe Biden’s interviews with former special counsel Robert Hur as part of the probe over his handling of classified documents.
The 216-207 vote fell along party lines, with only one Republican, Rep. David Joyce of Ohio, voting against it.
The vote marks a major escalation in a months-long dispute over the recordings — which started after President Biden asserted executive privilege over the files. The DOJ has stood by the decision not to release the recordings, saying they’ve already provided transcripts.
DOJ officials wrote in an affidavit the transcripts accurately match the audio “except for minor instances” — like leaving out filler words or when words were repeated when spoken.
House Republicans argue the recordings are crucial to their impeachment inquiry into the president, which has stalled.
“He is refusing to comply with a lawful subpoena,” Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said of AG Garland. “And that’s a problem under Article I. We have to defend the Constitution. We have to defend the authority of Congress. We can’t allow the Department of Justice, an executive branch agency, to hide information from Congress. We have important oversight responsibilities, and that is what is being pursued here.”
Attorney General Garland responded to the decision to hold him in contempt late Wednesday night saying, “It is deeply disappointing that this House of Representatives has turned a serious congressional authority into a partisan weapon. Today’s vote disregards the constitutional separation of powers, the Justice Department’s need to protect its investigations and the substantial amount of information we have provided to the committees.”
U.S. and Ukraine set to sign 10-year security pact at G7 summit
President Joe Biden is in Italy Thursday, June 13, for the G7 summit, where he is expected to sign a 10-year bilateral security pact with Ukraine. This agreement is said to better strengthen the long-term security relationship between the two nations, with commitments to continue training Ukrainian armed forces, enhance weapons production cooperation and increase intelligence sharing.
The G7 leaders are also set to endorse a plan to provide Ukraine with $50 billion in loans, using frozen Russian assets to fund the initiative.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan mentioned that while the major aspects of the plan have been agreed upon, some details will still need to be finalized.
Additionally, on Wednesday, June 12, the U.S. expanded its sanctions against Moscow to include Chinese companies that supply semiconductors. This move aims to pressure Beijing over its support for Russia and address issues of industrial overcapacity.
The summit will also address other critical global issues, including the Middle East, migration and artificial intelligence.
ACLU sues Biden administration over new asylum rule
The Biden administration is facing its first lawsuit over President Joe Biden’s recent order temporarily shutting down the U.S.’ southern border. The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a coalition of immigrant advocacy groups, is the first big challenge to the executive order put in place just over a week ago.
The restrictions bar migrants from seeking asylum when border encounters rise above 2,500 per day.
In its first week implemented, the number of migrants crossing has fallen by 25%, according to Department of Homeland Security officials. However, the number of migrants coming over is still more than the number allowed — about 3,000 per day.
The executive action was meant to make illegal border crossers ineligible for asylum, but officials say thousands of migrants a day are still being released into the U.S. because of “limited options.”
The lawsuit did not seek an emergency injunction to block the new rule, so it will stay in place while the challenge plays out in court.
Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady
The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady Wednesday, June 12, potentially delaying any rate cuts until December. Fed Chair Jerome Powell, speaking after a two-day policy meeting, said the U.S. economy’s growth and unemployment rates are performing better than long-term sustainable levels, prompting the decision to maintain the current rate.
During a press conference, Powell said inflation has been decreasing without severely impacting the economy and he anticipates this trend could continue. The Fed plans a gradual return of inflation to its 2% target.
“We know that reducing policy restraint too soon or too much could result in a reversal of the progress that we’ve seen on inflation,” Powell said. “At the same time, reducing policy restraint too late or too little could unduly weaken economic activity and employment. In considering any adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook and the balance of risks.”
Powell said while some details of future rate cuts are still being finalized, the timing of these cuts will depend on a range of economic data, including labor market health and growth projections.
As the Fed’s latest interest rate announcement was made, Straight Arrow News’ own Simone Del Rosario and former Kansas City Fed President Thomas Hoenig had live analysis of the future of monetary policy. You can watch that here.
‘Life-threatening’ flooding in south Florida
For the third day in a row, heavy rain is threatening more destructive flooding in south Florida Thursday, June 13. It comes after storms turned streets into rivers and water rushed into homes, Wednesday, June 12.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, R, declared an emergency for five counties after dangerous flooding immobilized the operations of critical infrastructure, including major interstates, roadways, schools, and the Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports.
On Tuesday night, June 11, a record-breaking eight inches of rain hit Florida’s west coast in just three hours.
Flood watches are in effect through Friday night, June 14, across south Florida, which is the state’s most populous area, as more rounds of heavy rainfall are expected.
Meteorologists say many parts of the state are likely to see double-digit rainfall totals by the time the storms fully pass.
Russian warships conduct drills 100 miles off coast of Florida
Three Russian warships and a nuclear-powered submarine conducted drills Tuesday, June 11, in the Atlantic Ocean while en route to Cuba. The Russian defense ministry said the drills involved simulated attacks on distant mock targets.
The Russian fleet arrived in Cuba Wednesday, June 12, just 100 miles from Florida’s Key West. It’s set to move to Venezuela on Monday, June 17.
These exercises mark the first joint Russian naval and air maneuvers in the Caribbean since 2019.
Despite the proximity, Cuba has assured these visits are routine among allies and the vessels carry no nuclear weapons, posing no threat to the region.
The White House views these drills as Russia’s response to U.S. support for Ukraine but does not see them as a threat to U.S. national security.
Federal law prohibits granting asylum to individuals who pose such risks, including those convicted of serious crimes, involved in persecution or deemed threats to U.S. security.
Currently, asylum eligibility determinations are made later in the process. The proposed rule would permit asylum officers to consider classified information during initial credible fear screenings, conducted shortly after a migrant is encountered. This change would allow for quicker identification and removal of threats.
“The proposed rule would allow asylum officers to issue denial of claims within days after an individual is encountered when there is evidence that the individual is barred from asylum because of a terrorism, national security or criminal bar,” the DHS statement reads.
Under the new policy, classified information that suggests an individual may threaten national security or public safety can be actively used in their immigration case. Asylum officers determining a migrant’s asylum eligibility and prosecutors seeking deportation will now have an easier process to access and share classified information. This change should help prevent the release of potential security threats and allow for rapid decisions on many asylum claims.
“The proposed rule we have published today is yet another step in our ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of the American public by more quickly identifying and removing those individuals who present a security risk and have no legal basis to remain here,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said. “We will continue to take action, but fundamentally, it is only Congress that can fix what everyone agrees is a broken immigration system.”
This policy shift follows the case of Mohammad Kharwin, an Afghan migrant on the terrorist watchlist, who was released by a Texas immigration judge after Immigration and Customs Enforcement prosecutors withheld classified information due to its sensitivity.
Kharwin, suspected of connections to terrorism, was initially detained in 2023 without sufficient biometric data to confirm his watchlist status. After living freely in the U.S. for over a year, he was re-arrested following public reporting of his case.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration is addressing challenges with a heavily burdened immigration system. Earlier this month, senior officials introduced new rules to expedite asylum claims for single adults.
The DHS and the Department of Justice are establishing an expedited docket at ports of entry for migrants arriving alone and surrendering to border authorities. The docket aims to quickly assess whether individuals have the legal right to remain in the U.S., potentially leading to quicker removals for those who do not qualify.
