Hegseth tells lawmakers about plan to detain immigrants at bases in Indiana and New Jersey
Hegseth notified members of Congress from both states this week of the proposal to temporarily house detained immigrants at Camp Atterbury in Indiana, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey.
President Donald Trump has moved to aggressively detain and deport people in the country illegally, a push that has swept up large numbers of immigrants, including many with no prior criminal records, and forced federal authorities to find places to house them.
Hegseth said the presence of the detainees would not negatively affect the bases' operations or training. Officials have not said when detainees could begin arriving at the facilities or if other military bases are under consideration.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump's border czar Tom Homan said there are about 60,000 beds currently available for detained immigrants and the goal is to expand to 100,000.
'We're looking for any available bed space we can get that meets the detention standards we're accustomed to,' Homan said Friday. 'The faster we get the beds, the more people we can take off the street.'
Democratic lawmakers from both states and civil rights advocates condemned the idea of housing immigrants at the bases, questioning the impact on military resources and the justification for so many detentions.
'Using our country's military to detain and hold undocumented immigrants jeopardizes military preparedness and paves the way for (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids in every New Jersey community,' New Jersey's Democratic delegation said in a statement.
Democratic Rep. Andre Carson of Indiana said his questions about detainee conditions have gone unanswered by the Trump administration.
He cited concerns raised about conditions at other facilities and said, 'The fact that ICE has detained so many individuals that they now need to expand detention space in Indiana is disturbing.'
Amol Sinha, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, said in a statement that housing immigrants in military facilities sets a dangerous precedent "and is contrary to the values embedded in our Constitution.'
Both of the bases identified by Hegseth have housed Afghan or Ukrainian refugees in recent years.
During Trump's first administration, he authorized the use of military bases to detain immigrant children — including Army installations at Fort Bliss and Goodfellow Air Force Base in Texas.
In 2014, President Barack Obama temporarily relied on military bases to detain immigrant children while ramping up privately operated family detention centers to hold many of the tens of thousands of Central American families who crossed the border.
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The Independent
9 minutes ago
- The Independent
Trump's golfing weekend in Scotland is an even bigger headache than his state visit
Donald Trump's golfing trip to Scotland this weekend has started to look like a few days of welcome relief for the US president. From Downing Street's perspective, however, it may all look a bit different. At home, Trump is embroiled in linked controversies that seem to have come out of the blue. Having seen off most of the legal challenges to the orders he issued in his first days back in office, he now faces a quasi-rebellion from his hitherto loyal and largely unquestioning base over a case that has little obvious bearing on high politics at all. These die-hard Trumpists were disappointed by official findings that the accused child-trafficker and convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, did indeed die by suicide in prison and that there is, and was, no secret client list. They had shared a conspiracy theory that Epstein was part of a shadowy elite, that he had been killed to keep him quiet, and that after Trump came to power, the truth would emerge. Now, Trump is himself being accused of an establishment cover-up, and is confronting a social media storm that even this master of the medium is struggling to control. Trump has also launched lawsuits against the Wall Street Journal, its proprietor, Rupert Murdoch, and two journalists, denying a report of links between Trump and Epstein, including a bawdy birthday greeting allegedly sent by Trump. The prospect of a court confrontation between the two titans is tantalising. Trump has also ordered files relating to the Epstein case to be published, and both his attorney general and Congress want to question Ghislaine Maxwell – the only person convicted in connection with the case so far. It may be surmised that they hope to tempt Maxwell with a reduction in her 20-year sentence and persuade her to offer some 'helpful' evidence. With only a year until the start of the midterm congressional election campaign, Trump needs to keep his base intact. No wonder four days in the wilds of Scotland – the homeland of his late mother and two Trump-owned golf courses, including a new resort on the Menie Estate, outside Aberdeen – might look like a welcome distraction. His foes on this side of the Atlantic are already tuning up – wags have put up a spoof sign at his golf course near Aberdeen that says 'twinned with Epstein Island' – and elaborate police and security operations are in train. When Trump last visited his Scottish businesses two years ago, he was not president. Now, even on a private visit, he requires presidential-level security, at least some of which must be supplied and paid for by the host country. The timing of this trip, less than one month before Trump's unprecedented second state visit to the UK, adds risk. Any infelicities, real or perceived, on either side now are in danger of negatively colouring the later visit, the invitation for which was conveyed by Keir Starmer during his trip to the White House soon after Trump's inauguration. Since then, content, timing and tone have all been in contention. The recent state visit by France's President Macron, with its especially high pageantry, address to parliament, and prominent deployment of the Prince and Princess of Wales, seemed top-of-the-line. Like the Macrons, the Trumps will stay at Windsor Castle, but this occasion has been timed to exclude the possibility of a parliamentary address and the visit to Balmoral that Trump angled for. Nor, the Palace has made clear, will the King be meeting Trump during his golfing weekend. The private and state visits are wisely being kept distinct. At government level, in contrast, a different choice has been made. The prime minister is expected to hold talks with Trump, potentially on every current issue, from trade tariffs to Ukraine, in or near Aberdeen, and possibly at Trump's golf course. There will also be a meeting with Scotland's first minister, John Swinney, who has decided that it is his duty 'to engage, to protect and to promote the interests of the people of Scotland', despite vocal opposition from other groups. Now, it could be said that Starmer, in particular, was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. Given that the decision has been taken, however, the aim must be to limit any damage. Anything that smacks of paying tribute must be avoided, and that includes meeting Trump at his golf course and any announcement about awarding the 2028 British Open to the now Trump-owned Turnberry, as the president would reportedly like. By meeting Trump in Scotland, Starmer risks not only becoming the focus of protests himself but also party to the negative blowback from British public opinion. As much can go wrong as go right. The prime minister should have followed the Palace and left all official encounters for the main event, where the protocol is clear and risks of all kinds are minimised. After all, there are fewer than four weeks to wait.
Reuters
10 minutes ago
- Reuters
South Korea seeks to leverage Trump's focus on shipbuilding in tariff talks
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Pressure on Seoul to reach a deal on import tariffs has increased after Japan struck a trade agreement with the U.S. this week. South Korean officials are in Washington for trade talks, though a high-level meeting due on Friday was postponed over scheduling. South Korea is the world's second-largest shipbuilder and a source with direct knowledge of the talks said any partnership should include South Korean companies investing in the U.S. and helping more in repair and maintenance. South Korea's proposal of a "Korea-U.S. manufacturing renaissance partnership" in areas such as shipbuilding had drawn strong U.S. interest, as Washington called for joint efforts to counter China's shipbuilding growth, Seoul trade officials said, declining to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. The U.S. Treasury Department and Trade Representative did not respond to requests for comment on the progress of talks about shipbuilding. South Korea's industry ministry said the U.S. and South Korea were discussing ways to cooperate in manufacturing industries, including shipbuilding, but declined to elaborate. "The most realistic option for South Korea is, I think, to make a deal to fix a certain number of U.S. navy vessels annually or build parts of new ships," said Kim, a visiting researcher at the Korea Institute for Maritime Strategy. Repair of U.S. Navy ships is already happening in South Korea including at Hanwha Ocean's ( opens new tab Geoje shipyard, which has the world's largest dock and a 900-ton "Goliath" crane, according to its website. In July, Hanwha Ocean ( opens new tab secured its third U.S. Navy maintenance contract and parent Hanwha Group has also been expanding in U.S. shipbuilding. 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Political will would also be needed given the raft of U.S. regulations that protect domestic shipbuilding. A South Korean trade official called for exceptions or changes to the Jones Act, which bars foreign shipyards from building commercial ships to operate in the U.S. The Byrnes-Tollefson Amendment also prohibits the construction of navy vessels in foreign shipyards, but the president retains the authority to waive its provisions for national security. To skirt U.S. regulations, South Korea could look into ideas like building modules to be delivered to U.S. shipyards or designating a South Korean shipyard as a special district so U.S. Navy ships could be built there, Woo said. Trump's introduction to South Korean shipbuilding probably happened nearly three decades ago. 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Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Ghislaine Maxwell to release bombshell new evidence as Epstein deposition footage reemerges
Ghislaine Maxwell is expected to unveil 'new evidence' during her jailhouse meeting with the Justice Department. The revelation came as resurfaced footage showed Jeffrey Epstein responding to questions about Donald Trump and underage girls. Maxwell will personally meet with a top Justice Department official at a federal prison in Florida where she is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein traffic young women. Her brother Ian told The New York Post on Wednesday that she will be providing 'new evidence' regarding Epstein. 'She will be putting before that court material new evidence that was not available to the defense at her 2021 trial, which would have had a significant impact on its outcome,' Ian Maxwell said. Ghislaine Maxwell, 63, did not testify in her defense at her 2021 trial which saw her convicted in over her role in a scheme to sexual exploit and abuse multiple minor girls with Epstein over the course of a decade. Her discussions with the White House came as a torrent of information on the Epstein saga continued to get blasted across traditional outlets and social media. Liberal podcasters MeidasTouch posted video Wednesday of a 2010 deposition in which Epstein was asked about Trump but is largely evasive. 'Have you ever had a personal relationship with Donald Trump?' Epstein is asked by a lawyer representing an underaged victim. 'What do you mean by 'personal relationship,' sir?' he replies. 'Have you socialized with him?' the questioner continues. 'Yes, sir,' he admits. 'Have you ever socialized with Donald Trump in the presence of females under the age of 18?' the lawyer persists. 'Though I'd like to answer that question, at least today I'm going to have to assert my Fifth, Sixth, and 14th Amendment rights, sir,' he replies. The Fifth Amendment protects individuals from being forced to testify against themselves in a criminal case, while the Sixth and 14th involve other individual protections under the law. Epstein invoked the fifth on all questions he was asked during the deposition. However his response to the Trump questions appeared unique. 🚨🚨🚨 Watch Jeffrey Epstein plead his Fifth, Sixth, and 14th Amendment rights when asked if he and Donald Trump socialized with females under the age of 18 during a 2010 deposition: Q: Have you ever had a personal relationship with Donald Trump? A. What do you mean by "personal… — MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) July 24, 2025 has reached out to the White House for comment. The story of the deceased billionaire pedophile has plagued the Trump administration after the botched release of the so-called 'Epstein files' - which the president now claims is a Democrat-led hoax. Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing Democratic calls to testify before Congress following The Wall Street Journal's revelation that she told Trump that his name appeared in the files of the sex-trafficking investigation. Earlier this week, Ghislaine's brother Ian Maxwell revealed her sister's frame of mine in the wake of the botched release of the files. Ian Maxwell communicates regularly with her sister in jail on the phone and told The Times she fears for her safety. 'Prisons are very dangerous places and we know from Ghislaine that there are serious staff shortages and more dangerous higher-risk-category prisoners now being admitted to … Tallahassee,' said Maxwell. 'For sure she remains at great, if not greater, risk and has expressed her real concerns about this to me.' He also said his older sister believes that Epstein may have been murdered, contradicting the DOJ and FBI's belief in the official theory that he committed suicide. 'There were certainly a number of convicted murderers on the wing in [Metropolitan Correctional Center] New York where Epstein died,' Maxwell said. 'The contemporaneous investigation of Epstein's death was cut short, cursory and frankly shoddy, certainly as regards the duty guards' story the night he died. At least one distinguished, independent forensic pathologist concurred with the Epstein family-appointed pathologist that homicide was more likely than suicide,' he added. He added that the pathologist from the New York Medical Examiner's office never examined the body. 'I think despite the DOJ memo concluding that Epstein died by suicide, there must remain serious doubts and the jury remains out about that.' Ian Maxwell's take was that President Trump and others would be 'pleased' by the suicide verdict. 'The principal casualties here are truth and justice and my sister's freedom,' he said. 'That's the reality and it should make all right-thinking people seethe with anger. We remain ever hopeful that the truth of the 'hoax', as President Trump now refers to it, comes out.' Ian Maxwell also 'welcomes total discourse' and the complete public release of the FBI files. Ghislaine Maxwell, 63, is the only person behind bars - serving 20 years on child sex trafficking charges - despite the fact that pedophile Jeffrey Epstein allegedly controlled a web of underage girls. Additionally, Epstein's victims alleged they were passed around as sex toys to his wealthy friends and billionaire business associates who regularly visited his homes including his private island, Little Saint James. A source said: 'Despite the rumors, Ghislaine was never offered any kind of plea deal. She would be more than happy to sit before Congress and tell her story. 'No-one from the government has ever asked her to share what she knows. She remains the only person to be jailed in connection to Epstein and she would welcome the chance to tell the American public the truth.' What that 'truth' is remains to be seen. Maxwell was convicted in 2022 over her role in a scheme to sexual exploit and abuse multiple minor girls with Epstein over the course of a decade. Maxwell argues she should have been protected from prosecution as part of a Non Prosecution Agreement made by Epstein - her former lover and boss - in 2007 when he agreed to plead guilty to two minor charges of prostitution in a 'sweetheart deal' which saw him spend little time behind bars. And now, controversy continues to rage over the Department of Justice's statement that there is no Epstein 'client list' and the release of videos from inside New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center which the DOJ says proves he committed suicide in 2019 while being held in jail on sex trafficking charges. Critics have pointed to the fact that there is a crucial minute missing from the jail house video that also does not show the door or, indeed, the inside of Epstein's jail cell. The scandal - and alleged 'cover up' - has prompted a rebellion amongst President Trump's loyal MAGA base. Some even believe Bondi should be fired after promising to release all files relating to Epstein and his high-profile male friends only to apparently renege on that promise. On Wednesday, it was revealed that Bondi told Trump his name was among many high-profile figures mentioned in the files, which the Justice Department this month said it would not be releasing despite a clamor from online sleuths, conspiracy theorists and members of Trump's base. Trump´s personal ties to Epstein are well-established and his name is already known to have been included in records related to the wealthy financier, who killed himself in jail in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The Justice Department declined to comment on the report but issued a joint statement from Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche saying that investigators had reviewed the records and 'nothing in the files warranted further investigation or prosecution.' 'As par of our routine briefing, we made the president aware of the findings,' the statement said. The mere inclusion of a person's name in Epstein's files does not imply wrongdoing and he was known to have been associated with multiple prominent figures, including Trump. Over the years, thousands of pages of records have been released through lawsuits, Epstein´s criminal dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests. They include a 2016 deposition in which an accuser recounted she spent several hours with Epstein at Trump´s Atlantic City casino but didn´t say if she met Trump and did not accuse him of any wrongdoing. Trump has also said he once thought Epstein was a 'terrific guy' but they later had a falling-out.
