Fears of sleeper cells prompt over 100 Iranian arrests by ICE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 130 Iranian nationals over the past week, as the escalation between Israel and Iran has led to fears from the Trump administration of sleeper cells. President Donald Trump has even warned there could be Iranian terrorist sleeper cells plotting against Americans, as a failing of his predecessor Joe Biden, whom he said 'let in a lot' from Iran specifically.
ICE now has 670 Iran nationals in detention as Washington worries about potential retaliation for Trump's strikes on nuclear facilities in Tehran. One of the men in ICE custody served the Iranian military as a sniper in the past four years. The arrests come as it's been revealed at least 1,500 Iranians entered the US during the Biden years.
Of the 1,504 who were apprehended by immigration officials, 729 were allowed to stay in America by the Democrat administration. Fox News reported that the many of the detainees have a criminal record including domestic violence, as well as drug and weapon offenses. The Trump administration claims its yet another indictment of the failed Biden border policy. 'I think one thing that's really concerning about that: One, they weren't doing any really meaningful vetting in the last administration,' former acting ICE Director Jonathan Fahey told Fox.
'The second part of it is, you know, we have probably 2 million known gotaways come through the last administration, and the people that went through the non-ports of entry, we knew they went through but nobody caught them, so we have no idea who went through,' he continued. 'Gotaways' are illegal immigrants who Border Patrol agents know crossed the border but were unable to apprehend. Since they were not stopped, there is no way of knowing where they're from or where they went. Trump's 'border czar' Tom Homan called it 'the biggest national security vulnerability we've ever seen.'
Fears of terrorist sleeper cells attacking citizens in the US is not unfounded, Homan explained, based on what was found at the border. 'Do we know where everyone of the two million (gotaways) are, no. We don't know who they all are, why they're here or where they came from,' he stated. 'Border Patrol intelligence in the last four years they found prayer mats at the border. They found identification of people from Iran, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Syria. So we know that some terrorists have crossed that border. We'd be a fool to think zero crossed.'
At least half of them were allowed to stay in the US, despite citizens of Iran being considered special interest aliens due to the possibility of being security threats. The apprehensions have taken place since Sunday in sweeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation, amid growing warnings about potential terrorist 'sleeper cells' targeting the US. Major US cities are on high alert, after security officials warned there could be attacks on banking systems, energy grids and cyber attacks.
Data obtained by the conservative-leaning outlet shows an upward trend of allowing the Middle Easterners in, with 48 stopped at the border in 2021, 197 detained in 2022 462 in 2023 and 797 the last year Biden was in office. The numbers include Iranians who entered the country through the southern and northern borders and were encountered by the US Border Patrol. More than 10 million people from around the world poured into America while former President Joe Biden was in power.
However, the true number of Iranians now in the States could be much higher, as at least 2 million so called 'gotaways' came across the border during the Biden administration . The presence of Iranians in the US is under scrutiny as Iranian officials have promised to retaliate against the U.S. Rhetoric out of the Middle East has escalated with a popular TV personality threatening that up to 50,000 American soldiers will be returned to Washington in coffins.
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The Sun
18 minutes ago
- The Sun
Diddy & son accused of ‘brutal gang rape after luring woman on Snapchat' in shock lawsuit as closing statements continue
SEAN "Diddy" Combs and his son, Justin, have been accused of brutally gang raping a woman in a shocking lawsuit that surfaced on the eve of his defense's closing arguments. Combs, 55, and Justin, 31, were named in a lawsuit by a woman from Louisiana who accused the father-and-son of rape, according to the filing obtained by TMZ. 4 4 4 4 The unnamed woman alleged in the suit that Justin, 31, convinced the woman to travel to Los Angeles in April 2017 under the belief that he would help get her a job in the entertainment industry. The woman said she stood at a home in Beverly Hills for several days where she was allegedly raped by numerous mask-clad men, including Combs. Combs attorneys have denied the accusations in the lawsuit. CLOSING ARGUMENTS At the start of their closing arguments, Marc Agnifilo, who is leading the defense's final remarks, made no mention of the new lawsuit against his client. Instead, Agnifilo began by painting to jurors a lighter narrative of Combs' force leadership, and romantic and sexual relationships. 'Sean Combs is a self-made Black entrepreneur. He has built real businesses, that are so outstanding that others create partnerships with them.," Agnifilo said. "We heard that from Derek Ferguson. It is hard to be Sean Combs. How many witnesses said they were moved. The assistants were moved by Sean Combs. 'It was like Harvard Business School, he pushed them hard. Did they always like him? No way.' 'IT'S HIS KINGDOM' Prosecutors delivered their explosive closing statements to the jury on Thursday, as they methodically walked jurors through each count Combs faces, and outlined how the Bad Boy Records founder, 55, committed the acts. Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik described Combs as a "power, violent, and dangerous" criminal ringleader who used his "kingdom" of "loyal lieutenants" to serve him. "The defendant was at the top of this enterprise," Slavik said at the start of the government's closing arguments. "Remember, it's his kingdom. Everyone was there to serve him." The backbone of Slavik's closing remarks revolved around the testimony of Combs' former assistants, Capricorn Clark and "Mia," and his ex-girlfriends, "Jane" and singer Cassandra "Cassie" Ventura. Mia and Jane are both pseudonyms the court used to identify Combs' former assistant and ex-girlfriend. For nearly five hours, Slavik reminded jurors of the disturbing and physically punishing "freak-offs" Combs allegedly subjected his ex-girlfriends to participate in with male escorts. "All of this evidence paints a clear picture of how the defendant committed crime after crime for two decades, how he didn't take no for an answer," Slavik said. "The evidence shows you how he and his inner circle committed crimes and how far they would go to cover them up. 'Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with these crimes because of his money, his power, his influence. That stops now. It's time to hold him accountable.' 26th Jun 2025, 21:20 By Israel Salas-Rodriguez Diddy & his inner circle of loyalists were concerned about federal investigation after Cassie's suit, prosecutor said The prosecution argued that after Combs and Cassie Ventura settled her lawsuit, the music mogul became afraid of a criminal investigation. Slavik said Combs reached out to his ex-lover Jane on November 19, 2023, and asked, "What can I do to make you feel better." "He says, 'I can't be speaking on the phone.' He is worried the US will get 3 years of his text messages with Jane. "While he's recording the call, he tries to convince her she was willing. He says, 'We just did some kinky s**t I thought we both enjoyed.'" Prosecutors said Combs and his bodyguard D-Roc then reached out to his former assistant, Mia. "Mia told you her reaction to this call, she had seen defendant bash in Cassie' head," Slavik said. "D-Roc had seen it too, he was asking her to agree with a lie. As the federal investigation grew, they kept reaching out to Mia. "D-Roc calls her five times in a row. The defendant's venue toward Mia is also obstruction and witness tampering. "Also obstruction, the video of the Inter-Continental assault. It's bribery but also obstruction." 26th Jun 2025, 21:05 By Israel Salas-Rodriguez Capricorn Clark is third example of forced labor, the prosecution said Like Mia, Combs would often threaten Capricorn Clark's employment status at his company, prosecutors argued. "Capricorn had a son to provide for," Slavik said. "Combs threatened to blacklist her. Even told her that she would never work again. "That's serious harm." Slavik also underscored to jurors that Clark had instances of unpaid overtime. Capricorn Clark, Combs' former personal assistant, exits the federal court on May 27 By Israel Salas-Rodriguez 'He has all the power to control her," prosecutors said of Combs' influence over his assistant Prosecutors emphasized that Sean Combs repeatedly threatened his former assistant's job security. "When they were in South Africa. KK told Mia, if you don't call him in ten minutes, you don't have a job," Christy Slavik, a US attorney, said. "He has all the power and control. She knew she couldn't say no, even to little things. "Mia knew that her job was to protect the defendant. HR was for Combs, she couldn't go to the police due to Combs' power. "The threats left her with no options. I expect you're going to hear that she could have left, that she told Combs she loved him. "Mia pulled no punches - there were high highs, and low lows." Prosecutor Christy Slavik conducts the government's closing arguments 26th Jun 2025, 20:55 By Israel Salas-Rodriguez Prosecutors move to discussing the testimony from Sean Combs' former personal assistant The prosecution is now revisiting the testimony from Combs' former personal assistant, who was identified in court under the pseudonym Mia. "She worked for Combs, finally at Revolt. She went five days without sleep. Combs sexually assaulted her," Slavik argued. "He put his hand up her dress. He came into her bedroom and penetrated her. He came into the closet and forced her to perform oral sex on him. "There was a time in the bathroom of the private jet she can't fully remember. Repeated traumatic events. "She was clear as a bell even under cross examination. She performed labor and services, including sexual services. "He threw her against a wall and slammed a door on her arm. She saw violence at Prince's party, and on Turks." 26th Jun 2025, 20:50 By Israel Salas-Rodriguez Sean Combs used 'threats of force' to 'coerce' Jane and Cassie into freak-offs, prosecutors said Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik told jurors that Cassie Ventura and Jane, Combs' ex-girlfriend who was identified under that pseudonym in court. "Cassie and Jane were on call to perform freak-offs for the defendant whenever he wanted, wherever he wanted," the prosecutor said. "He used force or threats of force. He would say, 'Let's finish on a high note. Let's push through. You're not tired, are you?' "It took weeks to recover from these freak-offs. That's forced labor. KK kept setting up hotel rooms and flights." 26th Jun 2025, 20:37 By Israel Salas-Rodriguez Prosecution to continue its closing arguments The court has returned from its afternoon break. The prosecution told the judge it needs another hour to wrap up its closing arguments. 26th Jun 2025, 19:28 By Israel Salas-Rodriguez Violence was a means to get Cassie to continue freak-offs, prosecutors argue Slavik said during closing arguments that Sean Combs used violence and force to get Cassie Ventura to continue participating in freak-offs. "The defense may tell you the violence was not connected to the sex, but it was an attempt to get Cassie to continue with the freak-off," the prosecutor said. "Later she wrote to him, 'I'm not a rag doll. I'm someone's child.'"
The Independent
21 minutes ago
- The Independent
Supreme Court decision hands Trump citizenship powers victory
The Supreme Court 's conservative majority, in a 6-3 ruling, limited federal courts' authority to issue nationwide injunctions that have blocked key parts of Donald Trump 's agenda. Written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the ruling stated that federal judges exceeded their authority by blocking Trump's executive order attempting to redefine who gets to be a citizen. Liberal justices, including Ketanji Brown Jackson, strongly dissented, warning the decision put the legal system and government in 'grave jeopardy'. Critics argue the ruling could lead to a patchwork system of constitutional rights and citizenship benefits, potentially denying citizenship to over 150,000 newborns annually under Trump's order. The administration sought to curb nationwide injunctions, which have significantly impeded its executive actions.
Sky News
22 minutes ago
- Sky News
Diddy trial latest: Cassie relationship was 'great modern love story', defence says in final argument
The defence is making its final arguments for Sean "Diddy" Combs. In a bid to disarm the prosecution's case, they've described his relationship with Cassie - a key feature of the trial - as a "great modern love story". Follow the latest below. 17:16:45 Mia 'loved working' with Diddy, defence says The defence now paints a picture of Diddy's working relationship with his former employee, Mia, saying it's where "love and money come together". During her evidence earlier in the case, Mia - which is a pseudonym to protect her identity - said Diddy sexually assaulted her. Agnifilo says Mia was "happy" and "loved working with Sean Combs", and the prosecution has "created a false persona of her". They say there was no "unwanted sexual contact", but it was in fact "platonic love and admiration". The court is shown a social media post of Mia wishing Diddy a happy 45th birthday, curating old articles about his success. Agnifilo says: "She loves him, she loves him." He also shows the court a big group photo from the same birthday party with staff, including Diddy's ex-chief of staff Kristina Khorram and his security guard D-Roc, saying it does not show a "racketeering enterprise" - but instead "joy, family, a home". Agnifilo also reads out a text exchange between Khorram and Mia, in which Mia says she is going to take her own life. During the exchange, Agnifilo refers to Khorram as "racketeering co-conspirator KK". 16:54:08 'I'm allowed to be sarcastic', Diddy's lead defence says During a brief court break, the prosecution complained to the judge about "improper arguments" made by the defence. They appear to be referring to what they see as highly charged comments, often wrapped around rhetorical questions, about the charges against Combs. This live blog characterised his comments as "sassy". Asked by the judge if he agrees such an approach isn't appropriate, Marc Agnifilo replies: "I don't know I agree judge… respectfully… I think I'm allowed to be sarcastic… I think if a charge is beyond the pale, I can make that point and that's what I was doing." The judge also reprimanded Agnifilo over "grossly improper" questions to the jury over the prosecutors' charging decisions, advising the jury they should not consider them in their deliberations. Reminding everyone of the pecking order, Judge Arun Subramanian told the jury: "What I instruct you are the proper instructions for you to consider." 16:40:48 Diddy didn't kidnap Cassie, defence says The defence says Diddy did not kidnap Cassie in January 2009, after an event in LA in which she says he "stomped on her face". They say he put her up in a hotel "for her own good", despite Cassie wanting to go back to his house to recover. Diddy's lawyer argues it can't be kidnapping "when you want to go to the house of the guy you're charging with kidnapping". The defence also argues that Diddy offering an InterContinental security guard a stack of cash following his 2016 beating of Cassie wasn't bribery, but just about avoiding "bad publicity". He also says Diddy is not guilty of tampering with a witness - his former assistant Mia - and his security guard, D-Roc, was simply offering Mia help if she needed it, as she had previously told him she was "out of money". 16:21:30 Defence deny 'nonsense' with Kid Cudi's Porsche anything to do with Diddy The defence's closing argument spends a fair chunk of its time talking about Capricorn Clark, Diddy's former assistant and the 17th prosecution witness in the trial. Agnifilo says she was never kidnapped by Diddy, and did not witness a gun in the car when she went with him to rapper Kid Cudi's house in January 2012. He says when she talks about wanting to "get her life back" she is really saying she wants to get back to the world he says Diddy created. Agnifilio also says Diddy neither set fire to Kid Cudi's car, nor broke into his house. Calling it "this nonsense with the Porsche", he says: "He did nothing to that man's car - that's not his style… he's a fighter… 'you're messing with my girl; I'm coming to your house to fight'… no weapons… good old-fashioned John Wayne". He calls the police's action over the arson "a terrible investigation". 16:01:02 How's Diddy reacting in court? Today, Diddy is sitting up close to the defence table, next to his lawyers Brian Steele and Alexandra Shapiro. He's listening intently to Marc Agnifilo's testimony and looks much more engaged than yesterday. There is not much defeat on his face today. The prosecution's Maurene Comey is also watching on, taking sips from her water bottle, and at other times resting her face in her hand. 15:51:04 Defence hails Cassie and Diddy relationship as 'great modern love story' Painting a picture of Diddy and Cassie's relationship, defence lead Marc Agnifilo calls it "a great modern love story". He says while the prosecution "is trying to get you to believe it's one-sided", it is in fact "a real relationship and they are in love". Portraying the relationship, he goes on: "It isn't hard to pick a winner - Cassie flat won. It's not a secret, he's in jail. Marshall's service doing a good job keeping him safe but in jail." 'Cassie won' "Cassie won… It's like a slaughter, it's not even close, anyone telling you Cassie is the victim, she didn't see what was coming… She matched him, she was like him, she was at a certain level, she was in love, it was a great modern love story… "It's complicated, but they are truly in love with each other and that is what defines their relationship, it is based on love, she said she was young… they loved out loud." They were 'best selves' during sex He elaborately paints some of the text messages sent around their breakup as "the most beautiful words", telling the jury, "you will cry". Agnifilo says Cassie made "the adult choice" when she chose to leave Diddy, adding: "If racketeering conspiracy had an opposite, it would be their relationship." He says they were their "best selves" when it came to sex. Cassie the 'gangster' He then characterises Cassie in a much darker light, calling her "a gangster", and saying she "played [Diddy] good," by having a relationship with Kid Cudi under his nose, using a "burner phone" to try to avoid him finding out. 15:31:50 'We own the domestic violence,' the defence say Marc Agnifilo says at no point have the defence challenged a single word Cassie told the court about the domestic violence she experienced at Diddy's hands. He says there was no need to question her on being "hit or dragged" as it could all be seen in the video evidence, captured in the InterContinental Hotel in 2016. He goes on: "In terms of owning a matter of personal responsibility - owning the DV [domestic violence], we own it. It happened." He points out that Diddy is not charged with domestic violence, but is charged with both racketeering and sex trafficking. He says Diddy "is going to fight to the death to defend himself against what he didn't do". 15:19:11 The defence gets sassy: 'I hope Jane's having a good day - in the house Diddy pays for' Referring to the "beautiful house" Diddy rents for his ex-girlfriend Jane, he said it was an example of a man who "takes care of people". Pushing home the point that Diddy is still paying the rent on the apartment Jane lives in with her child, Agnifilo says: "Jane came up here and testified against him… I hope she's having a good day, but you know where she's having a good day - in her house that he pays for." Seemingly mocking the work of the special response teams who searched Diddy's homes in September last year, he said America's streets were "safe from Astroglide" [a commercial brand of lubricant]. He said they also found baby oil, and "a purse full of drugs," adding: "It's all worth it, thank goodness for the special response team, way to go fellas, you guys just do you." Agnifilo says there is nothing about the businesses to make it a criminal case, meaning the officers have had to "take yellow crime scene tape and wrap it around his bedroom, hotel rooms, [places] you go with your girlfriends". Riffing off the recent birthday of the world's most famous shark, he adds: "It's the 50th anniversary of Jaws - we need a bigger boat… We need a bigger roll of crime scene tape." 15:03:48 'Are you kidding me?' Defence lead Marc Agnifilo asks the court Describing Diddy as "a self-made successful black entrepreneur", Agnifilo says the rapper built "wonderful, sophisticated, real businesses", adding they have "stood the test of time" and "employ people, giving them livelihoods and making them part of a family". Agnifilo reminds the jury of all the government witnesses who spoke admiringly of Diddy, with one saying that working with him was the "greatest moment of my life". He asks the jury: "Did they always like him? No way… but they loved him, even the ones who are suing him." Agnifilo goes on: "Was it always easy? No. Sometimes real things in life are hard, the lessons in life show that you can do something hard, you remember hard things". He says such things "build character," claiming Diddy's companies practised "diversity, equity and inclusion" way before they became an accepted business practice. But instead of recognising any of this, Agnifilo says the government has labelled his business a "racketeering enterprise," emphatically asking the court, "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?". He says this is an example of the "fake trial" he says is taking place.
