Latest news with #BORTAC
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Immigration raids prompt clashes with riot police in LA
Federal agents in Los Angeles have faced off against demonstrators protesting immigration raids again following Friday's protests that senior White House aide Stephen Miller condemned as an "insurrection" against the United States. The security agents on Saturday engaged in a tense confrontation with protesters in the Paramount area in southeast Los Angeles, where one demonstrator was seen waving a Mexican flag and some covered their mouths with respiratory masks. A live video feed showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. A first round of protests kicked off on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted enforcement operations in the city and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "1000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property". Miller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States". Elite Border Patrol BORTAC units are on scene in Los Angeles. They are the elite of the elite within DHS. Border Patrol SWAT. They are the ones who rushed and killed the Uvalde school shooter when local police waited around. Not the guys you want to mess with if you're there. — Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) June 7, 2025 The protests pit Democratic-run Los Angeles, where a significant portion of the population is Hispanic and foreign-born, against Trump's Republican White House, which has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his second term. Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the US-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also included people legally in the country, including some with permanent residence and has led to legal challenges. Television news footage earlier on Friday showed unmarked vehicles resembling military transport and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. The Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Bass said. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." To the immigrant community in Los Angeles:You belong are not Angeles is your home — and we are fighting for you. — Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) June 7, 2025 The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of a federal court building and gathered outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were reportedly being held. The Department of Homeland Security criticised Democratic politicians, saying their anti-ICE rhetoric was contributing to violence against immigration agents. "From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end," said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
‘Devil in the Ozarks' Grant Hardin captured by Border Patrol team
(NewsNation) — A special tactical unit of U.S. Customs and Border Protection is being credited with helping capture fugitive Grant Hardin, the so-called 'Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped from an Arkansas prison May 25. Multiple sources tell NewsNation correspondent Ali Bradley that three agents from the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, or BORTAC, apprehended Hardin on Friday. BORTAC, which is based out of El Paso, Texas, has members deployed throughout the country. Protesters confront ICE agents in cities across US Federal officials said BORTAC agents out of the Rio Grande Valley Sector had been assigned to search for Hardin. Details were still emerging about Hardin's capture, which was announced Friday by the Stone County, Arkansas, Sheriff's Office. CBP said BORTAC agents have 'advanced search capabilities' and extensive training in navigating complex terrain such as the region into which Hardin disappeared. Chief Border Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez said the unit's 'unique capabilities and training are well-suited for the demands of this critical mission.' The BORTAC team is often called in when all other options for search assistance have been exhausted, federal officials said BORTAC agents were also called into action when reports emerged of an active shooter at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas in 2022. Texas Monthly reported at the time that BORTAC agents were investigating stash houses on the border just west of Uvalde when agents were dispatched to the school where the shooting took place. BORTAC agents were later credited with fatally shooting the suspect in the high-profile school shooting. The presence of border agents caused some to question why federal immigration agents were involved, but agency officials told the outlet that agents are routinely present in Uvalde, which is located about 80 miles from northern Mexico. Grand theft cargo: Sinaloa cartel targets US rail companies BORTAC was also involved in the 2023 capture of Danelo Cavalcante, who escaped from a Pennsylvania prison and was captured after a two-week manhunt. Cavalcante, a convicted murderer, was located as part of a multi-unit search in which officers were able to surround him in a wooded area of the state without his knowledge. The specialized Border Patrol team was also called in to assist with another jailbreak at a maximum-security prison in New York in 2015. Agents shot and killed one of the escaped inmates, Richard Matt. In that operation, BORTAC agents swooped into a wooded area by helicopter and fatally shot Matt after he reportedly pointed a shotgun at agents, NBC News reported. Agents were also dispatched to the Los Angeles riots in 1992, in which they assisted local police officers in dealing with the civil unrest that followed the police-involved beating of Rodney King. BORTAC agents are also sometimes assigned to provide security assistance at high-profile events like the Super Bowl, to assist with response to natural disasters and to assist with immigration operations in sanctuary cities, according to reports. BORTAC was created in 1984 to serve as a civil disobedience function to respond to riots at legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service detention centers, CBP officials said. The tactical team was quickly shifted to assist with high-risk warrant service, intelligence and reconnaissance missions and well as foreign law enforcement. The training for BORTAC agents is designed to mirror aspects of the U.S. Special Operations Forces, CBP officials said. Agents are put through training that can often last more than a month, which involves physical testing and pistol qualification, as well as swimming, treading water and drown-proofing. Agents who pass the physical portion of the training are then put through weeks of intensive training in small unit tactics, defensive tactics and airmobile operations, the agency said. The tactical training involves putting trainees through sleep deprivation and stress conditions training, as well as learning advanced techniques in weapons and tactics. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Elite US Border Patrol team joins hunt for escaped Arkansas prisoner known as 'Devil in the Ozarks'
An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol team has joined the search in the Ozark Mountains for Grant Hardin, an inmate known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped from an Arkansas prison nearly two weeks ago, federal authorities announced this week. The Border Patrol Tactical Team known as BORTAC is providing 'advanced search capabilities and operational support' in the hunt for Hardin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The Ozark Mountains region is known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network. The team's unique training and capabilities are 'well-suited for the demands of this critical mission,' Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez said in announcing the deployment. Searchers have been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped nearly two weeks ago, on May 25. A former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting for which he was serving a 30-year sentence. Hardin's DNA was matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Rand Champion, a spokesman for the state prison system, said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. A deputy U.S. Marshal has said in court papers that investigators theorize that he has likely fled Arkansas, but searchers are continuing to hunt for Hardin around the prison at Calico Rock. BORTAC was created in 1984. The way it selects and trains its members is designed to be similar to methods used by the U.S. military's Special Forces, Customs and Border Protection says in background materials on the unit. It conducts operations and training within the U.S. and in foreign countries. BORTAC members have also played roles in civil disturbances far from United States borders in recent years. They saw an expanded role in the summer of 2020, where they were deployed to Portland, Oregon, for massive protests over the police killing of George Floyd. In Portland, they worked with local law officers to guard the downtown area during large protests that went on for days. That was unusual, but not unprecedented, experts said. BORTAC members have protected emergency workers during natural disasters and were sent to Los Angeles during riots in the early 1990s after the beating of Rodney King, Michael Fisher, a former senior official with the agency and member of the unit, has said. The unit's role has expanded over the years to include searches for fugitives and even prison escapees. In September 2023, a dog named Yoda that is part of BORTAC ended a two-week manhunt for an escaped prisoner in Pennsylvania. Yoda, a Belgian Malinois, pursued Danilo Cavalcante as the fugitive scrambled through underbrush while armed with a rifle. Yoda bit the escapee on the forehead and then clenched his teeth into his thigh and held on, authorities said. Last month, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the unit's operations. Members 'don't just operate within their own agency, but also partner with other law enforcement agencies and meet needs around the country at a moment's notice,' Noem said in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing. "So their skill set is unique, their specialty training is needed, and in fact, it needs to be expanded,' she said.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Washington Post
Elite US Border Patrol team joins hunt for escaped Arkansas prisoner known as 'Devil in the Ozarks'
An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol team has joined the search in the Ozark Mountains for Grant Hardin, an inmate known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped from an Arkansas prison nearly two weeks ago, federal authorities announced this week. The Border Patrol Tactical Team known as BORTAC is providing 'advanced search capabilities and operational support' in the hunt for Hardin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The Ozark Mountains region is known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network . The team's unique training and capabilities are 'well-suited for the demands of this critical mission,' Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez said in announcing the deployment. Searchers have been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped nearly two weeks ago, on May 25. A former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting for which he was serving a 30-year sentence. Hardin's DNA was matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Rand Champion, a spokesman for the state prison system, said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. A deputy U.S. Marshal has said in court papers that investigators theorize that he has likely fled Arkansas , but searchers are continuing to hunt for Hardin around the prison at Calico Rock. BORTAC was created in 1984. The way it selects and trains its members is designed to be similar to methods used by the U.S. military's Special Forces, Customs and Border Protection says in background materials on the unit. It conducts operations and training within the U.S. and in foreign countries. BORTAC members have also played roles in civil disturbances far from United States borders in recent years. They saw an expanded role in the summer of 2020, where they were deployed to Portland, Oregon, for massive protests over the police killing of George Floyd . In Portland, they worked with local law officers to guard the downtown area during large protests that went on for days . That was unusual, but not unprecedented, experts said. BORTAC members have protected emergency workers during natural disasters and were sent to Los Angeles during riots in the early 1990s after the beating of Rodney King, Michael Fisher, a former senior official with the agency and member of the unit, has said. The unit's role has expanded over the years to include searches for fugitives and even prison escapees. In September 2023, a dog named Yoda that is part of BORTAC ended a two-week manhunt for an escaped prisoner in Pennsylvania. Yoda, a Belgian Malinois, pursued Danilo Cavalcante as the fugitive scrambled through underbrush while armed with a rifle. Yoda bit the escapee on the forehead and then clenched his teeth into his thigh and held on, authorities said. Last month, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the unit's operations. Members 'don't just operate within their own agency, but also partner with other law enforcement agencies and meet needs around the country at a moment's notice,' Noem said in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing. 'So their skill set is unique, their specialty training is needed, and in fact, it needs to be expanded,' she said.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Elite US Border Patrol team joins hunt for escaped Arkansas prisoner known as ‘Devil in the Ozarks'
An elite and highly trained U.S. Border Patrol team has joined the search in the Ozark Mountains for Grant Hardin, an inmate known as the 'Devil in the Ozarks' who escaped from an Arkansas prison nearly two weeks ago, federal authorities announced this week. The Border Patrol Tactical Team known as BORTAC is providing 'advanced search capabilities and operational support' in the hunt for Hardin, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said. Its members are experienced in navigating complex terrain, the agency said. The Ozark Mountains region is known for its rocky and rugged landscape, thick forests and an extensive cave network . The team's unique training and capabilities are 'well-suited for the demands of this critical mission,' Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez said in announcing the deployment. Searchers have been using bloodhounds, officers on horseback, drones and helicopters in their hunt for Hardin since he escaped nearly two weeks ago, on May 25. A former police chief in the small town of Gateway near the Arkansas-Missouri border, Hardin had been held at the Calico Rock prison since 2017 after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in a fatal shooting for which he was serving a 30-year sentence. Hardin's DNA was matched to the 1997 rape of a teacher at an elementary school in Rogers, north of Fayetteville. He was sentenced to 50 years for that crime. Eventually, his notoriety led to a TV documentary, 'Devil in the Ozarks.' Rand Champion, a spokesman for the state prison system, said that someone should have checked Hardin's identity before he was allowed to leave, describing the lack of verification as a 'lapse' that's being investigated. A deputy U.S. Marshal has said in court papers that investigators theorize that he has likely fled Arkansas , but searchers are continuing to hunt for Hardin around the prison at Calico Rock. BORTAC was created in 1984. The way it selects and trains its members is designed to be similar to methods used by the U.S. military's Special Forces, Customs and Border Protection says in background materials on the unit. It conducts operations and training within the U.S. and in foreign countries. BORTAC members have also played roles in civil disturbances far from United States borders in recent years. They saw an expanded role in the summer of 2020, where they were deployed to Portland, Oregon, for massive protests over the police killing of George Floyd . In Portland, they worked with local law officers to guard the downtown area during large protests that went on for days . That was unusual, but not unprecedented, experts said. BORTAC members have protected emergency workers during natural disasters and were sent to Los Angeles during riots in the early 1990s after the beating of Rodney King, Michael Fisher, a former senior official with the agency and member of the unit, has said. The unit's role has expanded over the years to include searches for fugitives and even prison escapees. In September 2023, a dog named Yoda that is part of BORTAC ended a two-week manhunt for an escaped prisoner in Pennsylvania. Yoda, a Belgian Malinois, pursued Danilo Cavalcante as the fugitive scrambled through underbrush while armed with a rifle. Yoda bit the escapee on the forehead and then clenched his teeth into his thigh and held on, authorities said. Last month, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described the unit's operations. Members 'don't just operate within their own agency, but also partner with other law enforcement agencies and meet needs around the country at a moment's notice,' Noem said in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing. 'So their skill set is unique, their specialty training is needed, and in fact, it needs to be expanded,' she said. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
