Latest news with #DepartmentofHomeland
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Harvard can't enroll international students; Trump administration says it's a privilege, not a right
Harvard University has been given 72 hours to comply with the demands of the Trump administration if they want to enroll foreign students. The Donald Trump administration Thursday barred Harvard University from taking international students, calling it a privilege to take foreign students and employ non-immigrants on campus. A hard-hitting letter was sent to the university by the Department of Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem, who said that the action should not surprise the university authorities as it was inevitable, as the university failed to comply with the demands of the administration. "Consequences must follow to send a clear signal to Harvard and all universities that want to enjoy the privilege of enrolling foreign students, that the Trump Administration will enforce the law and root out the evils of anti-Americanism and antisemitism in society and campuses," the letter said. Noem said if Harvard wants to continue enrolling foreign students, the university will have to comply with the Trumpa administration within 72 hours.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Officials still in the dark after ICE shatters windows in alleged wrongful arrest in New Bedford
Officials are still seeking answers regarding what led up to Federal officers smashing a car window during the arrest of a Guatemalan national in New Bedford. Cell phone video taken by occupants of the vehicle shows what appears to be federal officers smashing a car window during an arrest of Juan Francisco Mendez, 29, a Guatemalan national who federal authorities say is in the U.S. illegally. An immigration attorney representing Mendez claims he wasn't the person ICE was searching for and that his wife and child New Bedford Mayor John Mitchell said Wednesday that he still has not heard from ICE at all. 'I think what we saw in the video requires an explanation,' Mitchell said. 'It didn't seem like it was warranted but there may have been some fact not known to the public that might have justified it. We're just not hearing anything.' Mitchell said lack of communication with federal immigration authortieis is a recurring issue. 'There's some indication they were waiting on their attorney and so the question is: 'Why not let them wait?'' Mitchell went on. 'What's the rush?" Mendez's attorney told Boston 25 News her client is not a criminal and that he is in line for asylum status like his wife. 'The video speaks for itself ... (my client) approached the situation in a very respectful, humble manner. He asserted his right to remain silent and his right to have an attorney present.'Ondine Galvez Sniffin said in a statement. Although Mendez does not have a Green Card, he was in the US as a derivative asylee, meaning he is eligible for asylum because he is the spouse of someone already granted asylum, Sniffin said. She told Boston 25 News that in her 27 years as an immigration attorney, she's never seen such violence during an arrest but she doesn't expect the officer will be disciplined. Mitchell, a former federal prosecutor, said there is a protocol to be followed after such an arrest. 'There should be something in the way of a press release saying what the circumstances are and why that individual's been picked up,' Mitchell said. ICE told Boston 25 News that Mendez is an illegally present Guatemalan man and it concurs with the actions taken by the agents. 'ICE concurs with the actions deemed appropriate by the officers on the scene who are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a manner that ensures the success of the operation and prioritizes the safety of our officers,' an ICE spokesperson said. 'I've said it in the past, as attorney general, I'm all for getting the bad guys, okay? I investigated, prosecuted and put away a lot of bad guys, including people who are here unlawfully doing bad things. No disagreement. But that's not what we're seeing, and it's not right, and it's really scary because you got a lot of people who are understandably terrified right now in Massachusetts, around New England, around this country,' Governor Maura Healey said. 'We need some explanations for the Department of Homeland Security about exactly what they're doing." Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DHS boss Noem vows to 'hunt' down those making swatting calls targeting conservative media
Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined FBI Director Kash Patel in the fight against swatting calls targeting members of the "conservative new[s] media," announcing Wednesday her department will "hunt these cowards down." Patel recently confirmed a rise in swatting incidents, when someone tries to send armed police to another person's house under false pretenses, aimed at media figures and their families. The act, she said, puts the lives of the victims and responding officers in danger. "Under President Trump's leadership, we will not sit idly by as conservative new[s] media and their families are being targeted by false swatting," Noem wrote in a post to X Wednesday. Fbi Investigating Rise In Swatting Incidents After Several Conservatives Targeted, Kash Patel Says She added that DHS is capable of tracing phone numbers and tracking location information. Read On The Fox News App "We will use it to hunt these cowards down," Noem wrote. "This is an attack on our law enforcement and innocent families and we will prosecute it as such." DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital DHS "won't get into specifics of investigations," but echoed Noem's description of swatters as "cowards." Noem posted after several members of the conservative media, including radio hosts, podcasters, influencers and pundits, became victims of alleged swatting incidents at their homes. Joe "Pags" Pagliarulo, a conservative radio talk show host, told Fox News host Will Cain that during a swatting call at his Texas home last week, he was awoken at 2 a.m. by more than a half dozen armed deputies. Pagliarulo said he received an alert from one of his security cameras and saw a deputy armed with an AR-15 at his front door. "[I] called 911 because now we've got to find out — if it's the good guys, I've got to be very careful. If it's the bad guys, I've got to go out with my gun and try to protect my family," Pagliarulo said. Dispatchers confirmed the sheriff's office received a 911 call about a hostage situation with multiple dogs shot, apparently pretending to be Pagliarulo. Trump Cabinet Nominees, Appointees Targeted With 'Violent, Unamerican Threats' The swatter claimed someone was "bleeding out upstairs" and to "please hurry and get inside," making the situation even more tense for both deputies responding. "That's the thing. Not one of those things was happening," Pagliarulo said. "My family was peacefully sleeping. I was working in my office. Nothing was going wrong in my house. But this guy, wherever he happened to be, was trying to get police to break down the door and possibly either kill me or scare us enough to where I would shut my mouth and not do what I do on the radio every day." While deputies defused the situation, Pagliarulo said, "Your heart flops out of your chest." Swatting Advanced From Prank Calls To 'Digital Terrorism': Expert Pagliarulo said he immediately texted Patel, who put out a statement about swatting the next day. "I want to address the alarming rise in 'Swatting' incidents targeting media figures," Patel wrote in a social media post Friday. "The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable." He added the issue isn't about politics. "Weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers," Patel wrote. "That will not be tolerated. We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes." Other conservative media figures, including podcaster Nick Sortor and host Shawn Farash, reported similar swatting incidents on the same day last week as Pagliarulo, while InfoWars host Owen Shroyer uploaded a nearly 13-minute video to Wednesday sharing that he was "just swatted." A bipartisan, bicameral bill was introduced in January to strengthen penalties against those found guilty of making swatting calls, imposing prison sentences of up to 20 years for false calls resulting in serious injury or death. Feds Charge 2 Europeans With 'Swatting' Plot Targeting Members Of Congress, Other Elected Officials Bill cosponsor Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, described swatting as "political terrorism" in a statement Friday. "Multiple conservative influencers and pundits have had their homes swatted in the past several days," Gill wrote. "This is an extremely dangerous form of political terrorism. It's liable to get somebody killed, and it must end now." Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson contributed to this article source: DHS boss Noem vows to 'hunt' down those making swatting calls targeting conservative media
Fox News
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
DHS boss Noem vows to 'hunt' down those making swatting calls targeting conservative media
Department of Homeland (DHS) Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined FBI Director Kash Patel in the fight against swatting calls targeting members of the "conservative new[s] media," announcing Wednesday her department will "hunt these cowards down." Patel recently confirmed a rise in swatting incidents, when someone tries to send armed police to another person's house under false pretenses, aimed at media figures and their families. The act, she said, puts the lives of the victims and responding officers in danger. "Under President Trump's leadership, we will not sit idly by as conservative new[s] media and their families are being targeted by false swatting," Noem wrote in a post to X Wednesday. She added that DHS is capable of tracing phone numbers and tracking location information. "We will use it to hunt these cowards down," Noem wrote. "This is an attack on our law enforcement and innocent families and we will prosecute it as such." Noem posted after several members of the conservative media, including radio hosts, podcasters, influencers and pundits, became victims of alleged swatting incidents at their homes. Joe "Pags" Pagliarulo, a conservative radio talk show host, told Fox News host Will Cain that during a swatting call at his Texas home last week, he was awoken at 2 a.m. by more than a half dozen armed deputies. Pagliarulo said he received an alert from one of his security cameras and saw a deputy armed with an AR-15 at his front door. "[I] called 911 because now we've got to find out — if it's the good guys, I've got to be very careful. If it's the bad guys, I've got to go out with my gun and try to protect my family," Pagliarulo said. Dispatchers confirmed the sheriff's office received a 911 call about a hostage situation with multiple dogs shot, apparently pretending to be Pagliarulo. The swatter claimed someone was "bleeding out upstairs" and to "please hurry and get inside," making the situation even more tense for both deputies responding. "That's the thing. Not one of those things was happening," Pagliarulo said. "My family was peacefully sleeping. I was working in my office. Nothing was going wrong in my house. But this guy, wherever he happened to be, was trying to get police to break down the door and possibly either kill me or scare us enough to where I would shut my mouth and not do what I do on the radio every day." While deputies defused the situation, Pagliarulo said, "Your heart flops out of your chest." Pagliarulo said he immediately texted Patel, who put out a statement about swatting the next day. "I want to address the alarming rise in 'Swatting' incidents targeting media figures," Patel wrote in a social media post Friday. "The FBI is aware of this dangerous trend, and my team and I are already taking action to investigate and hold those responsible accountable." He added the issue isn't about politics. "Weaponizing law enforcement against ANY American is not only morally reprehensible but also endangers lives, including those of our officers," Patel wrote. "That will not be tolerated. We are fully committed to working with local law enforcement to crack down on these crimes." Other conservative media figures, including podcaster Nick Sortor and host Shawn Farash, reported similar swatting incidents on the same day last week as Pagliarulo, while InfoWars host Owen Shroyer uploaded a nearly 13-minute video to Wednesday sharing that he was "just swatted." A bipartisan, bicameral bill was introduced in January to strengthen penalties against those found guilty of making swatting calls, imposing prison sentences of up to 20 years for false calls resulting in serious injury or death. Bill cosponsor Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, described swatting as "political terrorism" in a statement Friday. "Multiple conservative influencers and pundits have had their homes swatted in the past several days," Gill wrote. "This is an extremely dangerous form of political terrorism. It's liable to get somebody killed, and it must end now." DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
