Latest news with #DepartmentofHomelandSecurityInvestigations
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Trump's ‘DC takeover': Residents protest surge in federal troops and police presence — All about the unrest shaking the US capital
Department of Homeland Security Investigations agents join Washington Metropolitan Police Department officers as they conduct traffic checks at a checkpoint along 14th Street in northwest Washington (AP photo) Residents in parts of Washington DC took to the streets Wednesday to protest President Donald Trump 's takeover of the city's police department and the surge of federal officers and National Guard troops. The demonstrations, marked by chants and calls for drivers to avoid police checkpoints, came as the White House defended the month-long federal control as necessary to combat crime, despite city data showing violent crime at a decades-low, reported AP. Residents rally against 24/7 presence of federal agents Law enforcement set up a vehicle checkpoint along the busy 14th Street Northwest corridor, prompting hecklers to shout, 'Go home, fascists' and 'Get off our streets.' Some protesters stood before the checkpoint urging drivers to turn away. The protests followed Trump's unprecedented announcement that his administration would take over the Metropolitan Police Department for at least a month. The city's Democratic mayor described the move as an 'authoritarian push' before later calling it a public safety measure with no clear benchmarks for success. Trump has argued that crime in the city is at 'emergency levels,' while local leaders point to statistics showing violent crime at a 30-year low after a sharp rise two years ago. Troops and federal agents patrol key areas Federal officers and National Guard troops were deployed to more high-profile areas Wednesday, with plans for expanded missions on Thursday (local time), according to a National Guard spokesman. Homeland Security Investigations agents patrolled the U Street corridor, Drug Enforcement Administration officers were seen on the National Mall, and FBI agents were stationed along Massachusetts Avenue. DEA agents also joined city police in the Navy Yard neighborhood, while National Guard members were parked nearby. 1,450 federal and local officers, on Tuesday night, patrolled the city, making 43 arrests, compared with about two dozen the night before. Councilmember Christina Henderson dismissed the arrest count as 'a bunch of traffic stops' and said the administration was trying to disguise how unnecessary the intervention was. 'I'm looking at this list of arrests and they sound like a normal Saturday night in any big city,' she said. Trump defends move, signals possible extension Federal law allows the president to control Washington's police for up to 30 days without congressional approval. Trump suggested he could seek more time or ask Congress for authority to alter city laws. 'We're gonna do this very quickly. But we're gonna want extensions. I don't want to call a national emergency. If I have to, I will,' he said. Later, on Truth Social, he wrote, 'DC has been under siege from thugs and killers, but now, DC is back under Federal Control where it belongs.' White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said, 'President Trump is delivering on his campaign promise to clean up this city and restore American Greatness to our cherished capital.' The plan also includes clearing homeless encampments. US Park Police have removed dozens of tents since March and plan to dismantle more this week. People are offered shelter and addiction treatment, but those who refuse could be fined or jailed, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. City leaders seek clarity amid crime drop Police Chief Pamela Smith said the Metropolitan Police Department is down nearly 800 officers and that federal reinforcements would help fill the gap. Mayor Muriel Bowser said officials were not given specific goals for the surge during a meeting with Attorney General Pam Bondi and other federal officials but shared the aim of increasing presence and removing guns from the streets. She previously called Trump's move 'unsettling and unprecedented,' while noting it was within his legal rights regarding the district. Some residents say the increased force is unnerving. 'I've seen them right here at the subway ... they had my street where I live at blocked off yesterday, actually,' Washington native Sheina Taylor said, quoted by AP. 'It's more fearful now because even though you're a law-abiding citizen, here in D.C., you don't know, especially because I'm African American.'
The Citizen
05-08-2025
- The Citizen
Over 56 000 child porn files confiscated: Standerton man remains behind bars
A 59-year-old man is due to appear in the Standerton Magistrate's Court on August 18 in connection with the possession of more than 56 000 videos and images depicting child sexual abuse. Ridge Times reports that he appeared in the Standerton Magistrate's Court for a bail application yesterday, but it was postponed to August 18. The man was arrested when the police conducted an operation in Standerton last Wednesday. An integrated team executed a search-and-seizure warrant, which led to the arrest of the accused. During the operation, the team also seized 15 licensed firearms and several digital devices. While processing the scene, forensic experts uncovered more than 56 000 videos and images depicting child sexual abuse material. The forensic investigation is ongoing. The operation was led by the Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations Unit in Mpumalanga, with support from the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Embassy, the Local Criminal Record Centre and designated firearm officers in Standerton. The suspect first appeared in the Standerton Magistrate's Court last Thursday. Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Amanda van Wyk confirmed that the arrest was part of Operation Bad Vibes and brought the arrests under the national campaign to 16. Initiated in 2023, Operation Bad Vibes is a joint initiative between the SAPS and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Embassy, aimed at tracing and arresting people in South Africa who are linked to accessing, possessing, manufacturing and distributing child sexual abuse material on a global scale. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
IOL News
01-08-2025
- IOL News
Operation Bad Vibes: Police seize over 56,000 child sexual abuse images and videos in Standerton
A 59-year-old man from Mpumalanga appeared in the Standerton Magistrate's Court for possession of over 56,000 child sexual abuse materials. The arrest was conducted under Operation Bad Vibes in Standerton. Initiated in 2023, Operation Bad Vibes is a joint initiative between the SAPS and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), US Embassy, aimed at tracing and arresting individuals in South Africa who are linked to accessing, possession, manufacturing, and distribution of child sexual abuse material on a global scale.
Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Miami sex ad photos lead deputies to a missing Texas teen, MDSO says. 3 arrested
Three people are locked up in Miami in connection with a human trafficking investigation that deputies say involve a 15-year-old girl who was reported as a missing runaway weeks ago in Texas. On Friday, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Human Trafficking Squad, along with the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, found the teen after discovering a commercial sex advertisement featuring her photos in Miami, according to an arrest report. Undercover officers sent a message to the phone number listed in the advertisement. The girl responded and agreed to meet at a predetermined location, the report read. Surveillance teams observed her being dropped off by a white Hyundai Kona, leading officers to conduct a traffic stop. Inside the car were three people identified as Yasmin Cobb, 18, Josiah Sneed, 21 and Clifton Ray Foster Jr., 25, who all have Texas addresses listed on their arrest reports All three were detained and taken to the HSI office for questioning. The teen was reported missing May 1. Cobb, Foster and Sneed provided statements to investigators. None had legal custody or guardianship over the girl, authorities confirmed. The trio was arrested without incident and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Court records show they have all since bonded out of jail. They are charged with custody interference, a third-degree felony under Florida law related to kidnapping and human trafficking.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Missing Texas teen found being sold for sex in Florida, deputies say
MIAMI (WFLA) — Three people were arrested after a missing Texas teenager was spotted in a commercial sex advertisement in Florida. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Human Trafficking Squad and Department of Homeland Security Investigations began searching for the 15-year-old runaway on May 1, according to a report from NBC affiliate WTVJ. Man survives alligator attack before being fatally shot by Polk County deputies: sheriff They spotted her in a commercial sex advertisement that included her photos. Undercover detectives arranged a meeting with the girl over the phone. She was dropped off at the meeting location in a Hyundai Kona with three adults inside. Josiah Sneed, 21, Yasmin Cobb, 18, and Clifton Ray Foster, Jr., 25, were arrested and charged with interfering with custody. There is no word yet on if they could face more significant charges. The trio was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Center jail without incident. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
