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Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Iran rejects talks with West on ‘defence capabilities'
Find out what's new on ST website and app. TEHRAN – Iran said on July 28 that its military capabilities were not up for negotiations, after France called for a 'comprehensive deal' with Tehran that covers its missile programme and regional influence. 'Regarding matters related to our defence capabilities, there will absolutely be no discussion,' foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told a regular press briefing. Iran generally refers to all military activities, including its ballistic missile programme, as defensive. On July 27 , French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told CBS News show 'Face The Nation' that Western governments were seeking a 'comprehensive agreement' with Iran, in part to avert the 'risk' that it could covertly pursue a nuclear weapon – an ambition Tehran has consistently denied. Mr Barrot said such agreement would include 'the nuclear dimension' as well as the 'ballistic component' and 'the regional destabilisation activities that Iran has been conducting', referring to armed groups backed by Tehran across the Middle East. His remarks followed a meeting on July 25 between Iranian diplomats and counterparts from France, Germany, and Britain – the first nuclear talks since Israeli strikes targeting the Islamic republic's atomic activities in June spiralled into a 12-day war. T he July 25 talks in Istanbul came as the three European powers, known as the E3, have in recent weeks threatened to trigger a so-called 'snapback mechanism' under a moribund 2015 nuclear deal which would reinstate UN sanctions on Iran. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' to de-escalate border row Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests Singapore Ong Beng Seng set to plead guilty on Aug 4 in case linked to ex-transport minister Iswaran Asia Gunman kills 5 security guards near Bangkok's Chatuchak market before taking own life Singapore COE quota up 2.6% to 18,701 for August to October Business Resilient economy versus uncertain outlook splits views on Singapore's monetary policy Singapore HPB looking for vaping, smoking counselling services for up to 175 secondary school students Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose 'Unless a new and robust and durable and verifiable agreement is reached by the end of the summer, France, Germany and the UK will have no other choice but to reapply the global embargo that were lifted 10 years ago,' said Mr Barrot. Iran has previously warned that Tehran could withdraw from the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty if sanctions were reimposed. Mr Baqaei on July 28 said: 'One cannot expect a country to remain in the treaty while being deprived of its stated rights, particularly the peaceful use of nuclear energy.' Israel's attacks on Iran i n June hit key nuclear and military sites but also residential areas, and killed top commanders, nuclear scientists and hundreds others. The United States briefly joined the war, striking key nuclear sites. The fighting had derailed US-Iran nuclear negotiations that began in April, and prompted Iran to limit cooperation with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog. Mr Baqaei said the Istanbul meeting with the European powers focused solely on 'the nuclear issue and the lifting of sanctions'. Raising any other 'unrelated topics... is merely a sign of confusion on the part of the other side', the spokesman said. He added that Iranian had emerged from the war with its staunch rival Israel 'even more determined... to safeguard all their assets, including their means of defence against foreign aggression and hostility'. AFP
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE head says agents will arrest anyone found in the U.S. illegally
Washington — In an exclusive interview with CBS News, the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said his agents will arrest anyone they find in the country illegally, even if they lack a criminal record, while also cracking down on companies hiring unauthorized workers. Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, said his agency will prioritize its "limited resources" on arresting and deporting "the worst of the worst," such as those in the U.S. unlawfully who also have serious criminal histories. But Lyons said non-criminals living in the U.S. without authorization will also be taken into custody during arrest operations, arguing that states and cities with "sanctuary" policies that limit cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement are forcing his agents to go into communities by not turning over noncitizen inmates. "What's, again, frustrating for me is the fact that we would love to focus on these criminal aliens that are inside a jail facility," Lyons said during his first sit-down network interview on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." "A local law enforcement agency, state agency already deemed that person a public safety threat and arrested them and they're in detention." "I'd much rather focus all of our limited resources on that to take them into custody, but we do have to go out into the community and make those arrests, and that's where you are seeing (that) increase" in so-called "collateral" arrests, Lyons added, referring to individuals who are not the original targets of operations but are nonetheless found to be in the U.S. unlawfully. If ICE encounters someone "that is here in the country illegally, we will take them into custody," Lyons said. "We have opened up the whole aperture" Collateral arrests by ICE were effectively banned under the Biden administration, which issued rules instructing deportation officers to largely focus on arresting serious criminal offenders, national security threats and migrants who recently entered the U.S. illegally. That policy was reversed immediately after President Trump took office for a second time in January. As part of Mr. Trump's promise to crack down on illegal immigration, his administration has given ICE a broad mandate, with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller pushing the agency to conduct 3,000 daily arrests. While ICE has so far not gotten close to that number, the agency just received tens of billions of dollars in additional funds from Congress to turbo-charge its deportation campaign. Lyons said "it's possible" to meet the administration's target of 1 million deportations in a year with the new infusion of funds. ICE has recorded nearly 150,000 deportations in Mr. Trump's first six months in office, according to internal government data obtained by CBS News. From Jan. 1 to June 24, ICE deported around 70,000 people with criminal convictions, but many of the documented infractions were for immigration or traffic offenses, according to data obtained by CBS News. While the administration frequently highlights arrests of non-citizens convicted of serious crimes like murder and rape, ICE also has sparked backlash in communities across the country due to some of its tactics and actions, including the use of masks by agents (which Lyons said will continue due to concerns about the safety of his officers), arrests of asylum-seekers attending court hearings and raids on worksites. "ICE is always focused on the worst of the worst," Lyons said. "One difference you'll see now is under this administration, we have opened up the whole aperture of the immigration portfolio." Lyons promises to hold companies accountable Another major policy at ICE under the second Trump administration is the lifting of a Biden-era pause on large-scale immigration raids at worksites. In recent weeks, federal immigration authorities have arrested hundreds of suspected unauthorized workers at a meatpacking plant in Nebraska, a horse racetrack in Louisiana and cannabis farms in southern California. At the cannabis farms alone, officials took into custody more than 300 immigrants who were allegedly in the country unlawfully, including 10 minors. Amid concerns from industry that Mr. Trump's crackdown was hurting their businesses, ICE in June ordered a halt to immigration roundups at farms, hotels and restaurants. But that pause lasted only a matter of days. Since then, the president has talked about giving farmers with workers who are not in the U.S. legally a "pass," though his administration has not provided further details on what that would entail. In his interview with CBS News, Lyons said ICE would continue worksite immigration enforcement, saying there's no ban on such actions. He said those operations would rely on criminal warrants against employers suspected of hiring unauthorized immigrants, which he said is not a "victimless crime," noting such investigations often expose forced labor or child trafficking. "Not only are we focused on those individuals that are, you know, working here illegally, we're focused on these American companies that are actually exploiting these laborers, these people that came here for a better life," Lyons said. Asked to confirm that ICE plans to hold those employing immigrants in the U.S. illegally accountable — and not just arrest the workers themselves — Lyons said, "One hundred percent." Would you go on a retirement cruise? Open: This is "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," July 20, 2025 Nature: Mammoth Hot Springs at Yellowstone
CBS News
20-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
ICE head says agents will arrest anyone found in the U.S. illegally, crack down on employers of unauthorized workers
Washington — In an exclusive interview with CBS News, the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said his agents will arrest anyone they find in the country illegally, even if they lack a criminal record, while also cracking down on companies hiring unauthorized workers. Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, said his agency will prioritize its "limited resources" on arresting and deporting "the worst of the worst," such as those in the U.S. unlawfully who also have serious criminal histories. But Lyons said non-criminals living in the U.S. without authorization will also be taken into custody during arrest operations, arguing that states and cities with "sanctuary" policies that limit cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement are forcing his agents to go into communities by not turning over noncitizen inmates. "What's, again, frustrating for me is the fact that we would love to focus on these criminal aliens that are inside a jail facility," Lyons said during his first sit-down network interview on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." "A local law enforcement agency, state agency already deemed that person a public safety threat and arrested them and they're in detention." "I'd much rather focus all of our limited resources on that to take them into custody, but we do have to go out into the community and make those arrests, and that's where you are seeing (that) increase" in so-called "collateral" arrests, Lyons added, referring to individuals who are not the original targets of operations but are nonetheless found to be in the U.S. unlawfully. If ICE encounters someone "that is here in the country illegally, we will take them into custody," Lyons said. Collateral arrests by ICE were effectively banned under the Biden administration, which issued rules instructing deportation officers to largely focus on arresting serious criminal offenders, national security threats and migrants who recently entered the U.S. illegally. That policy was reversed immediately after President Trump took office for a second time in January. As part of Mr. Trump's promise to crack down on illegal immigration, his administration has given ICE a broad mandate, with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller pushing the agency to conduct 3,000 daily arrests. While ICE has so far not gotten close to that number, the agency just received tens of billions of dollars in additional funds from Congress to turbo-charge its deportation campaign. Lyons said "it's possible" to meet the administration's target of 1 million deportations in a year with the new infusion of funds. ICE has recorded nearly 150,000 deportations in Mr. Trump's first six months in office, according to internal government data obtained by CBS News. From Jan. 1 to June 24, ICE deported around 70,000 people with criminal convictions, but many of the documented infractions were for immigration or traffic offenses, according to data obtained by CBS News. While the administration frequently highlights arrests of non-citizens convicted of serious crimes like murder and rape, ICE also has sparked backlash in communities across the country due to some of its tactics and actions, including the use of masks by agents (which Lyons said will continue due to concerns about the safety of his officers), arrests of asylum-seekers attending court hearings and raids on worksites. "ICE is always focused on the worst of the worst," Lyons said. "One difference you'll see now is under this administration, we have opened up the whole aperture of the immigration portfolio." Another major policy at ICE under the second Trump administration is the lifting of a Biden-era pause on large-scale immigration raids at worksites. In recent weeks, federal immigration authorities have arrested hundreds of suspected unauthorized workers at a meatpacking plant in Nebraska, a horse racetrack in Louisiana and cannabis farms in southern California. At the cannabis farms alone, officials took into custody more than 300 immigrants who were allegedly in the country unlawfully, including 10 minors. Amid concerns from industry that Mr. Trump's crackdown was hurting their businesses, ICE in June ordered a halt to immigration roundups at farms, hotels and restaurants. But that pause lasted only a matter of days. Since then, the president has talked about giving farmers with workers who are not in the U.S. legally a "pass," though his administration has not provided further details on what that would entail. In his interview with CBS News, Lyons said ICE would continue worksite immigration enforcement, saying there's no ban on such actions. He said those operations would rely on criminal warrants against employers suspected of hiring unauthorized immigrants, which he said is not a "victimless crime," noting such investigations often expose forced labor or child trafficking. "Not only are we focused on those individuals that are, you know, working here illegally, we're focused on these American companies that are actually exploiting these laborers, these people that came here for a better life," Lyons said. Asked to confirm that ICE plans to hold those employing immigrants in the U.S. illegally accountable — and not just arrest the workers themselves — Lyons said, "One hundred percent."Margaret Brennan contributed to this report.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE head won't block agents from wearing masks, confirms use of Medicaid data
Washington — In an exclusive interview, Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told CBS News he's not a "proponent" of agents wearing masks during arrest operations, but said he will allow the practice to continue due to concerns about his officers' safety. He also confirmed ICE plans to use data from government programs like Medicaid to locate immigrants suspected of living in the U.S. illegally, including those with criminal histories. Pressed on concerns about masked ICE officers and the possibility that imposters could exploit the practice by posing as immigration agents, Lyons said, "That's one of our biggest concerns. And I've said it publicly before, I'm not a proponent of the masks." "However, if that's a tool that the men and women of ICE to keep themselves and their family safe, then I will allow it," Lyons said during his first television network sit-down interview at ICE headquarters in Washington. "I do kind of push back on the criticism that they don't identify themselves." Asked if he will allow ICE personnel to wear masks, Lyons said, "I will." More of the interview with Lyons will air on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday, July 20, at 10:30 a.m. ET. Lyons cited the increase in attacks faced by agents at ICE, the agency at the center of President Trump's promise of carrying out the largest deportation operation in American history. The Department of Homeland Security has said attacks against ICE officials have increased by more than 800% this year compared to the same time period in 2024. Numerous instances of violence directed at ICE agents and facilities have occurred in recent weeks, including an armed attack against a detention center in Texas earlier this month that has led to more than a dozen arrests. Lyons agreed the increase in attacks faced by ICE agents could be partially attributed to the dramatic expansion in immigration arrests under the second Trump administration, acknowledging that the agency is "more visible in the community." But he argued his agents are being forced to go into communities more often to arrest individuals living in the U.S. illegally, including those with criminal records, because more cities and states have adopted "sanctuary" policies that limit local law enforcement cooperation with ICE. Those policies lead many jurisdictions to refrain from notifying ICE when they release inmates who are also in the U.S. illegally. "So you are seeing us out more, and I think there is more of a tension," Lyons added. "The immigration mission is one of the forefront of this administration, so it is a lot of scrutiny and publicity to it." Lyons says Medicaid data will be used to "locate" those in the U.S. illegally CBS News also asked Lyons about a report from the Associated Press that an inter-agency agreement had granted ICE access to the personal information of millions of Medicaid enrollees, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and data on patients' race and ethnicity. Lyons said ICE is "working with all of our other federal partners to try to gain intelligence, to locate these individuals that have been ordered deported by a judge or have been released from a sanctuary jurisdiction like we talked about. That is what ICE is using that data for." He cited the "many" so-called "got-ways" who entered the U.S. illegally without getting caught under the Biden administration and "just totally disappeared off the grid." Lyons suggested ICE would use different datasets, including from the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, to locate the "worst of the worst" and those ordered deported from the U.S. Wall Street Journal reports Trump sent "bawdy" birthday letter to Epstein, Trump threatens to sue Medical expert on Trump's chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis President Trump sues WSJ publisher, Rupert Murdoch over Epstein letter story Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
ICE head says he won't block agents from wearing masks, confirms use of Medicaid data
Washington — In an exclusive interview, Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told CBS News he's not a "proponent" of agents wearing masks during arrest operations, but said he will allow the practice to continue due to concerns about his officers' safety. He also confirmed ICE plans to use data from government programs like Medicaid to locate immigrants suspected of living in the U.S. illegally, including those with criminal histories. Pressed on concerns about masked ICE officers and the possibility that imposters could exploit the practice by posing as immigration agents, Lyons said, "That's one of our biggest concerns. And I've said it publicly before, I'm not a proponent of the masks." "However, if that's a tool that the men and women of ICE to keep themselves and their family safe, then I will allow it," Lyons said during his first television network sit-down interview at ICE headquarters in Washington. "I do kind of push back on the criticism that they don't identify themselves." Asked if he will allow ICE personnel to wear masks, Lyons said, "I will." More of the interview with Lyons will air on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday, July 20, at 10:30 a.m. ET. Lyons cited the increase in attacks faced by agents at ICE, the agency at the center of President Trump's promise of carrying out the largest deportation operation in American history. The Department of Homeland Security has said attacks against ICE officials have increased by more than 800% this year compared to the same time period in 2024. Numerous instances of violence directed at ICE agents and facilities have occurred in recent weeks, including an armed attack against a detention center in Texas earlier this month that has led to more than a dozen arrests. Lyons agreed the increase in attacks faced by ICE agents could be partially attributed to the dramatic expansion in immigration arrests under the second Trump administration, acknowledging that the agency is "more visible in the community." But he argued his agents are being forced to go into communities more often to arrest individuals living in the U.S. illegally, including those with criminal records, because more cities and states have adopted "sanctuary" policies that limit local law enforcement cooperation with ICE. Those policies lead many jurisdictions to refrain from notifying ICE when they release inmates who are also in the U.S. illegally. "So you are seeing us out more, and I think there is more of a tension," Lyons added. "The immigration mission is one of the forefront of this administration, so it is a lot of scrutiny and publicity to it." CBS News also asked Lyons about a report from the Associated Press that an inter-agency agreement had granted ICE access to the personal information of millions of Medicaid enrollees, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and data on patients' race and ethnicity. Lyons said ICE is "working with all of our other federal partners to try to gain intelligence, to locate these individuals that have been ordered deported by a judge or have been released from a sanctuary jurisdiction like we talked about. That is what ICE is using that data for." He cited the "many" so-called "got-ways" who entered the U.S. illegally without getting caught under the Biden administration and "just totally disappeared off the grid." Lyons suggested ICE would use different datasets, including from the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services, to locate the "worst of the worst" and those ordered deported from the U.S.
