Latest news with #KnowYourRights
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Do I have to give border control my phone's password? What travelers should know.
Rising reports of U.S. Customs and Border Protection searches and detainments have raised concerns among travelers about what could happen if they're stopped when trying to enter the country. CBP has long had the authority to search the contents of electronic devices to verify someone's identity or assess if they're a risk to national security. However, some immigration attorneys say such searches are becoming more frequent under the Trump Administration, and now social media profiles or being outspoken on a political issue are also under higher scrutiny. Travelers' rights against warrantless searches are weakened within 100 miles of any port of entry, so any person is subject to being questioned and their electronic devices – including phones, tablets and laptops – searched by border agents regardless of immigration status. However, travelers can still take steps to better protect their digital privacy at borders, including turning off biometrics to unlock their phones. Here's what to know. Some warrantless searches are legal: What to do if you're stopped by border control Technically, no, but what happens next depends on your immigration status. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents cannot be denied entry into the country if they refuse to hand over or unlock their devices with their passwords, according to the American Civil Liberties Union's Know Your Rights: U.S. Airports and Ports of Entry. However, CBP might seize your phone and even keep it for weeks or months. (In this case, make sure you write down the name and badge number of the officer and ask for a receipt.) However, non-citizen visa holders and tourists might be denied entry if they don't give their passwords. If you decide to unlock your phone with your password, enter it yourself instead of giving it to the agent. "They still might demand that you share it, but it's a precaution worth trying to take," according to the ACLU website. It can happen because biometrics are less secure, but it's legally murky. While the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) believes Face ID or fingerprints to lock devices should be protected under the Fifth Amendment, which protects against self-incrimination, some courts have ruled otherwise. There have also been instances when law enforcement has forced people's fingers onto their phones to unlock them, so it may also happen at borders, the EFF states on its website. An agent could simply hold your phone up and easily unlock it. The main takeaway is that biometrics are not as protected as a long password or encryption, so they're not the best idea if you're border-crossing. On an Android: Go to Settings Navigate to the Security or Privacy sections, depending on the manufacturer Look for the biometric authentication and toggle off On an iPhone: Go to Settings Search for Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode Toggle off the iPhone Unlock to disable the function. This will set your phone to needing the passcode to unlock. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can border control use Face ID to unlock my phone? What to know
Fox News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
AOC says DOJ 'won't respond' to her inquiry on potential probe
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Tuesday that she still has not been able to confirm whether she is under federal investigation for a "Know Your Rights" immigration webinar she held in February. "I've asked them, they haven't responded to me, but you know, I was once again fully using the First Amendment to inform people of their constitutional rights. They say a lot of things, but I've written a formal letter, and they won't respond," Ocasio-Cortez told Fox News Digital. When asked what the fallout might be from the potential arrest of a lawmaker by the Trump administration, Ocasio-Cortez said that detention "without any actual grounds" would be a "tremendous sea change and escalation in what this administration is willing to do to bend laws, norms, et cetera, and how a normal functioning democracy works." Ocasio-Cortez also considered how America's allies would think of an "authoritarian development" like the U.S. arresting one of its own sitting congress members. "I sure hope that for all the saber-rattling that this administration is doing, that they really think about the global consequences of what it means for the United States," she said. In February, Ocasio-Cortez dared Trump "border czar" Tom Homan to follow through on a suggestion he would refer her to the Justice Department for prosecution in response to essentially advising illegal immigrants on how to avoid deportation. "I'm using my free speech rights in order to advise people of their constitutional protections. To that I say: Come for me, do I look like I care?" she said at a town hall in Queens shortly after the webinar. Homan said after the event, "I'm working with the Department of Justice and finding out where is that line … So maybe AOC is going to be in trouble now." Homan told FOX Business that Ocasio-Cortez needed to read federal statutes and understand that entering the U.S. illegally is a deportable crime. In her letter to Attorney General Pamela Bondi, Ocasio-Cortez asked for clarity on whether the DOJ has "yielded to political pressure" and weaponization attempts to confront elected officials they "disagree with." "Tom Homan has gone on multiple forums threatening political prosecution against me, citing resources I distributed informing my constituents and the American public of their constitutional and legal rights," she said. "On February 13, 2025, Mr. Homan announced that he had asked the deputy attorney general to open an investigation, and that I will be 'in trouble now'… I am sure you aware of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution," the letter went on. "Educating the public about their rights, especially in a time of rising uncertainty, is a key part of our responsibility as elected officials," she wrote. "A government that uses threats of DOJ investigations to suppress free speech is a threat to all, regardless of political ideology." Ocasio-Cortez's response Tuesday appeared to indicate the DOJ had passed the March 5 deadline the lawmaker imposed in the missive. Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment.
Business Insider
13-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
'The Apprentice' winners ranked from least to most successful
7. Brandy Kuentzel, season 10 Kuentzel, who took the season 10 title in 2010 after a consistent performance throughout the series, returned to her legal roots after the show. She was the general counsel and director of advocacy for the San Francisco SPCA from 2012 to 2022, where she oversaw all legal affairs and advocacy campaigns, according to her LinkedIn profile. In January 2023, she cofounded and was named CEO of a veterinary start-up called Ease Pet Vet. The company connects pet owners with online veterinarians who can help with animal behavioral issues. According to the site, the company "specializes in common issues," which include "challenges such as reactivity, house soiling, generalized anxiety, noise fears, and separation anxiety." She's a successful lawyer and businesswoman, but is the least well-known "Apprentice" winner since she has stayed out of the public eye. 6. Stefanie Schaeffer, season 6 After winning season six in 2007, Schaeffer, now 50, pivoted away from the business world to become a TV and YouTube host. She was a correspondent for the TV Guide Channel and, as a former lawyer, hosted a 2008 web series called "Know Your Rights" to help people better understand the legal system. An avid golfer, she often plays in celebrity golf tournaments and has both guest-hosted and offered commentary on The Golf Channel. She's also involved with charities that advocate for autism awareness, cancer research, and children's issues, and hosted the YouTube show "The Future Is Bright" presented by the Autism Society of America in 2015. 5. Randal Pinkett, season 4 Pinkett, who won in 2005, had co-founded the consulting firm BCT Partners in 2001. His website calls BCT "a multimillion-dollar research, consulting, training, technology and analytics firm." He also holds five academic degrees and is a published author. After his appearance on "The Apprentice," he remained somewhat in the public eye, returning to the show as a boardroom advisor. In 2016, alongside other "Apprentice" candidates, he publicly opposed Trump's first presidential run, per NBC. "We acknowledge Donald's success as a businessman, and genuinely appreciate the opportunity 'The Apprentice' afforded all of us," Pinkett, now 53, said at a press conference before the New York primary in 2016. "We, however, strongly condemn Donald's campaign of sexism, xenophobia, racism, violence, and hate." Pinkett maintained this position during the 2024 campaign, when he and five other "Apprentice" alumni endorsed Kamala Harris in an open letter published by Politico. They called him a "divisive, self-interested, and erratic leader with a fragile ego." Trump did not publicly respond to their letter at the time. 4. Kelly Perdew, season 2 After winning season two in 2004, Perdew founded a hedge fund and a consulting firm, and he gives speeches about leadership. Perdew's fund, Moonshots Capital, invests in technology startups and companies started by veterans. His creative consulting agency, DuMont Project, works with direct-to-consumer brands. A former military intelligence officer, Perdew, 58, was appointed to President George W. Bush's Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2006 and re-appointed in 2008. He has also served on several company boards, including Pandora and LinkedIn, and frequently gives public speeches on leadership, technology, and career development. 3. Sean Yazbeck, season 5 Yazbeck won season five of "The Apprentice" in 2006. After overseeing the construction of the Trump SoHo condominium in New York City, he started his own telecommunications company called Wavsys, which was named an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company in America in 2014. Yazbeck, 52, who grew up in London, was also awarded the British Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2014. He returned to "The Apprentice" as a guest board member and dabbled in voice acting with a small part in the 2006 animated film "Over the Hedge." Per his LinkedIn, he's also co-founded other companies such as Scopeworker, a supply chain company, and Admazing, which connects businesses that are looking to advertise with mobile games. 2. Kendra Todd, season 3 Some "Apprentice" winners become successful businesspeople, and some become television personalities, but Kendra Todd's career balances both. Todd, 47, won "The Apprentice" in 2005, the same year that Realtor Magazine named her one of their Top 30 Under 30 brokers. After her time on the show, she released the bestseller "Risk & Grow Rich: How to Make Millions in Real Estate," then combined her real estate expertise and TV experience as the host of HGTV's "My House Is Worth What?" from 2006 to 2008. Todd founded her own real estate firm, the Kendra Todd Group, in 2009, where she continues to work today, per her LinkedIn. She has also made appearances on "Fox and Friends" as a real estate contributor. In response to the letter that some "Apprentice" alums signed endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, Todd spearheaded a response from 10 other former contestants to support Trump's campaign, Fox News reported in October 2024. "It is disappointing and shameful that these contestants would use the platform that Donald Trump gave them to attack him in this manner," they wrote. "Is this the thanks he gets for literally changing the trajectory of our lives?" 1. Bill Rancic, season 1 Rancic, who won the very first season in 2004, capitalized on his "Apprentice" success as a motivational speaker and bestselling author in addition to his business ventures. As a motivational speaker, Rancic, 53, teaches audiences about productivity and his successful business methods. He has hosted and appeared on several TV shows talking about entrepreneurship and has written four books, including a New York Times bestseller called "You're Hired." Rancic married E! News co-anchor Giuliana Rancic (née DePandi) in 2007, and the couple went on to star in their own reality show "Giuliana and Bill" from 2009 to 2014. They own six restaurants together and support several philanthropic causes related to cancer and infertility after Giuliana's breast cancer diagnosis in 2011. With several burgeoning businesses and star power, he's the only "Apprentice" winner who has remained a household name years after the show aired, hence earning the accolade of most successful "Apprentice" winner.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Know Your Rights' workshop held in Patterson following traffic stop, arrests
A 'Know Your Rights' workshop was held Thursday at Gathering Covenant Church in Patterson — just blocks from where a Stanislaus County sheriff's deputy was recorded last month using force during a traffic stop. The incident drew public outcry. The workshop was organized in response to the April incident, which involved Deputy Alexander Helms and a driver, Joshua Rhodes. The stop, initiated over an alleged red-light violation, was captured on cellphone video. The footage circulated widely on social media, prompting criticism of the deputy's actions and leading the Sheriff's Office to release body camera footage. After the vehicle stop, the deputy and the driver have a verbal back-and-forth. Helms repeatedly demands Rhodes exit his vehicle, which the driver refuses to do. Eventually, Helms tries to open the door of the car and pull out the driver. At one point during a struggle, Rhodes grabs Helms' arm. By the time backup has arrived, the deputy has fired his Taser at Rhodes and pointed his gun at him. Ultimately, Rhodes and his passenger, Elianna Barraza, were arrested, him on suspicion of using violence or threats to impede a law enforcement official from doing his duty, her for resisting arrest. Sacramento-based criminal defense attorney Keith J. Staten, who led the workshop, was asked how someone should respond in a situation like the one between Helms and Rhodes. Staten went over the encounter and offered an alternative ending: the driver asking to speak with a lawyer and choosing not to engage further with the officer. 'If he had done that, it ends right there,' Staten said. Staten said he believes the situation could have turned deadly — and that the deputy might have shot Rhodes if backup hadn't arrived when it did. 'He was that close to being shot,' Staten said. The workshop was organized by the local NAACP, Valley Improvement Projects, Invest in Me and the Grayson Neighborhood Council. It lasted nearly two and a half hours, with around 20 attendees who were provided pizza and 'Know Your Rights' cards to take home. Wendy Byrd, president of the local NAACP and a member of the Modesto Community Police Review Board, pointed out the contrast in attendance, noting that the turnout was much smaller than the crowd that attended the Patterson City Council meeting to protest the use-of-force incident. 'When there's a problem or something to complain about, you get a big crowd. But when we're talking about solutions and how to advocate for yourself … for some reason, there's little turnout,' Byrd said. Staten, who has been an attorney for about 31 years, said he didn't want to be a lawyer at first, but was pushed into it by a desire 'to save young Black men.' His core mantra is 'Fight the law with the law.' Essentially, knowing rights is key to effectively navigating interactions with law enforcement. 'We carry the burden in ensuring that we're not murdered,' Staten said, adding that it's not worth fighting a cop. 'Don't risk your life because you're ignorant, because you're stupid, because you got pride.' Staten began the presentation with a history of policing in the U.S., tracing its roots to the capture of runaway slaves. He then provided an overview of constitutional rights and key Supreme Court rulings, alongside statistics highlighting the disproportionate arrest rates for Black people nationwide. In Stanislaus County, sheriff deputies used force against Black individuals at a rate of more than six times their population since 2016. Staten's main advice when contacted by police is to say these five crucial words: 'Am I free to leave?' If the answer is no, you are being detained, and you should immediately request to speak with a lawyer. Just give your name and present your ID. Children should also ask for a lawyer rather than ask for their parents. Children 15 and under are required by law to have a lawyer present before questioning in California. Otherwise, remain silent, Staten said. Don't argue, answer questions or ask why you're being stopped. Don't run or resist. 'Give them nothing. Be like water, just float,' he said. He explained the concept of probable cause, a legal standard meaning there is a reasonable basis to believe a crime has been, is being, or will be committed. Police generally need probable cause for arrests, searches and warrants. This is why it's crucial to stay quiet and request an attorney when approached by an officer, Staten said, because anything you say can be used against you and you might unintentionally provide the officer with probable cause. He also urged people to note the names and badge numbers of officers and file complaints with the department if necessary. For safety, you can begin recording the interaction with your phone. Staten encouraged people to serve on juries whenever possible, stressing the importance of diverse jury pools to ensure a 'jury of your peers.'
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Estrella del Paso receives $25K grant from Border Refugee Assistance Fund
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Estrella del Paso received a grant of $25,000 awarded by the Border Refugee Assistance Fund, a joint initiative of Bishop Mark J. Seitz and the Hope Border Institute, Estrella del Paso said in a news release. The organization says the funding comes in response to recent federal funding cuts that have 'threatened critical legal services' for migrants in the El Paso area. 'This grant will allow Estrella del Paso to continue providing no-cost legal representation, Know Your Rights workshops, and advocacy support for immigrants navigating a complex and often hostile legal system. The funding will sustain urgent response efforts at a time when the need for legal protection at the border is more urgent than ever,' the organization said. 'Every act to welcome and protect those who migrate is an act of faith. By supporting Estrella del Paso in this urgent moment, we are living out our Gospel call to stand with the vulnerable and ensure that hope and justice remain alive at our border,' said Bishop Seitz. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
