Latest news with #MikeSiegel
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austin city manager removes item on automatic license plate readers from council agenda
The Brief Item regarding automated license plate reader program removed from Austin City Council agenda City manager cites concerns expressed by residents during Tuesday's work session Testimony focused on city's vendor Flock, which works with ICE and uses AI AUSTIN, Texas - Austin's city manager has removed an item concerning the city's automated license plate reader (ALPR) program from Thursday's city council agenda. What we know T.C. Broadnax said in a statement Tuesday night that staff will be withdrawing Item 67, a proposed extension of the city's ALPR program, from Thursday's agenda. Broadnax cites concerns expressed by Austin residents during the council's work session on Tuesday as a reason behind his decision. What they're saying "Given concerns expressed today, I have decided to withdraw this item from the agenda at this time to provide more opportunities to address council members' questions and do our due diligence to alleviate concerns prior to bringing this item back to City Council for consideration," Broadnax said in his message to the Mayor and Council. Local perspective A press release from the office of council member Mike Siegel says that dozens of residents showed up to the work session to testify about the program. "The speakers overwhelmingly testified against the use of ALPRs, citing concerns about personal privacy, threats to immigrant families, threats to political dissidents, and more. Much of the testimony focused on the City's ALPR vendor, Flock, which works closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and also uses artificial intelligence (AI) to develop profiles of vehicles based on camera footage and other sources," said the release. What's next Broadnax's decision essentially means Austin's ALPR program will end on June 30. A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4 at 11:30 a.m. where immigration, reproductive rights and data privacy advocates will be joining Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes, Council member Zo Qadri and Siegel. They are expected to speak against the use of ALPRs and mass surveillance tools in Austin. The Source Information in this report comes from a release from Austin City Council member Mike Siegel's office.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Stand up for us': Why Austin's hands are tied in its response to immigration policy
Under President Donald Trump's renewed administration, Texas has emerged as a key frontline in the push for aggressive immigration enforcement and widespread deportations. Texas residents – regardless of immigration status – feel the ripple effects in the economy, schools, healthcare systems, courts and public safety services. To better understand these challenges, KXAN spent the first 100 days of Trump's second term producing 'Undocumented,' a comprehensive project diving into the real-life consequences of related policies and proposals. AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's a question Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel says he's getting often: Why isn't the city of Austin doing more to take a stand against federal immigration policy? 'We just had an ICE raid a few blocks from my home over the weekend, and had a lot of community members reach out to me,' Siegel said on an episode of Inside Austin's Agenda in April. ''What can you do about this? Stand up for us.'' Inside Austin's Agenda: City Council Member Mike Siegel For years, the city of Austin has faced pressure from its largely left-leaning voter base to react to federal and state immigration rules. During President Donald Trump's first term, Austin was the poster child of resistance. That Austin City Council, which included now-Congressman Greg Casar, made Austin the first major U.S. city to declare itself a 'freedom city' in response to state and federal pushback on sanctuary cities — including Texas' Senate Bill 4 in 2017. 'We're not ready to give up': Central Texas Mom fights for daughter's citizenship That law prohibits any local policy that would interfere with state or federal immigration enforcement, effectively banning sanctuary cities. But the city of Austin fought hard against it, passing 'freedom city' resolutions, identifying legal loopholes in SB 4. For example, while state law allows officers to question someone on their immigration status, the city instructed police to inform people of their right not to answer that question, NBC News reported. 'I was the lawyer who represented the city as we challenged some of the anti-immigration laws of 2017, and so I'm acutely aware of what we're allowed to do and what we're not allowed to do,' Siegel said. Since then, state lawmakers have passed a bill that allows local law enforcement to arrest people they believe are in the U.S. illegally. That one came in 2023 and has been tied up in federal court since. Just like the previous council, Austin addressed that one with a resolution, too. Austin City Council passes resolution countering stalled state immigration law 'We really want our police officers focused on investigating violent crime. That's where their time and resources should be spent. Not carrying out this policy that we know leads to racial profiling, that will separate families and could potentially lead to deportations,' Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes said after that resolution passed. A crowd of protestors gathered at the Texas Capitol after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations were conducted in Austin. (KXAN Photo/Todd Bynum and KXAN Viewer Photo) But between state and federal rules, the city of Austin's hands are largely tied on what more it can do in broad brush strokes. That is, if it doesn't want to lose massive chunks of funding or face legal penalties. 'So that's where you can't, quote, unquote, be a sanctuary city. You know, we can't use our police officers to disrupt ICE enforcement, things of that nature. Or, you know, frankly, our chief of police could lose her law enforcement license. We could have funding taken away from our city,' Siegel said. 'And so that's kind of the balance, you know, SB 4 and other state legislative efforts that constrain our local control. We have to stay within those parameters and still do as much as we can.' After Trump immigration order, ICE 'force multiplier' agreements with Texas police surge There have been dozens more bills filed this legislative session tied to immigration. One would require large counties in Texas to work more closely with ICE on immigration enforcement. 'We declare ourselves a welcoming city, and that includes for all immigrants, right? And so we really try to live up to that, but we don't want to do anything that will jeopardize our funding or our autonomy,' Siegel said. KXAN Graphic Artist Wendy Gonzalez, Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle, Digital Special Projects Developer Robert Sims and Digital Director Kate Winkle contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
28-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Living Security's Unify Platform Just Got Smarter-3X More Visibility, Zero Blind Spots, and AI-Powered Adaptive Intelligence That Connects Your Siloed Security Data
AUSTIN, TX / ACCESS Newswire / April 28, 2025 / Living Security, the global leader in human risk defense, today unveils powerful adaptive intelligence capabilities within its Unify platform. By fusing human expertise from its Human Intelligence Team (HInT), advanced AI phishing simulations, and industry-wide threat telemetry, Unify now delivers a minimum of 3X more visibility into human risk compared to outdated security awareness tools. This advancement is validated by third-party research from Cyentia. Today's security leaders are navigating rapidly evolving and complex AI-driven threats. According to Cyentia's findings, most organizations only see about 30% of their human risk surface, leaving the majority of behavioral vulnerabilities completely unaddressed. Living Security's AI-powered HRM platform closes this gap by helping organizations see-and act on-the rest. Analyzing millions of daily signals across behavioral data, identity access, and external threat activity, Living Security's Unify platform provides security teams a complete, real-time picture of human risk and empowers organizations to detect and respond to human risk with precision and speed before it becomes a breach. 'The biggest cybersecurity risk isn't malware or zero-days-it's people,' said Ashley Rose, CEO of Living Security. 'Most security tools operate in silos, leaving leaders blind to the full picture of who's at risk and why. Unify closes that loop-connecting data, quantifying risk in real time, and automating action before threats escalate.' Despite over $200 billion spent annually on cybersecurity according to Gartner, many organizations still lack the ability to identify high-risk users-typically the 8-12% of employees whose access and behaviors make them most vulnerable. Identity and access management systems detect access anomalies, phishing tools monitor inboxes, and malware platforms flag endpoints-but none of them connect the dots to tell the whole story. Named a Global Leader in Human Risk Management by Forrester, Unify is the only platform that brings together identity, behavior, and threat intelligence giving customers over 90% reduction in exposure to human risk through real-time, automated interventions, according to Cyentia. 'That 90% drop isn't just a stat-it's millions saved, breaches avoided, and a workforce transformed into your strongest layer of defense,' said Mike Siegel, President of Living Security. 'With Unify, our customers turn human risk into clear, compelling metrics that leaders can act on. We deliver real-time, easy-to-digest intelligence that shows progress, proves impact, and drives alignment from the SOC to the C-suite.' The data is undeniable: Attackers already see the full picture. Now defenders can too. Living Security's Unify acts as a central intelligence layer, transforming fragmented security data into real-time, expert-driven insight. It delivers adaptive defense through AI-powered phishing simulations that mirror adversaries, are personalized to the individual, and evolve as tactics change. For teams lacking in-house expertise, Living Security's unique Human Intelligence Team (HInT) adds a human-led layer of deep analysis-bringing context, prioritization, and a laser focus on the users that matter most. HInT uncovers potential breaches by leveraging deep security expertise, real-time insights, and intelligence from Unify's data ecosystem to help organizations address critical blind spots before disruption to their business or brand reputation. Living Security's HInT service is now available for select customers. Visit Booth #4425 at RSA Conference for a live demo of Unify and see how Living Security is helping teams break silos, act faster, and build a defense that never stops working. About Living Security Living Security is the global leader in Human Risk Management (HRM), delivering 3X more visibility into human risk than compliance-based security training platforms. Living Security's Unify platform integrates identity, access, and threat activity to eliminate the chaos of siloed data-pinpointing the 8-12% of users who pose the greatest risk and automating the right response in real time. Powered by AI, human analysis, and industry-wide threat telemetry, Unify reduces exposure to human risk by over 90% and transforms fragmented signals into intelligent, adaptive defense. Named a Global Leader in Human Risk Management by Forrester and trusted by security-forward enterprises like Unilever, Mastercard, Merck, and Abbott Labs, Living Security helps organizations see clearly, act fast, and stay ahead of tomorrow's threats. For more information, visit and follow us on LinkedIn. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE: Living Security press release
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Serious tradeoffs': Austin considering I-35 covers versus other city needs
Editor's Note: The video above is KXAN's previous coverage of the potential 2026 bond package. AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday, city leaders are slated to discuss whether or not Austin can afford to build covers over the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) I-35 expansion project, connecting east and central Austin. Those covers are called 'caps and stitches' and may look like deck plazas, walking or biking trails or green spaces running over the wider highway. 'These caps would not only stitch our city back together, they would create new, valuable land in central Austin for parks, civic space, and future development. If we fail to fund the roadway elements now, those caps can never be built,' Austin City Council Member Chito Vela wrote in a message board post. Austin's full capped I-35 'vision plan' could cost over $1B But Austin's current proposed Cap and Stitch Vision Plan could cost more than $1.4 billion, city transportation officials have previously explained. That doesn't include the cost of operating and maintaining those spaces. 'That would use up our entire capital budget and so we really have to be careful in the investments we're making both in terms of our annual general fund decisions as well as our capital budget decisions,' Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel said on an episode of Inside Austin's Agenda last week. Austin leaders need to commit funding to TxDOT to build the roadway elements of the caps and stitches by next month, if all goes according to schedule. That part alone could cost roughly $250 million, transportation staff have previously said. Austin's vote on I-35 cap and stitch funding delayed again amid federal funding uncertainty 'What I want to get into is whether it's worth it compared to the tradeoffs,' Siegel said. He noted the city's financial department has explained, 'we can only ask for so much in bond dollars before our credit rating goes down and the price of debt goes up, basically. And so every $100 million that we dedicated to cap and stitch is instead of something else that we might need.' That's where the city's possible 2026 bond election rubs against the cap and stitch project. While the city works through a comprehensive bond package that it may bring to Austin voters next year, the amount of money the city may need to borrow for caps and stitches will play a role. 'If we take that [the bond proposal] to the voters in November of 2026, that will require debt. And if we're issuing debt to deal with the caps that we're talking about, that will impact how much we can do on the comprehensive bond package,' Austin Mayor Kirk Watson explained. That is likely to be a central point of Tuesday's Austin City Council work session talking about the caps and stitches before council votes on its commitment to TxDOT next month. Inside Austin's Agenda: City Council Member Mike Siegel 'We have about $10 billion in unmet capital needs, we can only spend $1 billion at most, or ask for 1 billion at most in expenditures and so there's going to be some serious tradeoffs,' Siegel said. Austin leaders are eying a comprehensive bond package that you could vote on in November 2026. The 2026 Bond Election Advisory Task Force is working through what may be included in that ask of taxpayers. That task force has two appointees from each council office and the mayor. It meets once every month, starting in January of this year. Austin working early to address 'budget asteroids'; it may mean a tax rate election 'The city has real needs whether it be parks, whether it be road infrastructure…the council has asked for a comprehensive approach,' Watson said. While the task force is still in the early stages of figuring out what it might work into that bond package, they're gathering information from city staff on what each department may want to prioritize. The task force's March meeting included briefings from city leaders working on transportation, homelessness and housing. 'In July 2025, staff will present the preliminary ranked needs assessment that will NOT include refined project scoping and cost estimating since that work will not have been initiated at that time,' a memo from city staff said. You can find a proposed timeline from city staff in that memo here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Save Our Services' rally: Workers protest against Trump's plan to cut federal spending
The Brief A "Save Our Services" rally was held nationwide, including in Austin The rally was to protest mass layoffs happening to federal workers DOGE continues its government cost-cutting AUSTIN, Texas - More rallies were held in Austin against President Trump's plan to cut federal spending. Federal workers and community members protested the mass layoffs ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Local perspective A small group gathered at Republic Square Park to take a stand on Wednesday. It's part of the Save Our Services day of action. The rally is part of a national call to action by the Federal Unionist Network. "It's an opportunity for people who are very concerned about what's happening in Washington, D.C., right now, in particular the attacks on public programs and services, to say this is not okay, please don't do this in our name," said Mike Siegel with the Austin City Council. The group is asking for no cuts to vital services, no mass layoffs, and an end to the funding freeze. One of the speakers at the rally was Austin City Council member Mike Siegel. "What we need right now is people in the streets, people in the community raising their voices to say, don't do this. You know, don't cut off my social security. Don't end Medicare and Medicaid. Don't cut public education programs. We need to stop this now," said Siegel. What's next This Saturday, Congressman Greg Casar is hosting a town hall to talk more about what's happening in D.C. To sign up, click here. The backstory This follows President Trump's executive order directing DOGE to coordinate with federal agencies to implement extensive cuts to federal staffing. "For decades, democrats have said that they wanted to do exactly what doge is doing today. The only reason they seem to dislike it now is it's because President Trump and Elon Musk are doing it," said Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary. On Friday, DOGE began cuts in the Department of Defense, the largest government agency in the U.S. Some of the biggest layoffs and potential cuts we've seen so far include over 1,000 Department of Veteran Affairs employees, 1,000 National Park Service employees, and more than 5,000 Department of Health and Human Services employees. These jobs cuts are primarily targeting new hires. "It impacts you if you drink water today, if you ate food today, if you breathe air, if you drove a car, the people whose job it is to make sure those things are safe, those things that we take for granted and do every day," said Ben Suddaby, with the American Federation Of State, County And Municipal Local 1624. President Trump says the federal workforce contributes significantly to federal spending and debt. According to the White House, in 2022, the federal government spent nearly $300 billion on compensation for civilian employees, excluding pensions. Only 6% of federal workers report to work in-person on a full-time basis. "Those executive orders I sign, and now they get passed onto him and his group and other people, and they all get done, we're getting them done," said President Trump. "The president will make these executive orders which are very sensible and good for the country," said Elon Musk. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Jenna King and previous coverage
