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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Brenda Tracy files federal lawsuit against MSU Board of Trustees
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Brenda Tracy has filed a 51-page federal lawsuit against two Michigan State University trustees, which includes claims of breaches of information, misconduct and interference with contract. Former Michigan State University football coach Mel Tucker was fired from the university in 2023 after a sexual harassment complaint Tracy filed with MSU in 2022 went public, where Tracy claimed Tucker made nonconsensual sexual advances on her, claims Tucker has denied. In the lawsuit (below), the claims are specifically directed against MSU Trustee Dennis Denno and Rema Vassar, as well as the Board of Trustees as a whole. 09917478495Download The claims against the trustees are the following: Breach of statutory duty as to all defendants Breach of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees' code of ethics and conduct Misconduct in office as to defendants Vassar and Denno Violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 And the 14th amendment substantive and procedural due process Breach of contract as to defendant BOT (Board of Trustees) Tortious interference with contract Gross negligence Tracy is also suing MSU for allegedly mishandling her complaints about sexual harassment by Tucker. Tracy's attorney declined further comment on this new lawsuit. This is a developing story and new information will be added to this article throughout the day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Amherst community face ICE arrests despite sanctuary status
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – Two individuals were taken into custody by ICE this week in two separate incidents. Visa interview pause impacts international students in Massachusetts On Wednesday, two individuals were taken into custody by federal agents, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in separate incidents between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. The Town of Amherst states that this is not the first time ICE has taken community members into custody. The town or police department did not participate in either of these incidents and has not participated in any federal immigration enforcement actions that have previously occurred. The incidents were operated independently by ICE with no prior notification. The town states that they are a sanctuary community and shall not cooperate with ICE. Section 3.9 of the Town of Amherst General Bylaws states, 'To the extent permissible by law, a Town department, or officer or employee of a Town department shall not perform the functions of an immigration officer, whether pursuant to 8 U.S.C. §1357(g) or any other law, regulation, or policy, whether formal or informal.' WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Milwaukee judge indicted for helping immigrant evade ICE faces up to 6 years in prison
A Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge arrested in April for allegedly helping a man evade immigration officers in her court could face up to six years in prison if convicted, according to an indictment handed down Tuesday by a federal grand jury. Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by FBI officials last month for allegedly "knowingly" helping an undocumented immigrant in her court evade ICE authorities and telling the officers in her court that they needed a warrant. She was indicted by a grand jury Tuesday federal charges of concealing a person from arrest and on obstruction of justice charges, under 18 U.S.C. Section 1505 and 18 U.S.C. Section 1071, respectively. On Wednesday, Dugan's legal team filed a motion to dismiss the federal case against her. They argued that the government "cannot prosecute Judge Dugan because she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts," and that "the government has no basis in law to prosecute her." The indictment handed down by the grand jury one day prior accused Dugan of "falsely" telling federal officials in April that they needed a warrant to come into her court during a scheduled appearance by Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican national who was in court on three misdemeanor battery charges. Dugan told the officers to proceed to the chief judge's office to obtain a warrant, according to the criminal complaint, and she then escorted Flores-Ruiz through a side door to evade federal agents. Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan Indicted After Allegedly Helping Illegal Alien Evade Ice Read On The Fox News App If found guilty of both charges, Dugan could face up to six years in prison and up to $350,000 in fines. She will appear in court on Thursday and is expected to enter a plea of not guilty, as indicated by a statement from her legal team on Tuesday. "Judge Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge," her lawyers said, adding that their client further "asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court." Dugan's arrest and criminal charges have become a political lightning rod at a time when the Trump administration has moved to take sweeping actions to crack down on its immigration enforcement priorities. Her actions, while controversial, have also attracted an all-star legal defense team to argue in court on her behalf. Last month, her defense team tapped former Bush-era solicitor general Paul Clemente to represent her. Wisconsin Judge Accused Of Obstructing Ice Could Face Years In Prison, Doj Has 'Upper Hand': Former Prosecutor Clemente, who was also on Trump's short list of Supreme Court nominees during his first term, is a well-respected litigator who has argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court. He is also not the only Bush-era powerhouse representing her in court. Steve Biskupic, a former U.S. attorney and a George W. Bush appointee, was tapped last month to head up the team, as first reported by Others include Craig Mastantuono of Mastantuono Coffee & Thomas and Jason Luczak and Nicole Masnica of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown. Still, Dugan's actions have also sparked fierce backlash from Trump administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who have vowed to hold her accountable for her actions. "She will be held accountable for that," Noem told Fox News in an interview Tuesday night. "That was a great decision, coming forward, to recognize that nobody can facilitate breaking the law. "We shouldn't be able to allow that in this country, and we need to make sure that even judges are held accountable for their actions," she added. Fox News's Michael Dorgan and Greg Wehner contributed to this report. Original article source: Milwaukee judge indicted for helping immigrant evade ICE faces up to 6 years in prison
Epoch Times
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Judge Refuses to Block IRS From Sharing Tax Data on Illegal Immigrants Facing Criminal Investigation
A federal judge on Monday refused to block the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from sharing the data of taxpayers facing criminal investigation with immigration authorities, rejecting arguments from advocacy groups that the move would violate federal privacy protections and chill tax compliance by illegal immigrants. In a 16-page The judge noted that the terms of the IRS-DHS memorandum of understanding do not violate any data-sharing requirements set out in federal law, including that the DHS submit written requests for the data, identify specific individuals under criminal investigation, and provide justification for the request. Then, only after verifying compliance with Section 6103 of the tax code, may the IRS share limited identity information, such as names and addresses. 'At its core, this case presents a narrow legal issue: Does the Memorandum of Understanding between the IRS and DHS violate the Internal Revenue Code? It does not,' Friedrich wrote. 'The plain language of 26 U.S.C. § 6103(i)(2) mandates disclosure under the specific circumstances and preconditions outlined in the Memorandum. For this reason, the plaintiffs have failed to show they are likely to succeed on their claims.' The ruling marks a legal win for the Trump administration, which has pushed to integrate federal tax and immigration enforcement as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration. The plaintiffs—Centro de Trabajadores Unidos (CTU) and Immigrant Solidarity DuPage (ISD)—filed suit in March to Related Stories 5/12/2025 5/12/2025 'Release of such information would subject individual members of CTU and ISD to privacy harm and harm in the form of the arrest, detention, or other deprivations of liberty associated with the Trump Administration's stated intention to engage in mass actions against immigrants in the United States,' the groups wrote in their complaint. However, the court found that the IRS-DHS agreement complies with the law because, while Section 6103 of the tax code generally prohibits disclosure of confidential tax return information such as names and addresses, it includes exceptions for criminal enforcement. The judge noted in her ruling that the memorandum of understanding does not authorize disclosures for civil immigration enforcement, such as deportations not tied to a criminal charge. Even though the plaintiffs expressed concern that DHS might use the information for broader deportation efforts unrelated to criminal proceedings, Friedrich noted that there was no evidence that the agencies involved had violated the agreement or the law, and that the advocacy groups' fears were based on media reports speculating that the Trump administration was 'seeking location information for 700,000 or alternatively seven million, illegal immigrants.' 'On this limited record, the Court cannot assume that DHS intends to use the shared information to facilitate civil rather than criminal proceedings,' the judge wrote, adding that should the DHS decide to abort the criminal investigation and instead pursue civil deportation, the agency would have to return the information to the IRS and be barred from using it in any way. The court also rejected claims that the IRS had unlawfully reversed its past position. While the advocacy groups pointed to older IRS guidance suggesting address-only requests could not be honored, Friedrich found no binding policy had been rescinded. He concluded that even if there had been a change, it was not subject to review under the Administrative Procedure Act. The judge's decision followed a previous March A request for comment sent to the plaintiffs' attorney was not immediately returned.
Hindustan Times
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Ras Baraka arrested: Will Newark mayor's Delaney Hall dispute land him in prison? Exploring charges
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday for allegedly trespassing inside a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in his city, interim US attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba announced. She further added that he 'committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings' from Department of Homeland Security officials. 'He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody,' Habba said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. 'NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW,' she added. Yes, Baraka could face imprisonment, depending on the charges filed, the severity of the offense, and the outcome of legal proceedings. Trespassing on federal property, especially an ICE facility, can carry significant penalties, particularly if additional charges like obstruction or interference with federal officers are applied. However, prison time is not guaranteed and depends on factors like plea agreements, judicial discretion, and Baraka's lack of prior criminal history. Based on the claim of trespassing and disregarding HSI warnings, Baraka could face the following charges under federal and New Jersey law: Criminal Trespass (New Jersey State Law) Statute: N.J.S.A. 2C:18-3 (Trespass) covers entering or remaining on property without permission after notice to leave. Trespassing on Federal Property (Federal Law) Statute: 41 C.F.R. § 102-74.385 and 18 U.S.C. § 930(h) address unauthorized entry onto federal facilities. Obstruction of a Federal Officer Statute: 18 U.S.C. § 111 prohibits resisting, opposing, or impeding a federal officer in their duties. Disorderly Conduct or Inciting a Disturbance Statute: 41 C.F.R. § 102-74.390 (federal) or N.J.S.A. 2C:33-2 (state) cover creating disturbances or inciting unlawful activity. In 2018, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler faced no charges after protesting outside an ICE facility. However, in 2020, several activists were charged with trespass and obstruction at ICE facilities in New York, receiving fines or probation rather than prison.
