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Congress has until Friday at midnight to pass six major spending bills to avert a partial government shutdown. Six spending bills that cover roughly three-quarters of all federal discretionary spending are at stake:– Defense: Includes funding for nearly all military-related activities. – State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs: Includes funding for U.S. diplomatic activities, cultural exchanges, development and humanitarian assistance. As of Monday morning, appropriators had yet to release any of the six funding bills they’ll need to pass. The stalemate comes in the wake of Republicans killing the bipartisan Senate border deal last month.

Persons: appropriators, they’re Organizations: –, – Financial Services, General Government, Department of, Treasury, of Columbia, – Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Coast Guard, Customs, Immigration Services, Labor, Health, Human Services, Education, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, Social Security, National Labor Relations Board, Senate, U.S . Capitol Police, of Congress, Foreign, House Republican, White House, Department of Homeland Security Locations: U.S, – State

☆ ‘Everything he is saying isn’t true’: Congolese governments denounce Trump’s baseless stories about emptied prisons
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“Everything he is saying isn’t true,” Democratic Republic of Congo spokesperson Patrick Muyaya Katembwe told CNN in a text message on Thursday. Facts First: Trump’s claims are baseless. And federal figures show that there is no “very big” influx of Congolese migrants of any kind, let alone former prisoners in particular. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, keeps making claims about emptied Congolese prisons as he criticizes President Joe Biden’s handling of immigration. Official federal data shows that Congolese migrants in general, not ex-prisoners in particular, represent a tiny fraction of overall arrivals.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, “, ” Serge Mombouli, ”, Joe Biden’s, Trump, “ I’ve, ” Lewis Mudge, Abdoulaye Diarra, Mark Krikorian, Michelle Mittelstadt scoffed Organizations: Washington CNN, Democratic, CNN, PAC, Trump, Fox News, Human Rights, Amnesty International, Patrol, US Customs, Center for Immigration Studies, Policy Institute Locations: Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic, Republic of, Republic of Congo, ’, United States, Central Africa, Congolese, America, “, Mexico, South America

☆ Temu has officially opened to US-based sellers in a strategy shift that could help it compete more closely with Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTemu has opened its marketplace to sellers with US-based warehouses, marking a shift to its strategy that has focused on shipping orders from China. Business Insider previously reported that US Amazon sellers were largely eager to try selling on Temu once it was made available to them. Offering faster shipping options could help Temu to better compete with US e-commerce incumbents like Amazon. The company's use of de minimis shipments has gotten increased attention from US lawmakers as of late. Shein, another China-linked e-commerce marketplace, also began onboarding US merchants last year.

Persons: —, Temu, Brightever, Bernstein, De minimis, Earl Blumenauer, Neal Dunn, Dan Bishop, Shein Organizations: Service, Pinduoduo Holdings, Business, US, US Customs Locations: China, Palm Springs, Las Vegas

☆ Facial recognition tech is widespread now, but still might not recognize you
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Facial recognition frequently misidentifies people of colorMIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini found that facial recognition technology misidentified black women up to 35% of the time, the New York Times reported in 2018. When fewer photos of people from other racial and gender groups are used, facial recognition tech is less accurate at identifying people of those backgrounds, the study said. In some cases, it's possible to opt out of using facial recognition technology — and its high error rate. But sidestepping facial recognition often isn't possible, said Gideon Christian, a law professor at the University of Calgary who has written about the legal and societal aspects of facial recognition technology. AdvertisementThe FTC banned Rite Aid from using facial recognition technology in stores for five years as a result.

Persons: —, Spark, Joy Buolamwini, shoplifters haven't, Gideon Christian, Samuel Levine, Christian Organizations: Service, TSA, Business, MIT Media, New York Times, MIT Technology Review, Walmart, CBP, University of Calgary, FTC, FTC's, Consumer Protection, Rite Aid Locations: India

☆ Biden administration discussing using Guantanamo Bay to process possible influx of Haitian migrants
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The Biden administration is discussing using Guantanamo Bay to process Haitian migrants if there is a mass exodus to the US amid worsening conditions in the country, according to a US official. “We are clear-eyed that economic, political, and security instability are key drivers for migrants around the world. A Homeland Security spokesperson said that so far, migration from the Caribbean remains low. The United States returns or repatriates migrants interdicted at sea to The Bahamas, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti,” the spokesperson added. And we are ready if a mass migration — if we need to deal with a mass migration.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, ”, Ariel Henry, “, Laura Richardson, Rebecca Zimmerman, they’re, Joe Biden, CNN’s Haley Britzky Organizations: CNN, National Security, Homeland Security, DHS, State Department, United Nations, United, Marine, Team, Immigration, Customs, Department of Homeland Security, Defense Department, Congress, Southern Command, Defense for Homeland Defense, US Customs, Border Protection Air, Marine Operations, US Border Patrol, Coast Guard, Border Patrol, Border Protection, House, Republican Locations: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Haiti, Florida, Guantanamo, Caribbean, United States, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Port, Mexico

☆ Bali Nyepi: Why one of the world’s most popular islands falls completely silent for a day
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This is Nyepi, Balinese New Year. Amanda Syrowatka, owner of the Viceroy Bali, helps manage expectations for hotel guests during Nyepi. The day before Nyepi is Ngrupuk, when giant monster effigies called ogoh ogoh, representing evil spirits, are paraded around by local children. While some tourists plan to come to Bali for Nyepi specifically to witness or take part in the holiday, some find themselves there unexpectedly. “While I might not plan a trip around Nyepi,” says Bigg, “I certainly wouldn’t mind being in Bali for it again.

Persons: CNN —, Amanda Syrowatka, Viceroy Bali, Nyepi, ”, Wayan Ari, Putu Sayoga, Agung Parameswara, Margot Biggs, “ Organizations: CNN, Local, School for International Training, Viceroy Locations: CNN — Bali, Indonesia, Bali, Putu, India, Viceroy Bali ., Nyepi, American

☆ 3 Killed in National Guard Helicopter Crash Near Mexican Border
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( John Yoon | More About John Yoon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Three people were killed and one was critically injured after a helicopter carrying National Guard members and a Border Patrol agent crashed in southern Texas on Friday while following people who were crossing the border with Mexico, officials said. The helicopter, which crashed at 2:50 p.m., was conducting an operation near Rio Grande City, according to Joint Task Force North, an operation under the Defense Department that supports Customs and Border Protection with National Guard units. Two of the dead were soldiers, and the third was a Border Patrol agent, Joint Task Force North said in a statement, adding that it would not share the names of the victims because their families had not been notified. The National Guard confirmed in a statement that its members on board were part of the Army National Guard. That model has served as the U.S. Army’s light utility helicopter since 2006, according to Airbus, the manufacturer.

Organizations: National Guard, Border Patrol, Task Force, Defense Department, Army National Guard, UH, Lakota, Airbus Locations: Texas, Mexico, Rio Grande City

☆ Labor unions, domestic manufacturing groups launch coalition to reform de minimis import loophole
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

-WASHINGTON — Labor unions, domestic manufacturers, business associations and other interest organizations on Wednesday announced a bipartisan coalition to target an import loophole allowing billions of un-taxed goods into the U.S."The coalition we have assembled is a testament to the mounting pressure to close the de minimis loophole," Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said. The ranking member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade is working in conjunction with the new Coalition to Close the De Minimis Loophole. CBP said it processed over 1 billion de minimis shipments in FY '23, according to a report last modified on March 1. The company has been valued at over $66 billion according to a November report, while PDD reported third-quarter revenue of $9.44 billion that month. "Our industry has lost astonishingly 10 plants in five months as a result of the de minimis loophole," Glas told reporters.

Persons: Rep, Earl Blumenauer, minimis, Blumenauer, Mike Gallagher, Gallagher, Neal Dunn, Sherrod Brown, Marco Rubio, Dunn, Dan Bishop, Rosa DeLauro, Conn, Shein, PDD, Kim Glas, Glas Organizations: Port, WASHINGTON — Labor, Wednesday, Trade, Coalition, Chinese Communist Party, U.S . Customs, CBP, CNBC, House CCP Committee, PDD Holdings, National Council of Textile Organizations, AFL, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Coalition for, Prosperous Locations: China, Port of Los Angeles, Long Beach , California, U.S, United States, Sens, Ohio, Singapore, Prosperous America

☆ Trump’s Super Tuesday Speech: Assessing 10 False and Misleading Claims
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Angelo Fichera | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

But in his 20-minute victory remarks, which offered a grim view of the United States under his successor, Mr. Trump resorted to a string of false and misleading claims — on immigration, economics, energy and more — some of which were variations on familiar assertions. WHAT WAS SAID“They flew 325,000 migrants — flew ’em in, over the borders, into our country. So that really tells you where they’re coming from, they want open borders.”This is misleading. Mr. Trump appeared to be referring to reports about documents obtained by a group that pushes for restricting immigration. The group reported that the documents showed some 320,000 migrants were flown into the United States in 2023 by receiving authorization by using a mobile app started by Customs and Border Protection.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Nikki Haley, Biden, “, — Organizations: Customs, Protection Locations: United States

☆ Haitian prime minister has arrived in Puerto Rico amid turmoil in Haiti, local official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Tara John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A plane carrying Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry landed in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, its governor’s spokesperson told CNN, after days of speculation about his whereabouts as Haitian capital Port-au-Prince plunged into crisis over the weekend. Since last week, Port-au-Prince has been gripped by a wave of highly coordinated gang attacks on law enforcement and state institutions. The prime minister’s last appearance in public was in Kenya on Friday, before arriving today in Puerto Rico, per Mojica. Haiti’s government declared a state of emergency on Sunday amid the spiraling violence in Port-au-Prince. “We fear we will run out of medicines and medical supplies, which are absolutely essential to meet the enormous needs we are facing at the moment,” Haiti MSF head Mumuza Muhindo Musubah said in a statement.

Persons: Ariel Henry, Prince, Sheila Angleró Mojica, Henry’s, Henry, Patrick Boivert, Luis Abinader, Muhindo Musubah Organizations: CNN, Haitian, CBP, Customs, Kenyan, United Nations, Finance, ”, ” MSF, UN Locations: Puerto Rico, Port, Kenya, Haiti, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Dominican

But the de minimis rule also has powerful defenders. China's exports grew only 0.6% last year, but the bright spot was cross-border e-commerce, which includes but is not limited to the de minimis packages. In a January meeting with Mayorkas, the National Council of Textile Organizations complained about unfair trade practices, including the de minimis rule. It is unclear how much fentanyl and other illicit drugs may be slipping undetected into the country in the small packages. On a recent Friday morning at Chicago's O'Hare airport, small parcels that had arrived by mail from overseas were on conveyor belts going through X-ray machines for inspection.

Persons: Lindsey Puls, Puls, ”, Alexander Mayorkas, Earl Blumenauer of, ” Blumenauer, Sen, John Thune, LaFonda Sutton, Burke, Charles Benoit, Benoit, Mayorkas, Videojournalist Melissa Perez Winder, Haleluya Hadero Organizations: WASHINGTON, Will, Homeland, National Foreign Trade Council, FedEx, UPS, DHL, eBay, South Dakota Republican, Customs, Custom, China’s Communist Party, Coalition for, Prosperous, National Council of Textile Organizations, National Association of Police, Border Protection, Investments Locations: China, U.S, Shiocton , Wisconsin, Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Shein, Singapore, Chicago, United States, Prosperous America, Chicago's, New York

☆ ‘Geisha paparazzi’ are back in Kyoto – and the city is ready to take action
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-29 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

As a result, an unfortunate nickname has even been given to these tourists: “geisha paparazzi.”Foreign tourists have sometimes struggled to understand Japanese customs and etiquette. In 2015, Kyoto created pamphlets and paper handouts that used pictograms to illustrate travel “nuisance activities” like littering, using selfie sticks, smoking in prohibited areas, and taking photos of geisha and maiko. Plenty of rules, little enforcementToday, signs in three languages also explain that geisha photography is not allowed without a permit, and that violators could be charged up to ¥10,000 ($67). Most maiko and geisha (these words are both singular and plural in Japanese) use this road, making it the prime spot for “paparazzi” to gather. Still, Ota and other Gion residents are looking for ways to curb the “geisha paparazzi” issues.

Persons: women’s kimonos, Gion, Isokazu Ota, Kike Calvo, ”, Ota, maiko Organizations: CNN, Theatre Locations: Gion, Kyoto, women’s, Side, Japan, Ota, ”, Easter

☆ How the GOP’s rightward shift on immigration helps explain Trump’s primary success
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Ron Brownstein | Analysis Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Amid widespread discontent over President Joe Biden’s management of the border, the overall electorate is moving rightward on immigration too, polls show. For now, there’s no question that hardening GOP attitudes on immigration have been critical to Trump’s strong performance through the early primaries. Then, 56% of GOP primary voters said undocumented immigrants should be offered legal status; in last month’s primary, 55% said they should be deported. Immigration ranked as the most important issue for most GOP primary voters in South Carolina, and finished close behind the economy in both Iowa and New Hampshire. McLaughlin said Trump’s dominance among the GOP primary voters most concerned about immigration encapsulates a broader reason for his early success: widespread satisfaction among Republicans about his record in office.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden’s, Trump, What’s, “, Donald Trump, ”, Jim McLaughlin, Joe Biden, ’, Nikki Haley, Trump’s, Haley, Leah Askarinam, McLaughlin, Robert P, Jones, Charles Franklin, Adolf Hitler, ” Biden, Biden, Stephen Miller, Charlie Kirk, Miller, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Matt Barreto, Barreto, Democratic pollster, ” Barreto, Maria Cardona, Tom Suozzi, George Santos, Suozzi, Bill Clinton Organizations: CNN, GOP, Republican, Trump, Biden, Edison Research, Immigration, Former South Carolina Gov, Quinnipiac University, Survey, Religion Research Institute, Marquette Law School, Marquette, Gallup, Republicans, CBS, National Guard, Democratic, UCLA, New, Republican Rep, White, House Republicans Locations: Alabama, Mississippi, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa, New York, Wisconsin, Mexico, United States, American, Trump, Marquette, America, Texas, Celinda, Arizona, Nevada, Mexico ”, week’s State, Brownsville

☆ US lawmakers are turning up the heat on Temu, Shein, and their use of a shipping loophole that helps keep their prices low
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US lawmakers are ramping up their pressure on e-commerce platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress. Representatives for Temu, Shein, and AliExpress did not return Business Insider's request for comment. It added that almost 50% of all de minimis shipments to the US come from China. Shipping consultancy ShipMatrix estimates that Temu and Shein each ship more than a million packages to the US daily. Brown and Scott are not the only US lawmakers to advocate for change as Temu and Shein have gained a foothold.

Persons: Joe Biden, Sherrod Brown, Rick Scott, Brown, Scott, AliExpress, spokespeople, Shein, minimis Organizations: Business, U.S . Customs, Border Protection, Customs, Temu, Chinese Communist Party, China . Shipping, Uyghur, Labor Locations: China, minimis, United States, mstone@businessinsider.com

☆ South Korea records record number of Russians seeking asylum
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —A record number of Russians are seeking asylum in South Korea, according to South Korean authorities, with applications surging fivefold last year as Russians became the largest group seeking refuge in the East Asian country. A total of 5,750 Russian nationals sought asylum in South Korea in 2023, according to a report released earlier this month by the Korean Immigration Service. That’s five times higher than the 1,038 who sought protection in 2022 – and more than the total number of asylum applications from Russians recorded between 1994 and 2019. And the trend has continued into this year, with Russians making up the biggest group seeking asylum in January. In the past three decades, just 4,052 people have been recognized as refugees in South Korea from more than 103,000 asylum applications, according to the report.

Persons: South Korea CNN — Organizations: South Korea CNN, South, Korean Immigration Service, Immigration Service, Incheon International Airport, South Korean Justice Ministry, CNN, Customs, Protection Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Kazakhstan, China, Malaysia, Korea, Ukraine, Russia, Korean, Soviet, United States, Moscow

☆ ICE draft plan would release thousands of immigrants in order to cover budget shortfall
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Priscilla Alvarez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Immigration and Customs Enforcement has drafted contingency plans to cut detention capacity and release thousands of immigrants as a result, according to a source familiar with the plan. The draft plan comes as ICE faces a dire budget shortfall amid stalled congressional action on the White House supplemental request. President Joe Biden has repeatedly implored Congress to give him more resources to deal with the situation at the US-Mexico border, assigning blame on Republicans for not doing more. Over recent years, ICE has assisted Customs and Border Protection in its border mission as that agency is also overwhelmed. Homeland Security officials have attributed the decline to ongoing high-level talks between the US and Mexico, which has doubled down on enforcement, but caution that encounters historically drop in January before ticking up again.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mayorkas, ” Biden, Alejandro Mayorkas, Troy Miller Organizations: Washington CNN — Immigration, Enforcement, ICE, White, Department of Homeland Security, GOP, impeaching, DHS –, The Washington Post, Administration, Homeland Security, CBP, Protection, Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration, US Border Patrol, DHS Locations: Mexico, Congress, Venezuela

☆ Illegal Border Crossings Plummeted in January
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Hamed Aleaziz | Miriam Jordan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The number of people crossing illegally into the United States from Mexico has dropped by 50 percent in the past month, authorities said on Tuesday, as President Biden comes under growing pressure from both parties over security at the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it had encountered migrants between ports of entry 124,220 times in January, down from more than 249,000 the previous month. The figures do not change the fact that the number of people crossing into the United States has reached record levels during the Biden administration, and crossings typically dip in January. Immigration trends are affected by weather patterns and other issues, making it difficult to draw conclusions from monthly numbers. But the drop in crossings was a glimmer of good news for the Biden administration as House Republicans impeached Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, on Tuesday on charges of willfully refusing to enforce border laws.

Persons: Biden, Alejandro N Organizations: U.S . Customs, Protection Locations: United States, Mexico, U.S

WASHINGTON (AP) — Arrests for illegal crossings on the U.S. border with Mexico fell by half in January from record highs in December to the third lowest month of Joe Biden's presidency, authorities said Tuesday. Border Patrol arrests totaled 124,220 in January, down 50% from 249,735 in December, the highest monthly tally on record. Tucson, Arizona, was again the busiest sector for illegal crossings with 50,565 arrests, down 37% from December, followed by San Diego. Greg Abbott's border enforcement efforts, plummeted 76% from December to 16,712, the lowest since December 2021. The only months of Biden's presidency with fewer border arrests were in June 2023, after pandemic-related asylum restrictions lifted, and February 2021, his first full month in office.

Persons: Joe Biden's, Alejandro Mayorkas, Troy Miller, ” Miller, Greg Abbott's, Mayorkas Organizations: WASHINGTON, White, House Republicans, U.S . Homeland, U.S, U.S . Customs, Protection, Border Patrol, Texas Gov, Associated Press, didn’t Locations: U.S, Mexico, Panama, Darien, United States, Haiti, China, Ecuador, Colombia, Tucson , Arizona, San Diego, Del Rio, Eagle, Texas, Rio Grande Valley

BOSTON (AP) — A U.S. Customs and Border Protection dog sniffed out something unusual in luggage from a traveler returning from Africa — mummified monkeys. The passenger returning from a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo reported that the luggage contained dried fish, but an inspection at Boston Logan Airport revealed dead and dehydrated bodies of four monkeys, agents said. Raw or minimally processed meat from wild animals, sometimes referred to as “bushmeat,” is banned in the U.S. because of the threat of disease. "The potential dangers posed by bringing bushmeat into the United States are real. Bushmeat can carry germs that can cause illness, including the Ebola virus,” said Julio Caravia, local port director for Customs and Border Protection.

Persons: “, ”, Julio Caravia, Ryan Bissette Organizations: BOSTON, —, U.S . Customs, Democratic, Boston Logan Airport, Customs, U.S . Centers for Disease Control Locations: U.S, Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, United States

☆ Factbox-Biden Administration, Texas Battling Over Border Policies on Multiple Fronts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Those cases could ultimately determine how much power, if any, states possess to police international borders when they disagree with federal immigration policies. The Biden administration has sued to strike down the law, claiming it interferes with the federal government's exclusive powers to police the border and enforce immigration laws. In defending the law, Texas will have to contend with a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down key provisions of an Arizona immigration law. Texas in its lawsuit claims that by destroying the wire, federal agents are violating the state's property rights. Days after four migrants drowned in the river last July, the state installed the string of buoys, prompting a lawsuit by the Biden administration.

Persons: Daniel Wiessner, Greg Abbott, Joe Biden, Abbott, Biden, Alexia Garamfalvi, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Republican Texas, Democrat, Supreme, Biden, U.S . Customs, Border, . Border Patrol, U.S, Circuit Locations: Mexico, Texas, U.S, Arizona, Rio Grande, Eagle, , Texas, Mexico . Texas, New Orleans, Rio, Albany , New York

☆ Opinion | This Immigration Bill Was Never Going to Fix the Border
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Sunday, lawmakers in Washington released the first major bipartisan bill to reform immigration policy in a decade. The nation already spends more money on border policing than at any other point in its history. In the last two decades, Customs and Border Protection’s budget has almost tripled and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s budget has doubled. Today, the Department of Homeland Security pays for over 19,000 Border Patrol agents, a similar number of ICE officers and expensive contracts with private companies that quickly sift through enormous amounts of data. The bill, which President Biden supports, would set aside nearly $4 billion for Customs and Border Protection, the Homeland Security division that includes Border Patrol, to prepare for a “migration surge” by hiring new staff members, reimbursing the Defense Department for its help and paying for Border Patrol agents’ overtime.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Biden Organizations: Border, Customs, Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, Homeland Security, Defense Department Locations: Washington, United States

“I'm focused on the work,” Mayorkas said, “that's what brings me to Las Vegas today.”The Homeland secretary shared the reason for a seven-minute timeout that paused the AFC championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan 28. “Super Bowl is a no-drone zone.”Karon Ransom, U.S. Secret Service agent in charge in Las Vegas, put the number of federal law enforcement agents in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl and related events at 750. Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill issued a familiar call for people who see something to say something and noted that Las Vegas has hosted a series of recent headline-grabbing events: the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix in November; a University of Nevada, Las Vegas shooting in December; New Year's Eve fireworks that drew hundreds of thousands of revelers to the Las Vegas Strip. At least 65,000 people are expected at Allegiant Stadium for the Super Bowl, and Las Vegas tourism officials estimate the number of hotel guests and visitors in the area will top 330,000. Displaying a table piled high with fake sports memorabilia including jerseys, T-shirts, caps and a silver replica of the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy, officials said investigators seized nearly $1 million worth of counterfeit merchandise over the weekend.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Mayorkas, “ I'm, ” Mayorkas, “, Cathy Lanier, Karon Ransom, ” Spencer Evans, Evans, Kevin McMahill, ” McMahill, Harry Reid, Vince Lombardi Organizations: Vegas, —, NFL, ” League, FBI, Secret Service, Homeland, Allegiant, . House, Biden Administration, AFC, Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, T Bank, Authorities, “, Super, Las, Prix, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Harry, Harry Reid International, Customs, Border, Transportation Security Administration Locations: U.S, Mexico, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Vegas, Clark County

☆ U.S. Mends Fences With El Salvador's Bukele as China Lurks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Now, more than ever, the U.S. needs Central American nations like El Salvador to curb migration to the southern border. In October, the State Department's top Latin America diplomat, Brian Nichols, visited El Salvador and posed for photos with Bukele. WAITING IN THE WINGSAt the same time, there are growing ties between China and El Salvador. Although of limited commercial importance in itself, El Salvador offers China a foothold in Central America, and in 2017 broke relations with Taiwan in favor of China. "El Salvador wants to do trade with everyone," Bukele said during his victory speech on Sunday night.

Persons: Diego Oré, Sarah Kinosian, Nelson, Nayib Bukele, Jean Manes, Bukele's, Brian Nichols, Antony Blinken, Bukele, Manes, Ana Maria Mendez, Salvadorans, El Salvador, El, Margaret Myers, Diego Ore, Nelson Renteria, Christian Plumb, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: SALVADOR, Reuters, El Salvador, Central American, U.S, U.S ., Central, State Department's, El, U.S . State Department, Washington Office, U.S . Customs, USAID, The U.S, Inter, Huawei, Washington, Diego Locations: United States, U.S, El Salvador, Latin America, America, China, Honduras, Washington, China's, San Salvador, Central America, Taiwan, Mexico City

The officials displayed a table piled high with knockoff sports memorabilia including jerseys, T-shirts, caps, beanies and a sparkling silver replica of the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy. Commercial air operations at nearby Harry Reid Airport are not expected to be affected. Ralph Lepore, an airport administrator with the Clark County Department of Aviation, focused on efforts to stem human trafficking, which he said was neither new nor exclusive to big events. “It’s extremely important.”Burke noted that TSA officers were trained to spot human trafficking and that extra agents will be added to handle record post-game crowds expected to top more than 100,000 passengers a day early next week at Harry Reid airport. She promised that every lane of every airport security checkpoint will be open nonstop for 48 hours after the Super Bowl ends.

Persons: Administration —, Ozzie —, Harry Reid, Vince Lombardi, ”, Cheryl Davies, Christopher Miller, Aaron Ford, Karen Burke, Davies, Ralph Lepore, “, ” Burke Organizations: LAS VEGAS, Super, NFL, Homeland Security, Customs, Border Protection, Transportation, Administration, Harry, Harry Reid International Airport, . Customs, Homeland Security Investigations, Allegiant, Federal Aviation Administration, TSA, Blackhawk, Clark County Department of Aviation Locations: Las Vegas, United States, Nevada, TSA Nevada

☆ Chinese migrants are flocking to the southern border, and some have Chinese TikTok guides on how to enter the US: CBS
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Chinese migrants hoping to get into the US are turning to an unlikely guide — the Chinese version of Tiktok. There has been a surge in the number of Chinese migrants crossing the US border in recent years. AdvertisementSome Chinese migrants attempting to cross the US southern border are getting a little help from Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, according to a report from CBS' "60 Minutes." Chinese migrants who spoke to 60 Minutes said they learned about the gap via the video application Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. Chinese migrants hoping to start a new life in the US have to trek through multiple countries before they arrive stateside.

Persons: —, It's, Manuel Monterrosa Organizations: Migrants, Service, CBS, CNN, US Customs, Reuters, New York Times, Business Insider Locations: Douyin, San Diego, crisscross, Turkey, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Mexico, Southwest, Texas, China, Venezuela, India

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