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[1/4] Members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Counterterrorism unit patrol in Times Square, as the city takes security precautions ahead of planned demonstrations, in New York City, U.S., October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Acquire Licensing RightsOct 13 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement agencies have escalated security measures to safeguard Jewish and Muslim communities ahead of global pro-Palestinian protests expected on Friday but urged members of the public to go about their daily routines. Adams said extra police patrols were being deployed in Jewish and Muslim communities alike. TIMES SQUARE PROTEST EXPECTEDNew York City officials said they were bracing for at least one major demonstration planned for Times Square on Friday. He said the FBI, U.S. homeland security officials and other federal authorities had held online security "webinars" with Jewish institutions around the country.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Adams, Khaled Meshaal, John Chell, Hochul, Abed Ayoub, Rabbi Yoni Fein, Fein, Dan Whitcomb, Steve Gorman, Kanishka Singh, Lincoln Organizations: New York City Police Department, NYPD, Counterterrorism, REUTERS, Police, New, . New, . New York City, Hamas, Times, New York Police Department, New York National Guard, Los Angeles Police Department, FBI, Palestinian, ICE, Twitter, Maimonides Academy, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, New York, Los Angeles, . New York, Jewish, Gaza, Israel, United States, Fort Lauderdale , Florida, Washington

☆ FBI Says It Sees No Specific Threat From Hamas to the U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Monday that it was unaware of threats to the U.S. homeland related to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East but that it was coordinating closely with counterparts in the region. “While the FBI does not have specific and credible intelligence indicating a threat to the United States stemming from the Hamas attacks in Israel, we are closely monitoring unfolding events and will share relevant information with our state, local, federal and international law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security partners to ensure they are prepared for any impacts to public safety,” an FBI spokeswoman said.

Persons: ” Organizations: Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Locations: U.S, United States, Israel

BAJO CHIQUITO, Panama (AP) — Rain-swollen rivers only briefly slowed the otherwise uninterrupted flow of migrants through this jungle-covered border area separating Colombia and Panama and by midweek another 2,000 bedraggled migrants stumbled out of the Darien jungle. That efficiency combined with the unrelenting economic factors pushing migrants to leave countries like Venezuela, whose citizens account for the majority of them, have resulted in more than 400,000 migrants crossing the Darien this year. They made the crossing from Colombia in 2 ½ days, but Morales described it as “horrible.”“I don’t wish it for anyone. Morales said she saw three dead migrants along the way, including a woman who had apparently drowned in a river. In April, the U.S., Panama and Colombia announced a campaign to slow migration through the Darien jungle, but migrants’ numbers have only grown forcing the Biden administration to seek other options.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, Kimberly Morales, Morales, ”, ” Morales, Biden, Gabriela Quijada, dizzily, “, Carliomar, …, ” Peña, Peña Organizations: U.S, . Homeland, Chiquito, Panama “, Colombian, U.S . Homeland Security Department, Bajo Chiquito Wednesday Locations: CHIQUITO, Panama, Colombia, Darien, Bajo Chiquito, Venezuela, Mexico, States, Costa Rica, Caracas, Panamanian, U.S, Latin America, United States, Bajo, Margarita, Merida

Arizona’s governor was out of the state for a day this week, prompting false claims that she’d abruptly resigned or vanished entirely. The Democrat, who has been the target of misinformation since taking office this year, was out of state for meetings in Washington for a day, so the state treasurer briefly served as acting governor. Political Cartoons View All 1190 Images“She has now stepped down as Arizona governor, and it’s raising questions,” claimed one Facebook user in a widely shared video posted on Thursday. “Republican State Treasurer Kimberly Yee is currently the Acting Governor,” wrote another user on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter on Wednesday. The usually unremarkable handover gained attention when Yee released a statement Wednesday acknowledging she’d be serving as acting governor from that evening through Thursday morning.

Persons: she’d, Katie Hobbs, Hobbs, Joe Biden, ”, Kimberly Yee, “, Christian Slater, Yee, hasn’t, Slater, Alejandro Mayorkas, Sen, John McCain, Adrian Fontes, Kyrsten Sinema, Paul Smith, Leonard, Kris Mayes, Richie Taylor, baselessly, ” Slater Organizations: Arizona, Democrat, “ Republican, Twitter, Democratic, Republican, U.S . Homeland, Tempe Center, Arts, of Regents, U.S, Sen, Infrastructure Security Agency, White House, Drug, Agency, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Kroger Locations: Washington, Arizona, U.S, Flagstaff

☆ US admits Israel into visa waiver program
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Some Palestinians have protested against Israel's entry into the program, saying Israel for decades has discriminated against Arab Americans and harassed them at its borders. They also must treat all U.S. travelers equally, so Israel must allow free passage for Palestinian Americans at Ben Gurion airport. In a pilot period since July 20, Israel has eased access for Palestinian Americans through its borders and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. According to Israel's Interior Ministry, more than 130,000 Americans entered Israel since the pilot began, including 6,070 Palestinian Americans. Between 45,000 and 60,000 Palestinian Americans live in the West Bank, a U.S. official estimated.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ronen, Chris Van Hollen, Alejandro Mayorkas, Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, David Shepardson, Dan Williams, Ali Sawafta, Henriette Chacar, Clarence Fernandez, William Maclean, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S, Israeli, White, Consulate, REUTERS, Rights, Visa, Arab, . Four Democratic U.S, Israel, U.S . Homeland, West Bank, Palestinian, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Israel's Interior Ministry, Homeland Security Department, Thomson Locations: U.S, Israeli, Tel Aviv, Israel, Washington, United States, Ben Gurion, Croatia, Palestinian Territories, American, Detroit

That's in addition to about 242,700 Venezuelans who already qualified for temporary status before Wednesday's announcement. Venezuelans who arrive in the U.S. after July 31 of this year will not be eligible for the protection. The city is currently paying to house about 60,000 newly arrived migrants. But Adams on Wednesday praised the decision to grant protections to Venezuelans and thanked the administration for listening to the city's concerns. The administration also said Wednesday it was also using Defense Department forces to support Homeland Security staff on the border.

Persons: —, Biden, That's, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden, Kathy Hochul, Eric Adams, Adams, Tom Schmerber, ___ Spagat, Valerie Gonzalez Organizations: WASHINGTON, Democratic, Homeland Security Department, Homeland, New York Gov, Maverick, Defense Department, Homeland Security, National Guard, Customs Locations: American, U.S, Mexico, Venezuela, Latin America, United States, Panama, New York , Massachusetts, Chicago, New York, Eagle, Rio Grande, Texas, Maverick County, —, San Diego, McAllen , Texas

☆ Biden to push for Ukraine aid, democracy as China and Russia skip UN General Assembly
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden will address the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, where he plans to promote democracy and advocate for increased support for Ukraine. Lula has argued the U.S. and other Western nations are prolonging the war with their defense support. This will be the first time Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has attended the U.N. summit in person since the war began. A "substantial section" of Biden's speech to the General Assembly on Tuesday will be devoted to the war in Ukraine, Sullivan said. U.S. support for Ukraine

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden, Saul Loeb, Biden, it's, Jake Sullivan, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Lula, Benjamin Netanyahu, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Sullivan Organizations: Defense, . Homeland, Hurricane, White, Washington , D.C, AFP, Getty, United Nations General Assembly, Ukraine, House, . Security, Global, Israeli, General, United Nations Charter Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Washington ,, France, United Kingdom, China, Russia, United States, Brazil, Ukraine, U.S, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is worried about the safety of chemical facilities across the country after its power to keep dangerous substances out of the hands of extremists lapsed a month ago. Homeland Security officials say this left gaping holes in the country's national security, and they are calling on Congress to act quickly when it returns this week. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, which falls under DHS, then determines whether the facility is considered high risk and therefore must develop a security plan. Congress gave the department the authority to begin the chemical security program in 2006, and it went into effect the following year. Homeland Security officials say the program's lapse has left them without a vital security tool.

Persons: Alejandro Mayorkas, ”, Kelly Murray, Sen, Rand Paul, Paul, ” Paul, there's, Murray, she's, reauthorized, they're, Matt Fridley, “ They’re, Scott Jensen Organizations: WASHINGTON, Department of Homeland Security, Chemical, Homeland Security, Homeland, Chemical Security, Infrastructure Security Agency, DHS, Congress, Kentucky Republican, & Infrastructure Security Agency, American Chemistry Council Locations: Virginia, Kentucky

☆ Biden pledges $95 million to shore up Hawaii's electric grid after deadly wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — The federal government will provide $95 million to shore up Hawaii's electric grid in the wake of deadly wildfires, President Joe Biden announced Wednesday. The news comes as Hawaii's main electric utility, Hawaiian Electric , is facing a dozen lawsuits alleging that the company's practices were partly responsible for the deadly fires, a claim the utility denies. Fitch, Moody's and S&P all recently downgraded Hawaiian Electric's credit rating to junk status, with Fitch warning that the company could face more than $3.8 billion in potential liability for the Maui wildfires. Biden visited Hawaii with first lady Jill Biden last week to view the damage and meet with survivors. Biden spoke to the governors of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and pledged the federal government's support for recovery efforts, the White House said.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Alejandro Mayorkas, Joe Biden, WASHINGTON —, Biden, Fitch, Jill Biden, Idalia Organizations: Defense, . Homeland, Hurricane, White, Washington , D.C, WASHINGTON, Moody's, Fitch Locations: Maui, Hawaii, Washington ,, Lahaina, Florida, Georgia, Florida , Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina

☆ RFK Jr. complained about not getting Secret Service protection. The truth is very few candidates do.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lashed out at the Biden administration for not granting him Secret Service protection. "Since the assassination of my father in 1968, candidates for president are provided Secret Service protection. Not all campaigns welcome Secret Service protection either. One is that Secret Service protection is covered by taxpayers. Secondly, the presence of Secret Service agents gives any hopeful the aura of being the leader of the free world.

Persons: Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Biden, Kennedy, Long, Robert Kennedy Jr, New York Sen, Alejandro Mayorkas, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, It's, Ben Carson, Donald Trump, BuzzFeed, Sen, John McCain's Organizations: Service, Twitter, NPR, Homeland, DHS, Super Bowl, Agents, United Nations General Assembly, Secret Service Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York

☆ US slaps sanctions on Sinaloa Cartel fentanyl network
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, July 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 10 Mexican nationals and one company in the country for their alleged involvement in the Sinaloa Cartel's vast illicit fentanyl trafficking network. The sons, known as "Los Chapitos," are accused of leading a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel after their father's 2016 capture and extradition to the U.S. a year later. The U.S. Treasury also sanctioned an import-export company, REI Compania Internacional, and its majority shareholder for allegedly receiving chemical shipments from China. Lopez Obrador added that his Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez would meet this month with U.S. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has been seeking increased cooperation from Mexico and China in stemming the flow of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals.

Persons: Noel Lopez Perez, Joaquin, El, Ricardo Paez Lopez, El Chapo's, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Lopez Obrador, Rosa Icela Rodriguez, Elizabeth Sherwood, Randall, Joe Biden's, Kylie Madry, Stefanie Eschenbacher, Raul Cortes, Sarah Morland, Mark Heinrich, Josie Kao Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Treasury Department, Treasury, Foreign Assets, U.S . Treasury, REI Compania Internacional, U.S . Homeland Security, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Sinaloa, U.S, United States, Mexico, China, Mexican

☆ US House Speaker McCarthy threatens to block funding for Chile waiver program
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, June 16 (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Friday threatened to use congressional appropriations to block funding for a U.S. visa waiver program for Chile, blaming rising criminal activity in the United States on the program. McCarthy, a California Republican said the appropriations will not allow Mayorkas "to use money when it comes to Chile for the visa waiver program until this issue is solved." McCarthy said people entering the United States through the program have joined organized crime organizations that he said have carried out raids on homes and businesses in California and elsewhere. "I am concerned that some citizens of Chile are abusing the visa waiver program to commit burglaries throughout the United States, including in my district in Orange County," Correa said in a statement on Thursday. Reporting by David Morgan; additional reporting by Ted Hesson; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Alejandro Mayorkas, Mayorkas, Lou Correa, Antony Blinken, Correa, David Morgan, Ted Hesson, Leslie Adler Organizations: . House, U.S . Homeland, California Republican, Republicans, Democrats, Democrat, House Homeland Security, Thomson Locations: Chile, United States, Santa Ana , California, U.S, California, Orange County

WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) - Chinese hackers are all but certain to disrupt American critical infrastructure, such as pipelines and railways, in the event of a conflict with the United States, a senior U.S. cybersecurity official said Monday. In comments made during an appearance at the Aspen Institute in Washington, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly said Beijing was making major investments in the capability to sabotage U.S. infrastructure. She cautioned that Americans needed to be prepared for the likelihood that Beijing's hackers would dodge their defenses and cause damage in the physical world. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request seeking a reaction to the warning. Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Jen, Raphael Satter, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Aspen Institute, Infrastructure Security, Embassy, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Washington, Cybersecurity, Beijing

☆ Sonic boom heard in Washington D.C. was from authorized Pentagon flight, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, June 4 (Reuters) - A sonic boom heard in Washington D.C. on Sunday was caused by an authorized Pentagon flight, the Annapolis Maryland Office of Emergency Management said. Fire department and homeland security officials in Washington said they had no reports of any incidents. Homeland Security and Emergency Management said on Twitter. The Federal Aviation Administration said a Cessna aircraft crashed into mountainous terrain in southwest Virginia around the time the sonic boom was heard in the capital. Reuters was not able to immediately confirm whether the sonic boom and the crash of the light aircraft were related.

Persons: David Lawder, Daniel Trotta, Ross Colvin Organizations: Pentagon, Annapolis Maryland, Emergency Management, Residents, Homeland Security, Twitter, Federal Aviation Administration, Cessna, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington, U.S, Virginia

☆ Mexico to discuss migration, Central America investment with U.S. homeland security advisor
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MEXICO CITY, May 30 (Reuters) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is set to discuss migration and investment in Central America in a meeting Tuesday with U.S. Homeland Security advisor Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Mexico's top diplomat said. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told reporters Mexican leaders would "review" plans on migration regarding visas and a drop in arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border after the end of a U.S. health policy called Title 42. "The other point is investment in Central America," Ebrard said. Reporting by Raul Cortes and Kylie Madry; Editing by Anthony EspositoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Elizabeth Sherwood, Randall, Mexico's, Marcelo Ebrard, Ebrard, Raul Cortes, Kylie Madry, Anthony Esposito Organizations: MEXICO CITY, . Homeland Security, Mexican Foreign, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Central America, Mexican, U.S, Mexico

☆ Migrant encounters down 70% since end of Title 42, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, May 19 (Reuters) - Migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border have dropped 70% since COVID-era border restrictions ended last week, U.S. Homeland Security official Blas Nunez-Neto said on Friday. Speaking in a call with reporters, Nunez-Neto said the number had continued to tick down after an average 4,000 encounters a day as of May 12. "In the last 48 hours there were 3,000 encounters a day on the border, this is a more than 70% reduction," he said. Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Valentine Hilaire, Editing by Daina Beth SolomonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Two dozen National Guard troops quickly set about stretching coils of barbed wire across the cement base of the bridge where the migrants had been. Under the order known as Title 42, U.S. authorities could quickly turn back migrants without giving them a chance to seek asylum. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Sunday said the number of migrants crossing the border fell by half since the end of Title 42. A Dominican couple under the bridge told Reuters they had just reached Ciudad Juarez and had not heard of it. Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon and Jose Luis Gonzalez in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"The numbers we have experienced in the past two days are markedly down over what they were prior to the end of Title 42," Mayorkas said on CNN's "State of the Union" program. He said there were 6,300 border encounters on Friday and 4,200 on Saturday, but cautioned it was still early in the new regime. Mayorkas credited the criminal penalties for migrants who illegally enter the country, which resumed under existing law after Title 42's expiration, for the decrease in crossings. Officials from communities along the border agreed they had not seen the large numbers of migrants that many had feared would further strain U.S. border facilities and towns. Just before Title 42 expired on Thursday, House Republicans approved legislation that would require asylum seekers to apply for U.S. protection outside the country, resume construction of a border wall and expand federal law enforcement efforts.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended the Biden regulation, saying it aims to encourage migrants to enter using legal pathways. U.S. asylum officers hurried to figure out the logistics of applying the new asylum regulation. COVID EMERGENCY ENDS, ASYLUM BAN BEGINSTrump first implemented Title 42 in March 2020 as COVID swept the globe. The order allowed American authorities to quickly expel migrants to Mexico or other countries without a chance to request asylum. Migrants have been expelled more than 2.7 million times under Title 42, although the total includes repeat crossers.

☆ Pandemic-related asylum restrictions known as Title 42 expire, straining U.S. immigration system
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

The expired rule, known as Title 42, was in place since March 2020. While Title 42 prevented many from seeking asylum, it carried no legal consequences, encouraging repeat attempts. Migrants cross the Rio Bravo river to turn themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents before Title 42 ends, in Matamoros, Mexico May 10, 2023. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas had already warned of more crowded Border Patrol facilities to come. They were quickly apprehended by Border Patrol agents.

☆ US Homeland Security secretary to visit border ahead of Title 42 lifting
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will travel to the Texas border with Mexico this week ahead of the lifting of Title 42, the department said in a statement on Wednesday. The trip comes as the COVID-19 health policy known as Title 42 is set to end on May 11 and the U.S. prepares for a possible subsequent spike in illegal border crossings. Reporting by Katharine JacksonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: Facts about actor-activist Harry Belafonte
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

* Belafonte received a Tony Award in 1954 for his role in Broadway's "Almanac" and became the first Black actor to win an Emmy for a 1959 television variety special. * Belafonte received three Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. * Although Belafonte and co-star Dorothy Dandridge were accomplished singers, their vocals in the 1954 movie "Carmen Jones" were sung by LeVern Hutcherson and Marilyn Horne. * Belafonte's movies often had racial themes. * Belafonte produced the 1984 movie "Beat Street," one of the first movies about break-dancing and hip-hop culture.

☆ Harry Belafonte, who mixed music, acting, and activism, dies at 96
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Bill Trott | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Belafonte was born in New York City's borough of Manhattan but spent his early childhood in his family's native Jamaica. A few weeks before the launch, Belafonte told Rolling Stone magazine that singing was a way for him to express injustices in the world. "We were instructed to never capitulate, to never yield, to always resist oppression," Belafonte told Yes! "The Navy came as a place of relief for me," Belafonte told Yes! Belafonte was the first Black performer to win a major Emmy in 1960 with his appearance on a television variety special.

☆ US Homeland security chief creating artificial intelligence task force
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Friday that the agency would create a task force to figure out how to use artificial intelligence to do everything from protecting critical infrastructure to screening cargo to ferret out products made with slave labor. While artificial intelligence isn't new, the sudden popularity of OpenAI's ChatGPT in recent months has sent officials around the world scrambling to see how they can best use the technology for good and prevent it from turbocharging disinformation and criminal activity. Mayorkas said the Artificial Intelligence Task Force would also explore how AI could be used to do a better job of doing work like screening cargo coming into the country for illicit goods, like fentanyl or products made with slave labor. Mayorkas said on Thursday the new task force may also investigate the potential for AI to be used for pernicious purposes, and find ways to defend against them. Mayorkas said that artificial intelligence was still in "a nascent stage" and that it was too soon to say whether the harms will outweigh the good.

[1/5] Asylum seekers board a bus after crossing into Canada from the U.S. in Champlain, New York, U.S., February 28, 2023. Many of the arrivals abandoned plans to seek asylum in the United States, deterred by long processing times and restrictive definitions for asylum, according to aid officials and interviews with asylum seekers. "We want to help asylum seekers stabilize their lives whether in New York City or elsewhere." The Quebec government has said the increase in asylum seekers is straining its capacity to house people and provide basic services. Immigration experts said closing off the border to asylum seekers could push migrants to take even riskier routes.

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