Latest news with #USHomelandSecurity
RNZ News
21 hours ago
- RNZ News
Pacific news in brief for 20 June 2025
An NGO carrying out testing on drugs at an event - including this this bag of cocaine, in Colombia, in 2021. Photo: AFP/ Juan Pablo Pino The French Directorate General of Customs says 67 kilograms of cocaine has been seized in New Caledonia between April and May this year. Local media reported the operation resulted in the discovery of more than 500 kilograms of narcotics at various ports across the region. New Caledonia and French Polynesia Customs took part in a joint operation with the Australian Border Force, New Zealand Customs, the US Homeland Security Investigations and Jamaica. At the end of March this year, 142 kilograms of cocaine was seized in French Polynesia. It was found packed in insulation panels of a refrigerated container bound for Australia. Fiji police have reported 105 cases of family violence against women and children for May 2025. More than 200 women had crimes committed against them - 11 percent of these were sexual offences and 89 percent were assault-related. Seventy-two of those crimes were from a spouse or partner. One hundred and 14 children had crimes done against them and more than two-thirds of those were sexual offences. Five police officers were charged with offences during the month - including one facing charges of unlawful supply and import of illicit drugs. Police said there was a 14 per cent reduction in overall crime which is ahead of its 10 per cent target. The Fijian Elections Office says FJ$44,000 - about US$20,000 - in temporary worker payments from the 2018 General Election remain unpaid. FBC reported this has come to light during the Public Accounts Committee submission on the election office's 2021-2022 Audit Report. The election office's financial controller said the delay was caused by incomplete employee information for some of the 12,000 temporary election workers. The office said they are closely coordinating with the Fiji National Provident Fund to verify the remaining employee data to fast-track this process. The mining company New Porgera is celebrating achieving its production targets, despite the impact of continuing lawlessness and a devastating landslide in the region. The new company, run by Barrick Gold, but with a significant PNG Government shareholding, replaced the former company after a lease dispute shut it down for more than three years. The Porgera region of Enga Province experienced the devastating Mulitaka landslide, which claimed many lives and shut the main road link out of the district. There have also been extensive law and order issues that resulted in a state of emergency being implemented, and dozens of arrests being made, many for illegal mining within the mine pit. The Papua New Guinea Correctional Service has signed an agreement with the Department of Education which will see education and training programmes rolled out in jails across the country. NBC reported that the memorandum highlights the vital role education plays in restoring dignity, instilling hope, and creating opportunities for those seeking a second chance. The rollout of structured learning and skills training within prisons is expected to transform lives behind bars. Acting corrections commissioner Bernard Nepo called the initiative a lifeline for inmates.
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First Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Why Democratic Senator Alex Padilla was handcuffed, evicted from Kristi Noem's press event
US Senator Alex Padilla's dramatic removal and handcuffing at Kristi Noem's federal press conference in Los Angeles has ignited political outrage and alarm over federal overreach. With Democrats decrying the act as 'dictatorial', and Republicans split in their response, the incident has become a flashpoint in the US read more US Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) is held down on the floor before being handcuffed by security officers after he attempted to ask a question during US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's press conference, in Los Angeles, California, US, June 12, 2025, in this still image obtained from a video. Office of the Senator Alex Padilla via Reuters A political firestorm in the United States has erupted following the forcible removal and handcuffing of Democratic Senator Alex Padilla during a press conference led by US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles last Thursday (June 12, 2025). The incident, captured on video and widely shared, has drawn fierce reactions from both parties and fuelled an already volatile national debate around immigration enforcement and democratic norms under Donald Trump's administration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How the incident unfolded According to Padilla, he had initially arrived at a federal building in Los Angeles for a scheduled briefing with representatives from US Northern Command. Upon learning that Noem was hosting a press conference nearby, he asked to listen in. He was then escorted into the room by a member of the National Guard and an FBI agent, where he remained until he attempted to ask a question. Video footage from the incident shows Padilla identifying himself as a US Senator before approaching the podium. 'I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,' he can be heard saying. Moments later, he was confronted by security officers, pushed to the ground, and handcuffed. As the officers moved in, Padilla said, 'Hands off.' If that's what they do to a United States Senator with a question, imagine what they do to farm workers, day laborers, cooks, and the other nonviolent immigrants they are targeting in California and across the country. Or any American that dares to speak up. I will not stop… — Alex Padilla (@AlexPadilla4CA) June 12, 2025 Padilla, who represents California and is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee's immigration panel, said on CNN's State of the Union that, 'They opened the door for me, and they stood next to me while I was listening for the entire time. And then, of course, once I was forcibly removed and handcuffed.' How the DHS has responded to the incident The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) quickly issued a statement on X, describing Padilla's action as 'disrespectful political theater,' and claimed that the Secret Service had perceived him as a potential attacker. '@SecretService thought he was an attacker and officers acted appropriately,' DHS stated, adding that Noem later met with Padilla. Senator Padilla chose disrespectful political theatre and interrupted a live press conference without identifying himself or having his Senate security pin on as he lunged toward Secretary Noem. Mr. Padilla was told repeatedly to back away and did not comply with officers'… — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) June 12, 2025 FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino also defended the response by federal agents. 'The senator in question was not wearing a security pin and physically resisted law enforcement when confronted,' Bongino wrote. 'Our FBI personnel acted completely appropriately while assisting Secret Service.' However, Padilla strongly disputed this characterisation. 'If this is how the Department of Homeland Security responds to a senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farmers, to cooks, to day-laborers throughout the Los Angeles community and throughout California and throughout the country,' he said in a separate statement. In response to the DHS narrative, Padilla's fellow Californian Senator Adam Schiff said on NBC's Meet the Press, 'This is not some rabble-rouser. And to see him mistreated that way and tackled to the ground and shackled that way and in the midst of what we're seeing more broadly in Los Angeles is just atrocious.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How lawmakers reacted across party lines The incident has sharply divided lawmakers. Democrats were quick to condemn what they called an overreach of federal authority and a dangerous escalation of tactics against public officials. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the footage 'reeks of totalitarianism,' while Senator Patty Murray of Washington remarked, 'I cannot believe that we don't have senators on both sides of the aisle calling this out as outrageous.' 'This is the stuff of dictatorships. It is actually happening,' said Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii. Senator Cory Booker called it 'a pattern and a practice,' linking the event to earlier incidents involving other Democratic officials. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland declared, 'This is what a dictatorship looks like. We have to stand up.' His colleague from New Jersey, Senator Andy Kim, pleaded with Republicans: 'This is not a time to put your finger up in the air and figure out which way the wind is blowing…' Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angela Alsobrooks called for an investigation into the handling of the event, with Alsobrooks saying she was 'so angry she was shaking.' Senator Tim Kaine waved a pocket Constitution on the Senate floor, claiming the administration is attempting to instill fear in elected officials. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska also condemned the incident, describing it as 'shocking at every level.' She added, 'Senator Padilla is a big, tall guy, and to see how he was handled out of that room is wrong and sick.' Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she saw the video and found it 'disturbing,' remarking that it was 'hard to imagine a justification for that.' In contrast, several Republicans defended the administration's handling. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming criticised Padilla for being absent from Senate votes. 'He has a responsibility to his constituents to show up at work, not to go try to make a spectacle of himself,' he said. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said, 'I think that that behaviour at a minimum rises to the level of a censure,' while Senator Rand Paul opposed any such move. 'No, no, no. I'm not for censuring him. I think that's crazy. I'm not for that at all,' Paul said on Meet the Press. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why this incident has become a flashpoint The press conference itself was held against a tense backdrop. Los Angeles has witnessed days of mass protests against Trump's immigration crackdown, which included the deployment of National Guard troops and US Marines to enforce order and protect federal buildings. During the press conference, Noem had stated that federal agents were in Los Angeles 'to liberate this city from the socialist and the burdensome leadership that this governor and this mayor have placed on this country,' referring to California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. The forceful removal of Padilla has only amplified existing concerns among Democrats who view Trump's administration as increasingly authoritarian. According to Axios, Senate Democrats led by Padilla have since demanded that all federal military forces be withdrawn from Los Angeles. 'This administration will stop at nothing to keep elected officials from doing our jobs and demanding accountability for our constituents,' said US Representative LaMonica McIver, who herself had previously been charged for resisting officers during a similar federal operation. The Padilla incident is not isolated. It follows the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at an immigration centre and the criminal charging of a Wisconsin judge who allegedly assisted a defendant in evading federal immigration officers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Both cases have been cited by Democrats as part of a broader trend of suppressing political dissent. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware said she showed the video to several colleagues, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who reportedly appeared 'shocked.' Thune later said he spoke with Padilla and the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms and was working to gather more information. 'This is a test. This is a crossroads. This is a day in which the character of this body will be defined,' said Booker during a Senate floor speech. Murray added that it was the closest she had come to tearing up in her 32-year Senate career. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What we know about the tactics used in the Los Angeles protests
A relative state of calm in Los Angeles began to crumble early Sunday afternoon as demonstrators confronted federal authorities guarding a downtown detention facility where chaos erupted as National Guard soldiers deployed tear gas on an increasingly agitated crowd. An already tense situation began to escalate as a line of troops sent in by President Donald Trump the previous night – against the will of state officials –started forming what's called a 'skirmish line' around 1 p.m. The troops used riot shields to push the crowd back to make way for a convoy of approaching law enforcement vehicles. The soldiers were heavily armed, carrying standard-use M4 military rifles affixed with magazines, suggesting they were loaded with ammunition. Such weaponry in the hands of military personnel on the streets of an American city is rare, as is the use of the armed forces to conduct crowd control. In an apparent response to a member of the crowd lobbing an object at authorities, the National Guard and US Homeland Security agents fired less lethal projectiles and deployed tear gas on the group. A large number of Los Angeles Police Department officers in riot gear arrived as the crowd continued to build and began dispersing people, moving them away from the federal jail. Unlike much of the US military, LAPD officers receive extensive training in crowd control techniques – tactics officers were called upon to use during social unrest in the city following George Floyd's death in 2020. The effort, however, became a new flashpoint as certain hostile demonstrators threw bottles and other items at officers, who responded by swinging their batons and striking some members of the crowd. The protests had begun Friday night in response to federal immigration raids in the Los Angeles area, which come amid Trump's larger crackdown involving raids and deportations across the country. The LAPD announced dispersal orders and issued a citywide 'tactical alert,' putting the entire police department on standby for possible deployment. During a tactical alert, officers currently on duty must remain on shift until relieved by their commanders, and certain calls for service from the public may not be addressed until the alert is lifted. In one shocking moment, a motorcyclist plowed into a line of LAPD officers, injuring at least two of them, authorities said. The rider was quickly swarmed by a half dozen cops and arrested. It ranked among the most extreme incidents of violence witnessed Sunday. While teams of officers continued to push back crowds around the downtown area, there were additional clashes – including some violent agitators firing what the city's police chief described as 'commercial-grade fireworks' at authorities. As a group of mounted patrol officers surrounded a protester on the ground, a barrage of fireworks appeared to suddenly startle one of the horses, seen on video trampling the man. Another horse-mounted officer then struck the man with a stick. The video appears to show officers in a chaotic situation employing contradictory police tactics on the same person, which can often lead to confusion or dangerous outcomes. While one officer appeared to order the man to stand up and leave, the man was quickly tackled by another officer after standing. It is unclear from the video what happened before the incident, the reason officers initially surrounded him and whether he was ultimately arrested. Experts say the use of horses to patrol protests does come with numerous benefits to officers. The height of the animal provides a mounted officer with a vantage point to look over and into large crowds. The imposing size of a horse can also have a psychological effect in dissuading potential violence. Beyond the demonstrators protesting the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, vandals struck the downtown area as the afternoon continued. Building and vehicle windows were shattered and graffiti was sprayed. Multiple self-driving Waymo cars were also vandalized and set ablaze. Around 4 p.m., groups of demonstrators moved from the city streets to the lanes of the busy 101 Freeway, bringing traffic to a halt. Several dozen officers from the California Highway Patrol responded to clear people from the freeway, while some violent demonstrators on an overpass hurled objects such as scooters and rocks at CHP officers, smashing the windows and damaging several police cruisers. At one point, a man on an overpass dropped a lit object onto the hood of one of the CHP vehicles, attempting to set it on fire. Officers taking refuge under the bridge responded with fire extinguishers to douse the flames. The 101 Freeway incident showed instances of law enforcement trying to deescalate a chaotic situation rather than ratcheting up tensions with overwhelming force. For example, rather than bringing in teams of officers to surround and confront the demonstrators destroying property from atop the bridge, authorities appeared to wait them out. Officials have warned police will continue to review video taken at the scene in order to bring charges against those allegedly responsible for assault and damage. Additionally, officers clearing the freeway of demonstrators appeared to try to slow down the situation and remove people in groups, even as some isolated skirmishes occurred. A tactic known as an 'L-formation,' in which officers align themselves in the shape of the letter, created a natural path of movement for the demonstrators police were trying to direct off the highway. Shortly after 9 p.m., LAPD declared the entirety of downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly, and worked for several hours to disperse crowds ignoring the order. Authorities said dozens of people were arrested in Los Angeles as part of Sunday's unrest.
Newsweek
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump Administration Revokes Deportation Protections for Another Country
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. For the second time in a week, the Trump administration has announced it is revoking Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from another country—Nepal. In a brief announcement, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated that Nepalese individuals in the country with (TPS) should prepare to self-deport. Why It Matters The termination of Nepal's TPS comes after confirmation that Cameroon's status was being terminated earlier this week. Other countries, including Haiti and Afghanistan, have also seen their statuses revoked since January, putting thousands of immigrants at risk of deportation. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Exhibition and Congress Centre of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship near Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, Poland, on May 27, 2025. US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Exhibition and Congress Centre of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship near Rzeszow-Jasionka airport, Poland, on May 27, 2025. WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images What To Know USCIS said Thursday that the conditions in Nepal had improved such that the country no longer met the criteria for TPS. The status was first granted in June 2015 following an earthquake in the Asian nation. TPS is typically granted for a period of 18 months and was first extended in October 2016 during former President Barack Obama's second term. The first Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sought to terminate the status in 2018, but litigation from immigration advocates forced the department to extend TPS through March 2020, January 2021, and 2022. Following this, DHS said in a Federal Register notice that the protections from deportation were extended by the Biden administration twice more, with protections set to lapse on June 24, 2025. Nepal has made significant strides in rebuilding over the past decade, with its last disaster report in September 2024 indicating around 88 percent of damaged homes had been rebuilt, DHS said in its notice. The U.S. State Department currently rates Nepal as a Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution when it comes to traveling to the country due to risks of political violence. USCIS said those from Nepal with TPS—roughly 7,500 people—should prepare to leave the U.S., referring them to the CBP Home app's self-deport function. While TPS is by its very nature temporary, the program has allowed many recipients to then work in the U.S. and apply for more permanent visas. What People Are Saying DHS' Federal Register Notice: "Based on her review and consultation with the Department of State, the Secretary determined that, overall, there are notable improvements in environmental disaster preparedness and response capacity, as well as substantial reconstruction from the earthquake's destruction such that there is no longer a disruption of living conditions and Nepal is able to handle adequately the return of its nationals." What's Next With Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's decision Thursday, TPS will terminate for Nepalese people on August 5, 2025.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump bans citizens of 12 countries from entering US
Credit: The White House Donald Trump has signed a new travel ban targeting 12 countries, following a terror attack in Colorado that authorities blamed on a man they said was in the country illegally. The ban, which strongly resembles a similar measure taken in his first presidency, targets nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The White House said the ban would take effect on June 9 at 12.01am EDT (4.01am GMT). A partial ban has also been placed on travellers from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. 'The recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado has underscored the extreme dangers posed to our country by the entry of foreign nationals who are not properly vetted,' Mr Trump said in a video message from the Oval Office posted on X. 'We don't want them.' Mr Trump compared the new measures to the 'powerful' travel ban he imposed on a number of mainly Muslim countries in his first term in 2018. Joe Biden later repealed the ban in 2021, calling it 'a stain on our national conscience'. Mr Trump referenced Europe as an example as he vowed to crack down on migration. 'We will not let what happened in Europe happen in America,' he said. 'We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen. That is why today I am signing a new executive order placing travel restrictions on countries including Yemen, Somalia, Haiti, Libya, and numerous others.' Rumours of a new travel ban had circulated following the attack in Colorado, with the Trump administration promising to pursue 'terrorists' living in the US on visas. Suspect Mohammed Sabry Soliman, an Egyptian national, is alleged to have thrown fire bombs and sprayed burning gasoline at a group of people who had gathered on Sunday in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Credit: X Egypt is not one of the countries affected by the new travel ban. US Homeland Security officials said Mr Soliman was in the country illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa, but that he had applied for asylum in September 2022. 'President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect Americans from dangerous foreign actors that want to come to our country and cause us harm,' White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said on X. 'These common-sense restrictions are country-specific and include places that lack proper vetting, exhibit high visa overstay rates, or fail to share identity and threat information.' The US president plans to block nearly all foreign students from entering the country to attend Harvard University. The move is Mr Trump's latest attempt to choke the Ivy League school from an international pipeline that accounts for a quarter of student enrolments. In an executive order, Mr Trump declared that it would jeopardise national security to allow Harvard to continue hosting foreign students on its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 'I have determined that the entry of the class of foreign nationals described above is detrimental to the interests of the United States because, in my judgement, Harvard's conduct has rendered it an unsuitable destination for foreign students and researchers,' Mr Trump wrote in the order. The order stated Harvard had seen a 'drastic rise in crime in recent years while failing to discipline at least some categories of conduct violations on campus'. It also accused the university of failing to provide sufficient information to the Department of Homeland Security about foreign students' 'known illegal or dangerous activities'. It is a further escalation in the White House's fight with the nation's oldest and wealthiest university. Trump officials have repeatedly sought new fronts to pressure Harvard, cutting more than $2.6 billion in research grants and moving to end all federal contracts with the university. A federal court in Boston blocked the Department of Homeland Security from barring international students at Harvard last week. Mr Trump's order invokes a different legal authority. The order applies to all students attempting to enter the US to attend Harvard after the date of the executive order, issued on Wednesday. It provides a loophole to allow students whose entry would 'benefit the national interest', as determined by federal officials. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
