Author Archives: M

Independent: Border Patrol carries out raid at Home Depot parking lot 600 miles from US-Mexico border

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Activists say that a U.S. citizen observing the operation was among those arrested

“The Border Patrol should do their jobs – at the border – instead of continuing their tirade statewide of illegal racial profiling and illegal arrests,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, told Cal Matters.

While the Border Patrol can operate within 100 miles of any U.S. border, including the California coast and nearby cities, a federal judge held in April that the agency cannot conduct warrantless immigration stops throughout California’s Eastern District, which includes Sacramento.

Border agents arrested at least 11 people during a Thursday raid outside a northern California Home Depot — including a U.S. citizen who was volunteering as an observer, according to local activists.

The operation, which took place in the Sacramento area, nearly 600 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, is the latest show of force from the Border Patrol in the state, which joined a full-cavalry raid in a Los Angeles park earlier this month.

“There is no such thing as a sanctuary city,” Border Patrol El Centro sector chief Gregory Bovino said Thursday in a video filmed in front of the state capitol building, referring to jurisdictions that don’t voluntarily assist with federal immigration enforcement.

“There is no such thing as a sanctuary state,” Bovino added in the clip, which features images of masked agents arresting men, soundtracked by the Kanye West song “Power.”

At least 11 people unlawfully in the U.S. were arrested in the early-morning operation, according to the Department of Homeland Security, including an immigrant man officials said was a “serial criminal” with past charges including illegal entry, possession of marijuana for sale, and felony burglary.

Bovino, in the video, said the arrests included a man who appears to have past fentanyl trafficking charges, and an individual arrested for impeding or assaulting a federal officer

So only 2 of 11 were actually criminals, plus you illegally bagged 1 U.S. citizen. Major fail!

However, Andrea Castillo said her husband Jose Castillo is a U.S. citizen and was among those arrested.

Video shared with KCRA shows Andrea Castillo yelling at agents as a group of masked officers pile Jose into an unmarked black minivan.

“Leave him alone, he’s a U.S. citizen!” she can be heard saying.

In the footage, one of the agents threatens to mace Castillo, and later says, “Google me,” when she asks for his badge number.

During the exchange, agents say they are detaining Jose Castillo because they believe he slashed the tires on a federal vehicle.

The activist group NorCal Resist said Jose Castillo was volunteering on behalf of the organization to document the operation, but did not impede officers. The group added that he has since been released.

Local lawmakers are questioning whether the operation violated a recent court order. Assembly member Rhodesia Ransom, whose district includes nearby Stockton, has reportedly asked the state attorney general’s office to investigate if federal officers are running afoul of state and federal laws or the U.S. Constitution with the operations.

“The Border Patrol should do their jobs – at the border – instead of continuing their tirade statewide of illegal racial profiling and illegal arrests,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a spokesperson for the governor’s office, told Cal Matters.

While the Border Patrol can operate within 100 miles of any U.S. border, including the California coast and nearby cities, a federal judge held in April that the agency cannot conduct warrantless immigration stops throughout California’s Eastern District, which includes Sacramento.

The ruling came in response to a series of operations at the beginning of the year targeting farmworkers in Kern County, which critics said were based on little more than the men’s appearance.

“You just can’t walk up to people with brown skin and say, ‘Give me your papers,’” U.S. District Court Judge Jennifer L. Thurston said in court at the time.

A separate ruling last week barred the Border Patrol from making similar raids in the district including Los Angeles, after a lawsuit accused federal agents of making indiscriminate arrests in locations like Home Depot parking lots.

When asked about the alleged arrest of a U.S. citizen and the legal criticisms, federal officials pointed to a Homeland Security press release announcing the operation, which did not mention either subject.

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, the architect of much of the administration’s immigration policy, has reportedly pressed immigration officials to reach 3,000 arrests per day, including by targeting hubs for day laborers like Home Depot parking lots.

The Trump administration’s recently passed “Big, Beautiful Bill” domestic spending legislation contains about $170 billion in wider immigration and border funding, which officials say will fuel a surge in domestic immigration operations.

Border Patrol raids Home Depot parking lot 600 miles from US-Mexico border
Activists say that a U.S. citizen observing the operation was among those arrested

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/border-patrol-raid-sacramento-home-depot-b2791909.html

Mirror: Trump officials give ICE access to Medicaid patients’ home addresses and ethnicity data

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The Trump administration has quietly authorized ICE to access personal data from 79 million Medicaid recipients—including addresses and ethnicities.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are set to gain access to the personal details of America’s 79 million Medicaid members, including home addresses and ethnicities, in a bid to locate immigrants who may be residing unlawfully in the United States, as per an agreement seen by The Associated Press.

The data will empower ICE officials to pinpoint “the location of aliens” nationwide, according to the pact inked Monday between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security. This deal has yet to be disclosed to the public, the Associated Press reported.

This unprecedented sharing of vast amounts of personal health information with immigration enforcement is the latest move in the Trump administration’s intensified efforts to detain 3,000 individuals daily, pushing the envelope of legal limits.

Legislators and certain CMS officials have questioned the lawfulness of deportation authorities’ access to some states’ Medicaid enrollee information.

This development, revealed by the Associated Press, was described by Health and Human Services officials as an effort to identify individuals improperly enrolled in the program.

However, the recent data-sharing arrangement clarifies what ICE officials plan to do with the health information.

“ICE will use the CMS data to allow ICE to receive identity and location information on aliens identified by ICE,” the agreement says.

The database will expose to ICE officials the names, addresses, birth dates, ethnic and racial information, as well as Social Security numbers for all individuals enrolled in Medicaid.

The state and federally funded program delivers health care coverage for the nation’s poorest residents, including millions of children.

The arrangement does not permit ICE officials to download the information.

Rather, they will be granted access to it for a restricted timeframe from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Sept. 9.

“They are trying to turn us into immigration agents,” said a CMS official who did not have permission to speak to the media and insisted on anonymity.

Revelations about potential immigration enforcement in emergency medical settings could spark panic among those in need of urgent care for themselves or their kids.

The crackdown on illegal immigration has already cast a shadow of fear over schools, churches, courthouses, and other common spaces, leaving immigrants and even U.S. citizens anxious about being swept up in raids.

Big Brother has arrived! 🙁

Trump gives ICE access to Medicaid patients’ addresses and ethnic data
The Trump administration has quietly authorized ICE to access personal data from 79 million Medicaid recipients—including addresses and ethnicities.

https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/breaking-trump-officials-give-ice-1274202

Kansas City Star: ‘Not on Our Watch’: ICE Announces Major Arrests

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ICE has reportedly arrested a suspected MS-13 gang member in Omaha, Nebraska, who is wanted for multiple murders in El Salvador. In addition, another suspected gang member was detained for ordering serious crimes such as murder and drug trafficking. ICE arrests are expected to further surge following a funding boost from $2 billion to $45 billion annually.

Wow! Pugsley Homan caught whole two real criminals. I’m impressed. Not!

…

[Todd] Lyons stated, “Our ICE officers and agents are protecting your neighborhoods, even when you don’t know the threat is there, so either support them, or get out of the way.”

Like hell you are. Your masked Gestapo thugs are terrorizing our neighborhoods, not protecting them.

‘Not on Our Watch’: ICE Announces Major Arrests

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/not-on-our-watch-ice-announces-major-arrests/ss-AA1ITaQn

Miami Herald: ‘Tone Down’: Shots Fired at Border Patrol, Sparking Fury

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A shooting at a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, has prompted White House Press Secretary Karoline [Bimbo #1] Leavitt to urge Democratic lawmakers to moderate their criticism of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported a nearly 700% increase in assaults on ICE officers. [Bimbo #1] Leavitt also called on progressive lawmakers to engage directly with ICE and CBP personnel to foster greater respect and understanding.

Your masked Gestapo thugs are getting the reception that they have earned.

A shooting at a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, Texas, has prompted White House Press Secretary Karoline [Bimbo #1] Leavitt to urge Democratic lawmakers to moderate their criticism of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reported a nearly 700% increase in assaults on ICE officers. [Bimbo #1] Leavitt also called on progressive lawmakers to engage directly with ICE and CBP personnel to foster greater respect and understanding.

Respect is earned, not accorded on demand. Your masked Gestapo thugs are coming up way short when it comes to earning respect.

[Bimbo #1] Leavitt added, “These are honorable Americans who are just simply trying to do their job to enforce the law. They go home to their families every night, just like we all do, and they deserve respect and dignity for trying to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and to remove public safety threats from our communities.”

There is nothing honorable about running around with masks on and kidnapping people. They are scum. They are pigs.

… Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) said, “What is deranged and cruel and outrageous is that, literally, we are seeing ICE agents — I assume they‘re ICE agents. They say they are. They don‘t have any identification. They‘re wearing masks. They‘re in plain clothes. They are coming and kidnapping and disappearing people on the streets of the United States.”

‘Tone Down’: Shots Fired at Border Patrol, Sparking Fury

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tone-down-shots-fired-at-border-patrol-sparking-fury/ss-AA1IJQUo

Sun Herald: Tenth Death in ICE Custody Sparks Outrage

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched an investigation into the death of Canadian citizen Johnny Noviello. He was reportedly found unresponsive at a Federal Detention Center in Miami. Noviello’s death has marked the tenth in ICE custody this year and the fourth in Florida.

ICE stated, “ICE remains committed to ensuring that all those in its custody reside in safe, secure, and humane environments. Comprehensive medical care is provided from the moment individuals arrive and throughout the entirety of their stay.”r

Bullshit! Way too many people have been saying otherwise.

ICE added, “All people in ICE custody receive medical, dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility, a full health assessment within 14 days of entering ICE custody or arrival at a facility, access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. At no time during detention is a detained illegal alien denied emergent care.”

More bullshit — see above.

ICE policies under President Donald Trump have drawn sharp criticism nationwide. ICE notified the Canadian consulate of Noviello’s death, though the consulate has not responded publicly. Noviello entered the U.S. in 1988 and became a lawful permanent resident in 1991.

Tenth Death in ICE Custody Sparks Outrage

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/tenth-death-in-ice-custody-sparks-outrage/ss-AA1IUBPZ

Latin Times: Florida Arrested Two Migrants Under a Law That a Federal Judge Had Already Blocked

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According to reporting by The Marshall Project and the Tampa Bay Times, at least 27 people have been arrested under the law since the injunction.

At least two people were charged under Florida’s immigration law after a federal judge had issued an order halting its enforcement.

The law, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in February, made it a first-degree misdemeanor for undocumented individuals to enter Florida after living in another U.S. state. In April, however, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams issued an injunction blocking enforcement of the law, citing likely constitutional violations.

Despite that ruling deputies in St. Johns County arrested two men in late May — one with an active federal immigration detainer — on charges of illegal entry. Prosecutors later dismissed or vacated the charges.

These arrests occurred more than a month after the judge’s order and were disclosed in Uthmeier’s biweekly report, a sanction imposed by Williams after she found him in civil contempt. Uthmeier said in his July report that he only became aware of the two cases at the end of June after requesting information from state and local law enforcement.

According to reporting by The Marshall Project and the Tampa Bay Times, at least 27 people have been arrested under the law since the injunction. In some cases, individuals were detained after minor traffic infractions. One U.S. citizen was reportedly arrested as a passenger in a speeding car.

After Judge Williams issued her original order, Uthmeier sent a memo to state and local law enforcement officers telling them to refrain from enforcing the law, even though he disagreed with the injunction. But five days later, he sent a memo saying the judge was legally wrong and that he couldn’t prevent police officers and deputies from enforcing the law, as the Associated Press points out.

Uthmeier also publicly the law in social media. In a June 17 post he wrote of the ruling:

“If being held in contempt is what it costs to defend the rule of law and stand firmly behind President Trump’s agenda on illegal immigration, so be it”

James Uthmeier = dumb fucking fool! It never ceases to amaze me that some of these idiots could pass a high school civics class, let alone graduate from law school.

Florida Arrested Two Migrants Under a Law That a Federal Judge Had Already Blocked
According to reporting by The Marshall Project and the Tampa Bay Times, at least 27 people have been arrested under the law since the injunction

https://www.latintimes.com/florida-arrested-two-migrants-under-law-that-federal-judge-had-already-blocked-586976

Alternet: Trump just made a big mistake — and he has no one to blame but himself | Opinion

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The Epstein scandal is the best thing to happen to the cause of freedom and democracy in a very long time. I don’t remember the last occasion when liberals could hope to break the grip that Donald Trump has had, not only on the Republicans but on the Washington press corps. With this story, there’s finally daylight between him and his base. MAGA is facing a crisis of faith and with that, there’s hope.

Which is why I was genuinely stunned yesterday to see former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismiss the Epstein scandal as just another distraction. “Whether it’s Jeffrey Epstein or Alcatraz, it’s all off the subject of what they’re doing with this budget that’s harmful to meeting the kitchen-table needs of the American people,” she said.

MSNBC’s James Downie put it well: “The public is pissed about Epstein in no small part because he was a rich guy who got away with heinous crimes, because he deliberately cultivated rich friends,” he said. “That’s an inequality story. The only way it could be closer to ‘kitchen-table issues’ is if the files were tucked in a goddamn pocketbook!”

Aside from that, she’s missing the bigger picture. The Epstein scandal has grown so fast that Trump now risks forfeiting the one thing that made him invincible in the eyes of many – that made it possible for him to credibly claim that he could shoot someone and never lose a supporter. That one thing is him being the exception to the rule.

In this case, the except to the rule of Epstein.

Fact is, the president was intimately involved with the disgraced financier and child-sex trafficker. (You can read about their history in today’s Times.) But the MAGA faithful never believed it, or if they did, they didn’t believe Trump deserved the same level of scrutiny. Why?

Because the cult of MAGA is animated by a conspiracy theory, one that holds that Trump was sent by God to fulfill a prophecy, as a hero who saves America from a secret cabal of powerful (Jewish) pedophiles who traffic young girls for sex to untouchable elites. In MAGA lore, Epstein came to represent this shadowy, malevolent confederacy. The idea was that Trump would get reelected in 2024 and bring them all to justice.

So even if there was concern about old pictures and videos of Trump palling around with Epstein, Trump couldn’t be that bad, because QAnon – the conspiracy theory’s name – said that Trump was MAGA’s champion. Enemies like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and George Soros were guilty and deserving of death, but Trump? He was the exception to that rule, the exception that would make America great again.

As long as MAGA believed in him as their savior, there was little he could do to lose their trust. He could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue. He could lead a paramilitary takeover of the US government. He could literally betray some supporters with the understanding that their sacrifice was for the greater good of saving little girls from monsters.

But then Trump made a mistake. He took MAGA’s faith for granted. He and US Attorney General Pam Bondi believed they would go wherever he told them to, even if the US Department of Justice concluded that there was no list of Epstein clients and there was no blackmail ring. They pulled back the curtain to reveal that Trump is not only a mere man, but a con man. And if MAGA believed him, well, that’s on them.

Up to that point, it really didn’t matter how much reporting there was about the actual relationship between Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, because MAGA could explain away those facts as part of the QAnon prophecy. The (Jewish) media is part of the evil conspiracy against America, so naturally they are going to try to bring its savior down. Now that Trump has triggered a crisis of faith, things are different.

You can see the difference in Trump’s reaction to the latest by the Wall Street Journal. It reported Thursday that he gave Epstein a “bawdy” note on his 50th birthday in which he drew the outline of a naked woman. He signed his name at the bottom as if the signature were her public hair. He included imaginary dialogue in which Trump says, “We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.” Trump concluded with saying: “Happy birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

If you’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, which is what MAGA has been doing for the last decade, there’s nothing to see here. But if you’re unwilling – if, in fact, you feel betrayed by a leader who said he’d reveal the secrets of America’s enemies but instead chose to protect those secrets – this might look like what it seems to be: Two grown men joking about their fondness for sex with underage girls.

It used to be that Trump could gut it out knowing that the rightwing media apparatus was behind him all the way. They could altogether shout down legitimate mainstream reporting. But the rightwing media apparatus – which includes men like Steven Bannon, Tim Pool, Tucker Carlson and Benny Johnson – made itself as powerful as it is by advancing Trump, in one way or another, as the leader of the cult of MAGA. In their view, he was never supposed to put himself in league with the Jewish conspiracy, yet that’s what he did, and now that he’s done so, these rightwing media personalities can’t accept it.

Therefore, Trump is in a position he has never been in. He must earn back trust from the MAGA faithful, trust that he used to safely assume was his. That’s why he ordered the attorney general to seek the release of grand jury testimony in the Jeffrey Epstein case. But in doing so, he opened space for more questions by the press corps, more demands by the rightwing media personalities, and more opportunities for his most loyal supporters to second-guess the purity of his intentions.

That’s not a distraction. That’s the whole ball game. Fortunately, many Democrats are taking advantage of it. They’re calling for the release of more documents, raising awareness of Trump’s hypocrisy and in general, they’re sewing doubt by hyping the idea that he’s hiding something. Nothing else has cracked Teflon Trump, but this might.

Pelosi ought to know better.

https://www.alternet.org/alternet-exclusives/trump-maga-epstein-2673383670

Columbus Ledger Enquirer: ICE Crackdown Draws Outrage from Local Leaders

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Federal immigration enforcement efforts in Los Angeles have escalated sharply, leading to 2,792 arrests, including nearly 1,200 individuals detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The surge in enforcement has drawn strong criticism from local officials and community leaders, who argue that the actions are sowing fear in vulnerable communities. Democratic leaders have called for greater transparency and accountability, warning that the crackdown could erode trust in public institutions.

A Home Depot spokesperson stated, “We aren’t notified that ICE activities are going to happen, and in many cases, we don’t know that arrests have taken place until after they’re over. We’re required to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in every market where we operate.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated, “CBP arrested 14 illegal aliens during an operation near Figueroa Street, and 11 illegal aliens in North Hollywood, CA, and 12 illegals on Sunset Boulevard. Criminal histories of those detained include drug trafficking, firearm offenses, theft, forgery, DUIs, and battery.”

And as usual DHS is probably lying and most of those 37 people that they arrested probably have NO CRIMINAL RECORDS.

City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez condemned federal immigration raids, saying they clash with city values. Reports showed children at summer camps were forced indoors during raids at places like MacArthur Park.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the actions “disgraceful.” Local officials argued that the federal crackdown does little to address crime and only fractures families.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed President Donald Trump’s authority to control the California National Guard, permitting its deployment in Los Angeles.

Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez said, “I’m completely outraged by what’s going on.” Soto-Martinez added, “These are day laborers. These are people that are coming here every single day to try to find work. These are street vendors. These are folks that feed our community.”

ICE Crackdown Draws Outrage from Local Leaders

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ice-crackdown-draws-outrage-from-local-leaders/ss-AA1IV5ky

Independent: ICE secretly deported Pennsylvania grandfather, 82, after he lost his Green Card

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‘I can see all my family is in pain right now,’ Luis Leon granddaughter said

The family of an 82-year-old Chilean national feared he was dead for weeks before discovering that he had been detained by ICE after he misplaced his green card, according to a report.

Relatives last saw Luis Leon, who lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on June 20, when he and his wife visited the Philadelphia immigration office to replace his lost green card, The Morning Call first reported.

There, officers handcuffed him and took him away without explanation, relatives told the outlet. His family was left scrambling, contacting immigration offices, hospitals and even a morgue for more information on Leon’s whereabouts.

Then, on July 9, Leon’s wife received a call that seemed to confirm the family’s worst fears; the caller claimed the 82-year-old had died.

Thankfully, this week, his family members learned that Leon had been moved from a detention facility in Minnesota to Guatemala. He’s now in a hospital in Guatemala City, the outlet reported. The Independent has reached out to ICE for more information.

It’s not immediately clear why he was sent to Guatemala. But last month, the Supreme Court left the door open for the Trump administration to deport immigrants to countries they have never called home.

“I can see all my family is in pain right now,” his granddaughter Nataly told The Morning Call. She’s planning to fly to Guatemala to see her grandfather, who suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and other conditions.

She told the outlet she hopes to amplify Leon’s experience to show how he was treated by the immigration system.

If the multi-location ordeal wasn’t enough, the unknown caller contacted the family another time. Days after immigration authorities arrested Leon, a woman claiming to be an immigration attorney called Leon’s wife and claimed she could help get Leon out on bail. However, she didn’t mention how she learned about the case or where he was at the time.

Leon was granted political asylum in 1987 after surviving Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet’s regime, the outlet reported. He has a clean record — and hasn’t even been given so much as a parking ticket, the family claimed.

He’s not alone, figures from the data distribution organization Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse show. As of this week, there are more than 56,800 people in ICE detention; 72 percent of them have no criminal convictions.

The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking news brand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. We have grown a huge, global readership of independently minded individuals, who value our trusted voice and commitment to positive change. Our mission, making change happen, has never been as important as it is today.

ICE secretly deported Pennsylvania grandfather, 82, after he lost his Green Card
‘I can see all my family is in pain right now,’ Luis Leon granddaughter said

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ice-deported-grandpa-green-card-b2792290.html

Fox News: Democrats fume over new plan to house illegal migrants in New Jersey, Indiana military bases

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Democrats said that move is ‘inhumane’ and would ‘jeopardizes military preparedness’

Military bases in both New Jersey and Indiana will soon be used by Homeland Security to house illegal immigrants, drawing a furious response from Democratic lawmakers.

Parts of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and Camp Atterbury in Indiana will be repurposed and used as “temporary soft-sided holding facilities,” the Defense Department told Fox News Digital, citing a decision by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

New Jersey Democrats blasted the decision, warning it would harm military readiness and urging Republicans to join them in helping reverse it. Both bases were previously used to house thousands of Afghan refugees following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

“This is an inappropriate use of our national defense system and militarizes a radical immigration policy that has resulted in the inhumane treatment of undocumented immigrants and unlawful deportation of U.S. citizens, including children, across the country,” the group of Democrats said in a joint statement.

“Using our country’s military to detain and hold undocumented immigrants jeopardizes military preparedness and paves the way for ICE immigration raids in every New Jersey community. We have the greatest military in the world and using it as a domestic political tool is unacceptable and shameful.”

The statement was made by Reps. Herb Conaway, LaMonica McIver, Donald Norcross, Rob Menendez, Frank Pallone, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Josh Gottheimer and Nellie Pou as well as Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim. 

It is unclear when either site will open and a decision will depend on operational requirements and coordination with Homeland Security, the Defense Department said. 

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is a joint military base operated by U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy — the only tri-service base in the country. Spanning 42,00 acres, it’s home to 45,000 military and civilian personnel, making it one of the largest and most strategically important on the East Coast.

Camp Atterbury is an Army and Air National Guard base near Edinburgh that spans 34,000 acres and has been used for training brigades and hosting large-scale operations. 

Under the Trump administration, Homeland Security has been using detention facilities to house migrants while they await asylum hearings or deportation. 

The lawmakers said that Hegseth wrote to Conoway informing him of the decision. Hegseth wrote in the letter that the move would not negatively affect military training, operations, readiness, or any other military requirements, per NJ Spotlight News. 

New Jersey is already home to Delaney Hall and the Elizabeth Detention Center which are being used as immigration detention facilities, although they are privately operated. Delaney Hall was the scene where Democrat Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested and charged with trespassing in a clash with federal immigration officials in May. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D‑N.J., was later federally charged for allegedly interfering with federal officers during the same incident.

The news comes two weeks after President Donald Trump signed the Big Beautiful Bill into law, which allocated between $150 billion and $170 billion towards immigration enforcement over the next several years, $45 billion of which was carved out to expand immigration detention facilities. The funds are part of the Trump administration’s efforts to carry out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. 

Earlier this month, the Trump administration opened an immigration detention camp in Florida’s Everglades that is surrounded by alligators dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz.”

Democrats fume over new plan to house illegal migrants in New Jersey, Indiana military bases
Military bases in both New Jersey and Indiana will soon be used by Homeland Security to house illegal immigrants, furious Democrat lawmakers who oppose the move have announced.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/democrats-fume-over-new-plan-house-illegal-migrants-new-jersey-indiana-military-bases