Tag Archives: U.S. citizens

Miami Herald: Hegseth Faces Blowback Over Pentagon ‘Campaign Rally’

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President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently convened a high-profile gathering of senior military leaders to outline the administration’s defense priorities and advocate for stringent military standards, a move critics likened to a campaign rally. The event drew scrutiny for its timing amid a government shutdown, with some military officials privately questioning Trump’s emphasis on deploying forces to address domestic unrest. The Pentagon announced plans to implement Hegseth’s proposed fitness standards by Jan. 2026, intensifying debates over the administration’s military reforms.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the event, stating, “The war on warriors is over.” He added, “Political correctness has no home at the Department of War. Today’s address cements a new but familiar culture we refer to as the warrior ethos and postures the department toward a new era of peace though strength.”

During the assembly, Trump and Hegseth focused on overhauling military practices, with Hegseth calling for rigorous fitness benchmarks and criticizing diversity-focused policies.

General Dan Caine praised the gathering, saying, “The event was an unprecedented opportunity and honor for the assembled senior officers and their top enlisted advisers to hear directly from the military’s civilian leadership.”

The Pentagon framed the event as advancing a “peace through strength” doctrine, explicitly rejecting “political correctness.” Democratic lawmakers condemned it as a misallocation of resources, urging greater attention to international security challenges.

Representative Pat Ryan (D-NY) voiced strong opposition, posting, “Deploying U.S. troops against U.S. citizens in American cities isn’t just Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) supported the administration’s approach, stating, “There needs to be more warfighter training.” He added, “We don’t do enough of it. We don’t do enough flying training. I like this approach … I thought it was a strong speech.”

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) supported the administration’s approach, stating, “There needs to be more warfighter training.” He added, “We don’t do enough of it. We don’t do enough flying training. I like this approach … I thought it was a strong speech.”

Hegseth Faces Blowback Over Pentagon ‘Campaign Rally’

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/hegseth-faces-blowback-over-pentagon-campaign-rally/ss-AA1OihRx

Macon Telegraph: Lawsuit Alleges ICE Detains U.S. Residents

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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem participated in an enforcement operation in Illinois, leading to multiple detentions and arrests related to Operation Midway Blitz. Advocates argued the operations could unfairly target U.S. citizens and impact mixed-status families. DHS has confirmed the five arrests.

Noem said, “President Trump has been clear: if politicians will not put the safety of their citizens first, this administration will.” She added, “Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking. Our work is only beginning.”

DHS said those arrested were undocumented with prior convictions, including DUI with a child passenger and violent assault. Two U.S. citizens were briefly detained for safety and released.

Officials said the operation targeted noncitizens with criminal histories in Chicago over several weeks. Video shared by Noem showed agents escorting handcuffed individuals.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “On August 28, ICE arrested Nathaniel Rojas, a criminal alien from the Dominican Republic. His criminal history includes convictions for felony grand larceny, felony aggravated DUI with a child passenger less than 16 years old, identity theft, and retail theft. This criminal alien is in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.”

Critics said many detainees had no criminal record, citing federal data, and argued the administration’s focus on high arrest totals raises due process concerns.

Lawsuit Alleges ICE Detains U.S. Residents

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/lawsuit-alleges-ice-detains-u-s-residents/ss-AA1Oi2Ll

Raleigh News & Observer: More Than 6K Arrested in FL Operation

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Florida authorities have arrested over 6,000 suspected undocumented immigrants under a federal-aligned enforcement strategy. The U.S. Border Patrol said more than 350 arrests came from “Operation One Way Ticket,” a joint effort with local, state, and federal agencies. Immigration advocates have condemned the strategy, warning the collaboration may lead to discrimination and profiling.

The reinstated 287(g) agreements allow local police to enforce federal immigration laws, prompting claims that immigrant workers are disproportionately targeted. Critics noted that some U.S. citizens have been mistakenly arrested. Sheriff Wayne Ivey said, “If you come into our country illegally, you broke the law.” Lt. Gov. Jay Collins added, “More operations are on the way.”

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Jeff Dinise said, “The state of Florida and our Florida sheriffs have embedded in every facet of homeland security.” Florida is reportedly detaining immigrants in state-run facilities, including near Jacksonville. The state cited security benefits, aiming to model immigration enforcement on a national level.

Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) Executive Director Dave Kerner said, “Florida’s law enforcement officers are on the front lines of protecting our state from the consequences of illegal immigration.” Kerner added, “This investment allows us to expand our capabilities and continue working alongside ICE to enforce the law and safeguard our communities.”

More Than 6K Arrested in FL Operation

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/more-than-6k-arrested-in-fl-operation/ss-AA1O9YUP

6,000+ families are now missing someone.

New York Times: Pritzker Says Federal Agents Are Trying to Make Chicago a ‘War Zone’

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Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois said he had ordered state agencies to investigate a raid on a Chicago apartment building where there had been reports of “nearly naked” children zip-tied by federal officers.

Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois blasted recent federal immigration enforcement efforts in Chicago on Sunday, dismissing assertions by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that the city was a “war zone” and blaming federal agents for escalating a sense of conflict.

“The secretary doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” the governor said in an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” adding that Chicagoans were “booing her on the street.”

Mr. Pritzker singled out a late-night Border Patrol raid last week at an apartment building on Chicago’s South Side, when video taken by bystanders showed residents of the building restrained with zip ties.

Federal agents were “just picking up people who are brown and Black and then checking their credentials,” Mr. Pritzker said. He added: “They are the ones that are making it a war zone. They need to get out of Chicago if they’re not going to focus on the worst of the worst, which is what the president said they were going to do.”

Mr. Pritzker suggested that the Trump administration, which plans to send 300 National Guard troops to Chicago, was intentionally heightening tensions. The administration wants to “create the war zone so they can send in even more troops,” he said.

Mr. Pritzker said he had directed state agencies to investigate what happened at the apartment building, citing reports of “children who were zip-tied and held, some of them nearly naked” and “elderly people being thrown into a U-Haul for three hours and detained.” Mr. Pritzker added he believed that some of the people were U.S. citizens.

“What kind of a country are we living in?” he said.

The governor also said he wanted to know more about an episode in Chicago on Saturday when a federal agent shot and wounded a motorist who, according to federal officials, had rammed and boxed-in a law enforcement vehicle.

“It’s really hard to know exactly what the facts are, and they won’t let us access the facts,” Mr. Pritzker said. “They are just putting out their propaganda. And then we’ve got to later determine what actually happened.”

Pritzker Says Federal Agents Are Trying to Make Chicago a ‘War Zone’
Gov. JB Pritzker of Illinois said he had ordered state agencies to investigate a raid on a Chicago apartment building where there had been reports of children zip tied “nearly naked” by federal officers.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/05/us/politics/pritzker-chicago-immigration.html

Irish Star: ICE agents drag children out of bed as they ransack Chicago apartment complex

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Chicago residents described the shocking experience following a late-night ICE raid on Tuesday, during which children were dragged out of their beds as the apartment complex was ransacked

A Chicago community is reeling following a late-night immigration raid on a South Side apartment complex.

Over 300 armed federal agents swarmed a five-story apartment complex late Tuesday evening in what became an hours-long immigration raid.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, alongside the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol agents, were targeting over 30 suspected members of the Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said 37 people were arrested.

Federal agents were seen rappelling from a Black Hawk helicopter on top of the building.

“My building is shaking. So, I’m like, ‘What is that?’ Then I look out the window, it’s a Blackhawk helicopter,” witness Dr. Alii Muhammad told ABC7 Chicago.

Residents said they ducked for cover as they heard several flash bangs go off, reports MSNBC.

One resident described the experience as “terrifying.”

“It was terrifying. The kids was crying. People were screaming. They were very distraught. I was out there crying when I seen the little girl come around the corner because they were bringing the kids out too, they had them zip-tied together,” said resident Eboni Watson to ABC7 Chicago.

“It was scary because I never had a gun put in my face,” another resident told the outlet.

Although the raid was aimed at detaining the suspected gang members, many residents say that U.S. citizens and children were swept into the mix.

Watson told the outlet that trucks and military-style vans were used to separate parents from their children. Other neighbors said agents destroyed property to get in the building, with doors blown off their hinges and holes in the wall, reports ABC7 Chicago.

According to MSNBC, dozens of residents were pulled from their homes in zip ties, including children. Residents were detained and held for hours, and cops told them that if they had any unrelated warrants, they would not be returning to their residences.

The raid on the apartment complex comes as Chicago residents have continuously staged protests against increased immigration enforcement activity in downtown Chicago. U.S. President Donald Trump previously vowed to deploy National Guard Troops to fight crime in Chicago, mirroring his current approach in Washington, D.C.

Beginning on Sept. 9, the Trump administration sent ICE to the city through Operation Midway Blitz. The U.S. The DHS launched the operation, which focuses on individuals in the country without legal status who also have criminal records or pending charges.

On Tuesday, during a massive military meeting at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Virginia, Trump declared that Chicago is one of many Democratic cities that should be used as a “training ground” for the U.S. military.

ICE agents drag children out of bed as they ransack apartment complex
Chicago residents described the shocking experience following a late-night ICE raid on Tuesday, during which children were dragged out of their beds as the apartment complex was ransacked

https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/ice-agents-drag-children-bed-36011822

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Twelve Democrats Join Anti-ICE Lawsuit

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Democratic lawmakers have sued the Trump administration for a rule that requires a seven-day notice before visiting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers. They argued that the policy has violated federal law, which allows unannounced oversight visits.

Lawmakers argued the new rule blocks their constitutional right to inspect detention centers.

The lawsuit emphasized ongoing concerns regarding blocked congressional access to detention facilities. Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ) currently faces federal charges linked to an oversight visit at a New Jersey facility.

….

[Rep. Joe] Neguse said, Blocking Members of Congress from oversight visits to ICE facilities that house or otherwise detain immigrants clearly violates Federal law—and the Trump administration knows it. Such blatant disregard for both the law and the constitutional order by the Trump administration warrants a serious and decisive response, which is why I’m proud to lead the lawsuit we proceeded with earlier today.

[Rep Bennie] Thompson stated, By blocking Members of Congress from visiting ICE detention facilities, the Trump administration is not only preventing us from conducting meaningful oversight of its facilities, it is clearly violating the law. This unprecedented action is just their latest effort to stonewall Congress and the American people. If DHS has nothing to hide, it must follow the law and make its facilities available.

….

Twelve Democrats Join Anti-ICE Lawsuit

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/twelve-democrats-join-anti-ice-lawsuit/ss-AA1N0V3j

Daily Beast: ICE Barbie Could Be Hit With Subpoena After Photo Op Flub: Ex-Prosecutor

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DHS boss Kristi [“Bimbo #2”] Noem joined law enforcement on a raid in which U.S. citizens were detained.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi [“Bimbo #2”] Noem could be subpoenaed after she joined a blundering ICE raid in which two U.S. citizens were wrongly detained, according to a former prosecutor.

[“Bimbo #2”] Noem—dubbed ICE Barbie for her love of dolling up in military gear for photo-ops—was present when the Americans were detained by her masked goons Tuesday as part of her ongoing “Operation Midway Blitz” in the Chicago area.

The embarrassing episode—which took place on Mexican Independence Day—prompted a former federal prosecutor to warn that Noem could be compelled to testify.

Joyce Vance—the former U.S. attorney in Alabama during the Obama administration and now an NBC and MSNBC legal analyst—argued in her Civil Discourse newsletter that Noem’s presence in an active operation potentially makes her a witness, opening the door to defense and civil lawyers seeking her testimony.

She wrote that [“Bimbo #2”] Noem’s on-scene involvement was “dangerous” and apparently done for “a photo op.”

“[“Bimbo #2”] Noem, too, should be concerned about the security risk her presence creates,” Vance wrote. “Furthermore, if [“Bimbo #2”] Noem accompanied agents to the scene, as the reporting indicates, she made herself a witness. If I’m a criminal defense lawyer for one of the men or a plaintiff’s lawyer in a civil suit, I’m cutting the subpoena for her testimony pronto.”

“This is why smart prosecutors know better than to go along when a search warrant is executed, let alone an attorney general or a Cabinet secretary,” Vance added. “But [“Bimbo #2”] Noem likes her photo ops.”

In typical fashion, [“Bimbo #2”] Noem has leaned into the cameras throughout Operation Midway Blitz.

[“Bimbo #2”] Noem boasted that she was “on the ground in Chicago” Tuesday as agents arrested what the department called “the worst of the worst.”

Coverage of the operation in Elgin, Illinois, noted that two U.S. citizens were cuffed and later released. [“Bimbo #2”] Noem posted footage herself on X.

However, one of those detained was Texas-born Joe Botello.

“I’m just blessed that I’m still alive,” the 37-year-old told theChicago Tribune, describing how armed and masked agents had smashed down his door and handcuffed him and his friends.

“I’ve been hearing it and seeing it through social media. But it never crossed my mind that it was going to happen here at the house… where I live.”

CBS News reported that a second U.S. citizen was also arrested during the raid. After showing their IDs, they were both released.

In a statement to the Daily Beast, a DHS spokesperson denied any “arrest” of U.S. citizens in the operation, insisting the men were held only “for their and officers’ safety… [which] is standard protocol.”

[“Bimbo #2”] Noem’s own video did not acknowledge the mistake.

ICE Barbie Could Be Hit With Subpoena After Photo Op Flub: Ex-Prosecutor
DHS boss Kristi [“Bimbo #2”] Noem joined law enforcement on a raid in which U.S. citizens were detained.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/ice-barbie-could-be-hit-with-subpoena-after-photo-op-flub-joyce-vance

USA Today: ‘Unconscionably irreconcilable’. Sotomayor rips Supreme Court’s pro-Trump ICE ruling

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The liberal justice called the order “unconscionably irreconcilable with our nation’s constitutional guarantees.”

  • Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote a dissenting opinion criticizing the majority’s decision and the Trump administration’s actions.
  • Sotomayor argued the ruling allows the government to seize people based on their appearance, language, and type of work.
  • The Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s order that had restricted ICE agents’ tactics in Los Angeles.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor blasted the Trump administration’s operation of the Los Angeles immigration raids, vowing not to stand idly by while the United States’ “constitutional freedoms are lost.”

On Sept. 8, the Supreme Court lifted a restraining order from a federal judge in LA who had restricted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from conducting stops without reasonable suspicion.

In July, US District Judge Maame Frimpong of the Central District of California said the government can’t rely solely on the person’s race, the language they speak, the work they perform, and whether they’re at a particular location, such as a pickup site for day laborers.

However, the Sept. 8 reversal by the Supreme Court’s mostly conservative majority gave the Trump administration another victory, as Sotomayor condemned the vote.

“That decision is yet another grave misuse of our emergency docket,” Sotomayor wrote in a blistering, 21-page dissent on Sept. 8. “We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low-wage job.”

Sotomayor called the order “unconscionably irreconcilable with our nation’s constitutional guarantees.”

The justice, an Obama appointee, ripped her high court conservative colleagues and the government over the ruling. Sotomayor declared that all Latinos, whether they are U.S. citizens or not, “who work low-wage jobs are fair game to be seized at any time, taken away from work, and held until they provide proof of their legal status to the agents’ satisfaction.”oss California by broadening its scope from those only with criminal records to anyone in the United States without proper authorization. The crackdown ignited protests, prompting Trump to call in the National Guard and eventually the Marines to diffuse the outrage.

In June, the Trump administration ramped up immigration raids across California by broadening its scope from those only with criminal records to anyone in the United States without proper authorization. The crackdown ignited protests, prompting Trump to call in the National Guard and eventually the Marines to diffuse the outrage.

Sotomayor takes exception to Kavanaugh’s explanation

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who agreed with the Trump administration, said in his concurrence on Sept. 8 that the District Court overreached in limiting ICE’s authority to briefly stop people and ask them about their immigration status.

“To be clear, apparent ethnicity alone cannot furnish reasonable suspicion; under this Court’s case law regarding immigration stops, however, it can be a ‘relevant factor’ when considered along with other salient factors,” Kavanaugh said.

He added, “Immigration stops based on reasonable suspicion of illegal presence have been an important component of US immigration enforcement for decades, across several presidential administrations.”Despite fears, still looking for work: 

Sotomayor took exception to Kavanaugh’s comments. She said ICE agents are not simply just questioning people, they are seizing people by using firearms and physical violence.

Sotomayor added that the Fourth Amendment, which is meant to protect “every individual’s constitutional right,” from search and seizure, might be in jeopardy.

“The Fourth Amendment protects every individual’s constitutional right to be ‘free from arbitrary interference by law officers,'” Sotomayor said. “After today, that may no longer be true for those who happen to look a certain way, speak a certain way, and appear to work a certain type of legitimate job that pays very little.” 

‘Unconscionably irreconcilable’. Sotomayor rips Supreme Court’s pro-Trump ICE ruling

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/08/sotomayor-supreme-court-ruling-unconscionably-irreconcilable/86048909007

Newsweek: Green card holder put in solitary confinement leaves family wanting answers

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AFilipino green card holder who has lived in the United States since childhood was detained and placed in solitary confinement after returning from a family trip to the Philippines, before later being released—a sequence of events that has left his family outraged.

On May 15, Customs and Border Protection officers stopped Maximo Londonio, a 42-year-old Olympia, Washington, resident, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport while he was returning from a trip to the Philippines with his wife, Crystal Londonio.

The couple had traveled overseas to mark their 20th wedding anniversary, but instead of a routine entry process, Londonio was taken into custody and held in what the family described as harsh conditions.

“A lack of compassion, a lack of care when it comes to, you know, necessities, basic needs, you know, good water, quality water,” Crystal Londonio told KING 5 Seattle at an anti-ICE protest in Seattle on Labor Day.

Newsweek has contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via email and the family through a GoFundMe page for comment outside office hours.

Why It Matters

President Donald Trump‘s administration has ramped up immigration enforcement operations in a bid to conduct widespread deportations.

Immigrants residing in the country illegally and legally, with valid documentation such as green cards and visas, have been detained under hard-line mass deportation plans. Newsweek has documented dozens of cases involving green card holders and applicants who were swept up in the immigration raids and various arrests, as well as several who have been released from detention.

What To Know

Born in the Philippines, Londonio came to the United States when he was 12 and has lived here since 1997, according to the immigrant advocacy group Tanggol Migrante Network WA. He and his wife have three daughters, all U.S. citizens.

Londonio works as a lead forklift operator and is a dues-paying member of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 695. His supporters cite his long-term residence, steady work and family ties as reasons he should not be deported.

Federal immigration law allows lawful permanent residents to be placed in removal proceedings if they have certain criminal convictions. Londonio’s record includes prior convictions for grand theft and drug possession, according to DHS.

After being detained at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma for two months under conditions his family described as inhumane, Londonio was released from ICE custody. Tanggol Migrante Network WA told Newsweek in July that Londonio had spent “nearly a month in solitary confinement.”

KING 5 Seattle reported that 800 people attended the Labor Day anti-ICE protest.

What People Are Saying

Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek in May: “Maximo Londono has a criminal record, including convictions for grand theft and the use of a controlled substance. Under federal immigration law, lawful permanent residents convicted of these types of crimes can lose their legal status and be removed. If you are an alien, being in the United States is a privilege—not a right. When you break our laws that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country.”

Maximo Londonio’s family wrote on GoFundMe: “Maximo is not a threat—he is a devoted father, loving husband, community member, and worker. He has rebuilt his life with dignity and purpose, and now his family’s future is being torn apart by a broken immigration system that’s targeting long-settled immigrants like him.”

What Happens Next

Londonio’s long-term immigration status remains in question. It is unknown whether his green card has been revoked or if immigration authorities will begin removal proceedings.

Green card holder put in solitary confinement leaves family wanting answers
“A lack of compassion, a lack of care when it comes to, you know, necessities, basic needs,” Crystal Londonio told KING 5 Seattle.

https://www.newsweek.com/green-card-holder-solitary-confinement-immigration-2122990

Root: These Leaders Are Calling For Americans to Rebel Against Trump Administration

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From an Army general to congressmen, these powerful voices are urging folks to rebel against the Trump administration.

From where you stand, it may look like you’re just watching unimaginable stuff go down, and nobody’s stepping in to stop it. In only eight months of his second term, President Donald Trump has managed to undermine the Constitution, disrupt the economy, send military troops to cities without congressional approval and divide the country over immigration, civil rights and more. It seems like there’s nothing regular Americans can do to stop him as he continues to complete the missions of his 2024 campaign, but many political leaders are offering suggestions to fight back in ways never seen before.

From local state officials to journalists and influential internet personalities, these powerful voices are urging folks to rebel against the Trump administration, and here’s exactly how they say it needs to be done.

  • DA Larry Krasner
  • Former Congressman Beto O’Rourke
  • Congressman Jerry Nadler
  • Roland Martin
  • Former Vice President Al Gore
  • Director Marshall Herskovitz
  • Former U.S. AG Eric Holder
  • Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
  • NYT Columnist Charles M. Blow
  • Congresswoman Lois Frankel
  • Greed v. Young Americans
  • Local Resistance Movements
  • FEMA Fights Back
  • Peaceful March Against Trump
  • Army General Mark Milley
  • Journalist Toure
  • Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom
These Leaders Are Calling For Americans to Rebel Against Trump Administration

https://www.theroot.com/these-leaders-are-calling-for-americans-to-rebel-agains-2000058801