Biden is sending active-duty soldiers to border crisis front lines, drawing fierce criticism from Democrats



The Biden administration is deploying 1,500 active-duty military personnel to assist with a border crisis that top government officials refuse to acknowledge.

On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin authorized the deployment of active-duty troops to the southern border to assist Border Patrol as agents brace for an influx of migration triggered by the end of Title 42. The policy, which fast-tracks migrant deportations, will end on May 11.

The troops will be deployed for 90 days and sourced from various Army and Marine Corps active-duty units. The troops will assist with administrative operations, which includes filling "critical capability gaps such as ground-based detection and monitoring, data entry and warehouse support until CPB can address these needs through contracted support," Pentagon press secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said.

But, Gen. Ryder explained, the troops "will not directly participate in law enforcement activities." They will, however, be armed for self-defense.

The deployment comes at the request of the Department of Homeland Security.

What was the reaction?

The decision to deploy troops quickly drew criticism from Biden and Democratic allies.

Andrea Flores, Biden's former director for border management at the National Security Council, said the deployment proves officials are unprepared for the end of Title 42.

"Deploying military personnel suggests a concerning lack of readiness for this transition," Flores tweeted. "@DHSgov had over two years to plan a gradual wind down of Title 42. Instead, the situation has escalated into a greater emergency that will, once again, lead to troops in border communities."

Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez (N.J.), meanwhile, called the deployment "unacceptable."

"The Biden Administration's militarization of the border is unacceptable," he said in a statement. "There is already a humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere, and deploying military personnel only signals that migrants are a threat that require our nations troops to contain. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Menendez added that his attempts to work with the Biden administration have been "largely ignored" and accused the administration of "trying to score political points" and "intimidate migrants."

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Former DHS disinformation czar Nina Jankowicz registers as foreign agent, goes to work countering 'gendered disinfo' overseas



Nina Jankowicz was President Joe Biden's controversial pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security's Disinformation Governance Board for the entirety of its three-week existence. Undaunted in her desire to become a state-funded arbiter of truth, the 33-year-old self-described "Mary Poppins of disinformation" is now registered as a foreign agent so that she can combat undesirable speech abroad.

What are the disinformation-free details?

Jankowicz, who previously suggested the Hunter Biden laptop story was part of a Russian disinformation campaign, announced on Sept. 23 that she would be working with an organization allegedly "dedicated to protecting democracy, peace, and truth."

\u201cBack from maternity leave and thrilled to be working with an organization that is dedicated to protecting democracy, peace, and truth.\u00a0\n\nI will be focusing on building CIR\u2019s portfolio countering gendered disinfo and supporting CIR\u2019s ongoing work responding to foreign influence.\u201d
— Nina Jankowicz \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Nina Jankowicz \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1663939591

That organization, the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), is a U.K.-based nonprofit founded by British citizen Adam Rutland and U.K.-U.S. national Ross Burley, which claims to focus on "countering disinformation & exposing human rights abuses."

The CIR is financed in part by grants from the U.K. government, including the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

According to foreign agent registration documents dated Nov. 17, in this new role Jankowicz "supervises research, executes business strategy, oversees the establishment of CIR's research, communicates with the media, and briefs individuals and officials on CIR's research."

The registration documents also indicated that Jankowicz will receive £450 for 12 months and be expected to act as an ambassador for the foreign organization "on the Hill, within the Federal Government, media, among tech companies / Silicon Valley, on "K Street", and among potential philanthropic organisations."

\u201cNINA JANKOWICZ registers as a foreign agent for the U.K.'s Centre for Information Resilience, which tracks disinfo. \n\nShe'll serve as their "ambassador" to American policy makers and a media representative. https://t.co/1KrG5KrKUy\u201d
— Chuck Ross (@Chuck Ross) 1669216330

Managing disinformation overseas

The CIR suggested on Twitter that Jankowicz would lead the CIR's efforts in countering "hostile state efforts to distort the information space" and that she would be launching the Hypatia Project.

Citing claims that Vice President Kamala Harris "slept her way to the top" as an example of "online abuse and lies," Jankowicz's London-based Hypatia Project will target so-called gendered disinformation, defined as a "subset of online gendered abuse that uses false or misleading gender and sex-based narratives against women, often with some degree of coordination, aimed at deterring women from participating in the public sphere."

While various politicians and female leaders are referenced on the project's site as examples of female women who have faced swatting attacks, online abuse, or denigration by fellow politicians, not one American conservative or Republican is named.

The Hypatia Project will "advocate for private and public sector policy solutions to make the internet ... safer and more civil for everyone" and "document the relationship between gendered disinformation and coordinated hostile state activity online."

Managing disinformation at home

Jankowicz, an advocate for de-platforming former President Donald Trump, was previously executive director of the DHS' Disinformation Governance Board, which was announced on April 27. She did not last long in the role.

\u201cCat's out of the bag: here's what I've been up to the past two months, and why I've been a bit quiet on here.\n\nHonored to be serving in the Biden Administration @DHSgov and helping shape our counter-disinformation efforts. \n\nhttps://t.co/uN20vl7qqV\u201d
— Nina Jankowicz \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Nina Jankowicz \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1651058235

The board was "paused" three weeks later, culminating in its demise and with Jankowicz's resignation on May 18.

The board had been likened to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984" and faced significant opposition.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) tweeted, "The Federal Government has no business creating a Ministry of Truth. The Department of Homeland Security's "Disinformation Board" is unconstitutional and unamerican, and I'll be introducing a bill to defund it."

Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) called Jankowicz a "political hack" and tweeted that the board was "seriously dangerous and wholly unconstitutional."

\u201cBiden's dystopian Disinformation Governance Board is seriously dangerous and wholly unconstitutional.\n\nI'm demanding Congress investigate DHS' Ministry of Truth\u2014NOW.\u201d
— Rep. Andrew Clyde (@Rep. Andrew Clyde) 1651156805

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) similarly denounced the board, tweeting, "The Biden administration just took one more step towards Communism. DHS’ 'Ministry of Truth' is a crackdown on our Constitutional right to Free Speech."

An opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal pointed out that in "a twist too implausible for fiction, the abbreviation [for the board] is DGB, one letter off from KGB. ... The incentives are clear. Truth experts at the DGB will proclaim grave threats around every turn even when any 'threats' are minor to nonexistent."

Taylor Lorenz, writing for the Washington Post, suggested that the widespread concern over the disinformation board's potential for abuse was itself a "textbook disinformation campaign."

Although arguing that the board was not intended to police speech, Lorenz quoted a Hill staffer who said, "Nina's role was to come up with strategies for the department to counter this type of campaign" — to counter criticism of the government.

Jankowicz, denied the opportunity to seek out such "threats" with the DGB, said in a statement obtained by Insider, "With the Board's work paused and its future uncertain, and [sic] I have decided to leave DHS to return to my work in the public sphere. ... It is deeply disappointing that mischaracterizations of the Board became a distraction from the Department's vital work."

Given Jankowicz's registration as a foreign agent and new role, it would appear "Marry Poppins" is back in London.

\u201cYou can just call me the Mary Poppins of disinformation \ud83d\udc81\ud83c\udffb\u200d\u2640\ufe0f\u201d
— Nina Jankowicz \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Nina Jankowicz \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1613597750

DHS secretary warns illegal immigrants: 'US borders are not open'



Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned Tuesday that already "historic levels" of illegal immigration are likely to rise and that migrants should be aware they will be "sent back" if they appear at the southern border.

"The United States continues to enforce its immigration laws. Individuals and families should not put their lives at risk by taking the dangerous journey only to be sent back," Mayorkas said in a video released by the Department of Homeland Security.

"The restrictions at our southwest border have not changed. Single adults and families encountered will continue to be expelled, where appropriate, under Title 42. And those who are unable to establish a legal basis to remain will be removed," he added.

The United States continues to enforce its immigration laws, and restrictions at our Southwest border have not changed.

The bottom line is that U.S. borders are not open.

Individuals and families continue to be subject to border restrictions, including expulsion. pic.twitter.com/YYTjGSkfTE
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 24, 2022

The secretary's statement comes days after a federal judge blocked the Biden administration from ending the Trump-era pandemic health order known as Title 42, which requires asylum-seekers to wait outside the U.S. while their claims are processed and expedites deportations of those who entered the country illegally. Immigration activists have called for President Joe Biden to end the order, saying the pandemic restrictions are no longer necessary and that the policy is motivated by racism or xenophobia.

However, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Title 42 would be lifted in April, several Republican-led border states sued, arguing the Biden administration had not properly weighed the costs states would assume from an inevitable surge of illegal immigration once the order was lifted.

Axios reported Tuesday that as many as 50,000 migrants are waiting in Mexican shelters for Title 42 to end so they can cross into the United States. Internal data from the DHS reportedly says about 8,000 people are trying to illegally cross the southern border daily.

On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Summerhays of Louisiana ruled against the government, finding that the end of Title 42 would pose "significant threat of injury" to the states.

In response, Mayorkas confirmed that Title 42 will continue to be enforced at the border.

"The U.S. Border Patrol already is managing numbers at historic levels due to large movements of people fleeing violence, corruption, poverty, climate change, and other hardships. And numbers could rise further from confusion over recent court orders and as smugglers continue to peddle misinformation to make a profit," he said in the video.

Mayorkas added that the DHS is working with other federal agencies and south and central American governments to deter migrants from attempting to make the journey to the United States.

"The bottom line is that U.S. borders are not open," he said.

"Do not come to the border. Do not put your life at risk only to be sent back."

White House told a lie about vaccines that was so outrageous that even CNN and WaPo called them out: 'Delete this'



The White House was slammed for a statement about vaccines that spread disinformation. The statement was so blatantly false that even fact-checkers from CNN and the Washington Post called on the Biden administration to delete the misinformation.

The official White House Twitter account claimed that there was no COVID-19 vaccine available when President Joe Biden took office in January 2021.

"When President Biden took office, millions were unemployed and there was no vaccine available," the White House stated on Twitter. "In the last 15 months, the economy has created 8.3M jobs and the unemployment rate stands at 3.6% — the fastest decline in unemployment to start a President's term ever recorded."

When President Biden took office, millions were unemployed and there was no vaccine available.\n \nIn the last 15 months, the economy has created 8.3M jobs and the unemployment rate stands at 3.6% \u2014 the fastest decline in unemployment to start a President's term ever recorded.
— The White House (@The White House) 1652391900

However, President Joe Biden received his first COVID-19 vaccine dose on Dec. 21, 2020.

"Today, I received the COVID-19 vaccine," Biden tweeted. "To the scientists and researchers who worked tirelessly to make this possible — thank you. We owe you an awful lot. And to the American people — know there is nothing to worry about. When the vaccine is available, I urge you to take it."

Today, I received the COVID-19 vaccine.\n\nTo the scientists and researchers who worked tirelessly to make this possible \u2014 thank you. We owe you an awful lot.\n\nAnd to the American people \u2014 know there is nothing to worry about. When the vaccine is available, I urge you to take it.pic.twitter.com/QBtB620i2V
— Joe Biden (@Joe Biden) 1608598500

Biden received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination on Jan. 13, 2022. The official White House Twitter account shared a video of Biden being vaccinated against COVID-19.

President-elect Biden received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine because he trusts scientists.\n\nOur administration is committed to doing everything possible to ensure every American has all the information they need to get vaccinated.pic.twitter.com/9FzLEeqwOi
— The White House (@The White House) 1610560869

According to the Our World in Data website, there were nearly 19 million Americans who had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by President Biden's Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2021. There were 3.5 million Americans who were fully vaccinated by the time Biden became president.

The White House's tweet was fact-checked by CNN and the Washington Post – both of which are generally friendly outlets to the Biden administration.

The Washington Post's resident fact-checker Glenn Kessler stated, "Who’s manning the @WhiteHouse Twitter account? Delete this false tweet. Biden himself has said 8% of seniors had gotten the vaccine on the day he took office. Biden was one of them."

CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale wrote, "'There was no vaccine available' is very clearly false. More than 3 million Americans were fully vaccinated and more than 18 million had at least one dose by Biden’s Inauguration Day. Biden himself was fully vaccinated. Obviously became more widely available with time, but no doubt, and they’re free to tweet 'the vaccine wasn’t available to much of the public' or whatever. 'There was no vaccine available,' the end, goes way too far given that there were nearly 19 million people with shots, wrongly suggesting the whole rollout began under Biden."

Twitter reactions to the false statement came in fast and furious. Many commentators called for Biden's recently-created Disinformation Governance Board and the Department of Homeland Security-appointed misinformation czar Nina Jankowicz to correct the misleading statement from the White House.

CNN contributor Scott Jennings: "Joe Biden himself was vaccinated during the Trump administration, and we were doing one million shots a day when Biden was sworn in. These guys aren’t even trying anymore."

Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas): "Will the new Ministry of Truth be fact checking this absurd propaganda from the White House? No vaccines? None? Seriously? Delete this tweet and stop disgracing the office."

Libertarian politician Spike Cohen: "Hey @DHSgov, how do I report a tweet to your new Disinformation Governance Board? The vaccine was available before Biden took office."

Fox News anchor John Roberts: "And.... @twitter appears content to let this go unchallenged."

Cultural commentator Michael Malice: "Their lies are becoming more explicit and more brazen They are using Twitter etc to literally script an imaginary universe."

Singer Phil Labonte: "The vaccine was available when Biden took office. There was not job 'creation.' The jobs existed before the shutdown. If Trump said this the whole of the establishment media would be fact jacking and there would be wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth over 'TRUMPS LIES.'"

Radio host Buck Sexton: "Biden regime propaganda isn’t just untrue, it’s pathetic."

Sports commentator Clay Travis: "The first sentence is a lie. Joe Biden, and millions of others, received covid shots before January 20th. The second paragraph is classic disinformation. These are not 'new' jobs, they are the jobs we shut down in March 2020. We still aren’t back to the March 2020 job numbers."

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.): "The Communist Ministry of Truth is in full force."

Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat: "This is inaccurate false information. I received my vax Dec 2020 when Trump was President thanks to Operation Warp Speed which was available to me & millions of others."

Former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services Michael Caputo: "As a senior HHS leader on Operation Warp Speed I confirm this statement is false and misleading pandemic disinformation, a very clear violation of @TwitterSafety rules. The FDA authorized the first COVID19 vaccine for public use 12-11-2020."

GOP lawmaker grills DHS secretary: If Biden sent FEMA to the border, doesn’t that mean it's an emergency?



A Republican congresswoman on Wednesday pressed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the Biden administration's deployment of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the border, wanting him to admit that the situation is an "emergency."

Mayorkas was called to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee, answering questions about Department of Homeland Security operations and responding to lawmakers' concerns over the migrant crisis at the southern border.

At the hearing, Mayorkas declined to characterize the recent surge of migrant apprehensions and overwhelmed border protection facilities as a "crisis" or even an "emergency," despite the Biden administration deploying FEMA to the border to assist with caring for thousands of unaccompanied children now in the federal government's custody.

During questions, Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) asked if Mayokas could "tell me what FEMA stands for?"

"Federal Emergency Management Administration," Mayorkas replied. (The "A" in FEMA actually stands for "Agency.")

"Excellent, so, since FEMA has now deployed to the border, that would stand to reason that there is an emergency on the border, correct?" Cammack followed up.

"We have a very serious challenge at the border, and we are tackling it," Mayorkas said, displeasure evident in his tone.

Later, Cammack shared the story of her high school classmate Amber Scott, who was kidnapped by an illegal immigrant who had been deported multiple times.

"I think when you have policies that incentivize folks to come over illegally and we don't have the proper mechanisms in place to protect our borders — as you say, FEMA has been deployed and they are an emergency agency — that kind of impact has resounding effects," she told Mayorkas before asking, "How many more Ambers have to be kidnapped across America before you will take action?"

Mayorkas was offended by the question.

"Congresswoman, I find that question to be extraordinarily disrespectful," he told her. "Disrespectful not only to me, but disrespectful to the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security and to all the frontline personnel throughout this country who dedicate themselves to the safety and security of the American people."

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Cammack replied. "I'm sure the American people feel very disrespected about the border situation they're facing right now."

.@DHSgov Sec. Mayorkas called one of my questions "extraordinarily disrespectful" when I mentioned a classmate's ki… https://t.co/BkqijRuFxc
— Congresswoman Kat Cammack (@Congresswoman Kat Cammack)1616004768.0

Republican lawmakers grilled Mayorkas over the Biden administration's handling of the migrant crisis at the southern border. They accused President Joe Biden's policies of incentivizing illegal immigration, charging that the U.S. border is effectively an open border because of Biden's reversal of President Donald Trump's policies.

The "border is secure and the border is not open," Mayorkas told lawmakers, acknowledging that the situation is "undoubtedly difficult."

Addressing the migrant surge in his opening remarks, the secretary said, "Most are single adults who are expelled within hours back to Mexico, pursuant to the CDC's public health authority."

""Families who are apprehended at the border are also immediately expelled under the same public health authority unless we confront at times a limitation on Mexico's capacity to receive them," he added.

As for unaccompanied children, the Biden administration ended Trump's policy of sending them back to Mexico. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is currently in custody of 4,200 children, who have been placed in detention centers, facing reportedly horrific conditions as they wait to be transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement for processing and placement with family and sponsors already in the country.

"Their families made the heart-wrenching decision to send them on a journey across Mexico to provide them with a better, safer future," Mayorkas said.

Republicans said Biden's policies were incentivizing migrants to travel to the U.S., contributing to the dire situation in overwhelmed DHS and HHS facilities.

"Through irresponsible rhetoric and actions by this administration, worsening unprecedented crisis unfold during a pandemic, the situation at the border continues to get worse every day, with inadequate action or even proper acknowledgment of the severity of the situation," committee ranking member Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) said.

Another Republican, Rep. Michael McCaul (Texas), credited President Trump with successfully deterring illegal immigrants from entering the country.

But Mayorkas criticized the Trump approach, saying, "Sometimes, the tools of deterrence defy values and principles for which we all stand. And one of those tools of deterrence that the Trump administration employed was deplorable and absolutely unacceptable," adding that Trump's family separation policies were the real "humanitarian crisis."

"A crisis is when a nation is willing to rip a 9-year-old child out of the hands of his or her parent and separate that family to deter future migration," he said. "That, to me, is a humanitarian crisis. And what the president has committed to, and what I am committed to and execute, is to ensure that we have an immigration system that works and that migration to our country is safe, orderly, and humane."

Committee Democrats blamed the Trump administration for causing the current migrant crisis.

Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said Mayorkas and Biden's DHS have been "left to deal with the mess the last administration left behind."

"Let me be clear, the Trump administration's cruel, shortsighted policies directly contributed to the situation at the border now," Thompson said.

President Trump takes new action against Antifa, one step closer to terrorist organization designation



President Donald Trump took new action against Antifa on Tuesday, signing an executive order asking the State Department to evaluate whether the far-left anarchist group should be classified as a terrorist organization.

What's the background?

Antifa has become an infamous staple throughout Trump's presidency, often making headlines for engaging in violent clashes with right-wing demonstrators in cities nationwide.

Because of the group's penchant for violence, Trump has toyed with the idea of officially designating Antifa as a terrorist organization.

Trump said in July 2019, "Consideration is being given to declaring ANTIFA, the gutless Radical Left Wack Jobs who go around hitting (only non-fighters) people over the heads with baseball bats, a major Organization of Terror (along with MS-13 & others). Would make it easier for police to do their job!"

In August 2019, Trump said, "Major consideration is being given to naming ANTIFA an 'ORGANIZATION OF TERROR.'"

And in May 2020, Trump declared, "The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization."

What did the EO say?

Despite Trump's public declarations, Antifa has not been classified as a terrorist organization. However, Tuesday's executive order was a concrete step toward such a designation becoming reality.

Trump's executive order calls on the State Department, Justice Department, and Homeland Security Department to evaluate whether Antifa should be classified as a terrorist organization.

The executive order says:

The Secretary of State shall, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, review information received from the Department of Justice and other authorities to assess whether to classify Antifa as a terrorist organization under section 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi) of title 8, United States Code.

The Secretary of State shall take all appropriate steps, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, to consider listing Antifa in 9 FAM 302.5-4(B)(2)(U) Aliens Who Are Members of an Identified Criminal Organization.

"The Department of Justice has already publicly confirmed that actions by Antifa and similar groups meet the standard for domestic terrorism," the executive order declares.

"The violence spurred on by Antifa — such as hurling projectiles and incendiary devices at police, burning vehicles, and violently confronting police in defiance of local curfews — is dangerous to human life and to the fabric of our Nation. These violent acts undermine the rights of peaceful protestors and destroy the lives, liberty, and property of the people of this Nation, especially those most vulnerable," the order says.

Anything else?

Critics say designating Antifa as a terrorist organization is not possible because the group does not have centralized leadership like, say, Al Qaeda.

However, leaked emails from the Department of Homeland Security regarding violence in Portland last summer revealed that Antifa is, in fact, organized.

#Whistleblower #PortlandProtest Breaking: According to this @DHSgov internal email, obtained @CBSNews, former Actin… https://t.co/Glc5te3Q8N
— Catherine Herridge (@Catherine Herridge)1600124417.0

ICE arrests 170 criminal aliens in sanctuary cities



Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday announced the arrest of more than 170 criminal illegal aliens in sanctuary city jurisdictions throughout the United States.

ICE authorities arrested criminal aliens in Seattle, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., in a targeted enforcement operation that began on Oct. 3 and ended Oct. 9. According to a press release from ICE, the law enforcement actions were directed at illegal aliens who were arrested for crimes and had immigration detainers but were nevertheless released by state or local law enforcement agencies. ICE said more than 80% of those arrested had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges at the time of their arrest.

ICE, @DHSgov announce the arrests of more than 170 at-large aliens in sanctuary jurisdictions https://t.co/rx5qv5JlTb
— ICE (@ICE)1602869620.0

"Last fiscal year, 86 percent of people arrested by ICE had criminal convictions or pending charges. ICE focuses its resources on those who pose the greatest threat to public safety. The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line every day to keep these individuals off the streets," acting DHS Secretary Chad F. Wolf said. "The Department will continue to carry out lawful enforcement actions in order to keep our communities safe, regardless of whether or not we have cooperation from state and local officials. Politics will not come before safety when enforcing the law and keeping our citizens safe."

The ICE statement notes that in the New York City area alone, authorities arrested nearly 50 illegal aliens with histories of crime including sexual assault, sex crime, assault, robbery, larceny, family neglect, and DUI.

Among those arrested include a 29-year-old Mexican citizen who was convicted in 2018 of illegally re-entering the United States and convicted in October 2020 on charges of menacing-real/simulated weapon, child abuse, and violation of bail bond conditions; a 64-year-old Panamanian citizen convicted in 2010 of sexual conduct against a child in the 2nd degree; a 61-year-old citizen of Peru convicted in 2016 of a criminal sex act in the 3rd degree involving a victim younger than 17 years old; and a 25-year-old Guatemalan citizen arrested for commercial sex abuse of a minor in February 2019 who had previously been removed from the United States in 2013 and illegally re-entered the country.

This operation follows the arrest of 128 at-large illegal aliens last week in sanctuary city jurisdictions in California.

"ICE continues to protect communities by taking criminal aliens off the streets regardless of any locality's cooperation policies – which is part of our Congressionally mandated mission," ICE senior official Tony H. Pham said. "Officers and agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are sworn federal law enforcement officers who enforce U.S. immigration laws created by Congress to keep this country safe."

Leaked DHS email reveals Antifa violence in Portland is 'organized,' not 'opportunistic'



Investigative reporter Catherine Herridge obtained a leaked email from a former top Homeland Security official on Monday revealing that Antifa violence in Portland is, in fact, organized.

What's the background?

Although the black-clad militant protesters have been mainstays in unrest across the country for years, those who claim to be members of Antifa often refuse to acknowledge centralized organization of their group.

Mark Bray, author of "Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook," recently claimed in an essay for the Washington Post that the government cannot designate Antifa as a "terrorist organization," which President Donald Trump has threatened to do, because Antifa "is not an organization."

Bray also claimed that Antifa is not associated with Black Lives Matter, the Democratic Party, or "liberal financiers like George Soros," and that Antifa is not actually fascist.

What does the email say?

The email — sent by Brian Murphy, former acting under secretary for intelligence and analysis at DHS, who has now become a government whistleblower — stated the violence seen in Portland over the summer has been "organized."

Murphy's message, sent July 25, was to inform staff of a definition change, that future references to the violent activity taking place in Portland would be referred to as being "violent Antifa anarchists inspired."

The individuals are violently attacking the Federal facilities based on these ideologies. We can't say any longer that this violent situation is opportunistic. Additionally, we have overwhelmingly intelligence regarding the ideologies driving individuals towards violence and why the violence has continued. A core set of Threat actors are organized, show up night after night, share common [Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures] and drawing on like minded individuals to their cause.

I recognize we may not be able to attribute every individual as VAAI however we need to look at the totality of the intelligence both current and previous and recognize the motivation for the violence and why people have shown up to commit violence for about 60 days. And why the individuals are using social media to encourage the VAAI on the ground to carry out acts of violence.

Murphy concluded the email, "Threat actors who are motivated by Anarchist or ANTIFA (or a combination of both) ideologies to carry out acts of violence against State, Local, and Federal authorities and infrastructure they believe represent authority or represent political and social ideas they reject."

#Whistleblower #PortlandProtest Breaking: According to this @DHSgov internal email, obtained @CBSNews, former Actin… https://t.co/Glc5te3Q8N
— Catherine Herridge (@Catherine Herridge)1600124417.0
are organized and show up night after night, and share common TTPs (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures)..”"Threat… https://t.co/o4kG3pkm1w
— Catherine Herridge (@Catherine Herridge)1600124418.0

Recognizing centralization within Antifa is significant because it could make future prosecution of the group easier.

Indeed, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said last month the government is "targeting" the leaders of Antifa and other groups perpetuating unrest across the country.

Federal Unit Behind Arrests In Portland Reportedly Identified. Pelosi Smears Them, Makes False Claims.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) smeared federal law enforcement officials on Friday night while making false claims about the continuing violence and rioting in Portland, Oregon. “Unidentified stormtroopers. Unmarked cars. Kidnapping protesters and causing severe injuries in response to graffiti,” Pelosi claimed. “These are not the actions of a democratic republic. @DHSgov’s actions in Portland […]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) smeared federal law enforcement officials on Friday night while making false claims about the continuing violence and rioting in Portland, Oregon.

“Unidentified stormtroopers. Unmarked cars. Kidnapping protesters and causing severe injuries in response to graffiti,” Pelosi claimed. “These are not the actions of a democratic republic. @DHSgov’s actions in Portland undermine its mission. Trump & his stormtroopers must be stopped.”

“First Amendment speech should never be met with one-sided violence from federal agents acting as Trump’s secret police, especially when unidentified,” Pelosi continued. “This is disgraceful behavior we would expect from a banana republic — not the government of the United States.”

First Amendment speech should never be met with one-sided violence from federal agents acting as Trump’s secret police, especially when unidentified. This is disgraceful behavior we would expect from a banana republic — not the government of the United States.

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 18, 2020

Far-left publication The Nation reported on Friday that a unit from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was behind the arrests in Portland.

“The Portland arrest of Mark Pettibone, first reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting, followed several similar arrests involving officers from a Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC)—CBP’s equivalent of a SWAT team—as well as the US Marshals Special Operations Group,” the report said. “A CBP spokesman confirmed to The Nation that CBP agents were responsible for the arrest, pointing to authorities under the Protecting American Communities Task Force.”

This is a developing news story, refresh the page for updates.

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