DHS Just Added Itself To Harvard’s List Of Trump Admin Adversaries
'Fuels a cesspool of extremist riots'
LA schools deny DHS welfare checks on migrant kids Biden lost, left exposed to trafficking
Two Los Angeles Unified School District elementary schools prevented Department of Homeland Security officers from entering campus to perform welfare checks on five migrant children who reportedly entered the U.S. by themselves.
On April 7, the agents arrived at Lillian Street Elementary and Russell Elementary to check on the children but were turned away by the schools' principals, who feared the officers were there for immigration enforcement matters.
'DHS is leading efforts to conduct welfare checks on these children to ensure that they are safe and not being exploited, abused, and sex trafficked.'
Superintendent Alberto Carvalho applauded the principals for turning away the federal officers.
"What interest should a Homeland Security agent have in a first-grader?" Carvalho stated during a press conference. "They wanted access to the students to determine their well-being based on, according to the agents, the fact that when they entered this country, they entered as unaccompanied minors."
"It is well-known that these students are under the care of relatives," Carvalho declared.
He admitted that the agents confirmed they were not with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but he noted that they arrived in unmarked vehicles and were wearing casual clothing.
"When the principals attempted to write down details about their IDs, they quickly hid their IDs," Carvalho claimed.
According to the superintendent, the agents claimed that the legal guardians had permitted them to check on children at school. Carvalho insisted that was "absolutely, blatantly untrue."
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) and 17 other Democrats sent a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem demanding the agency "desist from immigration enforcement activity targeting children who pose no threat to public safety."
The letter stated that the officers arrived at the schools without warrants and were "rightly turned away."
"LAUSD staff have informed us that the four students targeted at Russell Elementary were not, in fact, unaccompanied minors," the letter claimed. "We therefore demand that your (sic) provide a briefing to our offices to prove your claims about the agency's operations."
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin addressed the incident in a Sunday post on X.
She wrote, "[Homeland Security Investigations] officers were at these schools conducting wellness checks on children who arrived unaccompanied at the border. This had *nothing* to do with immigration enforcement."
"DHS is leading efforts to conduct welfare checks on these children to ensure that they are safe and not being exploited, abused, and sex trafficked," McLaughlin continued. "Unlike the previous administration, President [Donald] Trump and Secretary Noem take the responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement to reunite children with their families."
McLaughlin stated that Noem and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "have already reunited nearly 5,000 unaccompanied children with a relative or safe guardian" after former President Joe Biden's administration lost track of 320,000 unaccompanied migrant children.
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Obama judge prevents Trump admin from eliminating 'flawed' Biden migrant parole program
A Massachusetts-based Obama judge blocked the Department of Homeland Security from ending the Biden administration's CHNV parole programs, which allowed multitudes of otherwise inadmissible migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to flood into the country.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani also certified a class of all those foreign nationals who received a grant of parole affected by the DHS' termination of the program.
Talwani, a daughter of immigrants from India and Germany, claimed that the Trump administration "offered no substantial reason or public interest that justifies forcing individuals who were granted parole in the United States for a specific duration to leave (or move into undocumented status) in advance of the original date their parole was set to expire."
"Nor is it in the public interest to summarily declare that hundreds of thousands of individuals are no longer considered lawfully present in the country," continued Talwani. "The early termination, without any case-by-case justification, of legal status for noncitizens who have complied with DHS programs and entered the country lawfully undermines the rule of law."
Ironically, the Biden administration appears to have played fast and loose with the law when admitting migrants into the country under the CHNV parole program.
Background
The House Judiciary Committee noted in a November report, "Through CHNV, each month up to 30,000 aliens, who otherwise have no basis to enter the country and who have 'a supporter' in the United States, can bypass the U.S. border and fly directly into the country 'on commercial flights' to be 'granted parole' for a period of two years by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security."
While federal law requires that the DHS secretary use his parole authority on a "case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit," former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas apparently figured it better to permit inadmissible aliens en masse — the consequences of which were felt across the country but especially in Springfield, Ohio, which was overwhelmed by Haitian nationals.
'This fundamentally flawed program must be permanently dismantled.'
According to the report, over 531,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans had entered the country via the program as of September 2024.
Congressional investigators noted that in addition to the issue of the Biden administration flouting federal law, the program was "plagued by so much fraud that DHS itself was forced to pause the program in July 2024."
Blaze News previously reported that an internal probe found that over 100,000 applicants were backed by approximately 3,000 serial sponsors.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), among the many Republican lawmakers who criticized the program, said in a Sept. 10 letter to Mayorkas, "This fundamentally flawed program must be permanently dismantled. The program has not only facilitated widespread fraud, but has also exposed serious vulnerabilities in our immigration system, leading to dire consequences for public safety."
Despite its awareness that foreign nationals were recycling Social Security numbers, addresses, and phone numbers in their applications, the Biden administration resumed the program the following month.
Eliminating the program
On his first day back in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to "terminate all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the United States established in my Executive Orders, including the program known as the 'Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.'"
The Department of Homeland Security followed through, announcing last month in the Federal Register that it was terminating the CHNV parole programs on March 25.
'The [DHS] Secretary's discretion in this area is broad.'
Foreign nationals whose temporary parole period in the U.S. under the program had not already expired were notified that their paroles would terminate on April 24 "unless the Secretary makes an individual determination to the contrary."
The DHS noted further that parolees without a lawful basis to remain in the country had to leave the U.S. before their parole termination date. Those who remained unlawfully would be deported.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt noted, "These are the 530,000 illegal immigrants that Joe Biden flew to the United States on the taxpayers [sic] dime. They're welcome to self-deport using the newly repurposed CBP Home App!"
Lawsuit
Justice Action Center, Human Rights First, and Haitian Bridge Alliance sued on behalf of foreign nationals to prevent the Trump administration from ending the previous administration's parole processes. They found a fellow activist in Talwani.
The Obama judge acknowledged that her "role in reviewing agency action in this area is limited" and that "the [DHS] Secretary's discretion in this area is broad" but nevertheless made clear she would meddle anyway.
Talwani said that the migrants have standing to challenge the shortening of their grant of parole, noting that if their "parole status is allowed to lapse, Plaintiffs will be faced with two unfavorable options: continue following the law and leave the country on their own, or await removal proceedings."
The judge suggested that both options were undesirable.
Talwani noted that if required to depart the U.S., then migrants might undergo family separation, forfeit opportunities to obtain a remedy for their Administrative Procedure Act claims, and face dangers back in their respective homelands. If they remain in the country illegally, then they will lose their legal work authorization and possibly face arrest, wrote the judge.
To spare foreign nationals from an election-backed reversal of Democratic policy, Talwani ruled to temporarily preserve the legal status of CHNV migrants and block the DHS' enforcement on April 24.
"Hundreds of thousands of our neighbors will go to sleep tonight knowing that the Trump administration's attempts to delegitimize and criminalize our communities have been thwarted, for now," Guerline Jozef, founder of Haitian Bridge Alliance, said in a statement.
"The court rightly recognized the harm the government's arbitrary decision-making was threatening in the lives of innocent people," said Anwen Hughes, a legal strategist at Human Rights First.
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Trump authorizes military to lock down border from illegal crossings
President Donald Trump issued a memorandum on Friday authorizing the military to protect the southern border from illegal crossing.
The presidential action, titled "Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions," directed the military to take temporary control of federal land, including the Roosevelt Reservation — a 60-foot-wide corridor that spans for miles along California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The memo was issued to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Agricultural Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Trump directed the Cabinet members to "take all appropriate actions" to turn over jurisdiction of certain federal lands to the DOD so that it may construct border barriers and install detection and monitoring equipment.
The memo grants Hegseth the authority to "determine those military activities that are reasonably necessary and appropriate" to protect the country's territorial integrity. Hegseth was ordered to treat the areas as "military installations," allowing him to restrict access.
Under the action, troops stationed at the border are authorized to detain individuals illegally crossing the border.
"Our southern border is under attack from a variety of threats. The complexity of the current situation requires that our military take a more direct role in securing our southern border than in the recent past," the memo states.
As part of the plan's initial phase, the military will take control of "a limited sector of Federal lands designated by the Secretary of Defense."
"Within 45 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretary of Defense shall assess this initial phase," it states. "At any time, the Secretary of Defense may extend activities under this memorandum to additional Federal lands along the southern border in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor, and other executive departments and agencies as appropriate."
While the Roosevelt Reservation was established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1907 to protect the country's border, immigration advocates argue that Trump's actions could be unlawful since the military is prohibited from participating in domestic law enforcement.
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, accused the Trump administration of attempting to circumvent the law.
He wrote in a post on social media, "Welp they're doing the Roosevelt Reservation crazy strategy, giving the military 'jurisdiction' over a 60-foot-wide stretch of land from CA to AZ and then claim that migrants are being arrested for 'trespassing on military property' thus trying to bypass the Posse Commitatus (sic) Act."
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DHS offers workers early exit to downsize agency
The Department of Homeland Security offered its staff an opportunity to exit the agency early as part of the Trump administration's attempt to shrink the federal government's bloat.
According to an email obtained by Axios and Politico, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem sent a memo to employees on Monday evening, informing them about the agency's plan to reduce its workforce, which includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
'The American people deserve a government that works for them, something President Trump has promised.'
Noem's "Reshaping the DHS Workforce" email stated, "I am writing to share important news regarding new voluntary workforce transition programs approved for immediate implementation across the Department."
Staffers were provided three early leave options: deferred resignation, early retirement, or a buyout.
Those who opt for the deferred resignation will receive a "brief period of paid administrative leave to complete key tasks, submit retirement documentation and prepare for departure," the memo read, according to Axios.
Individuals who participate in the early retirement option will also receive a cash incentive, Politico noted.
Staff who accept the buyout will receive $25,000, "or an amount equal to severance pay if lower."
"By offering these options, we intend to provide flexibility for employees who may be considering a change, retirement or new career opportunities while also supporting the Department's operational readiness," Noem stated.
Workers were given an April 14 deadline to apply.
In March, Noem said that the Trump administration plans to "eliminate FEMA," which currently has roughly 20,000 employees.
A DHS spokesperson told Axios, "The American people deserve a government that works for them, something President Trump has promised."
"Every dollar spent and position filled at DHS should be focused on our core mission of securing our homeland and keeping the American people safe," the spokesperson added.
CNN reported on Saturday that four sources claimed that the Department of Government Efficiency was soon expected to recommend cuts to DHS' staff, including the U.S. Secret Service.
The Secret Service declined the outlet's request for comment.
One senior DHS official told CNN that the department is "determined to eliminate government waste that has been happening for decades at the expense of the American taxpayer. Across DHS, we will be eliminating non-mission critical positions and bureaucratic hurdles that undermine our mission to secure the homeland. Secretary Noem is determined to return DHS to its core mission of keeping America safe."
CNN reported then that Noem was expected to release a memo to staff in the coming days. One of its sources noted that while Noem's name would be on the email, the planned cuts were also developed by Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller, the DOGE, and other administration staff.
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Judge blocks Trump admin from ending protected status for Venezuelans: 'Smacks of racism'
United States District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco on Monday blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan nationals living in the U.S.
Under the Biden administration, TPS eligibility was drastically expanded to foreign nationals from several countries, including Afghanistan, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, and Ukraine.
'We need to follow the rule of law and not some advice from an activist judge who makes a foolish ruling.'
Through two separate designations in 2021 and 2023, the Biden administration granted TPS to roughly 600,000 Venezuelan nationals in the U.S., allowing them to apply for work authorizations and avoid deportation. Those designations were set to expire on April 7 and September 10, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
On his way out of office, Biden extended TPS expiration dates for nearly 1 million foreign nationals, including Venezuelans.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem moved to undo those last-minute extensions, reversing protections for the 350,000 Venezuelans whose status is scheduled to expire in April. She also announced a reversal for another 250,000 Venezuelans whose TPS will end in September.
The move sparked a legal challenge brought by the National TPS Alliance. On Monday, Chen blocked Trump's DHS from stripping the protections, claiming it "smacks of racism."
The Barack Obama-appointed judge wrote, "The Secretary made sweeping negative generalizations about Venezuelan TPS beneficiaries."
"Acting on the basis of a negative group stereotype and generalizing such stereotype to the entire group is the classic example of racism," Chen stated.
"The Secretary's rationale is entirely lacking in evidentiary support," Chen claimed. "There is no evidence that Venezuelan TPS holders are members of the [Tren de Aragua] gang, have connections to the gang, and/or commit crimes. Venezuelan TPS holders have lower rates of criminality than the general population. Generalization of criminality to the Venezuelan TPS population as a whole is baseless and smacks of racism predicated on generalized false stereotypes."
Chen argued that the removal of TPS would "inflict irreparable harm" to the Venezuelan nationals, the U.S. economy, and community stability. He has postponed the Trump administration's attempt to revoke TPS until he rules on the merits of the case.
Border czar Tom Homan responded to Chen's ruling.
"It's another activist judge making a stupid ruling," he told Fox News.
Homan emphasized that TPS was intended to be used for a limited period of time to protect foreign nationals from conditions in their home countries, including armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary temporary conditions.
"TPS isn't meant to be decades long," Homan continued. "TPS needs to be temporary in nature. We need to follow the rule of law and not some advice from an activist judge who makes a foolish ruling."
Homan contended that Chen's decision was based on his "opinion" and not the rule of law. He noted that the administration will appeal the ruling.
Chen is the latest district judge to attempt to block Trump's agenda. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an emergency pause on the administration's deportation flights.
The DHS did not respond to a request for comment from CBS News.
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