DHS MORNING BRIEFING (2024)

DHS MORNING BRIEFING

Prepared for the Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The Hill/CNN: Senate Border Security Package Loses Further Democratic Support

The Hill [5/22/2024 12:16 PM, Rafael Bernal, 18067K, Neutral] reports the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is blasting the revival of the bipartisan Senate border deal, opposing both its content and its potential to upend any forward motion to reform the immigration system. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is bringing the legislation back from the dead to prop up vulnerable Democrats, including Sens. Jon Tester (Mont.), Jacky Rosen (Nev.), Bob Casey (Pa.) and Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), and to build an argument of MAGA obstructionism on border policy and immigration. But that strategy isn’t swaying immigrant advocates toward the bill, which has always drawn criticism as a one-sided cluster of Democratic concessions. “The Senate border bill once again fails to meet the moment by putting forth enforcement-only policies and failing to include provisions that will keep families together,” CHC Chair Nanette Díaz Barragán (D-Calif.) said in a joint statement with the group’s leadership team. “As written, the bill excludes critical protections and legal pathways for families, farm workers and America’s Dreamers who have been in the U.S. contributing to our Nation’s communities and economy for decades.” The bill was negotiated over months among centrist Democrats, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and Republican Sen. James Lankford (Okla.). Its core premise was to find bipartisan common ground on how to tighten border security and limit asylum without getting bogged down in debate over how to improve the immigration system. That framing drew ire from immigrant advocates who see the idea of tightening asylum laws at best as a potential trade-off for liberalization of the country’s visa system and providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and at worst as a building block in expanding an enforcement system that’s hostile to immigrants. CNN [5/22/2024 11:57 AM, Michelle Shen, 20328K, Neutral] reports a White House-backed effort to vote on a border security package in the Senate was dealt a blow when Sen. Cory Booker said he would not support the legislation, a move that shows Democrats are losing support within their ranks even as they try to shift blame to Republicans. “In February, I voted to advance the bipartisan immigration deal to emphasize my commitment to continued debate on solving the challenges at the border, despite my serious concerns with some of the substance of the underlying legislation,” the New Jersey Democrat said in a statement released Tuesday. “I will not vote for the bill coming to the Senate floor this week because it includes several provisions that will violate Americans’ shared values.”

FOX News: Biden border chief Mayorkas in hot seat over Jordanian nationals who sought to breach Quantico

FOX News [5/22/2024 9:39 AM, Julia Johnson, 49149K, Negative] reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is coming under scrutiny following news that two foreign nationals from Jordan attempted to breach the Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia while posing as delivery drivers. "Please explain how they came to the United States. Were they here illegally? Are either of them on any terrorist watchlist?" Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., questioned Mayorkas in a letter, also requesting the current status of the individuals. The two foreign nationals sought entry to Quantico earlier this month, presenting themselves in a box truck and identifying as delivery drivers. After being brought to a holding area, they attempted to move farther toward the Marine base. They were prevented from doing so by officers. Acting ICE Director Patrick Lechleitner previously told Fox News Digital that the foreign nationals were in removal proceedings. Graham prompted Mayorkas for an immediate response, asking for information about the Jordanian nationals’ "Background and intent." According to the ranking member, "This will allow us to make an informed decision about how to address the recurring threat posed to our national security by this kind of incident, which is not isolated." A spokesperson for DHS told Fox News Digital, "DHS responds to congressional correspondence directly via official channels, and the Department will continue to respond appropriately to Congressional oversight."

KVIA: Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas will visit El Paso for Friday event

KVIA [5/22/2024 9:39 AM, Emma Hoggard, 399k, Neutral] reports Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas will visit El Paso for an event Friday. Mayorkas will arrive Thursday so that he can attend the U.S. Border Patrol Centennial Fallen Agent Memorial ceremony at 9:40 AM Friday. We are working to learn more details about Mayorkas’ visit. ABC-7 will provide complete team coverage of the secretary’s visit.

FOX News: Mayorkas claims they have been enforcing the law ‘since day one’

FOX News [5/22/2024 12:24 PM, Staff, 49149K, Positive] reports that Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., calls out the Biden administration and Democrats for border policies and said they intentionally wanted to open the border. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Newsweek: [NY] New York City Releasing Hundreds of Migrants

WTMA.com: [VA] Sen. Graham questions Mayorkas on Quantico infiltration attempt

WTMA.com [5/22/2024 10:56 AM, Brandi Martin, 399k, Neutral] reports South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham is requesting answers after Jordanian nationals tried to infiltrate Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Senator Graham sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday, seeking more information after the two individuals posed as delivery drivers at the base before being arrested. Graham wrote, “As soon as possible, please inform me and the committee on the status of these two individuals. Please explain how they came to the United States. Were they here illegally? Are either of them on any terrorist watchlist?” He continued, “Please provide the committee with the answers to these questions and any other information relevant to their background and intent, including copies of the complete and most current alien files for each individual.”

FOX News: [FL] Insult to injury’: Florida lawmakers erupt over Cuban officials touring secure parts of top airport

New York Times/Reuters: [FL] Judge Temporarily Blocks Florida From Criminalizing Transport of Undocumented Immigrants

Northern Public Radio: [IL] Woodford County declared ‘non-sanctuary’ for undocumented migrants

Northern Public Radio [5/22/2024 10:05 AM, Tim Shelley, 26K, Neutral] reports that the Woodford County Board on Tuesday passed a resolution declaring the county a "non-sanctuary" for migrants in the country illegally. Woodford County joins 12 other mostly conservative counties around the state that have passed similar or nearly identical resolutions in recent months, sparked by fears that the busloads of migrants sent to Chicago by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis might start appearing downstate. County board member Zachary Ferris said the idea sprung out of a conversation he had with state Rep. Dennis Tipsword, R-Metamora, about the possibility of Gov. JB Pritzker shifting migrants out of Chicago to help the city manage the influx. He also consulted Chris Balkema, the Grundy County Board chairman and presumptive next 53rd District state senator. "This is not doing ICE raids or hosting any type of action like that," Ferris said. "This is just busing of migrants that come from Chicago or any other county being brought into our county unannounced or very little notice, and leaving us with no resources to house individuals who are not only not legally allowed to be in our county, but within the country as a whole." The vast majority of migrants arrive in Chicago, with more than 41,000 arriving since August 2022. A spokesperson for the governor flatly denied the suggestion the state would move migrants downstate with little to no notice. "That has not happened and it will not happen," the spokesperson said.

Yahoo! News: [PA] Homeland Security conducting investigation at Viewmont Mall

Yahoo! News [5/22/2024 2:05 PM, Vivian Muniz, 59943K, Positive] reports that Homeland Security is investigating sports stores in the Viewmont Mall and Wyoming Valley Mall, officials reported. On Wednesday investigators with the Homeland Security Department stated they conducted a law enforcement operation at Sports Fever inside the Viewmont Mall. Investigators were seen taking out multiple boxes from the store, however, what’s inside of them is unknown at this time. Homeland Security agents brought the boxes out of the mall and loaded them into a truck. The Viewmont Mall has not confirmed anything with us at this time. It’s unclear exactly what Homeland Security is investigating. Homeland Security has confirmed that a similar incident is happening at a sports store in the Wyoming Valley Mall. This is an ongoing investigation and law enforcement cannot comment any further. 28/22 News will update you with the latest as it is released. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

AP: [LA] Louisiana lawmakers approve bill similar to Texas’ embattled migrant enforcement law

AP [5/22/2024 5:12 PM, Sara Cline, 39876K, Neutral] reports a Louisiana bill that would empower state and local law enforcement to arrest and jail people in the state who entered the U.S. illegally received approval from lawmakers Wednesday and will likely soon be on the governor’s desk. Amid national fights between Republican states and Democratic President Joe Biden over how and who should enforce the U.S.-Mexico border, a growing list of GOP-led states have passed measures seeking to push deeper into migrant enforcement. However, laws similar to Louisiana’s legislation — in Iowa, Oklahoma and Texas — are currently facing legal challenges. Like the Texas law, Louisiana’s bill seeks to expand the authority of state and local law enforcement. The bill would create the crime of “illegal entry or reentry” into Louisiana, which is punishable by up to a year in prison and a $4,000 fine for a first offense, and up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine for a second offense. Louisiana’s bill passed in the House on Wednesday along party lines, after only three minutes of floor conversation and without any lawmaker going to the podium to argue against it. The bill will return to the GOP-dominated Senate to concur on minor amendments, a procedural step. If the Senate concurs, which is more than likely will, the bill will head to the desk of Gov. Landry, who has been an outspoken supporter of states getting involved in migrant law enforcement

WBUR: [TX] How families respond to potential new immigration enforcement law

WBUR [5/22/2024 9:52 AM, Staff, Negative] Audio: HERE reports regardless of what courts rule regarding Texas immigration enforcement law SB4, a climate of fear and distrust has permeated among immigrant and mixed-status families in Texas. The law would allow police officers to detain anyone they suspect to be in the U.S. illegally. NPR’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán reports.

NBC News: [OK] The U.S. Justice Department sues Oklahoma over a new immigration law

NBC News [5/22/2024 5:40 PM, Deon J. Hampton, 39412K, Negative] reports the Justice Department filed a lawsuit this week against Oklahoma over a new immigration law that would fine and jail migrants who are in the state without legal documentation. The complaint, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, maintains the law violates the Constitution, which gives the federal government jurisdiction over immigration and border control. The department also says in the lawsuit that the Oklahoma law violates a clause in the Constitution that limits the power a state has to regulate the international movement of people. Oklahoma House Bill 4156, which is scheduled to take effect July 1, says noncitizens commit an “impermissible occupation” when they enter the state without having permission to be in the U.S. and gives law enforcement authority to arrest and jail them. A first conviction would be a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in county jail and a $500 fine. A second conviction would be a felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in county jail and a $1,000 fine. People convicted of either violation would have to leave Oklahoma within three days of being released from jail.

AP: [AZ] Arizona Senate advances proposed ballot measure to let local police make border-crossing arrests

Washington Examiner: [AZ] Gallego introduces House border bills as GOP vows to block immigration deal in Senate

Washington Examiner [5/22/2024 12:00 PM, Samantha-Jo Roth, 5027K, Neutral] reports that Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), the likely Democratic nominee in Arizona’s competitive Senate race, is introducing two border bills as his party moves to counter Republican criticisms that Democrats are soft on immigration. Gallego, who represents a district that includes portions of downtown Phoenix, is unveiling legislation on Wednesday aimed at speeding up migrant processing and providing relief to Arizona communities along the southern border. The legislation comes as Republicans in the upper chamber are set to block an attempt to advance a bipartisan border security bill that fell apart earlier this year. The Arizona congressman introduced the Direct Hire Act, aimed at staffing up two Homeland Security agencies — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement — in an effort to speed up the screening and removal of illegal immigrants. Gallego also introduced the Screening Efficiency Act, which creates a combined review of credible fear and other asylum or removal standards. The bill is intended to remove duplicate interviews, thereby reducing wait times. The bill, negotiated by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and James Lankford (R-OK), was designed to raise the standards for migrants to qualify for asylum and reduce border crossings. It also would give the president power to shut down the border if certain conditions are met.

FOX News: [WA] Washington state judge lowers bail for illegal immigrant accused of killing trooper from $1M to $100K

FOX News [5/22/2024 7:53 AM, Stephen Sorace, 49149K, Negative] reports an illegal immigrant accused of killing a Washington state trooper in a crash earlier this year had his bail dropped from $1 million to $100,000 by a state judge last week. Raul Benitez Santana, 32, is currently being held at the Snohomish County Jail on charges of vehicular assault and vehicular homicide involving alcohol or drugs in connection to the death of 27-year-old Washington State Patrol Trooper Christopher M. Gadd in March. Santana was initially held on $1 million bail, but online jail records on Wednesday show his bail was reduced to $100,000. Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Richard Okrent lowered Santana’s bail on May 15 after Santana’s defense attorneys argued for his release, the Everett Herald reported. Gadd’s widow, however, objected to Santana’s release in a letter to the judge. "Reducing bail would not only undermine the severity of the crime but also inflict further anguish and distress upon me, our child, and the rest of our family," Cammryn Gadd wrote in the letter obtained by the Herald.

Opinion – Op-Eds

The Hill: Schumer’s bipartisan immigration ‘deal’ is a joke

The Hill [5/22/2024 3:00 PM, Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Sen. Ron Johnson, 18067K, Negative] reports that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced over the weekend that the Senate would be revisiting the border “deal” that failed miserably back in February. This is a desperate political stunt during an election year. The border crisis has become the single most unifying issue in American politics. Americans from all backgrounds — white, black, rich, poor, suburban, urban, Democrat and Republican — are horrified at the scenes of thousands of people overrunning the border. In the battleground states of Ohio, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, all seen as vulnerable Senate seats for Democrats, voters view immigration as a top issue. Democrats are seeing the same polls we are seeing — and they are panicking. For the past three years, President Joe Biden has overseen an invasion of over 11 million illegal aliens into our country. Many are military-age males about whom we know very little, thanks to the lack of screening and vetting from the Biden administration. What we do know is that, increasingly, they are coming from all over the world — at least 25,000 Chinese nationals have entered our country since October 1, 2023. Just last week, two Jordanian nationals attempted to break into Quantico, a Marine Corps base in Virginia, one of whom is allegedly on the terrorist watch list. These are the types of criminals President Biden is allowing to stream across our borders.

Washington Examiner: [MA] Biden ignores the Massachusetts migrant crisis

Washington Examiner [5/22/2024 1:04 PM, Tom Joyce, 5027K, Negative] reports that Healey and the liberal supermajority on Beacon Hill deserve much of the blame for this problem as they refuse to put a residency requirement on the state’s shelter system or even a ban on illegal immigrants using the system. Yet it’s the Biden administration that fails to secure the southern border, and the result for Massachusetts is fiscal strain, public safety threats, and American homelessness. If the problems are this bad in a state thousands of miles away from the southwestern border, imagine how bad they are elsewhere in the country.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

CBS Austin: [TX] Texas DPS shares mugshots linked to recent human smuggling arrests

CBS Austin [5/22/2024 12:34 PM, Staff, 664K, Neutral] reports that the Texas Department of Public Safety’s West Texas Regional office distributed a lineup of photos showing people who were arrested in the El Paso area for human smuggling between April 19 and May 16. A University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll recently released found immigration and border security are the most important issues for the largest share of Texans. Nearly 40% cited immigration and border security as their top concerns, including more than 60% of Republicans and 40% of independents. Even a growing share of Democrats are seeing immigration and border security as a problem. Just 13% of Democrats cited those as top concerns in the April poll, but that share has been as low as 1% and 2% at multiple points within the last four years. “At the state level, nothing competes with immigration and border security, particularly among Republicans,” James Henson, executive director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, said Thursday. Authorities urged anyone who sees signs of human smuggling or other criminal activity, including stash houses, to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).

Yahoo! News: [CO] Police recover nearly 1,000 gallons of stolen gas

Yahoo! News [5/22/2024 9:47 AM, Brett Yager, 59943K, Neutral] reports the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) said it personnel recovered nearly 1,000 gallons of stolen fuel after investigating fuel siphoning at gas stations across Colorado. According to CSPD, detectives have been investigating a pattern of fuel siphoning at gas stations across Colorado where a specially outfitted van would siphon hundreds of gallons of fuel at a time. The fuel was then sold to the community at a discounted price. On Tuesday, May 21 CSPD Detectives with the help of Homeland Security Investigators, EPSO SWAT, and CSPD Tactical Enforcement Unit executed search warrants at two addresses. CSPD said during the search officers recovered 909.8 gallons of alleged stolen fuel with a rough value of $3,238, multiple vehicles related to the thefts, and other evidence of the crimes. CSPD is continuing to investigate and charges are expected to be filed at a later date.

Newsweek: [WA] Lawyers Tell ICE Not To Deport Migrant Accused of Killing State Trooper

Newsweek [5/22/2024 3:40 PM, Nick Mordowanec, 44206K, Negative] reports that lawyers representing an undocumented migrant who was allegedly intoxicated and killed a Washington state trooper are encouraging immigration authorities not to deport the suspect. Raul Benitez Santana has reportedly been detained in Snohomish County Jail since he was charged for vehicular homicide and vehicular assault stemming from a March 2 incident. The 33-year-old immigrant from Mexico was allegedly drunk and high on cannabis when he purportedly drove 112 miles per hour on the shoulder of a local interstate, crashing into and killing 27-year-old patrol trooper Chris Gadd as he was sitting in his parked vehicle. Santana’s blood-alcohol level was reportedly just above the state’s legal limit at 0.083, according to the Everett Herald. Last Wednesday, Judge Richard Okrent reduced the defendant’s bail from $1 million to $100,000—a decision praised by Santana’s attorneys but criticized by Gadd’s widow and prosecutors. Santana’s attorneys, Emily Hanco*ck and Tiffany Mecca, reportedly asked Okrent to release their client from jail altogether, claiming he poses no threat to others in society due to no felonies being on his record. He does have misdemeanors for driving with a suspended license. Newsweek has reached out to Mecca via email for comment. "Immigration detainers are essential in completing a transfer of custody in the safest way possible, and are placed by ERO Seattle to ensure noncitizens are held accountable to federal laws," ERO Seattle Field Office Director Drew Bostock said in a statement. An ICE spokesperson told Newsweek via email that it had no further comment in addition to the March 8 correspondence. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Citizenship and Immigration Services

FOX News: Afghan evacuee vetting process ‘fragmented’ with ‘vulnerabilities,’ watchdog warns

FOX News [5/22/2024 2:08 PM, Adam Shaw, 49149K, Neutral] reports that a report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general is faulting the government’s parole processes surrounding the resettling of tens of thousands of Afghan evacuees after the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan. "DHS has a multifaceted but fragmented process for identifying and resolving issues for noncitizens with derogatory information, including parolees. This siloed approach creates potential gaps in DHS components’ responsibility for terminating parole, initiating removal proceedings, or monitoring parole expiration," the DHS Office of Inspector General [OIG] report says. Of the 97,000 evacuees who came to the U.S. in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, 79% were granted humanitarian parole into the United States for two years. Parole is a congressionally granted authority that allows the government to permit entry to noncitizens for either urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. During that parole process, Afghans were screened, vetted and inspected by federal agencies, including a review of any derogatory information that may ultimately lead to a rejection of parole - whether it be national security concerns, criminal convictions or something else. "But the report found that the three main DHS components - Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - have"separate but interconnected processes for identifying and resolving derogatory information for OAW parolees. "We found vulnerabilities in the USCIS and ICE processes for resolving derogatory information," the report said. Specifically, it found an enforcement gap for when parolees are denied benefits, where inadmissibility for benefits does not lead to removal proceedings. In a response to the report, DHS concurred with the recommendations but defended its approach to resettling Afghans. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News: [IL] 6 men charged with staging string of Chicago-area robberies to get immigration visas

FOX News [5/22/2024 11:19 AM, Stephen Sorace, 49149K, Negative] reports six men have been charged with staging a string of armed robberies across Chicago and its surrounding suburbs so that the victims of these allegedly fake crimes could apply for special U.S. immigration visas reserved for crime victims, federal authorities said Friday. The two men accused of organizing and carrying out the staged robberies were identified as Parth Nayi, 26, of Woodridge, Illinois, and Kewon Young, 31, of Mansfield, Ohio, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois said. The alleged scams were carried out at restaurants, coffee shops, liquor stores and gas stations in Chicago and the suburbs of Lombard, Elmwood Park, St. Charles, Hickory Hills, River Grove, Lake Villa, and South Holland, as well as restaurants in Rayne, Louisiana, and Belvidere, Tennessee, authorities said. One of the incidents happened in July 2023 at Bucktown Food & Liquor in Chicago, according to prosecutors. The ruse, however, nearly turned deadly when the clerk was shot. The clerk survived the encounter. The purported victims were identified as Bhikhabhai Patel, 51, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Nilesh Patel, 32, of Jackson, Tennessee, Ravinaben Patel, 23, of Racine, Wisconsin, and Rajnikumar Patel, 32, of Jacksonville, Florida. Prosecutors alleged that the four men paid Nayi thousands of dollars to stage the crimes so they could submit applications for U nonimmigrant status, known as U-visas.

CBS 58: [WI] Latino leaders gather at City Hall, demand Pres. Biden extend work permits to long-term immigrants

CBS 58 [5/22/2024 2:20 PM, Staff, 657K, Neutral] reports that Latino leaders and elected officials gathered at Milwaukee City Hall Wednesday to deliver a message to President Biden. "Immigrants are here to work," said James O’Neill, American Business Immigration Coalition. "President Biden, you need to let them." Specifically, they’re demanding executive action from the president extending work permits to long-term immigrants, including undocumented spouses and immediate family members of US citizens. They argue that the American economy needs those workers, many of whom have been working and paying taxes already. They also point to a potential political motive. "In an election year, when national polls are showing Democrats bleeding Latino votes, the Democratic Party must give us tangible results or face disastrous repercussions this November," said Ramon Moreno, Voces De La Frontera action member. Policies regarding undocumented immigrants are obviously controversial. According to a Voice of America report, while the president has the power to grant those work permits, the White House has not confirmed any plans to do so.

Customs and Border Protection

Border Report: [CA] Over 400 pounds of cocaine found in fuel tanks

Border Report [5/22/2024 4:59 PM, Amber Coakley, 162K, Neutral] reports a man driving a commercial tractor-trailer was handed over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations Monday after a major drug bust in Otay Mesa, authorities said. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, officers encountered the 35-year-old man while he was applying for entry from Mexico at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility. He had a valid border crossing card at the time. The driver and tractor-trailer were referred for further examination. CBP said a K9 unit then alerted officers to the fuel tanks. A total of 160 packages were found inside the fuel tanks in what officials described as “a non-factory compartment.” The contents of the packages were tested and officers determined it to be cocaine, collectively weighing 412.26 pounds. CBP officers seized the narcotics and commercial tractor-trailer, while the driver was turned over to the custody of Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation. Officials said this seizure is the result of Operation Apollo, a counter-fentanyl effort that began on Oct. 26, 2023 in Southern California.

ABC News: [CA] 1,400 packages of meth weighing almost 6 tons and worth over $18 million found in squash shipment

FOX News: [CA] Surge in migrants crossing into California as DEA warns cartels have infiltrated every state

FOX News [5/22/2024 10:10 AM, Staff, 49149K, Negative] reports Fox News’ Bill Melugin reports on illegal crossings in the San Diego sector and international private investigator Jay Armes details national security concerns. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Transportation Security Administration

Yahoo! News: [NY] Man arrested after TSA sees 9mm gun in carry-on luggage at JFK Airport

Yahoo! News [5/22/2024 12:38 PM, Matthew Euzarraga, 59943K, Negative] reports that a Virginia man was arrested after attempting to transport a gun in his carry-on bag while going through the security checkpoint at JFK International Airport, a Transportation Security Administration official announced on Tuesday. TSA agents were alerted the man had a 9mm gun after an X-ray alerted personnel to the gun in his carry-on luggage. Agents then notified Port Authority Police, who arrested the man. “Bringing an illegal item to the checkpoint slows down the checkpoint line,” explained John Essig, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. “Responsible gun owners know where their firearms are at all times, and they know not to bring them to a security checkpoint.” Passengers can travel with firearms in checked baggage if unloaded and packed in a hard-sided locked case. Essig also said the locked case should be taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The man also faces a $15,000 fine in addition to being arrested. This is the fourth firearm that TSA officers have detected at airport checkpoints this year.

CBS Pittsburgh: [PA] TSA officers intercept 15th loaded weapon at Pittsburgh International Airport this year

CBS Pittsburgh [5/22/2024 12:43 PM, Patrick Damp, 45597K, Negative] reports that for the 15th time in 2024, Transportation Security Administration officers intercepted a loaded weapon at Pittsburgh International Airport. According to TSA, a Butler County man was taken into custody after a 9mm firearm was found in his carry-on bag. It was found to be loaded with 17 bullets. "We continue to find that it is necessary to remind firearm owners that they can travel with their gun, but only if they pack it the proper way," said Karen Keys-Turner, TSA’s Federal Security Director for the airport. "All you need to do is make sure that the firearm is unloaded, that it is packed in a locked hard-sided case and taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. At that point, the airline will ensure it is transported in the belly of the plane where nobody has access to it during the flight. If individuals don’t follow these simple steps, they risk criminal charges from the police, including arrest, and they likely will be slapped with a stiff federal financial penalty that could cost thousands of dollars. In the case on Tuesday, the man was arrested and will also face TSA financial penalties." This is the 15th loaded firearm found at the Pittsburgh International Airport checkpoint this year. Last year a record 6,737 guns were found at checkpoints nationwide and 44 of those were found in Pittsburgh at that time. Allegheny County Police took the man into custody as well as confiscated the weapon. Taking a gun to the airport checkpoint can result in federal civil penalties that could reach as high as $15,000, depending on the circ*mstances.

Yahoo! News: [Turks and Caicos] Americans describe being detained in Turks and Caicos

CBS News [5/22/2024 12:00 PM, Kris Van Cleave and Kelsie Hoffman, 59943K, Neutral] reports that a Florida grandmother was headed home with her daughter from a surprise Mother’s Day dream vacation to Turks and Caicos when it turned into a nightmare. Airport security say they spotted two bullets lodged under a flap in Sharitta Grier’s carry-on bag. "I never experienced nothing like that," Grier, of Orlando, said in an interview on "CBS Mornings." "It was just so unreal to me. And all they kept saying was like, ‘This is a serious, um, charge, 12 years mandatory to prison.’ 12 years?" Grier, a grandmother, said she spent a few nights in jail. "They chained me to a chair by my leg," she said. "It’s cold. Scared. It was awful. It was so awful. I couldn’t sleep, no peace. A nightmare." Grier is one of five Americans facing a potential 12-year mandatory prison sentence after being detained in the British territory over ammunition allegedly found in their luggage. All five of the Americans said they did not realize the ammunition was in their bag. Another one of the five is Ryan Watson, a father of two from Oklahoma, who has been away from his family for over 40 days will be in court next week. Watson earlier told CBS News the ammunition may have been left in his bag after he went to Texas on a hunting trip. The Transportation Security Administration acknowledged its officers missed it when the Watsons went through security in Oklahoma City at the start of their trip to Turks and Caicos. "We’re never gonna be able to stop everything that we want to stop," said TSA administrator David Pekoske. "So we do have these misses. We take them very seriously and do everything we can to figure out why." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Federal Emergency Management Agency

SFGate: Tornadoes, wildfires and other disasters tell a story of vulnerability and recovery in America

SFGate [5/22/2024 1:02 PM, Tricia Wachtendorf, 15165K, Neutral] reports that people often think of disasters as great equalizers. A tornado, wildfire or hurricane doesn’t discriminate against those in its path. The consequences for those impacted are not "One-size-fits-all." That’s evident in recent storms and wildfire disasters and in the U.S. Census Bureau’s newly released results from its national household surveys showing who was displaced by disasters in 2023. Overall, the Census Bureau estimates that nearly 2.5 million Americans had to leave their homes because of disasters in 2023, whether for a short period or much longer. A closer look at demographics in the survey reveals much more about disaster risk in America and who is vulnerable. It suggests, as researchers have also found, that people with the fewest resources, as well as those who have disabilities or have been marginalized, were more likely to be displaced from their homes by disasters than other people. Decades of disaster research, including from our team at the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center, make at least two things crystal clear: First, people’s social circ*mstances - such as the resources available to them, how much they can rely on others for help, and challenges they face in their daily life - can lead them to experience disasters differently compared to others affected by the same event. Second, disasters exacerbate existing vulnerabilities. Prolonged loss of electricity or water due to an ice storm, wildfire or grid overload during a heat emergency can force those with medical conditions to leave even if their neighbors are able to stay. Displacement can leave vulnerable disaster survivors isolated from their usual support systems and health care providers. It can also isolate those with limited mobility from disaster assistance.

CBS Minnesota: Multiple tornadoes confirmed in Minnesota, western Wisconsin

CBS Minnesota [5/22/2024 4:37 PM, Riley Moser, 45597K, Negative] reports officials confirmed that multiple tornadoes touched down in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Tuesday evening. The National Weather Service says an EF1 tornado impacted the Rollingstone area in Winona County shortly after 6 p.m. with winds peaking at 105 mph. Officials report the tornado traveled a little more than 18 miles, crossing briefly into western Wisconsin. Another tornado was reported just over the Minnesota-Wisconsin border in Buffalo County at 6:13 p.m. Weather officials estimate the wind peaked around 90 mph and the tornado’s path was just under four miles. Damage was reported to power lines, trees, barns and outbuildings. The National Weather Service says the tornadoes mainly affected rural areas. Multiple tornado watches were issued Tuesday for southeastern Minnesota and extending into Iowa. As many as 24,000 Minnesotans were without electricity due to the storms. In Wisconsin, around 59,000 were without power on Wednesday morning, according to utility tracker PowerOutage.us. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation for 15 counties after severe storms tore through the state, with one tornado killing several people in a small town southwest of Des Moines.

AP/Reuters: [IA] 5 dead and nearly 3 dozen hurt in tornadoes that tore through Iowa, officials say

AP: [IA] Wind towers crumpled after Iowa wind farm suffers rare direct hit from powerful twister

Washington Post: [IA] Why the Greenfield tornado was so powerful, and a forecast for more storms

Washington Post [5/22/2024 1:30 PM, Matthew Cappucci, 47820K, Negative] reports multiple injuries and fatalities have been confirmed in Greenfield, Iowa, after a catastrophic tornado laid siege to the community of roughly 2,000 on Tuesday. A swarm of tornadoes, some violent, tore across the Corn Belt and Upper Midwest, part of what the National Weather Service warned would be a “particularly dangerous” severe weather outbreak. At least 20 tornadoes were reported Tuesday, mainly in southwestern Iowa, but more across Minnesota and Wisconsin will probably be confirmed in the days ahead. The Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center had drawn a Level 4 out of 5 risk zone across Iowa early Tuesday afternoon, cautioning that some tornadoes could be “strong” and remain on the ground for considerable distances. The Greenfield storm comes exactly 11 years and one day after a catastrophic tornado struck Moore, Okla. That was the last EF5 tornado on the 0-to-5 Enhanced Fujita scale to be confirmed in the United States. It’s possible that the catastrophic damage in Greenfield could earn an EF4 or EF5 rating. On Wednesday, the Weather Service rated the Greenfield tornado “at least EF-3” based on initial surveys of damage and wrote on X that there will be additional evaluation. “Results are subject to change,” it wrote on X.

Houston Chronicle: [TX] West Houston mobile home community still without power and water nearly a week after deadly storm

Houston Chronicle [5/22/2024 12:45 PM, Jhair Romero, 2898K, Neutral] reports that in the six days since powerful storms swept through the Houston region, downing power lines, felling trees and causing extensive property damage, much of the metro area has already begun to pick up the pieces. But in the West Houston Mobile Home Community, a predominantly Latino working-class neighborhood with more than 200 homes near the Addicks Reservoir, residents are still living through the disaster as power and water restoration in the area lag. They’re among the 70,000 residents still without electricity in Harris County as of Wednesday morning. In his 20 years living in the West Houston Mobile Home Community, where he’s survived hurricanes, freezes and floods, Gustavo Garcia can’t recall a natural disaster causing this much hardship in the community. “With all the hurricanes we’ve been through here,” the 28-year-old said, “this thunderstorm is what got us worse than anything.” With no electricity or running water since the storms barreled through Greater Houston on Thursday and knocked out utilities for hundreds of thousands of people, residents in this tight-knit neighborhood have struggled to feed their children amid continued school closures and beat the heat as summer encroaches. Some have resorted to hauling buckets of water from a nearby creek to use in their bathrooms.

Wichita Eagle: [KS] Here’s how many tornadoes hit Kansas and what damage was left behind after Sunday storms

Wichita Eagle [5/22/2024 4:12 PM, Eduardo Castillo, Negative] reports the storms that hit Kansas on Sunday night contained brief tornadoes, 100 mph wind gusts and golf ball size hail, according to a report published by the National Weather Service on Wednesday. It started around 2:30 p.m. when a high precipitation supercell formed near Hays along a warm front. A high precipitation supercell is a rotating thunderstorm that produces heavy rainfall, large hail and violent tornadoes, according to the NWS. That storm moved east along I-70 where four brief tornadoes formed in Russell, Ellsworth, Marion and Barton County. All tornadoes were given an EF-1 rating on the Fujita Scale, which classifies them as “moderate” with speeds ranging from 86-110 mph. In Halstead, wooden utility poles were snapped. Many streets had downed tree limbs and tree branches. The roofs of some buildings were ripped off or damaged. Newton reported that several buildings were damaged throughout the county.

AP: [HI] After Lahaina, Hawaii fire crews take stock of their ability to communicate in a crisis

AP [5/22/2024 3:52 PM, Marcel Honore, 39876K, Neutral] reports fire departments across the state are reevaluating their emergency communication capabilities after the Maui wildfires, when the vulnerability of the island’s cellular network — and a lack of advanced communication tools in fire vehicles — complicated efforts by first responders as they confronted one of the worst disasters in Hawaii’s history. On Oahu, a county-level “interagency communications group” now meets about once a week and often brings in private cell carriers, including AT&T, to discuss how the island’s coverage would be affected in various disaster scenarios, Fire Chief Sheldon Hao said Monday. On Kauai, emergency responders aim to fill a puka, or hole, in their communications coverage on the island’s north shore by installing a new cell tower at Haena. On the Big Island, first responders have managed to get either most or all of the cell towers they’ve sought in the past decade for better network coverage, but the ability to track all of the fire department’s vehicles during an emergency remains limited, Todd said. Maui fire officials, meanwhile, declined to be interviewed, but the recent after-action report prepared on its behalf by the Western Fire Chiefs Association recommended that the Maui Fire Department revisit whether it makes sense to join FirstNet, a cellular network for first responders that was rolled out in Hawaii in 2017 with assurances that it would improve response times and save lives.

Secret Service

QNS: [NY] NYPD warns of credit card skimmers found at Dollar Tree in Ozone Park

QNS [5/22/2024 10:00 AM, Anthony Medina, Neutral, Secondary] reports the NYPD 106th Precinct is reminding residents to double-check where they put their credit cards following the discovery of two card skimmer devices at a Dollar Tree location in Ozone Park. Police say a customer shopping at the Dollar Tree store at 137-20 Cross Bay Blvd. on Sunday, May 19, was having trouble making a payment with their credit card at check-out. The customer then pulled on the credit card machine and discovered a skimmer device used by criminals to capture the information from a debit or credit card, according to police. A report was made regarding the discovery of the skimmer, and the devices were removed by the police. So far, no complaints regarding theft have been reported in connection to the skimmer at the Dollar Tree. The Ozone Park Dollar Tree location has raised concerns among community members before. A rat infestation exposed to the public had shut down the store in August last year. Dollar Tree addressed the issue and was able to reopen shortly after. QNS has requested a statement from Dollar Tree and awaits a response.

WBAL: [MD] Credit card skimmer found on self-checkout register inside Towson Wawa

WBAL [5/22/2024 4:44 PM, Tommie Clark, 203K, Neutral, Secondary] reports a credit card skimmer was found inside a Wawa gas station in Baltimore County. “I think it’s super alarming because we come here, like, every single day, and we only use the self-checkout,” said Drew Wilson, a Wawa customer. On May 15, officers were called for a report of a skimming device found at the Wawa on East Joppa Road in Towson. Criminals use the devices to steal data when a credit card is swiped or inserted into the machine. People are especially concerned over where the device was placed. Someone placed the device on a self-checkout register inside the gas station. The device has since been removed. “I tap. I usually use Apple Pay because I’ve known that this is a thing that happens. I never even thought that they could put one on to a self-checkout,” said Kyle Walsh, a Wawa customer. Richard Forno, assistant director of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County’s Center for Cybersecurity, told 11 News that skimmer devices are placed on existing credit card readers to intercept data, including card numbers and PINs. “This phenomenon has really shifted, and we’re seeing it happening inside, rather than just outside,” Forno told 11 News. Forno said it’s best to use a credit card rather than a debit card, to tap the card on the machine rather than insert or swipe it, and if possible, use an app as an added barrier.

AP: [DC] Republican National Committee’s headquarters evacuated after vials of blood are addressed to Trump

WCBD: [SC] 12 arrested for crimes against children in year-long undercover chat operation, officials say

WCBD [5/22/2024 12:32 PM, Tim Renaud, 189K, Positive, Secondary] reports a year-long undercover chat operation on social media yielded roughly a dozen arrests for crimes against children. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) conducted “Operation Cast Net” in July of last year, which saw the arrest of 12 men for various crimes involving juveniles, the sheriff’s office announced Wednesday afternoon. Three additional cases were referred to other agencies for follow-up in their jurisdiction. Charges among those arrested range from traveling to meet a minor for sexual activity to criminal solicitation of a minor and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor among others. “I am extremely proud of the role the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office played in this operation, as well as our surrounding agencies,” said Sheriff Graziano. “This joint effort made Charleston County families and children safer, and we look forward to the day when parents worry less about their kids online. Because of the hard work these officers and deputies did through this operation, we are one step closer to that goal.” Nearly a dozen state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies assisted with the investigation including Charleston PD, Colleton County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, Moncks Corner PD, Mount Pleasant PD, Office of the Inspector General, SC Dept. of Corrections, and the U.S. Secret Service to name a few.

NBC News: [WI] GOP officials frustrated by the Secret Service’s refusal to move protesters away from the RNC convention hall

NBC News [5/23/2024 5:00 AM, Olympia Sonnier, Adam Edelman and Jonathan Allen, 39412K, Negative] reports Republican officials are running into a wall of opposition — from the Secret Service and local officials — as they fight to move a protest zone farther away from the site of their national convention in Milwaukee this summer. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wrote to Secret Service chief Kim Cheatle this month to warn that preliminary plans could create "a likely — and preventable — area of conflict between protestors and Convention attendees and delegates." His concerns echoed and elevated those expressed by the Republican National Committee late last month. Though a detailed map of the Secret Service’s security perimeter — the zone around the convention that is off-limits to the general public and requires credentials and screening to access — hasn’t been publicly released, people familiar with the plans say the space identified as a protest zone, Pere Marquette Park, falls outside it. GOP officials — citing safety concerns after a man set himself on fire outside former President Donald Trump’s New York trial and a suspicious package was sent to the national committee this week — want the Secret Service to expand its security perimeter because, they say, the current plans would force delegates and others attending to come in close contact with protesters on their way to FiServ Forum, the site of the convention.

FOX 26 Houston: [TX] Baytown ATM skimmer operation spreads to Houston; behind the scenes with detective

FOX 26 Houston [5/22/2024 10:52 PM, Abigail Dye, 1029K, Positive, Secondary] reports a Houston police investigation led to charges being filed on a woman accused of putting ATM skimmers in two area ATM’s. One at an ATM on Northwest Freeway and Fairbanks North Houston Road, the other on FM 1960 and Cypress Woods Medical Drive, according to court records. Records show Ana Dirman is charged in the case, and they indicate she has ties to the Baytown skimmer operation FOX 26 previously reported on. Financial Crime Detective Haley Hammes is the investigator who helped put two suspects behind bars in that case. She doesn’t work on the Houston case and can’t speak about it, but knows the in-depth details of how the criminals on her case operate and the devices they use. "We were working with other law enforcement agencies like the Houston Police Department, Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center and the Secret Service," she said.

Coast Guard

Federal News Network: Coast Guard still struggling with major acquisition programs

Federal News Network [5/22/2024 2:30 PM, Jared Serbu, 536K, Neutral] reports that the Navy isn’t the only military service that struggles with big shipbuilding programs. Two of the Coast Guard’s biggest programs — the Offshore Patrol Cutter and the Polar Security Cutter — are years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) says those cost and schedule increases are signs of broader management and oversight problems. For more on the Federal Drive with Tom Temin, Federal News Networks Host of On DoD, Jared Serbu talked with Shelby Oakley, GAO’s Director for Contracting and National Security Issues. [Editorial note: consult audio at source link]

Yahoo! News: [MA] A Tuesday oil spill in Fairhaven’s Little Bay has sparked a multi-agency investigation

Yahoo! News [5/22/2024 1:29 PM, Matthew Ferreira, 59943K, Negative] reports that a multi-agency local, state and federal investigation is underway after responding parties removed spilled oil and a number of lost or abandoned 55-gallon drums found off Little Bay Marsh in Fairhaven on Tuesday. According to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Public Affairs Director Edmund Coletta, a MassDEP Emergency Response Unit responded to reports of the oil drums around 6:50 a.m. on Tuesday. A U.S. Coast Guard press release reports nine drums were found in total, and an estimated 10 gallons of oil had been discharged into the water. Local cleanup contractor Frank Corp Environmental Services was hired to remove the drums and oil from the water, according to USCG. "The source of the drums is under investigation," the release reads. In addition to MassDEP and Coast Guard units, Fairhaven Fire Department also responded to the scene, according to the release. "There was a lingering oil sheen in Little Bay that was determined to be non-recoverable," Coletta wrote in an email. "The sheen diminished during the response, indicating the sheen was evaporating as expected. Absorbent pads were placed on a small puddle (about 1 foot diameter) of oil on the marsh. "A joint investigation into the dumping is now underway with MassDEP and our Environmental Strike Force, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Fairhaven Fire and Police Departments and the Fairhaven Harbormaster." "Environmental protection is everyone’s responsibility, and it is illegal to dispose of oil products in waterways," the Coast Guard’s press release reads.

CBS New York: [NY] Coast Guard shares what service means as Fleet Week sets sail in NYC

CBS New York [5/22/2024 10:41 AM, Staff, 45597K, Neutral] reports CBS New York’s Tony Sadiku is live at Pier 88 while John Elliott is on the water with the U.S. Coast Guard. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Yahoo! News: [LA] Companies face $2M fine for illegally dumping oil into water near New Orleans

Yahoo! News [5/22/2024 11:10 AM, Staff, 59943K, Negative] reports two companies responsible for the operation of the motor tanker “PS Dream” have pleaded guilty to knowingly committing environmental crimes. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana reported Prive Overseas Marine LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret entered guilty pleas on Tuesday, May 21 on charges of conspiracy, knowingly violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and obstruction of justice related to the falsification of the tanker’s Oil Record Book, a required log. The case originates from a crew member’s report made to the Coast Guard New Orleans Sector on Jan. 11, 2023, of a video showing oil being pumped overboard and trailing the tanker. Court documents revealed when the tanker arrived in New Orleans two weeks later, the crew member and another provided evidence for the Coast Guard. “Deliberate pollution from ships, intentional falsification of records and obstruction of justice are serious environmental crimes that will be vigorously prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Maritime laws regulating pollution from ships are intended to ensure that ocean waters are not used as a dumping ground.”

WISN Milwaukee: [WI] U.S. Coast Guard prepares for threats, response during Republican National Convention

WISN Milwaukee [5/22/2024 7:16 PM, Matt Smith, 897K, Neutral, Secondary] reports less than two months until the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, law enforcement officials are intensifying efforts to identify and respond to potential threats as thousands of people are expected in the city. The U.S. Coast Guard hosted an event Wednesday including officials from the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Capitol Police, Milwaukee Police and Fire Departments and Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office to discuss potential responses to various threats and incidents that may arise. "What I can say is the Secret Service and all of our partners are continuously evaluating information and working together to ensure a comprehensive security event is in place for the event," Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the RNC coordinator for the U.S. Secret Service, said. As part of that, the Secret Service confirmed some restrictions will be in place along the Milwaukee River during the week of the RNC, which runs July 15-18. The river is expected to fall within the security zone and will be under the constant patrol of the U.S. Coast Guard. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CISA/Cybersecurity

Cyberscoop: House bill would give CISA millions to diversify cyber workforce

Cyberscoop [5/22/2024 12:00 PM, Matt Bracken, 1M, Neutral] reports the notoriously hom*ogenous cybersecurity field would get help from the federal government to diversify its ranks under new legislation backed by dozens of House Democrats. The Diverse Cybersecurity Workforce Act of 2024, introduced Wednesday by Democratic Reps. Shontel Brown of Ohio and Haley Stevens of Michigan, would provide the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency with $20 million annually to create a program to promote cyber jobs to disadvantaged communities. The bill, which has 32 House Democratic co-sponsors, aims to make cybersecurity jobs more available to women, racial and ethnic minorities, older individuals, veterans, people with disabilities, geographically and socioeconomically diverse communities, people with nontraditional educational backgrounds and those who were formerly incarcerated. Brown said in a statement that having a more diverse cybersecurity workforce would make the United States safer and also bring economic benefits to disadvantaged communities and the country as a whole. “There are hundreds of thousands of good-paying, American cybersecurity jobs that need to be filled, and we will only meet this need by encouraging a wider set of people to work in this growing field,” she said. “We have a diverse country, and we need a cybersecurity workforce that reflects our people, bringing new ideas, backgrounds, and experiences to the table. Workforce diversity is essential to a strong, secure, shining nation that can protect us from a range of threats now and into the future.”

Cyberscoop: FCC pushes new disclosure requirements for AI in political ads

Cyberscoop [5/22/2024 12:00 PM, Derek B. Johnson, 1M, Neutral] reports the Federal Communications Commission is considering whether to require disclosure when a campaign or group uses artificial intelligence in political advertisem*nts. Under a proposed regulation put forward Wednesday by Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, AI-generated imagery would still be permitted for use in political advertisem*nts on radio, cable and satellite television, but the groups behind those ads would need to disclose use of the technology on air or in writing. “As artificial intelligence tools become more accessible, the Commission wants to make sure consumers are fully informed when the technology is used,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Today, I’ve shared with my colleagues a proposal that makes clear consumers have a right to know when AI tools are being used in the political ads they see, and I hope they swiftly act on this issue.” Rosenworcel cited the FCC’s authority under the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act to protect consumers from false, misleading or deceptive programming. If adopted, the agency will seek public comment on a specific definition for AI-generated content and whether such rules should apply to issue-related political advertisem*nts as well as candidates. An FCC spokesperson told CyberScoop that it is agency practice to not release the full text of a proposed regulation unless and until it is adopted by the full commission.

MeriTalk: NSA Aims to Boost Cybersecurity for Small Defense Contractors

MeriTalk [5/22/2024 2:42 PM, Cate Burgan, 33K, Neutral] reports that the chief of defense for the Defense Industrial Base at the National Security Agency’s Cybersecurity Collaboration Center is focused on boosting the cybersecurity of small businesses within the DIB. "The majority of the DIB - 70 percent of it - is small businesses," Bailey Bickley, chief of DIB defense at the NSA CCC, said on May 21 during a Qualys conference in D.C. "We can’t expect a small business to defend against an adversary like the People’s Republic of China alone." "We have to do a better job of helping them," she continued, "They deserve to have the government on their side. And so that was part of the logic that led to the stand up of the [NSA CCC]." Bickley explained that part of the NSA CCC’s job is to provide small businesses with direct assistance and support, "Whether that’s in the form of services that they enroll in that help them protect their networks, or even just joining a collaboration channel." "The whole point is, if we know something that’s actionable, we need to reduce the time to get that information out there," she said. "That’s our job and our role and I think it’s going really well." The DIB defense chief said her team offers three services that address network security, and they’re actively planning to scale up to four. Currently, they provide small defense contractors with protected Domain Name Systems; unclassified threat intelligence; and attack surface management.

Cyberscoop: [China] Chinese hacking threat puts focus on protecting critical infrastructure, Biden adviser says

Cyberscoop [5/22/2024 12:00 PM, Christian Vasquez, 1M, Neutral] reports National Cyber Director Harry co*ker said in remarks on Wednesday that the growing threat posed by Chinese hacking groups is leading the Biden administration to step up its work to protect U.S. critical infrastructure from malicious hackers. co*ker said the Chinese have prompted the White House to intensify its focus on the operational technology supporting the nation’s grid, water, and other essential services. co*ker cautioned that he doubts the American public is fully aware of the potential “magnitude” of a successful attack. “Our cyberspace is growing in complexity, it’s more interconnected than ever before, and it’s increasingly defined by competition,” co*ker said at an event Wednesday hosted by the McCrary Institute at Auburn University. “Aspiring just to manage the worst effects of cyber incidents is insufficient.”

Terrorism Investigations

Reuters: US lawmakers advance bill to make it easier to curb exports of AI models

Reuters [5/22/2024 1:01 PM, Alexandra Alper, 45791K, Neutral] reports that the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to advance a bill that would make it easier for the Biden administration to restrict the export of artificial intelligence systems, citing concerns China could exploit them to bolster its military capabilities. The bill, sponsored by House Republicans Michael McCaul and John Molenaar and Democrats Raja Krishnamoorthi and Susan Wild, also would give the Commerce Department express authority to bar Americans from working with foreigners to develop AI systems that pose risks to U.S. national security. Without this legislation "our top AI companies could inadvertently fuel China’s technological ascent, empowering their military and malign ambitions," McCaul, who chairs the committee, warned on Wednesday.

"As the (Chinese Communist Party) looks to expand their technological advancements to enhance their surveillance state and war machine, it is critical we protect our sensitive technology from falling into their hands," McCaul added. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

CNN: [PA] 2 killed and 3 hurt in a mass shooting at a Pennsylvania linen company. A suspect is in custody

CNN [5/22/2024 1:14 PM, Amanda Musa and Tanika Gray, 20328K, Negative] reports that two people are dead and three others were shot and hospitalized Wednesday in what officials called a workplace shooting in Chester, Pennsylvania - west of Philadelphia. A suspect was arrested in the nearby city of Trainer, Chester Police Commissioner Steven Gretsky said. The suspect arrived at the workplace with a firearm and "Took out his anger" on fellow employees, Stollsteimer said during a news conference. Across the country, at least 168 mass shootings have taken place in just the first five months of this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Both the nonprofit and CNN define mass shootings as those in which four or more victims are shot. The suspect is a "disgruntled employee, a current employee," of the business, Chester Mayor Stefan Roots said. "It speaks to guns in America" "It’s heartbreaking, it’s tragic, it has to stop."

Reuters/AP: [TX] Uvalde, Texas, to pay $2 million to families of children killed in school shooting

National Security News

VOA News: [Russia] Pentagon says Russia launched space weapon in path of US satellite

VOA News [5/22/2024 6:38 AM, Staff, 4186K, Negative] reports Russia has launched a likely space weapon and deployed it in the same orbit as a U.S. government satellite, the Pentagon said. "Russia launched a satellite into low Earth orbit that we assess is likely a counter-space weapon presumably capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit," Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Pat Ryder told a press briefing late Tuesday. The Russian "counter-space weapon" launched on May 16 was deployed "into the same orbit as a U.S. government satellite," he said. Ryder added that Washington would continue to monitor the situation and was ready to protect its interests. "We have a responsibility to be ready to protect and defend the domain, the space domain, and ensure continuous and uninterrupted support to the Joint and Combined Force," he said. Earlier Tuesday, Moscow accused the United States of seeking to place weapons in space after Washington vetoed a Russian non-proliferation motion at the United Nations. "They have once again demonstrated that their true priorities in the area of outer space are aimed not at keeping space free from weapons of any kind, but at placing weapons in space and turning it into an arena for military confrontation," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.

Reuters: [Russia] Russia denies U.S. charge that it put anti-satellite weapon in space

Reuters [5/22/2024 6:53 AM, Guy Faulconbridge, 49149K, Neutral] reports Russia’s top arms control diplomat dismissed as "fake news" on Wednesday an assertion by the United States that Russia had launched a weapon into low-Earth orbit that was capable of inspecting and attacking other satellites. The Kremlin has flatly denied assertions by U.S. officials that Moscow is developing a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon. U.S. Space Command on Tuesday pointed to the launch earlier this month of a Soyuz rocket from Russia’s Plesetsk launch site, saying it likely involved "a counterspace weapon presumably capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit". Russia’s defence ministry, opens new tab said the May 17 launch had a spacecraft on board but gave no details what it was for. "I don’t think we should respond to any fake news from Washington," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency. "The Americans can say whatever they want but our policy does not change from this," said Ryabkov, adding that Moscow had "always consistently opposed the deployment of strike weapons in low-Earth orbit". President Vladimir Putin and then-defence minister Sergei Shoigu denied U.S. assertions in February that Russia was developing a space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapon designed to disrupt everything from military communications to phone-based ride services. U.S. Space Command said the May launch, which it dates as May 16, included COSMOS 2576, a type of Russian military "inspector" spacecraft that U.S. officials have long said exhibits reckless space behaviour.

Newsweek: [Russia] NATO Ally Responds to Russia’s Move to ‘Adjust’ Baltic Sea Border

Newsweek [5/22/2024 7:07 AM, David Brennan, 44206K, Negative] reports Russia has launched a new "hybrid operation" in the Baltic Sea, according to European Union and NATO member Lithuania, after a Russian Defense Ministry document suggested an adjustment to the country’s maritime claims in the area. The draft decree, dated May 21, suggests Moscow wants to declare part of the waters in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and the area near the Kaliningrad towns of Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk as internal waters. "The state border of the Russian Federation at sea will change," a summary of the draft decree quoted by Reuters said. If approved, it added, the decree would come into force in January 2025. The redrawn borders may affect the maritime zones of both Lithuania and Finland. A spokesperson for the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry told Newsweek that Moscow’s actions "are seen as a deliberate, targeted, escalatory provocation to intimidate neighboring countries and their societies." "This is further proof that Russia’s aggressive and revisionist policy is a threat to the security of neighboring countries and Europe as a whole," the spokesperson added. "Lithuania today is summoning a representative of the Russian Federation for a full explanation. We are also coordinating our response with partners." Newsweek has contacted the Russian Foreign Ministry by email to request comment.

New York Times: [China] China Launches Military Drills Around Taiwan as ‘Punishment’