The White House is renewing the pressure on federal immigration agents to massively increase arrest numbers.
Multiple Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sources told The Daily Wire that they&#8217;re back to working seven days a week as the Trump administration pushes for higher arrest numbers. ICE made more than 10,000 arrests during a recent five-day period, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/01/us/politics/ice-immigrant-arrests-surge.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ulA.4-MU.0gsS0EAOfQGH&amp;smid=nytcore-ios-share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> Wednesday.
Over the weekend, ICE agents across the country were &#8220;called into work on a mandatory 100% manpower work week surge effort,&#8221; one agency source said, adding that the &#8220;huge effort&#8221; was &#8220;pushed super last minute, destroying officers&#8217; personal lives in the meantime.&#8221;
The all-gas, no-brakes approach is &#8220;exhausting,&#8221; another agency source said.
<div id="attachment_1127611" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1127611" class="wp-image-1127611 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-634417434-2-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-634417434-2-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-634417434-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-634417434-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/07/GettyImages-634417434-2.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />(Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)</div>
The goal of the new effort is to sustain 2,000 arrests per day, up from 1,000 earlier this year, according to The New York Times.
A White House official confirmed that &#8220;numbers&#8221; are &#8220;increasing&#8221; as a &#8220;result of continued work by the administration on many different fronts.&#8221;
&#8220;Of course, the White House works with their partners at different agencies to ensure the President’s agenda is being enacted. At the same time, the Secure America Act guaranteed funding for 3 years, hiring has continued to increase, the immigration courts are more streamlined, and ICE is operating more efficiently every day,&#8221; the official said.
ICE was instructed to focus on increasing arrest numbers under the leadership of then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, leading to aggressive and flashy sweeps across cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
When Markwayne Mullin took the helm at DHS, he indicated there would be a softer approach to how the agency carries out its mass deportation plan. The shift came after two fatal shootings of anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents.
&#8220;We&#8217;re still enforcing immigration laws, we&#8217;re still deporting illegals that shouldn&#8217;t be here, we&#8217;re still going after the worst of the worst, but we&#8217;re doing it in a more quiet way because my goal in six months is to not have DHS on the lead story everyday,&#8221; Mullin said in April.
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Markwayne Mullin says his leadership style at DHS entails doing deportations &#8220;in a more quiet way.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/GZ5oe82hjg">pic.twitter.com/GZ5oe82hjg</a>
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://x.com/JennieSTaer/status/2044801709151515096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2026</a></blockquote>
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During a press conference Wednesday, Mullin <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj_pqoUGWpU&amp;source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&amp;embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.dailywire.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that arrests and deportations are surging.
&#8220;We&#8217;re seeing our arrest numbers come up, we&#8217;re seeing our deportation numbers continue to increase,&#8221; Mullin said. &#8220;Right now, we&#8217;re deporting on average over 3,000 individuals, actually the average has been for several weeks now over 3,200 individuals a day, 70% of those individuals we&#8217;re deporting have outstanding criminal charges on them or they&#8217;ve already been charged with a felony.&#8221;
&#8220;So when we go after the worst of the worst, which is exactly what we&#8217;re doing, we&#8217;re saving lives,&#8221; Mullin said.
In a statement, DHS said &#8220;since day one&#8221; they&#8217;ve been &#8220;delivering on President Trump’s promise to the American people to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens including murderers, rapists, pedophiles, gang members, and terrorists.&#8221;
&#8220;Nearly 70% of ICE arrests are of illegal aliens charged or convicted of a crime in the U.S. More than 3 million illegal aliens are out of the country and counting. Our message is clear: if you come to our country illegally, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you,&#8221; an agency spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, ICE&#8217;s detention population increased by 4,000 detainees with the facilities holding more than 63,000 illegal immigrants as of Tuesday, The New York Times reported.
ICE leadership has applauded agency personnel for supporting the latest effort.
“I want to personally thank each of you for your extraordinary efforts this past weekend,” Marcos Charles, Executive Associate Director of ICE&#8217;s Enforcement and Removal Operations, wrote this week in an email to agency staff, according to The New York Times.
“Through your dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to our mission, enforcement and removal operations achieved remarkable operational results,&#8221; Charles wrote.
Last Year, White House adviser Stephen Miller instituted a 3,000 daily arrest quota for ICE, which tanked agency morale.
ICE has since more than doubled its staffing levels by hiring thousands of new officers. The agency has also received a flood of billions of dollars in funding.

ICE agents raid to arrest illigal immigrants.

White House Renews Pressure On ICE To Turbocharge Arrests

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

White House

An illegal immigrant the federal government was supposed to deport nearly three decades ago allegedly raped a 16-year-old girl in New York as she was walking home, The Daily Wire has learned.
Aureliano Antonio Melendez Reyes, who hails from El Salvador, allegedly approached the teen in Huntington, New York, on June 6 and asked for her phone number, which she refused to hand over, Long Island&#8217;s News12 <a href="https://longisland.news12.com/2026/06/16/man-indicted-for-raping-minor-in-huntington-alley-as-she-walked-home/5DxbRIB2IlfrNSd2gEHR8U" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The 59-year-old then allegedly forced her into an alley before sexually assaulting her.
The teenage girl was able to break free from Reyes and managed to scale a tall fence while partially clothed before calling 911, according to the local news outlet. The accused rapist continued to pursue the teenager while she was on the phone with authorities.
Police arrived at the scene, where they arrested the alleged predator.
The illegal immigrant snuck across the border without detection at an unknown time, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. He received a deportation order in 1998.
“This monster is charged with rape, sexual abuse, and endangering the welfare of a child after he raped a 16-year-old girl who was walking home,” Acting Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “This sexual predator NEVER should have been in our country and able to prey on this innocent girl.&#8221;
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer against Reyes, asking local authorities to hand over the suspect following his prosecution, DHS said.
Reyes faces up to 25 years behind bars if convicted on the rape charges, according to News12.
It is unlikely that local authorities will honor ICE&#8217;s detainer due to sanctuary laws. New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul recently signed new anti-ICE legislation to prevent local law enforcement agencies from entering agreements with federal immigration authorities.
The legislation also seeks to ban ICE agents from wearing masks and entering churches, schools, and other sensitive locations.
Between January 20, 2025, and December 1, 2025, local authorities in New York released 6,947 criminal illegal immigrants onto the streets, according to DHS. Their crimes account for 29 homicides, 2,509 assaults, 199 burglaries, 305 robberies, 392 dangerous drug offenses, 300 weapons offenses, and 207 sexual predatory offenses.
Bis called out &#8220;Hochul and her fellow sanctuary politicians in New York,&#8221; asking them to honor ICE&#8217;s detainer against Reyes by committing to &#8220;not releasing this criminal illegal alien from jail and to turn him over to ICE.&#8221;
&#8220;New York sanctuary politicians must not release criminals from jail into New York communities,&#8221; she said.

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EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Immigrant With Deportation Order Accused Of Raping 16-Year-Old Girl While She Was Walking Home

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An ICE officer saved a 6-year-old child from drowning by jumping into a Florida pool and performing emergency CPR.
The Department of Homeland Security said this week that Tampa ICE officer Gregory Simmonds saved a child last month who he found floating unconscious in a pool in Pasco County, Florida. After pulling the child from the pool, Simmonds gave the child CPR until he regained consciousness. 
“This officer swiftly sprung to action and delivered life-saving medical care to this 6-year-old who drowned,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Our agents truly are the best of the best. They put their lives on the line to arrest the worst of the worst. Instead of demonizing ICE law enforcement, sanctuary politicians should be thanking them for removing criminals from their communities.&#8221;
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 9/16; max-width: 220px; display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/WgD02c01M4QTj200cZ01nB3txCO2v2DOhQHY?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=a4950040-5077-4278-9812-60933b1f3579&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-6-18%20ICE%20agent%20saves%20kid%20in%20pool%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2Fa0cd56f4-c78f-4ed2-a4d2-a657b90722f6.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
Local authorities praised Simmonds for saving the child’s life.
“Due to his quick thinking, decisive actions and willingness to place himself into action during a critical incident, the child survived and is expected to make a full recovery,” said Corporal J. Leathers of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. “His actions directly contributed to saving the life of the child and reflect exceptional courage and selflessness.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1118687" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-18-at-8.21.10-AM.png" alt="" width="935" height="498" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-18-at-8.21.10-AM.png 935w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-18-at-8.21.10-AM-300x160.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-18-at-8.21.10-AM-768x409.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 935px) 100vw, 935px" /></div>
The incident occurred on May 16. 
In a press release highlighting Simmonds’ actions, the Department of Homeland Security noted other examples of ICE officers taking heroic action. 
In March, an ICE officer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-ice-agent-saves-baby-who-stopped-breathing-in-tsa-line">performed</a> the Heimlich maneuver on a 1-year-old child who experienced a medical emergency and stopped breathing while at JFK International Airport in New York. The child started breathing again after the actions of the ICE officer. 
Another incident occurred in February when two off-duty officers performed CPR on a 4-year-old child found unconscious in a pool in Minnesota. That child eventually regained consciousness. 
ICE has faced increasing public protests across the country from leftist activists attempting to disrupt the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Anti-ICE riots have broken out in California, Minnesota, and New York over detentions of illegal immigrants.

Lane swimming pool. Closeup of the row of lanes in the swimming pool

WATCH: ICE Officer Dives Into Pool To Rescue Drowning 6-Year-Old

Florida

The man accused of being the ringleader of a group planning to attack the UFC Freedom 250 White House event last weekend is an illegal immigrant from Mexico. 
Abraham Alvarez, who the Justice Department said was “responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the planned attack,” overstayed his visa after being brought into the country as a child. He was first granted deportation relief under former President Barack Obama in 2014, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-ufc-terror-plot-ringleader-mexican-illegal-immigrant-dhs-confirms">reported</a> Thursday. 
Alvarez came on a B2 visa, according to the Department of Homeland Security. A B2 visa typically is given for tourism or medical reasons and the one issued to Alvarez expired in 2001.
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;"><iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/00T00DoxJgLnSAQStOdA2yNFRAdCXG2O79?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=22ee7535-ce3c-4786-b286-1ff8dea5879a&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-6-16%20White%20House%20UFC%20drone%20plot%20&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F7a9ad121-a12a-429e-9d1d-74f079d6d439.jpg&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
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&#8220;This illegal alien from Mexico should never have been allowed in our country,&#8221; DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis told Fox News. &#8220;He was the ringleader of a failed terror attack targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.&#8221;
&#8220;He will face justice and swiftly be removed from our country,&#8221; she added of Alvarez.
The alleged plot would have involved using explosive drones to cause panic at the UFC event before snipers opened fire. Alavarez has been charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.
Alvarez wanted to target President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and trillionaire Elon Musk, according to the criminal complaint from the FBI. Neither Musk nor Netanyahu were at the event.
The FBI said that Alvarez went by the moniker &#8220;Shepherd&#8221; in a group chat where the attack was planned.
&#8220;This is the best action I see. Position your teams in the purple dots (counter sniper and drones) Long range (circled area) (great shot) Easy out into the river,&#8221; Shepherd posted on June 10 alongside maps of the D.C. area, according to the FBI.
Tycen Proper, a 19-year-old charged in the attack, allegedly identified “Shepherd” as “the primary individual involved with planning” and “directly stated that Shepherd was the leader of the group and described him as aggressive in tactical planning.”
“From his home here in Nebraska, Alvarez allegedly directed and recruited others across the country to conduct a horrific attack against government officials in a mass casualty event. Our team worked around the clock to locate and apprehend Alvarez, take him into custody, and collect crucial evidence,” said FBI special agent Eugene Kowel on Tuesday. 
This is a breaking story. Refresh for updates.

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Illegal Immigrant Masterminded UFC White House Drone Attack Plot, DHS Says

Terrorism

Federal immigration authorities detained dozens of workers and arrested company officials during a major raid at a South Carolina manufacturing plant this week, the culmination of what state officials described as a years-long investigation into the employment of illegal immigrants.
The operation, <a href="https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/06/04/ag-48-detained-by-ice-operation-burnstein-von-seelen-6-indicted/">dubbed</a> “Operation Ghost Story,” targeted Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings in Abbeville, a city roughly 86 miles from Columbia. Authorities said 48 workers were detained and are being investigated for potential immigration violations. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨HOLY CRAP!!!
An absolutely MASSIVE operation is underway as ICE has SURROUNDED a casting company in rural South Carolina.
A criminal search warrant is currently being executed for the alleged hiring of illegal aliens&#8230;
There are literally HUNDREDS of people in handcuffs!!! <a href="https://t.co/lcBLPj7cKn">pic.twitter.com/lcBLPj7cKn</a>
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) <a href="https://x.com/mattvanswol/status/2062293719945019527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Officials also announced criminal charges against plant manager Christopher Ramey and human resources coordinator Sandy Willis. The two are accused of conspiracy, identity fraud related to employment, and forgery. 

Four additional defendants were charged with supplying fake identification documents that workers used to obtain employment. One of the defendants, Jose Luis Aguilar Mejia, is currently at large and wanted by authorities.
ICE partnered with the Department of Homeland Security, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Abbeville and Greenwood County Sheriff&#8217;s Offices, the Eighth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and other state and local agencies in carrying out the operation.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Chief Mark A. Keel <a href="https://www.wyff4.com/article/ice-raid-employees-arrested-south-carolina-business/71493075">called</a> this raid “the direct result of an exhaustive, years-long investigation.”  
 
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said the operation demonstrates the state&#8217;s commitment to enforcing immigration and identity fraud laws.
“If you are unlawfully aiding illegal immigrants in South Carolina, you are going to be investigated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Wilson stated in a press conference. “If you are taking advantage of hard-working Americans, stealing their identities, and are intentionally ignoring your responsibilities as an employer in an effort to circumvent the law, we are coming for you.”
Burnstein von Seelen Precision Castings manufactures precision pieces for major corporations such as General Electric, General Dynamics, and Siemens.

Immigration Advocates Demonstrate And Clash With Officers Outside Delaney Hall Detention Facility In Newark

Years-Long Probe Leads To Major ICE Raid At Manufacturing Plant

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Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the Trump administration is drafting plans to stop processing foreign travelers at airports located in sanctuary cities, but the possible change has some former officials questioning the political implications.
Mullin revealed on “Hannity” Tuesday night that officials are “currently drawing up plans” to pull Customs officers from international airports in jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts amid escalating anti-ICE protests outside a facility in Newark, New Jersey.
He then doubled down Thursday, telling Fox News host Brian Kilmeade that while his department won&#8217;t &#8220;halt&#8221; international flights, it will pull Customs officers away from processing those passengers as they attempt to enter the United States.
&#8220;When we have situations like what&#8217;s happening in New Jersey right now, when we have to prioritize where we put federal employees because local law enforcement won&#8217;t help protect their streets &#8230; and keep them from barricading and causing harm to our employees, then we have to decide where we&#8217;re going to prioritize our federal employees,&#8221; Mullin said.
&#8220;What we&#8217;re saying is we just won&#8217;t be able to process them because we don&#8217;t have officers there,&#8221; he added.
The idea immediately sparked concerns from former Homeland Security officials, who questioned the political fallout and consequences of such a move ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is set to co-host.
Former Homeland Security advisor Charles Marino said that while there&#8217;s a need for &#8220;consequences for sanctuary cities, there&#8217;s no way this would be allowed to happen with the World Cup coming up.&#8221;
&#8220;The political pressure on the admin from FIFA, the international community, stadiums, local governments, and businesses would be immense. It also undercuts President Trump, who routinely takes credit for bringing the World Cup to the U.S. To do this now is all risk and no reward,&#8221; he said.
Trump&#8217;s Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also appeared skeptical of the proposal.
“We shouldn’t shut down air travel in a state that doesn’t agree with our politics,&#8221; Duffy said during a Congressional hearing last week.
Another former Homeland Security official, who was granted anonymity to speak more freely on the issue, said the Trump administration is trying to play &#8220;hardball,&#8221; adding that it&#8217;s &#8220;the federal government&#8217;s right&#8221; to carry out such a plan. The official, however, warned that &#8220;it is only going to piss off the unaffiliated voters and at the end of the day will not change sanctuary jurisdictions.&#8221;
&#8220;Democrats will still vote for sanctuary,&#8221; the former official said.
Former ICE New York field office deputy director Scott Mechkowski said that Trump&#8217;s base will likely support that move, but that Mullin will need to focus his messaging to present it to the general public as a last-ditch effort to force cooperation from sanctuary cities.
Mechkowski said Mullin has to &#8220;frame&#8221; the initiative as &#8220;an extreme measure.&#8221; He pointed to the Trump administration&#8217;s attempts to &#8220;withhold&#8221; federal funds from sanctuary cities, an effort that has been repeatedly blocked by court orders.
It would also have &#8220;devastating effects,&#8221; spelling financial trouble for sanctuary cities, which he expects would cave easily to meet the Trump administration&#8217;s demands as a result.
&#8220;I think they need to realize that [Mullin] means business,&#8221; Mechkowski said.
Mullin first mentioned the proposal in April, presenting it as a tactic to force sanctuary cities to play ball with federal immigration agents.
“I believe sanctuary cities is not lawful,” Mullin told Fox News’ Bret Baier at the time. “I don’t think they’re able to do that, and so we’re gonna take a hard look at this.”
“If they’re sanctuary cities, should they really be processing Customs into their city?” Mullin asked. “If they’re a sanctuary city and they’re receiving international flights, and we’re asking them to partner with us at the airport, but once they walk out of the airport they’re not gonna enforce immigration policy, maybe we need to have a really hard look at that because we need to focus on cities that want to work with us.”

Newark Liberty International Airport

Mullin’s Proposal To Pull Customs From Airports Gets Mixed Reviews

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Markwayne Mullin

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Foreigners roaming the United States and wanting a green card must return to their home country to apply, closing a major loophole that contributed to the growth of the illegal immigrant population in the country, according to a new federal rule.
The move shows that the United States is &#8220;returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly,&#8221; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesman Zach Kahler said in a <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-will-grant-adjustment-of-status-only-in-extraordinary">statement</a> Friday. Before the new rule came into play, immigrants who were in the United States for temporary work, tourism, or school could stay in the country while applying for a green card.
As a result, the illegal immigrant population grew since many stayed in the country after being denied permanent residency. Their failure to depart forced federal authorities to hunt them down for deportation, according to USCIS.
&#8220;This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivizing loopholes,&#8221; Kahler said. &#8220;When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency.&#8221;
When immigrants come to the United States under temporary terms, they shouldn&#8217;t use the visit as &#8220;the first step&#8221; in getting a green card, Kahler said.
“Following the law allows the majority of these cases to be handled by the State Department at U.S. consular offices abroad and frees up limited USCIS resources to focus on processing other cases that fall under its purview, including visas for victims of violent crime and human trafficking, naturalization applications, and other priorities,&#8221; Kahler said.
&#8220;The law was written this way for a reason, and despite the fact that it has been ignored for years, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient,&#8221; he said.
Some immigrants will be exempt if there are &#8220;extraordinary circumstances&#8221; in their case, according to USCIS.
Around 500,000 immigrants overstayed their visa permissions as of September 2024, according to Homeland Security data.
The latest action comes as the Trump administration looks to crack down on abuse of legal immigration programs. As part of the effort, USCIS is auditing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-targets-citizenship-of-naturalized-terror-suspects">naturalization</a> cases, which has resulted in several foreign-born nationals accused of committing fraud or who are tied to terrorism losing their citizenship.
The Trump administration has already denaturalized 15 individuals as of April and has filed a total of 35 denaturalization complaints.

Children Receive U.S. Citizenship Certificates In New York

Trump Closes Major Loophole Used By Illegal Immigrants

Donald Trump

Federal investigators have made yet another discovery of a sophisticated fraud scheme involving a work authorization program for foreigners.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) <a href="https://x.com/JennieSTaer/status/2054232420522598520">announced</a> Tuesday that the Optional Practical Training program, known as OPT, has &#8220;become a magnet for fraud&#8221; with foreign students claiming employment from &#8220;highly suspect employers,&#8221; Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said. He described the controversy at a press conference, noting the program allows foreign students to work in their area of study for up to one year while attending school.
Federal investigators say OPT fraud has exploded nationwide, reporting shocking discoveries upon visiting the alleged worksites claiming to employ the foreign students.
They found empty buildings with locked doors where hundreds of foreign students were said to be working. In some cases, multiple employers claimed the same address, but none of them actually had a lease there.
Some small homes were also listed as worksites for hundreds of foreign students, but had no employees present. When someone answered the door at one of the residences, they claimed to have no knowledge of the business.
Other alleged employers claimed to have offshore HR and payroll personnel. Many of the employers had tax liens, civil lawsuit collections, and breaches of contract on their records.
In some instances, foreign students who obtained work permits through the OPT program never showed up to work at the jobs they claimed to hold.
Lyons said the employment program has &#8220;ballooned into an uncontrolled guest worker pipeline with hundreds of thousands of foreign students working in the United States,&#8221; adding that the latest fraud findings may be &#8220;only the tip of the iceberg.&#8221;
Last week, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a branch of ICE, visited 18 worksites in north Texas and made an &#8220;alarming&#8221; discovery of &#8220;coordinated employer clusters, where numerous employers in the same building complex are running nearly identical websites, sharing job postings and management personnel, but claiming no business relationships with each other,&#8221; John Condon, the agency&#8217;s Acting Executive Associate Director, said during Tuesday&#8217;s presser.
In Houston, agents found an alleged &#8220;pay to stay visa fraud&#8221; scheme in which a company was &#8220;charging students under the table to help them fraudulently maintain visa status,&#8221; he added.
Other cases also raised red flags. In New York, a supposed employer became visibly upset with federal investigators and denied having any knowledge of a company linked to his address &#8220;despite Homeland Security records and student reports confirming otherwise,&#8221; Condon said. A foreign student told investigators that the individual owned the worksite &#8220;but could not explain his denial.&#8221;
Condon discussed an OPT employer in New Jersey claiming to support more than 150 foreign students who couldn&#8217;t answer federal investigators&#8217; &#8220;basic questions about who they were or what they were hired to do.&#8221; The investigators encountered only one student at the site, &#8220;who had revealed that he had not worked for the listed copy in over a year&#8221; and &#8220;was instead being trained by a company based in India.&#8221;
Lyons called the fraudulent activity &#8220;deliberate, coordinated, and criminal,&#8221; vowing that &#8220;more actions are forthcoming.&#8221;
&#8220;DHS will relentlessly investigate, disrupt, and refer for prosecution anyone who exploits our programs. We have intensified our vetting at consular posts overseas, targeting trafficking, forced labor, document fraud, and unauthorized employment among student visa applicants,&#8221; Lyons said.
&#8220;This fraud is not victimless. It is a blatant attack on the goodwill of the American people who generously allow foreign nationals access to our education system,&#8221; he added.

Trump Floats Death Penalty For All Convicted Of Murder In DC

ICE Makes New Major Fraud Discovery Involving 10,000 Foreign Students

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Todd Lyons

The suspect who attempted to storm the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner with a plan to assassinate President Donald Trump and top administration officials was potentially motivated by anger about the war in Iran, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
A DHS intelligence report obtained by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/iran-conflict-may-have-motivated-trump-dinner-shooting-suspect-us-intelligence-2026-05-06/">Reuters</a> on Wednesday concluded that the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran &#8220;may have contributed&#8221; to Cole Allen&#8217;s &#8220;decision to conduct the attack.&#8221; Posts on a social media account linked to Allen raged against the U.S. government&#8217;s actions in Iran and recently called for Trump to be impeached over the president&#8217;s warning that &#8220;a whole civilization will die.&#8221;
A DHS spokesman told Reuters that the intelligence report was created to &#8220;notify our partners of the latest available information following significant incidents that have impacts to homeland security.&#8221;
Allen wrote out some of his motivations in a manifesto that he shared with family members minutes before he attempted to charge into the ballroom at the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner, according to federal prosecutors. In a 1,000-word document, the suspected would-be assassin referred to Trump as a &#8220;pedophile, rapist, and traitor&#8221; and wrote that his goal was to murder Trump administration officials at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, targeting them from “highest-ranking to lowest.&#8221;
While Allen did not mention any frustrations about the Iran war in his manifesto, in a criticism of the security at the Washington Hilton, the suspect wrote, &#8220;If I was an Iranian agent, instead of an American citizen, I could have brought a damn Ma Deuce in here and no one would have noticed sh*t.&#8221; A Ma Deuce is a .50-caliber heavy machine gun used by many militaries.
In the manifesto, Allen condemned other U.S. military action, highlighting strikes on suspected drug runners in the Caribbean. Allen said the suspected drug runners were “fisherman executed without trial.”
In the manifesto, the suspect called himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin” and invoked his Christian faith, arguing that &#8220;Turning the other cheek when someone else is oppressed is not Christian behavior; it is complicity in the oppressor’s crimes.&#8221;
Minutes after President Trump arrived at the Washington Hilton for the White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner on April 25, Allen ran through a security checkpoint and fired one shot from his Mossberg 12-gauge pump-action shotgun that struck a Secret Service agent, according to the Justice Department. A Secret Service agent returned fire, and Allen was detained shortly after he got past the security checkpoint when he fell to the ground. Allen was not hit by any of the agent&#8217;s shots, and the agent who was shot by Allen was protected by a bulletproof vest.
Allen was also carrying a fully-loaded Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol and multiple knives when he attacked, the Justice Department said. Allen was initially charged with attempting to assassinate the president of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. On Tuesday, federal prosecutors added an additional charge of assault on a federal officer. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Sunday that the Secret Service agent was &#8220;definitively&#8221; shot by Allen.
“He had every intention to kill him and anyone who got in his way on his way to killing the president of the United States,&#8221; Pirro <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/05/03/trump-assassination-cole-allen-suicide-pirro.html#:~:text=%7C%20Getty%20Images-,U.S.%20Attorney%20for%20the%20District%20of%20Columbia%20Jeanine%20Pirro%20said,his%20bullet%2C%22%20Pirro%20said.">said</a>.
Earlier this week, the judge overseeing Allen&#8217;s case <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-issues-stunning-apology-to-accused-trump-assassin">apologized</a> to the suspect for the conditions he has faced in jail. Judge Zia Faruqui, who has a soft-on-crime <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woke-judge-who-apologized-to-wannabe-trump-assassin-has-a-radical-leftist-record">record</a>, grilled jail officials for placing Allen on a temporary suicide watch that required 24-hour isolation.

Cole Allen/Police

Feds Uncover Critical Link In Radicalization Of Wannabe Trump Assassin

assassination attempt

White House Correspondents’ Dinner

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown is now set to be largely over, after the House of Representatives approved the Senate-backed plan to fund every element of the department except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A reconciliation bill is anticipated to fund the other two critical law enforcement agencies.
The move in the House was conducted with a voice vote, according to <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2049899389435449379?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
President Donald Trump will now have to sign off on the funding, as there were concerns once again about being able to pay employees of the department starting on Friday.
The shutdown began in mid-February, as Democrats wanted sweeping federal immigration enforcement reforms in opposition to the Trump administration, particularly Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.
On April 1, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) came to an agreement with the president on how to best tackle the shutdown, as the Senate passed the deal that left out ICE and CBP in late March, whereas House Republicans passed a 60-day continuing resolution that funded everything.
“In the coming days, Republicans in the Senate and House will be following through on the President’s directive by fully funding the entire Department of Homeland Security on two parallel tracks: through the appropriations process and through the reconciliation process,” the Republican leaders <a href="https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/2039413952220631443?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> at the time.
“While we hoped they would accept the 60-day CR to fund the Department entirely so that bipartisan negotiations could continue, it is now abundantly clear that Democrats place allegiance to their radical left-wing base above all else — including their own power of the purse — which means open borders and protecting criminal illegal aliens,” the statement continued.
While Democrats wanted a long list of changes made to immigration enforcement, including the end of masking and the use of judicial warrants, it’s highly unlikely they will get the reforms they sought given the workaround nature of a reconciliation deal. A reconciliation bill allows the Senate to bypass its 60-vote procedural threshold, but it follows strict rules about what’s allowed and not allowed in the legislation.
The DHS shutdown most clearly played out before Americans due to long TSA lines, as agents were going without pay for weeks until executive action was taken.

Mullin To Face Senate Scrutiny Over Ability To Lead Behemoth DHS

DHS Shutdown Ends For TSA And Secret Service, But Border Security Left Hanging

Congress

Government Shutdown

In a blow to national security and maritime safety, the U.S. Coast Guard is facing an internal crisis as the partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown reaches its 75th day.
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday revealed that the funding lapse has become so severe that utility companies are beginning to shut off power, water, and gas at active military installations across the country.
During a CBS News interview, Lunday confirmed that &#8220;the lights are shutting off&#8221; at stations tasked with life-saving missions. In the last several days, Station Channel Islands in California and Station Port Huron in Michigan had their power cut off, while Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii saw its natural gas service interrupted.
While the Coast Guard was able to restore these specific services, Lunday warned that the number of shutoffs is expected to rise. These stations operate 24/7, 365 days a year, standing ready to respond to mariners in distress or national security threats.
&#8220;I think a lot of Americans would be pissed to hear this is happening,&#8221; the CBS interviewer posited to the Admiral.
&#8220;Furious,&#8221; Lunday responded. &#8220;That’s exactly right.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
EXCLUSIVE: Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday tells CBS News’ <a href="https://twitter.com/NicoleSganga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NicoleSganga</a> that several Coast Guard stations across the country recently lost power, water or gas. Service has been restored, but he warns more outages could happen as the DHS shutdown continues. More tomorrow… <a href="https://t.co/G0k6qtz80h">pic.twitter.com/G0k6qtz80h</a>
&mdash; CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/2049637221385506868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Coast Guard acts as the nation&#8217;s maritime police force. Because they have Title 14 authority, they can board vessels at sea without a warrant to ensure compliance with U.S. laws.
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Drug Interdiction: They are the lead agency for stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. via the sea, often seizing billions of dollars worth of cocaine and marijuana annually.</li>
<li>Migrant Interdiction: They patrol the Caribbean and the Pacific to intercept human trafficking and illegal migration, often rescuing people from unseaworthy vessels.</li>
<li>Ports &amp; Waterways Security: They protect 361 U.S. ports from terrorism and ensure that &#8220;high interest&#8221; vessels (like tankers or cruise ships) are screened before entering.</li>
</ul>
The Coast Guard currently holds the distinction of being the only military branch impacted by the funding stalemate. Because the service falls under the Department of Homeland Security rather than the Department of Defense, its personnel are caught in a legislative &#8220;procedural loop&#8221; over immigration enforcement and the SAVE Act.
The human cost of the 75-day impasse is <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/04/28/utility-shutoffs-mounting-debt-coast-guard-endures-hardships-in-ongoing-shutdown/">mounting</a>:
<ul data-path-to-node="9">
<li>
Personnel Hardship: While active-duty members have received intermittent pay through discretionary funding shifts, there is no guarantee of future checks. Families are reportedly relying on interest-free loans from Coast Guard Mutual Assistance to buy groceries.
</li>
<li>
Civilian Crisis: Nearly 10,000 civilian employees went unpaid for nearly two months. One civil servant in Alaska reportedly sold his car to pay rent before emergency funding was briefly released.
</li>
<li>
Operational Decay: Over $200 million in unpaid bills has caused private contractors to cease maintenance on ships and aircraft.
</li>
</ul>
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has staunchly refused to bring the bill funding DHS to a vote, as House Republicans are insisting on a funding package that includes strict immigration reforms and the SAVE Act, using the DHS budget as legislative leverage.
“We have to move DHA funding because it’s urgent … we are out of money,” Johnson stated.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Phil Waldron told a House subcommittee that the workforce&#8217;s focus is being &#8220;dangerously fractured&#8221; by financial anxiety. &#8220;Their focus is required for dangerous missions,&#8221; Waldron said. &#8220;That focus is fractured when they’re worried about paying their rent.&#8221;
As of April 30, 2026, the shutdown remains the longest in DHS history. While the Coast Guard continues to answer distress calls under its &#8220;Always Ready&#8221; motto, leadership warns that every day of the shutdown creates a 2.5-day recovery backlog, hollowing out the readiness of the nation’s primary maritime shield.

U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter

‘The Lights Go Out’: Coast Guard Faces Shutoffs, Financial Crisis As DHS Shutdown Hits Day 75

Coast Guard

Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz boasted about his moves to crack down on fraud during his final State of the State address on Tuesday night, just hours after federal agents raided numerous daycares in the Minneapolis area as part of an investigation into government fraud that has plagued Minnesota for years.
In his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/sHPaQk2GD6U?si=FpadFG6TkHzIIdoq&amp;t=2295">remarks</a> before state legislators, Walz highlighted steps he&#8217;s taken to address the rampant fraud in recent months as his second term as governor nears its end. The Democratic governor has come under pressure from the Trump administration after federal prosecutors uncovered a massive fraud scheme that has seen tens of millions of taxpayer dollars stolen from state government programs.
&#8220;In February, I introduced a comprehensive anti-fraud package and began to implement a nine-part fraud prevention roadmap developed by Director of Program Integrity Tim O’Malley,&#8221; Walz said. &#8220;We’ve created additional checks and balances. We have brought on more investigators, more auditors, and more law enforcement agencies, as well as an outside firm to take a look at high-risk programs. People who have ripped us off are getting caught, and they are going to jail just like today.&#8221;
Walz then claimed that more fraud is taking place in Republican-led states.
&#8220;I’ve said the buck stops with me. And I know some of you will take that as an open invitation to play politics with every incident of fraud that takes place here in Minnesota, even though I have to tell you the statistics show it&#8217;s happening in red states more than here,&#8221; Walz said. &#8220;But, so be it. But taking responsibility doesn’t just mean taking the blame. It means taking it upon yourself to fix the problem.&#8221;
The governor&#8217;s remarks came around 12 hours after the FBI and Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-wave-hits-as-feds-raid-more-minnesota-daycare-sites-in-growing-fraud-scandal?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowHeadline=Up+Next&amp;rowType=Up+Next+Carousel&amp;title=New+Wave+Hits+As+Feds+Raid+More+Minnesota+Daycare+Sites+In+Growing+Fraud+Scandal">raided</a> 22 daycares and learning centers in the Minneapolis area as part of President Donald Trump&#8217;s anti-fraud crackdown. Earlier on Tuesday, Walz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-walz-takes-credit-for-fbi-raids-on-minnesota-daycares?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Tim+Walz+Takes+Credit+For+FBI+Raids+On+Minnesota+Daycares">took credit</a> for helping orchestrate the raids and was blasted by FBI Director Kash Patel.
“Come again? This FBI and DOJ with our DHS partners drafted and executed every search warrant today,” Patel fired back. “But go ahead and take credit for our work while we smoke out the fraud plaguing Minnesota under your governorship.”
Tuesday&#8217;s raids focused on many Somali-owned daycares and learning centers around Minneapolis. Under Walz&#8217;s watch, dozens of Somalis defrauded numerous Minnesota social programs for years before they were caught. The fraud scandal included the federally funded Feeding Our Future nonprofit, which claimed to hand out meals to children during the COVID pandemic, but greatly exaggerated its work.
Walz, along with Minnesota Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison, has been accused of attempting to cover up the state&#8217;s fraud problem and silence government employees who raised concerns. Walz and Ellison have denied those accusations and claim that the state government has been properly investigating and prosecuting fraud.
In January, Walz announced that he would not seek a third term for governor so he could focus on addressing the state&#8217;s fraud problem. In his State of the State address, Walz called on the Minnesota state legislature to pass legislation to strengthen government oversight.
&#8220;My ask for you tonight is simple,&#8221; Walz told state lawmakers. &#8220;If you&#8217;re taking fraud seriously, take your responsibility to help me stop it seriously. If you talk about oversight, vote for that oversight in the bills that are working their way through the chamber.&#8221;
Four months ago, Walz accused President Donald Trump of &#8220;politicizing the issue&#8221; of fraud as Trump deployed federal agents and immigration officers to the Minneapolis area.

Tim Walz/Quality ‘Learing’ Center

Tim Walz, Awash In Fraud Investigations, Crowns Himself Anti-Fraud Champ In Final State Address

Minnesota

Trump Administration

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