Parts of the border wall that The Daily Wire revealed were auctioned off by the Biden administration are now expected to be returned to the Trump administration to support the President’s “border protection plans.”
The Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-biden-races-to-sell-off-border-wall-parts-before-trump-takes-office">sold off</a> portions of the border wall in Arizona for pennies on the dollar in December, just one month before Trump reentered office in a move that critics called an attempt to hamstring the new administration. Now, those materials will be handed back over to the federal government.
GovPlanet, the government supply auctioning site that listed the border wall materials, says that it will expedite the return of the materials to the federal government, citing its support for the Trump administration’s border security plans.
“GovPlanet has reached an agreement, working with the Office of the Border Czar, to return border wall materials that were previously deemed surplus and sourced by the federal government to GovPlanet via existing contracts,” the company <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/what-happened-border-wall-components-got-sold-off-under-biden">explained</a>. “We are expediting the transfer of these materials to support the administration&#8217;s border protection plans.”
The sale of the border wall materials, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) told The Daily Wire, was an attempt by the Biden administration to hamstring the Trump administration. “The Biden Administration is well aware they shouldn’t have reversed the construction of the border wall. If it’s true, they’re purposefully hamstringing an incoming president, it wouldn’t be shocking,” Crane charged. “Why would they want to see President Trump succeed with policies they aggressively sabotaged?”
The Republican Congressman from Arizona called the sale “a direct affront to the will of the people,” who had given President Trump a mandate to secure the border just a month before The Daily Wire broke the news of the auctions.
The sale came after Biden presided over a record-breaking surge of illegal immigration into the United States.
The materials will now be handed over to a firm that has been contracted by the government to build the wall, GovPlanet says. “We value our longstanding partnership with the U.S. government and look forward to continuing to support America’s federal agencies,” GovPlanet added. “A third-party firm that has been contracted for construction of the border wall will take receipt of the materials over the next 90 days.”
GovPlanet also said that the supplies will be returned to the federal government “at-cost” in order to “protect the millions of dollars that U.S. taxpayers had already invested in this initiative.”

Border wall

Border Wall Supplies Sold Off By Biden To Be Returned To Trump Admin

Biden

Border

Border Wall

Illegal Immigration

Immigration

Trump

A federal appeals court overturned a left-wing judge’s threat to hold Trump administration officials in criminal contempt for deporting Venezuelan illegal aliens to El Salvador.
The appeals court ruling is a win for the Trump administration, which has been locked in a legal battle with Judge James Boasberg, whom the White House has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-judge-threatens-to-hold-trump-admin-in-criminal-contempt-of-court-over-deportation-flights">blasted</a> as a “Democrat activist” working to “usurp the president’s authority.”
The 2-1 decision from a panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down Boasberg’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-judge-threatens-to-hold-trump-admin-in-criminal-contempt-of-court-over-deportation-flights">earlier finding </a>that there was probable cause that some officials acted in contempt of court.
Boasberg, an Obama appointee who The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/meet-the-obama-appointed-judge-trying-to-stop-trump-from-deporting-criminal-illegals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> is married to the founder of a Washington, D.C.-area abortion clinic who has given money to the Democrats, blocked the Trump administration from deporting illegal aliens to El Salvador’s terrorist confinement center in March. The federal judge later said that the Trump administration defied a court order by refusing to turn around a deportation flight already on its way to El Salvador.
“The court does not reach such conclusion lightly or hastily; indeed, it has given defendants ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions. None of their responses has been satisfactory,” Boasberg wrote.
Friday’s ruling puts to rest the threat from Boasberg, with a concurring opinion charging that the liberal judge’s claims raise “troubling questions about judicial control over core executive functions like the conduct of foreign policy and the prosecution of criminal offenses.”
The ruling comes on the heels of a Supreme Court victory <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-secures-victory-in-scotus-ruling-enabling-more-deportations">upholding</a> the Trump administration’s authority to deport illegal aliens to “third countries” — nations willing to take in migrants from elsewhere.
The Trump administration has used third-country agreements to deport illegal aliens whose home countries are unwilling to accept them, as well as to deport others who have protection orders that prevent them from being sent back to their nation of origin.

Judge James Boasberg

Court Sides With Trump Admin, Tosses Left-Wing Judge’s Contempt Threat

Court

Courts

deportation

James Boasberg

Judge

Politics

&#8220;Lois &amp; Clark&#8221; star Dean Cain announced this week that he had signed on with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) team and encouraged others to join as well.
In a video posted to X, Cain reminded his followers that he was already &#8220;a sworn law enforcement officer&#8221; and had determined that saddling up with ICE was the best way for him to continue serving and protecting the people of the United States.
&#8220;JOIN ICE! We need your help to protect [America],&#8221; he said.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
JOIN ICE!! 
We need your help to protect 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/cXcUaDcDhY">pic.twitter.com/cXcUaDcDhY</a>
— Dean Cain (@RealDeanCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealDeanCain/status/1952831589487919236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;For those who don’t know, I am a sworn law enforcement officer, as well as being a filmmaker, and I felt it was important to join with our first responders to help secure the safety of all Americans, not just talk about it, so I joined up,&#8221; he explained in the video clip.
Cain informed his audience of the pay and benefits afforded new agents — including a $50,000 signing bonus recently announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — and encouraged them to think about what they could do to help protect American citizens.
&#8220;Since President Trump took office, ICE has arrested hundreds of thousands of criminals, including terrorists, rapists, murderers, pedophiles, MS-13 gang members, drug traffickers, you name it — very dangerous people who are no longer on the streets,&#8221; he continued.
&#8220;So if you want to help save America, ICE is arresting the worst of the worst and removing them from America’s streets. I like that. I voted for that. They need your help, we need your help, to protect our homeland and our families. So check into it and join today if it’s something that tickles your fancy because we can use you,&#8221; Cain added. He also noted that there was no college degree requirement for ICE agents, meaning that many who wanted to join up would most likely be able to start work immediately.
Cain talked about his decision with Fox News host Jesse Watters on Wednesday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;Jesse Watters Primetime,&#8221; where he explained to Watters that he wasn&#8217;t entirely sure yet what his actual duties might entail.
&#8220;I will do whatever Director [Todd] Lyons wants me to do,&#8221; he declared when asked whether he&#8217;d be one of the agents jumping out of vans to apprehend criminals in the streets. &#8220;If that&#8217;s what it takes, absolutely. I somehow doubt I&#8217;ll be in that position, but I would be there in a heartbeat.&#8221;
&#8220;These brave men and women need someone to stand up for them, so rarely these days are we seeing that,&#8221; he said.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Bad Hombres better watch out. Primetime accidentally drafted SUPERMAN into ICE.<a href="https://twitter.com/RealDeanCain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RealDeanCain</a> is joining the 80,000 new ICE recruits who are ready to make America safe again <a href="https://t.co/vI7Aj6HadO">pic.twitter.com/vI7Aj6HadO</a>
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) <a href="https://twitter.com/JesseBWatters/status/1953268733943660888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Premiere Of “Paul’s Promise”

‘We Can Use You’: ‘Superman’ Actor Joins ICE, Immediately Starts Recruiting

'We Can Use You': 'Superman' Actor Joins ICE, Immediately Starts Recruiting

Dean Cain

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Law Enforcement

Superman

The Trump administration announced that it will be partnering with the state of Indiana to create a new ICE detention facility modeled after Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz,” with the new location dubbed the “Speedway Slammer.”
The new ICE detention facility, which will be established in coordination with the Indiana state government, will be located at the Miami Correctional Facility, located roughly 60 miles north of Indianapolis.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the new facility, explaining that it will allow the federal law enforcement agency to hold another 1,000 illegal aliens at a time.
“COMING SOON to Indiana: The Speedway Slammer. Today, we’re announcing a new partnership with the state of Indiana to expand detention bed space by 1,000 beds. Thanks to Governor Braun for his partnership to help remove the worst of the worst out of our country,” Noem said in a statement to Fox News <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1952839290993651760">announcing</a> the new ICE detention facility.
“If you are in America illegally, you could find yourself in Indiana’s Speedway Slammer. Avoid arrest and self deport now using the CBP Home App,” she added, referencing the app that the Trump administration is using to encourage illegal alien self-deportations.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun touted the new partnership with the Trump administration and asserted that the “Speedway Slammer” will assist ICE in its effort to “remove the worst of the worst.”
“We are proud to work with President Trump and Secretary Noem as they remove the worst of the worst with this innovative partnership,” Braun said. “Indiana is taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach to combating illegal immigration and will continue to lead the way among states.”
The “Speedway Slammer” comes on the heels of Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz,” the new ICE detention facility located in the Everglades, which appears <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-will-be-nearly-impossible-for-illegal-aliens-to-escape-alligator-alcatraz?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=35&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Why+It+Might+Be+Impossible+For+Illegals+To+Escape+Florida%E2%80%99s+%E2%80%98Alligator+Alcatraz%E2%80%99">virtually impossible</a> to successfully escape from due to the treacherous natural conditions in the area and the dangerous wildlife that populate it.
That facility was recently put into service, with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hundreds-of-illegal-aliens-deported-in-first-flights-from-alligator-alcatraz">hundreds</a> of illegal aliens being flown out of the country from the site in late July.

ICE Arrest

‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Has Some New Competition: The ‘Speedway Slammer’

Meet "Alligator Alcatraz's" New Competition: The "Speedway Slammer"

Department of Homeland Security

illegal alien

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The State Department is rolling out a new pilot program that will require some foreign visitors to the United States to pay bonds up to $15,000 for entry. 
The trial program, announced on Monday, is intended to crack down on the hundreds of thousands of visa overstays that occur every year. 
The notice from the State Department said that the 12-month pilot program will primarily impact those “who are nationals of countries identified by the Department as having high visa overstay rates&#8221; and &#8220;where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient.” 
The purpose was to address the “clear national security threat posed by visa overstays and deficient screening and vetting,” according to the State Department. 
Consular officers will be authorized to require nonimmigrant visa applicants from countries with high visa overstay rates to post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 during their time in the United States. The amount would depend on individual circumstances and official discretion. 
“The Department believes these three levels will provide consular officers discretion to require a bond in an amount that is sufficient enough to ensure the alien does not overstay, while taking into account the visa applicant’s circumstances,” the notice said. 
The Trump administration previously tried to implement a similar program in 2020, but that never took effect because of travel shutdowns triggered by the COVID pandemic. 
The new <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/08/05/2025-14826/visas-visa-bond-pilot-program">pilot program</a> is another means to curb illegal immigration and encourage cooperation from foreign governments. 
“By its design and intention, the Pilot Program is a tool of diplomacy, intended to encourage foreign governments to take immediate action to reduce the overstay rates of their nationals when traveling to the United States for temporary visits, and to encourage countries to improve screening and vetting and the security of travel and civil documents, including in the granting of citizenship,” the notice said. 
Since 2015, the number of visa overstays has averaged in the hundreds of thousands every year, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security. The department found in 2023 that there were around 500,000 visa overstays. Countries with high levels of visa overstays <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2024-10/24_1011_CBP-Entry-Exit-Overstay-Report-FY23-Data.pdf">included</a> Afghanistan, Angola, Burma, Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Haiti, Sudan, and Yemen.

President Trump Meets With Visiting Crown Prince Of Bahrain

High-Risk Foreign Visitors Must Pay Up To $15K To Enter U.S. Under Trump Admin Visa Crackdown

Illegal Immigation

State Department

Trump Administration

Three Venezuelan nationals released into the United States by the Biden administration have been charged in connection with a murder in Texas.
The three men were each <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/1952396528934629851">charged</a> with capital murder and are believed to have shot and killed a 48-year-old man at a Motel 6 in Garland, Texas.
Two of the three men, Jose Trivino-Cruz and Jesus Bellorin-Guzman, were released into the United States by the Biden administration through the Customs and Border Patrol One app, an online platform that allowed migrants to remotely schedule asylum appointments and expedited the entry of thousands of migrants into the United States.
The third Venezuelan national charged in connection with the murder, named Yosguar Aponte-Jimenez, entered the United States illegally in 2023 before ultimately being released into the country by the Biden administration.
Two of the men are also believed to have held a woman at gunpoint at a different hotel that same day, allegedly robbing and sexually assaulting her.
“Three depraved criminal illegal aliens from Venezuela were released into the U.S. under the Biden administration and are now facing capital murder and robbery charges for shooting and killing a man at a motel in Dallas County, Texas,” Tricia McLaughlin, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary, <a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2025/08/04/ice-lodges-arrest-detainers-3-criminal-illegal-aliens-venezuela-charged-capital">charged</a>. “Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE law enforcement, these criminal illegal aliens&#8217; crime spree is OVER.”
“These vicious criminals have no place in the U.S. ICE has lodged a detainer to ensure they are removed from our country after they face justice for their heinous crimes,” McLaughlin went on to add.
Both Jimenez and Trivino-Cruz are also believed to be involved in additional crimes. DHS says that Jimenez admitted to more than 25 robberies, while the federal agency says that Trivino-Cruz, who has been charged with aggravated robbery and indecent assault, confessed to perpetrating two robberies that same day.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer request on the three Venezuelan nationals and is expected to gain custody of the men.

Venezuelan Criminals

Three Venezuelan Migrants Released Into United States By Biden Admin Charged With Murder

Three Venezuelans Let Into United States By Biden Admin Charged With Murder

Crime

A far-left organization partnered with financial institutions, activist groups, and the Mexican consulate to push banks to offer mortgage loans to illegal aliens and “protect undocumented immigrants.”
Rise Economy, a leftist organization formerly called the California Reinvestment Coalition, was behind a <a href="https://calreinvest.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Here-to-Stay-Report-Final.pdf">report</a> advocating for mortgage loans to be made available to illegal aliens who obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), a financial tool that often enables illegals to obtain home and auto loans.
The report indicates that the marketing and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-company-financing-the-illegal-alien-takeover-of-american-homes?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=Investigation&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Meet+The+Mortgage+Company+Enabling+Illegal+Immigrants+To+Buy+American+Homes">distribution</a> of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bank-founded-by-democrat-billionaire-loans-illegals-money-to-fight-systemic-racism?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Bank+Founded+By+Democrat+Billionaire+Loans+Illegals+Money+To+Fight+%E2%80%98Systemic+Racism%E2%80%99">loans</a> to illegal aliens, which The Daily Wire has documented <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yet-another-mortgage-company-is-marketing-home-loans-to-illegal-aliens">extensively</a>, may in part be the result of leftwing ideology and activism rather than simply a response to market incentives.
The group thanked a wide range of supporting organizations, which it said “were essential in framing the research and tailoring the recommendations outlined in this report.” Among those dubbed “community partners” are the Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco and <a href="https://www.lrcl.org/our-mission-history">La Raza Centro Legal</a>, a San Francisco-based ethnic advocacy organization that offers deportation defense.
The La Raza Community Resource Center, which also <a href="https://www.larazacrc.org/">offers deportation defense</a> assistance to illegal aliens, was listed as a partner of the organization. Also listed is the Beneficial State Foundation, the project of a bank run by a Democrat billionaire that The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bank-founded-by-democrat-billionaire-loans-illegals-money-to-fight-systemic-racism?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Bank+Founded+By+Democrat+Billionaire+Loans+Illegals+Money+To+Fight+%E2%80%98Systemic+Racism%E2%80%99">reported</a> offers auto loans targeted to illegal aliens.
Rise Economy’s report specifically encouraged the distribution of home loans to illegal aliens, urging policymakers and community partners to “work collectively on solutions-driven policies to increase access to mortgage loans for immigrant families including ITIN holders.”
Rise Economy’s goal, the 2019 report noted, was to “push for safe banking and equitable access to small business lending, mortgages, accessible retirement systems, and public benefits for ITIN holders.” The report focused on mortgage loans again, with one section reading “policymakers and community partners should work collectively on solutions-driven policies to increase access to mortgage loans for undocumented families including ITIN holders,” one line reads.
“The Here to Stay campaign coalition recommends that financial institutions provide access to safe banking and lending to immigrant families including ITIN holders,” the report said. “Community-driven solutions must also be proposed to protect undocumented immigrants who rely on public benefits.”
Not all of the partners cited in the report appear to be ideologically motivated, however. Rise Economy added that “this report was made possible with financial support from” various financial institutions, including JP Morgan, Capital One, U.S. Bank, and the Banc of California. None of the banks responded to a request for comment.
The Daily Wire has exposed various companies that market loans to illegal aliens, including <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-company-financing-the-illegal-alien-takeover-of-american-homes?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=Investigation&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Meet+The+Mortgage+Company+Enabling+Illegal+Immigrants+To+Buy+American+Homes">Prysma Lending</a>, which held a webinar with an immigration lawyer and created a guide to deportation defense for its customers. There&#8217;s also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yet-another-mortgage-company-is-marketing-home-loans-to-illegal-aliens">Amres</a>, which articulated its goal to “empower non-citizens,” created a guide called “Bridging the Gap for Undocumented Residents,” and told the stories of various illegal aliens who were able to obtain mortgage loans.
The former leader of a Texas land developer lobbying organization appeared to confirm that developments like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/colony-ridge">Colony Ridge</a> would go out of business if they were forced to check if buyers had social security numbers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EXCLUSIVE: A Texas land developer admitted that the Colony Ridge business model relies on selling land to unqualified foreign buyers:
&#8220;We will not be able to sell our developments if each of our buyers have to have SS#’s.&#8221;
I obtained his stunning admissions🧵 <a href="https://t.co/f2nWFuWA5r">pic.twitter.com/f2nWFuWA5r</a>
— Spencer Lindquist 🇺🇸 (@SpencerLndqst) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerLndqst/status/1890063065489735954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
One company belonging to the lobbying organization, called Cayetano, encouraged buyers to “own a piece of American land” just north of the border with Mexico. It also accepted identification from the Mexican government in processing land sales, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-developer-tells-mexican-citizens-to-own-a-piece-of-american-land-on-southern-border?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Texas+Developer+Tells+Mexican+Citizens+To+%E2%80%98Own+A+Piece+Of+American+Land%E2%80%99+On+Southern+Border">revealed</a>.
These loans, experts say, can encourage illegal aliens to stay in the country in violation of federal law. Federation for American Immigration Reform Media Director Ira Mehlman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-company-financing-the-illegal-alien-takeover-of-american-homes">previously discussed</a> the risks associated with allowing the practice with The Daily Wire
“Access to mortgages can serve as an incentive for illegal aliens to remain in the country, especially at a time when the goal of the government is convincing illegal aliens to leave,” Mehlman noted. “Congress could take many actions — from disclosure to outright prohibition — and set a national standard for states to follow.”
Lending arrangements that rely on ITINs could soon become riskier. Not only is the government cracking down on illegal immigration and pursuing a policy of mass deportation, but the Department of Homeland Security and the IRS signed an <a href="https://immigrationforum.org/article/irs-ice-immigration-data-sharing-agreement-explainer/">agreement</a> allowing the law enforcement agency to obtain information on illegal aliens from the IRS.
Rise Economy did not respond to a request for comment.

Mexican Flag

Leftist Group Tied To Mexican Consulate Pushed Banks To Lend To Illegal Aliens

Banking

California

Mexico

Crossings over the treacherous landbridge that connects South and Central America, called the Darien Gap, have plummeted to near-zero amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
The Darien Gap, which connects Colombia and Panama, witnessed hundreds of thousands of migrants traveling north through it in 2023 during the Biden administration. But <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/30/migrant-traffic-darien-gap-panama-trump">just 10 migrants</a> traveled north through the dangerous stretch of jungle in June, marking a stunning drop after six months of the Trump administration.
The Department of Homeland Security celebrated the precipitous decline in crossings through the Darien Gap.
“In Panama&#8217;s Darien Gap, migrants are turning BACK before they even reach our border — only 10 migrants crossed in June,&#8221; DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, adding that the new figures amount to more than a 99.8% drop from migration through the region under the Biden administration. &#8220;The world is hearing our message that America&#8217;s borders are closed to lawbreakers.&#8221;
The figures come as migrant encounters on the southern border of the United States continue to drop dramatically, with officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/border-patrol-saw-fewer-migrant-encounters-last-month-than-one-single-day-under-biden-homan-says?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=28&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Border+Patrol+Saw+Fewer+Migrant+Encounters+Last+Month+Than+One+Single+Day+Under+Biden%2C+Homan+Says">recording fewer encounters</a> in the month of June than were seen in single days under the Biden administration.
Not only are migrants not traveling through the jungle passageway — which is replete with alligators and snakes — many even turned around and went south through the region at the start of President Donald Trump’s term.
Colombia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/latin-american-country-sees-massive-drop-in-migration-attributes-decline-to-trump-border-policies">witnessed</a> a drastic increase in the number of migrants crossing back into the narrow stretch of jungle toward their home countries in South America earlier this year. The nation recorded just under 10,000 people crossing back south from January to February, a significant increase from the previous year, when just over 4,000 returned south from the Darien Gap.
The Colombian government issued a report indicating that the new trend was the result of the Trump administration’s border security policies. “The majority of migrants indicate they come from Mexico, where they had been waiting for an appointment with U.S. authorities for one to three months,” the report noted before going on to say “with the change in U.S. immigration policies, they made the decision to return.”
Panamanian President Jose Mulino asserted in March that his administration would not allow migrants to cross into the Darien Gap and ordered the closure of sites to assist migrants in their northward trek.

Darien Gap

Migrant Crossings Of Infamous Darien Gap Plummet To Near-Zero

border security

mass immigration

World

The U.S. economy grew by an unexpected 3% last quarter, but the Federal Reserve is holding interest rates steady, drawing criticism from President Trump. The Trump administration moves to repeal a key Obama-era EPA finding, a move that would end the regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. Flush with new funding, ICE launches a major recruitment campaign to hire thousands of new agents to secure the border.
It’s Thursday, July 31, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
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<h2>GDP Soars, But Fed Holds Rates Steady</h2>
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-954667" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.31.25-SH1-1024x576.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.31.25-SH1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.31.25-SH1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.31.25-SH1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.31.25-SH1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/MRN-7.31.25-SH1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></div>
Topline: The U.S. economy grew at a much faster-than-expected 3% pace last quarter, but the Federal Reserve on Wednesday opted to hold interest rates steady for the fifth consecutive meeting, defying pressure from President Trump.
On Wednesday, the Commerce Department announced that the U.S. GDP grew by 3% in the second quarter, significantly beating economists&#8217; predictions of 2.3% and marking a major turnaround from the first quarter’s contraction. The strong report, which also showed a nearly 1.5% rise in consumer spending and an increase in consumer confidence, indicates that American businesses and consumers have weathered fears over Trump’s trade reset. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett called it &#8220;one of the best GDP announcements &#8230; you could imagine because there&#8217;s blockbuster growth &#8230; and there&#8217;s also a real, real almost collapse in inflation.&#8221; 
Despite the positive economic data and low inflation, the Federal Reserve chose to hold its benchmark interest rate in the 4.25% to 4.5% range. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that while the economy is in a &#8220;solid position,&#8221; inflation is still &#8220;running somewhat above our 2 percent long run objective.&#8221; In a rare public dissent, two Fed Governors, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, voted in favor of rate cuts.
President Trump, who has been publicly pleading for a rate cut, blasted Powell’s decision. &#8220;2Q GDP JUST OUT: 3%, WAY BETTER THAN EXPECTED! &#8216;Too Late&#8217;… MUST NOW LOWER THE RATE,&#8221; Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that high rates are &#8220;hurting people from buying houses.&#8221; That claim was supported by new data showing that pending home sales fell by nearly 1% in June, hitting their lowest pace in nine months.
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<h2>Trump EPA Moves to End Climate Regulations</h2>
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Topline: The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency has proposed repealing the 2009 “endangerment finding,” a move that would dismantle the legal basis for regulating greenhouse gases and effectively end federal climate change policy.
The endangerment finding, established by the Obama administration, determined that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide endanger human health by contributing to climate change, which allowed them to be regulated under the Clean Air Act. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said that repealing the finding &#8220;will be the largest deregulatory action in the history of America.&#8221; The administration argues that CO2 is a naturally occurring gas with no direct toxicological effects at ambient levels, unlike the pollutants the Clean Air Act was designed to address.
According to Zeldin, recent Supreme Court decisions that overturned the Chevron doctrine and limited the EPA’s authority would likely prevent a future administration from unilaterally reinstating the finding without a new act of Congress.
The move aligns with President Trump’s broader energy agenda. While in Scotland earlier this week, the president outlined a new test for energy sources: &#8220;energy should not need subsidy.&#8221; He used this to dismiss wind power, stating, &#8220;wind doesn’t work,&#8221; and vowed that the United States would not build a single additional wind turbine under his administration.
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<h2>ICE Launches Massive Recruitment Campaign</h2>
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Topline: Flush with billions in new funding from the &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill,&#8221; the Department of Homeland Security has launched a major recruitment campaign to hire new ICE agents and attorneys to bolster border enforcement.
This week, DHS unveiled a new website encouraging Americans to &#8220;choose your mission&#8221; and apply for roles as a deportation officer, criminal investigator, or general attorney. The campaign slams the prior administration’s &#8220;disastrous immigration policies&#8221; and reaffirms President Trump’s commitment to law enforcement professionals. In a post on X, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called on Americans to join ICE to remove terrorists, pedophiles, and gang members from the country.
The recruitment push is funded by the &#8220;Big Beautiful Bill,&#8221; which allocated over $165 billion to DHS, with $75 billion specifically earmarked for ICE on top of its existing budget. Of that sum, $30 billion will go toward hiring, training, and retaining new agents. The new funding allows ICE to offer lucrative sign-on bonuses of up to $50,000 for certain agents.
The campaign appears to be paying off. Border Czar Tom Homan said on Newsmax that recruiting offices are &#8220;swamped&#8221; and have &#8220;more people than they can handle.&#8221; The hiring push comes as DHS Secretary Kristi Noem praised the &#8220;brave men and women of DHS&#8221; for their successful operations countering human trafficking and smuggling rings.

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Morning Brief: GDP Up, Interest Rates Steady, EPA Rolls Back Regulations & ICE Is Recruiting

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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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Morning Wire

The Department of Homeland Security has busted scores of illegal alien human traffickers and sex predators, and The Daily Wire has obtained exclusive details on the criminal illegals busted by the federal law enforcement agency.
Operations spanning from Newark, New Jersey, to Camarillo, California, resulted in the arrest of dozens of illegal aliens perpetrating the heinous crimes, with the federal agency saying that “the full weight of the American government is bringing the hammer down on human trafficking rings.”
“The brave men and women of DHS are the best in the world at going after traffickers. They are always able to track down those who are trafficking individuals, find the ringleaders, and rip that evil off by its head,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told The Daily Wire.
“I’m so thankful that I get the chance to lead individuals like that, and agents who get up every day to help save our children and to save women and men from the kind of slavery that we’ve seen,” the secretary went on to say, celebrating the work of DHS agents to bust human trafficking rings on the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
One late July operation in Newark resulted in the arrest of four illegal alien child predators by ICE agents over a four-day span. Those arrested in the enforcement action, which was part of Operation Apex Predator, were all registered sex offenders.
A July 22 operation resulted in the arrest of a human smuggler in Laredo, Texas, who was found to be smuggling 101 migrants in a locked trailer. Of those 101 individuals, 12 were children. The man was sentenced to 63 months in prison.
ICE and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation teamed up to levy a four-count indictment against eight people with ties to the criminal gang Tren de Aragua, with the defendants charged for their involvement in a “transnational commercial sex enterprise.”
In one particularly disturbing case, Homeland Security Investigations arrested an Ecuadoran national in New York for the sexual violation of a minor. Authorities discovered that a 15-year-old girl who was pregnant with the man&#8217;s child had been apprehended after attempting to illegally enter the United States, and that the man had been in a relationship with the child in Ecuador since she was 13 years old. The Ecuadoran national, authorities say, arranged to have her smuggled into the United States.
Not all of the perpetrators busted by federal authorities were illegal aliens. One American citizen, who was apprehended by the U.S. Marshals working in coordination with Customs and Border Protection, was identified as a &#8220;high-priority target linked to a criminal syndicate operating in human exploitation.&#8221; The suspect was arrested in Yuma, Arizona, and was wanted for placing individuals into prostitution, residing in a house of prostitution, and profiting from the earnings of prostitution.
Other operations targeted human smuggling rings that sought to bring illegal aliens into the United States for profit. The federal agency busted a transnational smuggling ring on May 2, when it discovered that four Mexican illegal aliens were running an “international human smuggling conspiracy” to bring illegal aliens into the United States from the Canadian border. Those smuggled into the United States would pay thousands of dollars to the criminal ring.
Homeland Security busted another smuggling ring on March 25, when a woman who had smuggled more than 100 Colombians into the United States was sentenced to 30 months in prison following her arrest by ICE in Arizona.
Customs and Border Protection apprehended a Mexican national in California’s Port San Luis who sedated a child and attempted to smuggle the child across the border. The woman claimed that she was the mother and presented a false birth certificate, with agents discovering that the woman did not have any familial ties to the child.
Under Trump and Noem, Homeland Security has also cracked down on forced labor rings. One South Korean company, Taepyung Salt Farm, is <a href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-issues-withhold-release-order-taepyung-salt-farm">no longer able to import</a> its products to the United States, with Customs and Border Protection agents detaining their imports on account of “information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor in the production of the company’s sea salt products.”
Agents also shut down a now-infamous marijuana growing operation in Camarillo, California, rescuing 14 migrant children who were at risk of exploitation, trafficking, and forced labor. Agents arrested a whopping 361 illegal aliens, including some with charges for rape, attempted rape, kidnapping, and attempted child molestation.

ICE Agent

EXCLUSIVE: DHS Arrests Scores Of Criminal Illegals In Nationwide Anti-Trafficking Raids

Noem

Tren De Aragua

One of the nation’s leading labor unions has been at the forefront in the fight against Immigration and Customs Enforcement since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. But one of the union’s affiliates is the largest shareholder in a bank that has invested nearly $10 million in companies that contract with ICE, equipping agents for raids and managing illegal alien detention facilities.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and its affiliate, Workers United, have both vocally opposed ICE&#8217;s immigration enforcement operations. The SEIU joined recent <a href="https://www.seiu721.org/2025/06/seiu-721-joins-allies-to-launch-the-summer-of-resistance.php">protests</a> against ICE in Los Angeles and <a href="https://act.seiu.org/a/end-ice-raids-now">railed</a> against the “ICE terror machine.” The union’s anti-ICE activism hit a fever pitch after SEIU leader David Huerta was arrested by federal agents and <a href="https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5340866-labor-chief-huerta-charged-ice-raid/">charged</a> with conspiracy to impede an officer after he allegedly attempted to prevent federal authorities from executing a search warrant in Los Angeles.
Workers United has <a href="https://workersunited.org/joint-boards/laundry-distribution-and-food-service-joint-board">said</a> that it is “committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform that allows all immigrant workers to live and work without fear,&#8221; and the Starbucks Workers United division has <a href="https://x.com/SBWorkersUnited/status/1932179453637206041">called for</a> “an end to the ICE raids.”
Workers United is also the single largest shareholder in Amalgamated Bank, an ideologically-driven financial institution that <a href="https://www.amalgamatedbank.com/csr">parrots</a> left-wing talking points on climate change and the diversity agenda and <a href="https://www.amalgamatedbank.com/our-story">brands itself</a> “America’s socially responsible bank.” The SEIU affiliate owns 40% of Amalgamated Bank, <a href="https://www.amalgamatedbank.com/news/labor-of-love">according to</a> the financial institution. The bank even boasted that the top five Democratic presidential campaigns banked with Amalgamated during the 2020 election season.
But first quarter 2025 <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/919192/000091919225000004/xslForm13F_X02/form_f13_data_20250331.xml">disclosures</a> filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission reveal that the bank is invested in at least four companies that contract with ICE or Border Patrol.
The bank held over $1.1 million worth of shares in the GEO Group, which &#8220;operates special-purpose, state-of-the-art residential centers on behalf of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” <a href="https://www.geogroup.com/ice/">according</a> to the group&#8217;s website.
The bank’s longstanding investment in the GEO Group appears to have been particularly profitable, with the stock increasing in value by nearly 85% since the last quarter of 2022.
The SEC disclosure indicates that Amalgamated Bank held roughly $633,000 in CoreCivic, which <a href="https://www.corecivic.com/private-detention">calls itself</a> “a longstanding federal government partner that operates immigration detention facilities.”
Of the top 20 ICE detention centers by detainee population as of January, Amalgamated Bank was invested in 13 of them because it owns shares of the GEO Group and CoreCivic, research from the Center for Union Facts indicates.
&#8220;Workers United has backed high-profile organizing campaigns by riding the wave of young workers&#8217; progressive ideals,” said the Center for Union Facts&#8217; Communications Director Charlyce Bozzello. “But behind the union’s carefully crafted image as a social justice warrior lies hypocrisy the union doesn&#8217;t publicize. It’s time workers and the public take a hard look at what this union really stands for.&#8221;
Amalgamated Bank also held more than $8.1 million worth of shares in Axon Enterprises, which was <a href="https://www.federalcompass.com/award-contract-detail/70CMSW23D00000003">awarded</a> a multimillion-dollar federal contract to provide ICE agents with tasers. The bank held another $27,000 worth of shares in Cadre Holdings, which does business with <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/search/?hash=063411641715ddcf41ef7df21aaf07d0">ICE</a> and <a href="https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70B03C18F00000197_7014_HSBP1015D00020_7014">Customs and Border Protection</a>, supplying the federal government with riot control equipment under the brand names “Safariland” and “Aardvark.”
Workers United, SEIU, and Amalgamated Bank did not respond to requests for comment.

US-POLITICS-IMMIGRATION-ICE

This Labor Union Keeps Slamming ICE. But It Has A Financial Interest In ICE Detention Centers.

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Los Angeles

Protest

The Trump administration launched a new recruitment campaign calling on Americans to become Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a bid to capitalize on the new wave of funding that the law enforcement agency is set to receive as a result of the Big, Beautiful Bill.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement agency launched a new <a href="https://join.ice.gov/">recruitment website</a> calling on Americans to join ICE in one of three capacities: as a deportation officer, criminal investigator, or general attorney.
The campaign comes just after the passage of the Big, Beautiful Bill, which will grant a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ice-will-soon-get-more-money-than-the-fbi-have-capacity-for-a-million-annual-deportations?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=13&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=ICE+Will+Soon+Get+More+Money+Than+The+FBI%2C+Have+Capacity+For+A+Million+Annual+Deportations">massive influx of cash</a> to ICE, with just under $30 billion earmarked for hiring, training, and retaining agents.
“Your country is calling upon you to serve. Due to the prior administration&#8217;s disastrous immigration policies, the men and women of ICE now face unprecedented challenges,” the site says. “You are critically needed to secure our communities and uphold our laws.”
“The Trump Administration is fully committed to supporting the dedicated law enforcement professionals who secure our borders, shield our communities, and protect our national security and public safety,” the new website goes on to say. “This is a pivotal moment in our country&#8217;s history, and your experience and expertise are vitally needed.”
DHS unveiled graphics featuring President Donald Trump, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, acting Director of ICE Todd Lyons, and an ICE agent along with the text “defend the homeland” and “join ICE.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Your country is calling you to serve at <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ICEgov</a>.
In the wake of the Biden administration’s failed immigration policies, your country needs dedicated men and women of ICE to get the worst of the worst criminals out of our country.
This is a defining moment in our nation’s… <a href="https://t.co/3MzFEeXHMF">pic.twitter.com/3MzFEeXHMF</a>
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1950267707590324240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
The site also features a “frequently asked questions” portion, with answers to inquiries like “what characteristics is ICE looking for?” and “how dangerous is the work?”
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin encouraged Americans to join ICE in a <a href="https://x.com/TriciaOhio/status/1950271327463514125">post on X</a>.
“Terrorists. Pedophiles. MS-13 Gang members. Murderers. Rapists. Drug traffickers. Human traffickers. We need YOU to get them out,” McLaughlin wrote in a post that featured an image of Uncle Sam and the text “America Needs You.”

ICE Recruitment Poster

Trump Admin Launches New ICE Agent Recruitment Campaign: ‘Defend The Homeland’

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