Stories
A discussion on Reddit's r/ukpolitics highlights that the UK already has a border force capable of conducting ICE-style raids and ID checks, despite claims that recent reforms would create such an agency. The conversation is in the context of plans to deport nearly 300,000 people annually.
The Department of Homeland Security is purchasing large warehouses across the United States, some capable of housing over 8,000 people, raising concerns about local impacts, as explained by Socorro, Texas’s mayor. Following the Supreme Court's ruling against President Trump's global import fees, he imposed a 15% tariff. Additionally, Mexico's army killed the leader of a prominent drug cartel, with the Trump administration expressing approval of Mexico’s actions.
A former ICE academy instructor, Ryan Schwank, is set to testify before Congress that the agency is misleading the public about its training program and that it is now deficient and broken. He will reportedly warn that without reform, ICE may graduate officers lacking proper knowledge of their constitutional duties, authority limits, and recognition of unlawful orders. The testimony comes amid public criticism of ICE's aggressive enforcement and recent incidents involving the use of force and officer misconduct, with leaked documents suggesting significant reductions in training hours and curriculum content.
Donald Trump was criticized for a comment during a phone call with the US women's ice hockey team, in which he implied their invitation to the White House was humorous and expressed concern about "getting impeached" for hosting them. The remark, made during a celebration after the USA men's team won gold at the Winter Olympics 2026, was widely condemned for belittling the women's team, who also secured gold. Many viewed the interaction as dismissive and misogynistic, prompting calls for responses from Team USA and US hockey.
New Hampshire’s Senators introduced legislation to prevent the Department of Homeland Security from establishing immigration detention centers without approval from local officials and the state governor, citing lack of consultation in Merrimack. Opposition to detention centers is growing in multiple states, with some governors and lawmakers publicly opposing proposed facilities, though the legislation faces long odds in the Republican-controlled Senate. DHS has identified roughly 20 potential sites nationwide for detention centers, amid concerns from local communities.
Federal judges are increasingly ruling in favor of ICE detainees in Greene County, ordering bond hearings or release for individuals with no criminal records and long-term residence in the U.S., such as Keqiang Fu and Tatiana Lozhkina. These rulings reflect a broader national trend, with detainees having their cases heard despite opposition from federal administration officials, and highlight ongoing legal challenges related to detainee rights and bond hearing procedures. The Greene County Jail, which houses up to 300 ICE detainees daily under contract, is at the center of these legal developments.
Mark Hodges, creator of the ICE-monitoring app Eyes Up, is suing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem for pressuring Apple and Meta to remove channels related to ICE monitoring. The lawsuit, supported by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, cites government overreach in attempting to suppress citizen-verified recordings of immigration enforcement activities. Eyes Up, which allows users to submit and view footage of immigration enforcement, is protected by the First Amendment and aims to promote government accountability through documented evidence. Despite challenges, the app remains accessible via its website and Google Play Store, with increased usage following the lawsuit.
British police arrested former U.K. ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson in London on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his alleged passing of sensitive government information to Jeffrey Epstein over a decade ago. The investigation follows the release of Epstein-related documents revealing Mandelson's close ties to Epstein, whom he called "my best pal," and suggests he may have shared government details in 2009. Mandelson, who does not face sexual misconduct charges, was questioned and could be held for up to 96 hours as police continue their inquiry.
A New Jersey couple, both Trump supporters, experienced a legal ordeal when Abdellatif Hafraoui, a Moroccan national with no criminal record, was detained by ICE for over 100 days at Newark Airport due to a missed immigration court date from over a decade ago. The incident has led the couple to reconsider their support for Trump and his deportation policies, which they feel have been overly aggressive and unjust. Data indicates that a significant portion of those detained by ICE have no criminal convictions, and the DHS has faced criticism for mislabeling individuals as "worst of the worst" based on minor offenses.
New Hampshire’s congressional delegation has introduced the "Respect for Local Communities Act," which would require ICE to seek local and state approval and conduct public consultations before building detention facilities, such as a planned center in Merrimack. The bill aims to increase community participation amid opposition to the Merrimack site, which involves repurposing a warehouse into an ICE processing center. The legislation seeks to address concerns about transparency and local input in the face of federal detention expansion and recent DHS funding issues.
During President Trump's immigration crackdown, there have been at least 13 shootings involving ICE and federal agents since September, with two fatalities, while the number of detainees increased by nearly 75 percent in 2025 to about 68,000 people. The number of individuals detained without criminal records rose by over 2,000 percent since the start of his administration. Private prison companies CoreCivic and The GEO Group saw a 13 percent increase in revenue in 2025, totaling $2 billion, and opened nine new detention centers for ICE.
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown filed a lawsuit to challenge the federal government's purchase of a warehouse near Williamsport, Maryland, intended to be converted into an ICE detention center without conducting the required environmental review or involving public and state consultation. The lawsuit alleges violations of the National Environmental Policy Act and Administrative Procedure Act, asserting that the purchase and proposed conversion bypass legal procedures and threaten local communities, environment, and public health. The case aims to prevent the construction of what would be a large detention facility in a small town with a population of just over 2,000.