Minnesota, Jan 28 (IANS) Somali-origin US lawmaker Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown substance during a town hall meeting she was hosting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, triggering security concerns.A purported video of the incident surfaced on social media shortly after the attack on Tuesday (local time) and began circulating widely online.The footage shows a man approaching Omar as she was addressing the gathering from the dais.Moments later, he is seen spraying a thin stream of an unidentifie…
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Washington, Jan 26 (IANS) US President Donald Trump renewed his call for a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, urged Democratic governors and mayors to cooperate with federal authorities, and said his administration was “reviewing everything” related to the fatal shooting of a man by a federal officer in Minneapolis.In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump blamed the previous administration for what he described as a surge in criminal migration and said his election victory was dri…
Los Angeles, Jan 26 (IANS) A US federal judge has issued an emergency order requiring federal authorities to preserve all evidence related to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis resident by federal immigration officers, following a lawsuit filed by Minnesota state and local agencies.Judge Eric C. Tostrud of the US District Court for the District of Minnesota granted the temporary restraining order late Saturday night, after 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti was shot and killed during an immigratio…
Washington, Jan 25 (IANS) Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama on Sunday described the killing of Alex Pretti as a “heartbreaking tragedy” and urged Americans across the political spectrum to view the incident as a warning that “many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.” In a sharply worded statement, the Obamas said federal law enforcement and immigration agents face difficult responsibilities but stressed that the public expects t…
Washington, Jan 25 (IANS) A Minneapolis resident was shot and killed during a federal immigration enforcement operation, which has escalated the already tense situation between the Trump Administration and the Minnesota State Government, along with the opposition Democratic Party.The victim was identified by Democratic leaders as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse. The incident occurred amid ongoing federal immigration operations in Minnesota involving Immigration and Customs Enforcem…
Washington, Jan 23 (IANS) US lawmakers have expressed concerns that routine domestic air travel could increasingly intersect with immigration enforcement, creating fear among immigrant communities, including lawful visa holders and international students.The issue surfaced this week during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on airport security and cybersecurity oversight.Transportation Security Administration Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill confirmed that TSA shares certain infor…
Washington, Jan 22 (IANS) A new US rule, which changes how H-1B work visas are chosen, could bring strong economic gains over the next 10 years, according to a government watchdog, but may be taking effect faster than the law allows.The Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the Department of Homeland Security’s new H-1B selection rule is expected to deliver economic benefits of more than $20 billion between 2026 and 2035. The rule is estimated to cost about $303 million to implement over…
Washington, Jan 17 (IANS) Senior US lawmakers have warned that lapses in the security screening of Afghan evacuees following the 2021 withdrawal from Kabul could leave the United States vulnerable to further attacks.Participating in a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing on border security and immigration, Republican lawmakers accused the Biden administration of misusing humanitarian parole to allow large numbers of Afghan nationals into the United States without proper background checks.Top Re…
Washington, Jan 16 (IANS) The White House strongly defended US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents following violent unrest in Minneapolis, accusing Democratic leaders and sections of the media of inciting hostility against federal law enforcement officers carrying out immigration operations.Addressing reporters at a packed White House briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said ICE agents were enforcing immigration law and acting to protect themselves during a targeted operatio…
Washington, Jan 16 (IANS) US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has defended federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis and other cities, insisting that officers were acting “according to the law” and following long-standing protocols, even as protests and criticism mounted over the Trump administration’s mass deportation drive. Speaking to reporters in a White House driveway gaggle after a television appearance on Thursday, Noem said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of…