The United States has agreed to swap prisoners with the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as releasing $6 billion in previously frozen funds. A blanket waiver, issued by President Joe Biden’s State Department on September 11th, will allow international banks in South Korea to transfer $6 billion to Qatar’s central bank for Iran’s use without triggering U.S. sanctions. Congress was informed of the deal on Monday, despite Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly having signed off on the agreement last week.
The five Iranian prisoners held by the U.S. to be swapped are reported to be: Mehrdad Moein Ansari, Kambiz Attar Kashani, Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani, Amin Hassanzadeh, Kaveh Afrasiabi.
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Kambiz Attar Kashani and Reza Sarhangpour Kafrani were imprisoned “…for conspiring to illegally export U.S. goods and technology to end users in Iran…” in violation of U.S. sanctions according to the Department of Justice. Kaveh Afrasiabi was arrested for acting as an unregistered foreign agent for Iran, having lobbied both Congress and the State Department for policies favorable to the Islamic Republic. Michigan resident Amin Hasanzadeh was imprisoned for stealing a U.S. company’s trade secrets and conspiring to share them with the Iranian military through his brother who still resides in Iran. Mehrdad Ansari was also imprisoned over a scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions.
At this time it is unclear what, or who, the U.S. will receive from the Islamic Republic of Iran as part of the agreement.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency filed a criminal referral against Sen. Adam Schiff, alleging violations of federal laws tied to mortgage and tax fraud.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Director William Pulte of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Attorney General Pam Bondi.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The referral, detailing actions spanning from 2003 to 2019, was sent to the Justice Department and covered properties in Maryland and California.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Based on media reports, Mr. Adam B. Schiff has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003–2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property.” – William Pulte
🎯IMPACT: Schiff faces potential penalties, including up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, if charged and convicted.
IN FULL
A criminal referral submitted by William Pulte, Director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), to Attorney General Pam Bondi, accuses Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) of possibly violating multiple federal statutes, including wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and making false statements to financial institutions.
According to a report published on July 17, Pulte’s referral is based on findings from Fannie Mae financial crimes investigators and outlines what he describes as a “pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation” connected to Schiff’s handling of real estate holdings in Maryland and California from 2003 to 2019.
“Based on media reports, Mr. Adam B. Schiff has, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, impacting payments from 2003–2019 for a Potomac, Maryland-based property,” Pulte wrote in the referral.
At the center of the allegations is Schiff’s repeated declaration of both his California and Maryland residences as “primary residences” on mortgage applications. This move would violate federal rules permitting only one primary residence designation at a time. The referral cites instances in 2009, 2011, and 2013 where Schiff refinanced his Maryland home while simultaneously identifying a California condominium as his principal residence.
According to the referral, this dual-claim arrangement was not corrected until 2020, when Schiff reclassified the Maryland property as a secondary residence.
“Primary residence mortgages receive more favorable loan terms, including lower interest rates, than secondary residence mortgages,” Pulte stated in the referral. He further alleged that Schiff financially benefited from these misrepresentations through more advantageous refinancing rates and a property tax reduction on his California home totaling approximately $7,000.
The referral also draws broader connections between Schiff’s alleged misconduct and ongoing concerns about mortgage fraud involving Democratic Party officials. It references explicitly related allegations involving New York Attorney General Letitia James.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Hundreds of asylum seekers housed in taxpayer-funded hotels have been charged with criminal offences, including rape, robbery, and theft, according to court records.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Migrants staying in 105 asylum hotels across the United Kingdom, with cases involving at least one in every 100 migrants appearing before magistrates this year.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The cases were monitored during the first six months of 2025 across courts in Britain.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Women are being raped and sexually assaulted and even police officers attacked. We just need to deport them all immediately upon arrival.” – Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp
🎯IMPACT: The findings highlight concerns over migrant crime, with calls for more deportations and stricter border control measures.
IN FULL
Court records reveal that at least 339 migrants housed in taxpayer-funded hotels have appeared before British magistrates so far this year, charged with offences ranging from rape and robbery to assault to theft. The data shows that at least one in every 100 migrants in these accommodations has faced court proceedings.
Among the cases, 29 were related to sexual crimes, including seven alleged rapes and one proven incident of exposure. A further 64 cases involved violence-related offences such as assault, grievous bodily harm (GBH), and possession of weapons. For instance, an Ethiopian migrant was remanded in custody after allegedly trying to kiss a 14-year-old schoolgirl just eight days after arriving in Britain.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized the government’s handling of illegal immigration, stating, “Women are being raped and sexually assaulted and even police officers attacked. We just need to deport them all immediately upon arrival, whether to Rwanda or elsewhere.” He added that illegal immigrants crossing the Channel are “Twenty-four times more likely to wind up in prison than average.”
However, while illegal immigration has worsened under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, the boat migrants crisis, initially exposed by Nigel Farage, began and steadily worsened under Philp’s Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to mid-2024.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A disagreement between U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and the Israeli authorities over delays in granting tourist visas to Christian groups has surfaced.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, and Christian organizations.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The dispute became public on July 18 after leaked correspondence was published by Israeli media.
💬KEY QUOTE: “It would be very unfortunate that our embassy would have to publicly announce throughout the United States that the State of Israel is no longer welcoming Christian organizations and their representatives,” Huckabee wrote.
🎯IMPACT: The incident highlights tensions between the U.S. and Israel, with potential implications for Christian pilgrims.
IN FULL
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has formally raised concerns with the Israeli government regarding delays in granting tourist visas to Christian groups. The issue came to light after Israeli media published details of Huckabee’s letter to Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, followed by Arbel’s official reply on July 18.
In his letter, Huckabee cautioned Israeli authorities that the continued holdups could lead to serious diplomatic consequences. “This is not the relationship Israel wants to have with its best partner and friend,” he wrote.
“It would be very unfortunate that our embassy would have to publicly announce throughout the United States that the State of Israel is no longer welcoming Christian organizations and their representatives and is instead engaging in harassment and negative treatment toward organizations with long-standing relationships and positive involvement toward Zionism and friendship to the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” Huckabee said. He also suggested that such delays could impact the ease with which Israelis obtain visas to the United States.
Interior Minister Arbel, affiliated with the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, wrote in his response, “In my view, this course of action deviates from accepted working norms and does not reflect the direct and constructive relationship we have established.”
These tensions emerge amid broader frustration among Christian groups toward Israel, particularly following recent controversial incidents. One such event involved a strike on the only Catholic church in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of three people. Another involved the fatal beating of a Palestinian-American Christian by extremist Jewish settlers—an incident Huckabee has publicly condemned.
There have also been several high-profile anti-Christian incidents in Israel in recent years, including the desecration of Christian graves, physical attacks on Christian clergy, spitting attacks, and vandalism of churches. Members of the current coalition government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have also tried to introduce legislation to criminalize Christians from evangelizing in the country, though it did not pass.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge ruled President Donald J. Trump illegally fired two Democrat members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) earlier this year.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan, and attorneys for both sides.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling was issued Thursday in Washington, D.C., following the firings in March.
💬KEY QUOTE: “As the Court recognized today, the law is clear, and I look forward to getting back to work,” said Slaughter.
🎯IMPACT: The decision could affect the independence of other federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve.
IN FULL
A federal judge ruled that President Donald J. Trump did not have the constitutional authority to fire two Democrat commissioners from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) earlier this year. The ruling allows Rebecca Kelly Slaughter to resume her duties as commissioner, while Alvaro Bedoya had already resigned after filing suit to challenge the dismissals. Notably, the ruling appears to run counter to a stay order issued by the United States Supreme Court in Trump v. Wilcox, which lifted another lower court’s order preventing Trump’s removal of Biden appointees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
In the ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Loren AliKhan—appointed by former President Joe Biden—cited a 1935 Supreme Court decision that limited the President’s ability to remove independent agency officials without cause. AliKhan stated the ruling upholds “clearly established law” and prevents the President from exerting unchecked control over so-called independent agencies. “As the Court recognized today, the law is clear, and I look forward to getting back to work,” said Slaughter following the ruling.
The Trump administration argued that the FTC’s expanded role in modern times justified direct presidential oversight. The FTC, created by Congress, enforces consumer protections and antitrust laws. Its commissioners typically consist of three members from the President’s party and two from the opposition, serving staggered seven-year terms. The lawsuit alleges Trump dismissed Bedoya and Slaughter because their views conflicted with his administration’s priorities.
The administration has signaled it intends to appeal AliKhan’s ruling.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Annie Tomasini, a senior advisor and deputy chief of staff to former President Joe Biden, invoked the Fifth Amendment during a House Oversight deposition regarding Biden’s cognitive decline.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Annie Tomasini, House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY), and other Biden aides who also pleaded the Fifth.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The closed-door deposition occurred during the House Oversight Committee’s investigation on July 18, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “There is now a pattern of key Biden confidants seeking to shield themselves from criminal liability for this potential conspiracy,” said Rep. James Comer.
🎯IMPACT: Tomasini is the third senior Biden White House aide to plead the Fifth, raising further questions about the former presidential administration’s transparency regarding the octogenarian Biden’s health and whether he knew decisions were being authorized via autopen in his name.
IN FULL
Annie Tomasini, a senior advisor and deputy chief of staff to former President Joe Biden, pleaded the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door deposition, according to House Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY). The former senior Biden White House aide had initially agreed to voluntarily participate in the deposition, but her attorney later reversed course and requested that the committee issue a subpoena. The deposition was slated to focus on Biden’s mental decline and allegations that presidential directives—including pardons—were issued without his knowledge.
“There is now a pattern of key Biden confidants seeking to shield themselves from criminal liability for this potential conspiracy,” Chairman Comer stated on X (formerly Twitter). Tomasini reportedly refused to answer questions about whether Biden or anyone at the White House instructed her to lie about his health, handle classified documents, or conceal information about Biden family business dealings.
Tomasini is the third Biden aide to invoke the Fifth Amendment in this investigation. The former chief of staff to former First Lady Jill Biden, Anthony Bernal, and former Biden White House physician Kevin O’Connor also declined to answer questions under oath earlier this month. The National Pulse has previously reported that Bernal and Tomasini comprised a “politburo” of aides who controlled the Biden White House and formed a protective bubble around Joe Biden.
Comer initially issued a subpoena to Tomasini, accusing her of “running interference” for Biden as concerns about his mental state grew. Notably, ousted Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chairman David Hogg and Biden-era White House staffer Deterrian Jones were caught in a secret recording discussing the outsized influence of the cadre of senior White House aides, especially Tomasini and Bernal.
“The bigger issue was, like, the inner circle that was around Biden,” Hogg said, adding: “Like, Jill Biden’s chief of staff had an enormous amount of power.” Jones went on to describe Bernal, specifically, as a “scary… shadowy, Wizard of Oz type figure.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Scientists in Turkey discovered that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine may temporarily affect the cornea, potentially leading to vision issues if long-term changes occur.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Researchers in Turkey conducted the study, examining 64 patients who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The study was published on Wednesday in the journal Ophthalmic Epidemiology, with data collected over approximately 75 days post-vaccination.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The endothelium should be closely monitored in those with a low endothelial count or who have had a corneal graft.” – Study authors
🎯IMPACT: Potential corneal swelling or blurry vision could arise in patients with pre-existing eye conditions or low endothelial cell counts.
IN FULL
Researchers have found that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine may heighten the risk of eye damage by impacting the cornea, the transparent outer layer of the eye that permits light entry. A study in Turkey analyzed 64 vaccinated patients, assessing changes in their corneal endothelium—the cornea’s innermost layer—before and after receiving the vaccine.
The findings indicated that two doses of the Pfizer vaccine resulted in thicker corneas, reduced endothelial cell counts, and increased variability in cell size. Although no immediate vision issues were reported, the researchers cautioned that persistent changes could lead to corneal swelling or blurred vision, especially in those with pre-existing eye conditions or prior corneal transplants.
The study showed corneal thickness rising from 528 to 542 micrometers, approximately a two-percent increase. Endothelial cell density decreased from 2,597 to 2,378 cells per square millimeter, an eight-percent drop. While these values generally remained within normal limits, they could be concerning for individuals with already compromised cell counts due to aging, surgery, or disease.
Additionally, the study noted alterations in cell shape and size consistency, with fewer cells maintaining their typical hexagonal form, suggesting potential stress on the endothelium. The researchers advised, “The endothelium should be closely monitored in those with a low endothelial count or who have had a corneal graft.”
This research adds to prior concerns about mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which have been associated with heart-related inflammatory conditions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently required the addition of expanded warning labels to Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA vaccines, noting the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis, particularly for young males.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents captured Benjamin Song, a suspect accused of shooting at U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers during a riot at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, following an extensive manhunt.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Benjamin Song, 32, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, and law enforcement, including the FBI Dallas Field Office.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Song was captured on Tuesday, in Texas.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The FBI has worked tirelessly to arrest everyone associated with the shooting at the Prairieland Detention Center.” – FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock
🎯IMPACT: Song faces multiple charges, including aggravated assault on a public servant, aiding terrorism, and engaging in organized crime, with a bond set at $15 million.
IN FULL
Benjamin Song, 32, was apprehended by the FBI Dallas Field Office on Tuesday following a manhunt that included a $25,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Song is accused of shooting at federal officers during a riot at the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas on July 4. The ambush resulted in a local police officer being shot in the neck.
Song, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist, apparently has a history of social media posts containing anti-police, anti-Israel, and anti-Trump rhetoric. His posts on X (formerly Twitter) under the handle @BubbleBreakBS include statements like “Do you want to end mass shooting? Abolish the police,” and attacks on both Republicans and Democrats, including President Donald J. Trump and former President Joe Biden.
A GoFundMe campaign tied to Song referenced his involvement in activism from Hong Kong to San Francisco and claimed he was a member of the Socialist Rifle Association. The campaign raised over $3,000 for his legal defense after a 2020 arrest on other charges.
According to the Facebook group, “Behind the Masks,” which documents the lives of those who participated in the Free Hong Kong Movement, “Ben Song, a 26-year-old Uber driver from Arlington, Texas who has been a political activist since he was 13, was moved by Hong Kong’s fight for freedom and flew from the US to show his support.” The group describes him as “half Korean and half Japanese” rather than Chinese, however.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently reported an 830 percent increase in assaults on ICE agents compared to last year. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem urged politicians to condemn violence against law enforcement, stating, “This new data reflects the violence against our law enforcement in cities across the country in the last few weeks.” Senior Democrats have been demonizing ICE for weeks, with Minnesota Governor and 2024 vice presidential candidate Tim Walz going so far as to compare them to Adolf Hitler’s Gestapo.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Social media footage shows British police striking an anti-migration protester with their van amid protests against an asylum seeker accused of three counts of sexual assault.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Essex Police, anti-immigration protesters, far-left counter-protesters, Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The incidents occurred in Epping, England, on July 17.
💬KEY QUOTE: “[W]e’ll make sure that those people feel the full force of the law,” Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said of the protesters.
🎯IMPACT: The protests are just part of a larger trend as local people across Europe demonstrate against migrant crime, with some demonstrations turning violent.
IN FULL
An anti-immigration protester was run over by a Britishpolice van in Epping, England, during a demonstration against an alleged sexual assault committed by a migrant living at a local hotel at taxpayers’ expense. Police are also alleged to have directly aided leftist counter-protesters.
The incident took place on July 17 amid a protest outside the local Bell Hotel, where counter-protesters from the far-left group “Stand Up to Racism” were also present. According to footage posted on X, Essex Police not only mobilized to protect the leftist counter-protesters but also aided them by transporting them away in police vans.
Police say some protesters became violent when confronted by officers, with two arrests after men wearing masks allegedly assaulted eight officers. “[W]e’ll make sure that those people feel the full force of the law,” Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper said following the clashes. None of the officers sustained serious injuries.
Essex Police said that they not only saw resistance outside the Bell Hotel but were also confronted with “significant hostility” in Epping town center and were forced to call on London‘s Metropolitan Police and the British Transport Police (BTP) for aid.
The protests come after asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with three counts of sexual assault on July 17. A resident of the Bell Hotel, Kebatu, came illegally to the United Kingdom less than a month ago, on June 29.
The protests are part of a larger trend across Europe in which locals have become enraged to the point of violence over migration-background men sexually harassing or raping local girls and women, or committing other heinous crimes. In Northern Ireland, similar protests were seen in Ballymena last month after two teenage migrants allegedly tried to rape a local girl. At least 17 police officers were injured after being attacked by protesters, who also targeted the homes of migrants in the town.
Notably, British police tend to take a far more hands-off approach when dealing with Muslim, ethnic minority, and far-left protesters; allowing Muslims to riot in Birmingham last year on the basis that “community leaders” told them they could “police themselves,” for instance, and allowing climate extremists to block roads on multiple occasions.
Police run over concerned local parent at anti-migrant rapist protest in Epping.
The police won’t even drag Just Stop Oil lunatics out of the road by hand – this is two-tier policing.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The total federal workforce in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has been reduced by an estimated 22,000 employees, according to data released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and federal workers.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The central bank study was released on Thursday, July 17, and covers the period between January and May 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “On net, federal employment in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia has declined by roughly 22,100 positions,” the bank stated.
🎯IMPACT: Maryland has seen a 5.4 percent decrease in federal employment. Virginia has seen a 4.8 percent decline, but the District of Columbia has only seen a 1.9 percent drop.
IN FULL
New data released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond reveals the total federal workforce in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has been reduced by an estimated 22,000 employees. The U.S. central bank’s Richmond branch suggests the number of federal workers being laid off will continue to increase in the foreseeable future.
Notably, federal government employment comprises a significant portion of the total employment in Maryland (5.4 percent), Virginia (4.4 percent), and Washington, D.C. (24.6 percent). As a result of workforce reduction initiatives implemented by President Donald J. Trump, including some cuts enacted by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Maryland has seen a 5.4 percent decrease in federal employment. Meanwhile, Virginia has seen a 4.8 percent decline, though the District of Columbia has only seen a 1.9 percent drop.
“There is evidence that the attempt to shrink the federal workforce is having an impact on the DMV region of the Fifth District,” the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond study states, concluding: “On net, federal employment in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia has declined by roughly 22,100 positions, and there has been a sustained increase in unemployment claims, particularly in D.C. proper.”
The number of federal layoffs is likely to increase exponentially after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a lower court order that previously blocked the Trump administration from cutting workforces across 19 federal departments and agencies. Only one justice dissented, suggesting that Trump will ultimately prevail in a final ruling by the high court.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: European Union (EU) interior ministers—whose roles are roughly equivalent to the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary’s—declared that deportations to Afghanistan and Syria must be permitted.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner, and ministers from France, Poland, Austria, Denmark, and Czechia.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The declaration was made at the Zugspitze Summit in Germany in July.
💬KEY QUOTE: “These are all enormously important steps toward a credible asylum policy in Europe,” said Gerhard Karner.
🎯IMPACT: The declaration pushes for faster return mechanisms for irregular migrants and strengthens Frontex’s mandate.
IN FULL
At the mountaintop Zugspitze Summit in Germany, European Union (EU) interior ministers pushed for deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, both now relatively stable as a result of victories by the Taliban and al-Qaeda Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), respectively.
The interior ministers advocated for stricter migration policies across the EU, where migrant crime is an increasing concern. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt led the summit, which also included representatives from France, Poland, Austria, Denmark, Czechia, and EU Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner.
The group underscored the importance of streamlining and accelerating the process for deporting migrants, saying deportations to Syria and Afghanistan “must be possible.” Their statement also urged an enhanced role for Frontex, the European Union border agency, to support EU nations in deporting migrants to designated hubs in third countries. The Trump administration in the U.S. is implementing a similar policy, deporting migrants who cannot be sent home immediately to third countries such as Swaziland and South Sudan.
Germany carried out its first deportation of convicted criminals to Afghanistan since 2024 on the same day as the summit, with Austria having recently conducted a similar deportation to Syria—the first EU deportations to the country since the former Assad government was overthrown by HTS.
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