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Wednesday, August 13, 2025

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2 hours ago
William Upton
Lawfare

Appeals Court Sides With Trump, Allows Foreign Aid Freeze.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal appeals court overturned a lower court ruling that had ordered the Trump administration to continue foreign aid payments.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, President Donald J. Trump, and his administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was issued on Wednesday morning by the D.C. Circuit Court.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The lower court erred in its decision to mandate the restoration of foreign aid payments,” the court stated.

🎯IMPACT: The ruling allows the Trump administration to halt the foreign aid payments in question, reversing the lower court’s directive.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump scored a major legal victory on Wednesday when a federal appeals court overturned a lower court’s ruling that required his administration to continue foreign aid payments approved by Congress. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, in a 2-1 decision, ruled that the District Court erred in issuing an injunction mandating the State Department restore the foreign assistance payments. Consequently, the lower court’s injunction against the Trump administration has been lifted.

“The district court erred in granting that relief because the grantees lack a cause of action to press their claim,” the three-judge panel’s decision states, continuing: “They may not bring a freestanding constitutional claim if the underlying alleged violation and claimed authority are statutory. Nor do the grantees have a cause of action under the APA because APA review is precluded by the Impoundment Control Act (ICA).”

“And the grantees may not reframe this fundamentally statutory dispute as an ultra vires claim either. Instead, the Comptroller General may bring suit as authorized by the ICA. Accordingly, we vacate the part of the district court’s preliminary injunction involving impoundment,” the ruling adds.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), law professor and legal commentator Jonathan Turley praised the decision. “The D.C. Circuit just handed the Trump Administration another victory in tossing aside the injunction requiring the State Department to make foreign aid payments. It is only the latest district court to be overruled on these injunctions as invasive of Article II authority,” Turley explained.

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29 minutes ago
Corruption
News

Former Ilhan Omar ‘Enforcer’ Admits Guilt in Pandemic Fraud Scandal.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A former associate of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) pleaded guilty to charges related to a COVID-19 pandemic food fraud scheme.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Guhaad Hashi Said, a former campaign “enforcer” for Rep. Omar, and others involved in the fraud conspiracy.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Minnesota, with fraudulent activities occurring from 2020 through 2022.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The scale of the fraud in Minnesota is staggering, and every rock we turn over reveals more.” – Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson

🎯IMPACT: Over $2.9 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds were fraudulently obtained, with funds used for personal purchases like real estate and cars.

IN FULL

Guhaad Hashi Said, a former associate and campaign “enforcer” for Democrat Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in connection with a pandemic-era food fraud scheme centered on the Somali community. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota announced that Said exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Said admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson emphasized the broader implications of the case, stating, “The scale of the fraud in Minnesota is staggering, and every rock we turn over reveals more. We must be honest and clear-eyed about the scope of this problem, because ending it will take an unyielding, all-hands-on-deck effort from all of us.”

According to court documents, between December 2020 and January 2022, Said operated a Federal Child Nutrition Program site under the name Advance Youth Athletic Development. During that time, he submitted fraudulent claims for having served more than one million meals to children, though only a small portion were actually provided. To support the false claims, he used fabricated attendance rosters, meal counts, and invoices, which led to more than $2.9 million in federal reimbursements.

Said and his co-conspirators also engaged in a money laundering scheme to conceal the illicit proceeds. They created nonprofits and shell companies to move and disguise the money, which was used to acquire real estate, cars, and other personal items. Between August and December 2021 alone, Said transferred over $2.1 million to S & S Catering for meals that were never served.

Said, who had previously announced a run for the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018, now faces up to 25 years in prison.

Image by Fibonacci Blue.

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By Popular Demand.
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1 hour ago
Economy
Politics

Trump Admin Rejects UN Carbon Tax, Threatens Retaliation.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration announced opposition to a United Nations (UN) proposal to impose a tax on the shipping industry to reduce carbon emissions.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The proposal was approved by a UN committee in April and is set for a vote in October, with potential implementation in 2027.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Whatever its stated goals, the proposed framework is effectively a global carbon tax on Americans levied by an unaccountable UN organization.” – Trump administration statement

🎯IMPACT: The administration argues this proposal will increase costs for American consumers, energy providers, and shipping companies, and threatened retaliation against nations supporting the amendment.

IN FULL

The Trump administration has moved to oppose a United Nations (UN) proposal to impose a carbon emissions tax on the shipping industry, labeling it a “global carbon tax on Americans.” The proposal, known as the “Net-Zero Framework,” was approved by a committee of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April and is set for a vote in October. If implemented, it would go into effect in 2027.

The framework seeks to set new carbon emission standards for ships and introduce a global pricing mechanism for emissions. Ships exceeding the thresholds would face punitive fees, while those within the standards would receive financial incentives. The Trump administration has argued that this plan would raise costs for American consumers and businesses. “These fees will drive up energy and transportation and leisure cruise costs,” the administration’s statement warns.

In a joint statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the U.S. “unequivocally rejects this proposal” and will not accept any measures that increase costs for American citizens or businesses. The statement also warned that the U.S. would “not hesitate to retaliate or explore remedies” if the proposal is passed.

Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick criticized the framework in a separate statement, saying, “America is setting the terms on how our products are going to market. We have every right to refuse their ‘net-zero framework,’ which would be a tax on every shipment of American goods.” He added, “International bureaucrats can take their [woke] climate nonsense elsewhere.”

The Trump administration’s move to oppose the UN proposal aligns with its broader strategy to reduce foreign influence over American energy policy and deregulate the energy sector. Notably, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accords on his first day in office.

Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to roll back Barack Obama-era climate regulations, which could save American businesses and families an estimated $1 trillion in hidden costs, according to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

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By Popular Demand.
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2 hours ago
Immigration
UK

Migrant Smuggler Arrests Decline Despite UK PM’s ‘Smash the Gangs’ Pledge.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Arrests for organised immigration crime by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) fell by 16 percent in the year to April, despite Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer pledging to “smash the gangs” behind people smuggling.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The NCA, Keir Starmer, Reform Party leader Nigel Farage.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Data covers the year leading to April 2025, with incidents focused on the English Channel and British borders.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It’s never been easier to be a people smuggler.” – Shadow Attorney General Robert Jenrick

🎯IMPACT: Over 50,000 migrants have arrived in the United Kingdom via small boats since Labour entered office.

IN FULL

 The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) says arrests for organised immigration crime dropped by 16 percent in the year to April. This comes despite Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to “smash the gangs” driving people-smuggling.

Small boat migrant arrivals in the United Kingdom have surpassed 50,000 since Labour entered office, breaking records. Shadow Attorney General Robert Jenrick, of the formerly governing Conservative (Tory) Party, criticized the government’s handling of the issue, stating, “It’s never been easier to be a people smuggler.” However, small boat crossings began in earnest under the previous Conservative government, growing progressively worse over time.

“As I predicted 5 years ago, unless we deport illegal migrants the invasion will be huge,” Reform Party leader Nigel Farage wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. “50,000 since our weak Prime Minister took office and there is no sign of it stopping.”

Image by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street.

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By Popular Demand.
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3 hours ago
Jack Montgomery
Immigration
UK

British Politician Faces Machete Threat at French Migrant Camp.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Britain’s Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, was pelted with bottles and confronted with a “curved machete” during a visit to a migrant camp near Calais, France.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Conservative (Tory) Party’s Chris Philp, Member of Parliament (MP) for Croydon South and Shadow Home Secretary, and migrants including an unnamed man wielding a machete.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon, in the “New Jungle” migrant camp outside Dunkirk, France.

💬KEY QUOTE: “People who pull knives, these people are on their way to the UK in dinghies and we were certainly seriously threatened just a few minutes ago.” – Chris Philp

🎯IMPACT: The incident highlights the escalating dangers at migrant camps and the threat to the British public posed by unvetted migrants crossing the English Channel in increasing numbers, with small boat crossings surpassing 50,000 since Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party entered office in mid-2024.

IN FULL

Chris Philp, the British Shadow Home Secretary and Member of Parliament (MP) for Croydon South, faced a violent confrontation during a visit to a migrant camp near Calais, France, where he was pelted with bottles and threatened with a “curved machete.”

The incident occurred at the “New Jungle” camp outside Dunkirk, where Philp traveled on Tuesday evening to assess the situation on the ground—with migrants having long camped along the French coast in large numbers while they wait to break into Britain by stowing away in trucks or, increasingly, via small boats. Successive British governments have paid the French hundreds of millions of pounds to police the area, but crossings have continued to increase.

Philp reported that a man brandished a machete at him, swinging it in the air to intimidate others in the camp. He described the experience as “pretty shocking” and noted the presence of up to around 2,000 migrants in the camp, many already carrying life jackets. The visit came as the number of such crossings since Labour took power last year exceeded 50,000.

Notably, Philp was a Minister of State at the Home Office—broadly responsible for border security, immigration enforcement, policing, and national security in the British government—and the previous Conservative government, which allowed the Channel crisis to take hold and grow progressively worse in the first place.

Reform Party leader Nigel Farage regularly criticized Philp for the Conservatives’ mismanagement of illegal immigration during his time in office, noting in 2021, “Our hopeless immigration minister Chris Philp is in Calais today. Making sure our recent 54 million pound donation to the French is being used to stop migrants leaving French beaches. 1,300 have come in the last 3 days! Minister, you have been mugged.”

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
Immigration
Lawfare

Venezuelan Illegals File Lawsuit Against Trump to Restore ‘Protected Status.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Venezuelan civic group and several migrants filed a lawsuit against federal immigration agencies, alleging the Trump administration unlawfully ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, Democracy Forward, three Venezuelan migrants, and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit was filed this week in Boston federal court.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This lawsuit is a desperate attempt to keep half a million poorly vetted illegal aliens in this country and undermine President Trump’s constitutional authority to enforce America’s immigration laws.” – DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit challenges the Trump administration’s decision to revoke TPS for Venezuelans and could slow down or stop its efforts to deport illegal aliens from the South American country.

IN FULL

A group of illegal immigrants represented by a Venezuelan civic organization is suing the Trump administration, claiming the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unlawfully ended the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans. The plaintiffs include the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, progressive group Democracy Forward, and three Venezuelan illegals.

The lawsuit, filed in Boston federal court, names the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as defendants. The plaintiffs claim that the Trump administration, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, abruptly and unlawfully terminated TPS for Venezuelans, describing the move as a “sudden policy shift.”

According to Democracy Forward, an alleged April email from DHS to TPS illegal immigrants stated, “It is time for you to leave the United States.” The plaintiffs argue that TPS revocation requires case-by-case determinations and that the decision disrupts lives, occupations, and legal rights to remain in the U.S. They further claim the policy violates public trust and legal protections for those who complied with DHS requirements.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded to the lawsuit, calling it “a desperate attempt to keep half a million poorly vetted illegal aliens in this country and undermine President Trump’s constitutional authority to enforce America’s immigration laws.” She also criticized the former Biden government for creating a “catch-and-release scheme.”

Illegal Immigrants fleeing Venezuela were granted special protection under TPS by President Joe Biden in 2021, with an extension in 2023 that allowed more migrants to qualify. However, after Trump took office, Noem revoked the 2023 extension, leading to legal challenges. While an injunction was issued by Barack Obama appointee Judge Edward Milton Chen in April, the Supreme Court later overruled it, allowing Noem’s policy to proceed.

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By Popular Demand.
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4 hours ago
William Upton
Crime
Politics

Anti-Trump Lunatic Shoots Veteran in Wheelchair.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An anti-Trump agitator is accused of shooting a wheelchair-bound man in the chest in Seattle, Washington, over an allegation of “stolen valor.” The gunman was previously arrested and charged in 2020 with criminal mischief, a second-degree misdemeanor, after he drove a vehicle into a Republican Party voter registration tent.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Suspect Gregory William Timm, the 68-year-old wheelchair bound victim, and Seattle prosecutors.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The shooting took place on July 31, with Timm appearing in court this month.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The only reason this administration was getting away with these atrocious crimes is because we were rolling over and taking it.” — anti-Trump gunman Gregory William Timm

🎯IMPACT: The 68-year-old man, who survived the gunshot, says he was reaching to retrieve his military ID when Timm fired on him. Local news reports indicate the victim does appear to be a veteran.

IN FULL

An anti-Trump agitator is accused of shooting a wheelchair-bound man in the chest in Seattle, Washington, over an allegation of “stolen valor.” Gregory William Timm, 32, claimed the victim was pretending to be a veteran and confronted the 68-year-old wheelchair bound man on the busy Alaskan Way boardwalk on July 31.

Prosecutors allege Timm proceeded to rip a military patch off the victim, resulting in the victim producing a knife and an airsoft gun to defend himself. Subsequently, stepping back several feet, Timm pulled out a handgun and fired a shot into the victim’s chest while demanding to see his ID. The 68-year-old man, who survived the gunshot, says he was reaching to retrieve his military ID when Timm fired on him. Local media reports indicate he is indeed a veteran.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT


The July 31 shooting is not Timm’s first run-in with the law. In 2020, he was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, a second-degree misdemeanor, after he drove a vehicle into a Republican Party voter registration tent at the Kernan Village Shopping Center in Jacksonville, Florida.

While he initially fled the scene, local police were able to apprehend him, with Timm defending his actions, stating that the attack was his “duty” and that he “did not like President Trump.”

“The only reason this administration was getting away with these atrocious crimes is because we were rolling over and taking it,” Timm later said during a court appearance regarding the vehicle attack. President Trump personally responded to the attack at the time, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Be careful tough guys who you play with!”

While attorneys for Timm say his actions in Seattle last month were in self-defense, prosecutors have stated, “If you’re the one who’s the first aggressor who provokes an altercation, you lose the right to claim self-defense effectively under state law.” They cite Timm’s action of ripping off the victim’s military patch as having initiated the assault.

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By Popular Demand.
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5 hours ago
Lawfare
Politics

Court Considers Trump’s Unique Lawsuit Against Federal Judges.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal judge will review a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against all 15 Maryland-based federal judges over a standing order related to deportation cases.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, Chief Judge George Russell, U.S. District Judge Thomas Cullen, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Paul Clement, a legal counsel to the judges.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at the Baltimore federal courthouse.

🎯IMPACT: The case could set a precedent regarding judicial authority over immigration-related executive actions.

IN FULL

A federal judge in Baltimore will review a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration against all 15 Maryland-based federal judges over a standing order related to deportation cases. This lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the administration’s disputes with the judiciary over immigration matters.

The standing order, issued by Chief Judge George Russell on May 21 and later updated, temporarily halts deportations when illegal immigrants file habeas corpus petitions in Maryland federal courts. This halt lasts roughly two days, allowing the court to review the claims. The Trump administration argues that this order exceeds Russell’s authority and infringes on the federal government’s sovereignty.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), led by Attorney General Pam Bondi, contends that the order “harms the federal government’s sovereign interests on a repeated and ongoing basis.” According to the DOJ, the court lacks jurisdiction to enact such a measure.

In response, the judges have retained a legal team that includes Paul Clement, a former solicitor general under President George W. Bush. Clement’s team argues that the lawsuit undermines the separation of powers and that the standing order is an administrative tool to ensure the judiciary can fulfill its constitutional obligations.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Cullen, appointed by President Trump in 2020, will preside over the hearing.

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By Popular Demand.
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6 hours ago
UK
War

UK Prime Minister: Peace Is Possible in Ukraine Thanks to Trump.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that a “viable” chance for a Ukraine ceasefire exists due to President Donald J. Trump’s efforts.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Keir Starmer, Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and European leaders.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Calls took place ahead of a meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska on Friday.

💬KEY QUOTE: No 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister’s official residence, issued a statement on behalf of European leaders thanking President Trump “for his efforts in bringing Putin to the table in pursuit of a ceasefire to end the ongoing bloodshed.”

🎯IMPACT: European leaders have expressed readiness to support a lasting peace in Ukraine.

IN FULL

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has suggested that a “viable” ceasefire opportunity exists in the Ukraine war, crediting President Donald J. Trump for making this possible. Starmer said his left-wing government was ready to help “increase pressure” on Russia if necessary, aligning with Trump’s moves to begin exposing secondary sanctions on Russia’s trading partners.

Downing Street—the British Prime Minister’s official residence—issued a statement on behalf of European leaders thanking President Trump “for his efforts in bringing Putin to the table in pursuit of a ceasefire to end the ongoing bloodshed.”

However, No 10 added that “The Prime Minister was clear that our support for Ukraine is unwavering—international borders must not be changed by force and Ukraine must have robust and credible security guarantees to defend its territorial integrity as part of any deal.”

A peace proposal in which there is no de facto acknowledgement of Russian control over at least part of Ukraine is unlikely to go anywhere, with Crimea, for instance, having been annexed by Moscow over a decade ago, with seemingly no realistic prospect of the Ukrainian military recapturing it.

Speaking after virtual talks with Starmer, Trump, and European leaders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized allied unity, describing it as “one voice towards one mission.”

The virtual meeting involved leaders from the U.S., Ukraine, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland, NATO, and the European Union (EU), ahead of a Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Recent intelligence indicates Russian forces have intensified their offensive in eastern Ukraine in recent days, making their most significant gains in years—perhaps making it less likely that the Kremlin will offer significant concessions.

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
News

Feds Dismantle Indian Gang Engaged in Sex and Drug Trafficking.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Federal authorities in Nebraska conducted raids leading to the arrest of five Indian nationals accused of operating a large-scale trafficking scheme involving sex, labor, and drugs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods, ICE, FBI, and other law enforcement agencies coordinated the arrests of Kentakumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Ajit Samani, Amit Prahladbhai Chaudhari, Amit Babubhai Chaudhari, and Maheshkumar Chaudhari.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The arrests occurred in Nebraska across 14 business locations and two homes, with connections to operations in Georgia and Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “There is no evil greater than the evil that seeks to trap, oppress, and exploit human beings for profit or pleasure,” said U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods.

🎯IMPACT: The investigation uncovered forced labor and sex trafficking, rescued 27 victims, including minors, and revealed connections to illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

IN FULL

Federal authorities in Nebraska arrested five Indian nationals—Kentakumar Chaudhari, Rashmi Ajit Samani, Amit Prahladbhai Chaudhari, Amit Babubhai Chaudhari, and Maheshkumar Chaudhari—for allegedly running a trafficking network involving sex, labor, and drugs. The group owned businesses, including hotels, motels, and salons across Nebraska, Georgia, and Texas, which were allegedly used to exploit illegal immigrants.

U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the arrests, stating the indictment claims victims were coerced into providing labor and sex to cover the cost of substandard, unsanitary accommodations. The operation rescued 10 minors and 17 adults, including a 12-year-old girl forced into labor. Investigations uncovered victims forced into prostitution, some involving hotel staff, with two minor girls transported across state lines for commercial sex acts. A former employee reported witnessing minors coerced into sexual acts for lodging, and secret recordings of assaults were found.

The indictment also revealed drug trafficking at the properties, with open drug use and overdoses reported. Migrants smuggled into the U.S., some during the Biden-Harris government’s border crisis, were charged up to $79,000 for transportation and later exploited. Authorities seized over $565,000 in cash and initiated actions to seize properties linked to the scheme.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Eugene Kolel called the crimes “modern-day slavery.”

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By Popular Demand.
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7 hours ago
William Upton
Immigration
Lawfare

The E. Jean Carroll Judge Is Back, Telling Trump to Give Illegal Immigrants Better Toilets.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A federal court ordered President Donald J. Trump’s administration to improve detention conditions for illegal immigrants at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Manhattan.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Trump administration, Bill Clinton-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan, illegal immigrant plaintiff Sergio Alberto Barco Mercado, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The order was issued on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, in New York.

💬KEY QUOTE: “They are also being subjected to unsanitary and unsafe conditions, sleeping for days or weeks on a concrete floor with only an aluminum blanket, often with insufficient space to even lie down, often sleeping near the toilets.” — Attorney Heather Gregorio.

🎯IMPACT: Juge Kaplan has given the Trump administration until August 26 to comply, though he also indicated he may move forward with a broader restraining order and injunction against the White House if he certifies a class for class action before then.

IN FULL

A federal court ordered President Donald J. Trump‘s administration to improve detention conditions for illegal immigrants at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Manhattan, New York, late Tuesday. The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by a Peruvian illegal immigrant who alleges detainees are held in cramped conditions.

The order, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan—a Bill Clinton appointee who also presided over the E. Jean Carroll defamation trial against President Donald J. Trump—stipulates that ICE must provide each detainee held overnight with a bedding mat and ensure that toilets are cleaned three times a day. Additionally, Judge Kaplan ordered that ICE must allow detainees to make a private phone call with their attorney within 24 hours of detention and that they be given an information sheet that informs them they can request bottles of water and an extra meal, among other amenities.

Juge Kaplan has given the Trump administration until August 26 to comply, though he also indicated he may move forward with a broader restraining order and injunction against the White House if he certifies a class for class action before then. Notably, the only plaintiff—at the moment—is Sergio Alberto Barco Mercado, an illegal immigrant from Peru, and his main gripe appears to be that between 40 and 90 detainees are forced to share a handful of toilets. Notably, paying airline passengers experience a similar ratio of person-to-toilet access—or worse.

“They are also being subjected to unsanitary and unsafe conditions, sleeping for days or weeks on a concrete floor with only an aluminum blanket, often with insufficient space to even lie down, often sleeping near the toilets,” Barco Mercado’s attorney, Heather Gregorio, complained during the hearing.

The Trump administration argued that ICE follows federal legal standards but conceded that it was working to increase hygiene access for detainees regardless.

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