Management
Federal Immigration Officials Announce Plans for Resuming 'Remain in Mexico' Hearings during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Texas must continue to reopen safely and the U.S. Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control must lower their global health advisories before hearings resume.
Management
ICE Detention Operators Defend Coronavirus Response Amid Growing Concerns
More than 3,000 immigrants in federal custody have tested positive for COVID-19.
Oversight
Trump Says He 'Disagreed' With Privately Funded Wall, So Why Did His Administration Award the Builder $1.7 Billion in Contracts to Erect More Walls?
President Trump now claims this privately funded border wall — touted as the “Lamborghini” of fences — was built to “make me look bad,” even though the project’s builder and funders are Trump supporters.
Oversight
Eroding Private Border Wall to Get an Engineering Inspection Just Months After Completion
Months after the “Lamborghini” of border walls was built along the Rio Grande, the builder agreed to an engineering inspection of his controversial structure. Experts say the wall is showing signs of erosion that threatens its stability.
Oversight
South Texas Landowners Are Hoping to Use President Trump's Own Words Against Him in a New Border Wall Lawsuit
Landowners are alleging that the construction of the barrier is driven by little more than racism and politics and is therefore unconstitutional, according to a new lawsuit.
Management
He Built a Privately Funded Border Wall. It’s Already at Risk of Falling Down if Not Fixed.
Trump supporters funded a private border wall on the banks of the Rio Grande, helping the builder secure $1.7 billion in federal contracts. Now the “Lamborghini” of border walls is in danger of falling into the river if nothing is done, experts say.
Management
Immigration Judges Sue Justice Department Over Gag Rule
The Trump administration is in violation of the First and Fifth Amendments, judges say.
Pay & Benefits
Furlough Notices in Hand, Citizenship and Immigration Employees Look for New Jobs
Facing at least 30 days without pay, employees are frustrated. "Like it or not, I have to go," one says.
Management
ICE Struggles to Protect Detained Immigrants as Coronavirus Spreads in Its Facilities
Hundreds of employees are also calling out from work as they say physical distancing is impossible and personal protective equipment is in insufficient supply.
Oversight
Reps. Sylvia Garcia, Joaquin Castro Call on ICE to Release Migrants in Immigration Detention Centers as Coronavirus Cases Surge
As cases surge in Texas and the pandemic rages on, the representatives said ICE should release all detainees who are not a safety risk and who are more vulnerable to contracting the virus.
Management
In Zapata County, Local Government Is Fighting the Federal Government to Stop One Piece of the Border Wall
The rural border county is digging in and challenging the Department of Homeland Security in court over the government’s attempt to gain access to small tract of county-owned land.
Oversight
Watchdog: HHS Hasn't Done Enough to Catalog Reports of Sexual Misconduct in Migrant Children Facilities
In a six month period in 2018, the Health and Human Services Department IG found more than 700 possible sexual incidents of varying severity, including 48 incidents of misconduct by an adult against a minor.
Management
GovExec Daily: Homeland Security Operations During the Pandemic
Eric Katz joins the podcast to examine how the agency will operate under this stage of the COVID-19 crisis.
Workforce
DHS to Begin Sending Furlough Notices to 15,000 Employees Next Week
Immigration agency is set to start 30-day RIFs for three-quarters of its workforce next month absent congressional intervention.
Oversight
House Democrats Demand Trump Administration Stop Rushing Through Deportations of Migrant Children
Democratic congressional leaders expressed alarm at the sudden acceleration and requested the government “cease this practice immediately.”
Pay & Benefits
Employees Concerned After Agency Threatens Furloughs Over Budget Shortfall
Employees ask Congress to "please bail us out."
Management
Trump Administration Waives Environmental Safeguards to Fast-Track 69 Miles of Border Fence Construction
The White House said in February its goal was to build 450 additional miles of barrier by the end of 2020. The 69 miles would be in addition to a 52-mile project also underway in Webb County.
Oversight
COVID-19 Cases at One Texas Immigration Detention Center Soared in a Matter of Days. Now, Town Leaders Want Answers.
Coronavirus infections continue to rise at migrant detention facilities in towns with limited resources. Some local governments want details on what’s being done to safeguard the public.
Management
ICE Has Access to DACA Recipients’ Personal Information Despite Promises Suggesting Otherwise, Internal Emails Show
Trump promised that information from DACA applications would not be sent to deportation agents. But internal emails show that ICE can access databases where that information is kept — and DHS decided not to tell Congress.
Oversight
GovExec Daily: Despite a Pandemic, Border Wall Construction Continues
Courtney Bublé joins the podcast to explain how President Trump's major project is doing during COVID-19 crisis.
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