The Department of Homeland Security

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Exclusive: DHS hires first AI Corps members

By Sam Sabin

Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios

The Department of Homeland Security has made its first 10 hires for its new AI Corps, according to a release exclusively shared with Axios. Why it matters: U.S. officials have said that they need more expertise to help determine the best ways to safely leverage artificial intelligence tools within the federal government. The new 50-person AI Corps, modeled after the U.S. Digital Service, will study ways to tap AI across DHS's portfolio, including countering fentanyl trafficking, combating online child sexual exploitation, and enhancing cybersecurity. What they're saying: "The interest in it has been phenomenal," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told Axios yesterday. Joining DHS's AI Corps, according to a press release shared with Axios, are: Sadaf Asrar, a former AI tech expert for the National Center for Education Statistics. Zach Fasnacht, previously a senior product manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Pramod Gadde, a founder of several health care-related startups, including AI startup Confidante. Sean Harvey, former lead of YouTube's trust and safety team, focused on global elections and misinformation. Jenny Kim, a principal product manager at McKinsey & Co. and an alumna of the DHS Digital Service. The full list

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US deports 116 Chinese migrants in first ‘large’ flight in 5 years

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that it sent 116 Chinese migrants from the United States back home in the first “large charter flight” in five years.

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-deportations-china-homeland-security-c904d72d86f6a392aa7f2ec2c5600c07?

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How lessons learned from the 2016 campaign led US officials to be more open about Iran hack

WASHINGTON (AP) — The 2016 presidential campaign was entering its final months and seemingly all of Washington was abuzz with talk about how Russian hackers had penetrated the email accounts of Democrats, triggering the release of internal communications that seemed designed to boost Donald Trump’s campaign and hurt Hillary Clinton’s.

https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-harris-election-russia-hack-ad5886379e67710e79d83938e52360cc?

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Homeland Security Still Dreams of Face Recognition at the Border

The Department of Homeland Security is soliciting help from the U.S. private sector to run face recognition scans against drivers and passengers approaching the southern border, according to an agency document reviewed by The Intercept.

https://theintercept.com/2024/08/27/face-recognition-border-surveillance-dhs/?

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Homeland Security shares new details of mysterious drone flights over New Jersey

The large mysterious drones reported flying over parts of New Jersey in recent weeks appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security.

https://apnews.com/article/fbi-drones-new-jersey-a978470fa3bb07ed3e98c5b7c18f0abb?

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Immigration

The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that certain undocumented migrants will face criminal penalties if they do not register themselves in a new federal database. The registry appears to target people who are not already on the government's radar. Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that 118 people were arrested Tuesday in a mainly Latino area near Houston during a multi-agency enforcement operation. This occurred on the heels of another well-publicized enforcement action that happened in Los Angeles this past weekend.

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Homeland Security ends TSA collective bargaining agreement, in effort to dismantle union protections

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security said Friday that it is ending the collective bargaining agreement with the tens of thousands of frontline employees at the Transportation Security Administration, marking a major effort to dismantle union protections under the Trump administration.

https://apnews.com/article/collective-bargaining-agreement-tsa-homeland-security-e3eb1d5e0ae8e1b4a6fdb87cd7f6bd39?

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Homeland Security revokes temporary status for 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans

MIAMI (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security said Friday that it will revoke legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, setting them up for potential deportation in about a month.

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-china-haiti-nicaragua-venezuela-c10f422939934cf8d1cf8a6f4dfc4610?

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Tufts international student Rumeysa Ozturk detained by feds

Federal agents took Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral candidate at Tufts University, into custody Tuesday night.

https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/03/26/tufts-rumeysa-ozturk-detained?

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Homeland Security Secretary Noem visits the El Salvador prison where deported Venezuelans are held

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday visited the high-security El Salvador prison where Venezuelans who the Trump administration alleges are gang members have been held since their removal from the United States. Read More.

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DHS threatens to revoke Harvard’s eligibility to host foreign students amid broader battle over universities’ autonomy

The Trump administration has significantly dialed up its pressure on Harvard University, not only freezing $2 billion in federal funding but now threatening its eligibility to host international students after school leaders refused to make key policy changes the White House also is demanding of other elite US colleges.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/16/us/harvard-kristi-noem-international-students/index.html?

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Universities Told Students to Leave the Country. ICE Just Said They Didn’t Actually Have To.

The Department of Homeland Security said this week in a Michigan court that the agency does not have the authority to terminate students’ immigration statuses by terminating their records in the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System. Known as SEVIS, the database allows both universities and authorities to track information about international students on visas in the U.S.

https://theintercept.com/2025/04/17/international-student-visas-deport-dhs-ice/?

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Noem theft

A man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a high-end Gucci purse belonging to Kristi Noem. The Department of Homeland Security secretary was eating dinner with her family at a Washington, DC, restaurant on Easter when the suspect allegedly sat at the table next to hers and took the bag. Inside was a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet, Noem’s driver’s license, medication, apartment keys, passport, her DHS access badge, a makeup bag, blank checks and about $3,000 in cash. The Secret Service also arrested a second person in Miami who was described as a co-conspirator. “We have also determined that this incident had no protective nexus to Secretary Noem or her role as Secretary of Homeland Security. The investigation revealed alleged criminal activity, including potential device and credit card fraud,” Washington Field Office Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool said.

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Homeland Security chief says travelers with no REAL ID can fly for now, but with likely extra steps

Travelers who aren’t REAL ID compliant by the upcoming deadline this week will still be able to fly but should be prepared for extra scrutiny, the head of Homeland Security said Tuesday. Read More.