Immigration officials arrest 36 people in SoCal underground nightclub raid
Los Angeles Homeland Security officers, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and members of the El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force made the arrests during 'an enforcement operation in an underground nightclub' according to a statement shared on X.
A video shared by HSI Los Angeles shows an officer donning a vest in a parking lot before sunrise, before cutting to a daylight scene of a group of people huddled on the sidewalk outside a building, some with their heads bowed. Officers are shown handcuffing the individuals and loading them into white vans.
It is not clear where the underground nightclub is located.
Further details on the investigation were not immediately available. The role of the El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force in the raid was also unclear.
The group is a multi-agency initiative of federal and state investigators focused on financial crimes in Southern California. Members include HSI Los Angeles, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California and the California Department of Justice.
On Wednesday, an investigation involving the task force led to the arrest of 14 individuals — including San Fernando Valley and Glendale residents — who were accused of being part of a transnational criminal network that fraudulently obtained more than $25 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
Friday's immigration enforcement action comes as ICE works to comply with President Trump's orders to ramp up the pace of arrests and deportations across the nation. On Thursday, the agency announced that it achieved its highest number of arrests in history this week.
On Monday, HSI Los Angeles arrested 12 Mexican citizens on suspicion of being unlawfully present in the U.S. after they traveled in a small boat from Mexico to Long Beach.
In April, an estimated two dozen day laborers were detained in a U.S. Customs and Border Protection action outside of a Home Depot in Pomona. Earlier in the year, CBP agents conducted a three-day raid in rural parts of Kern County targeting day laborers and Latino farmworkers.
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The Hill
25 minutes ago
- The Hill
Senate approves more than $180 billion in 2026 funding before August recess
The Senate on Friday passed its first tranche of government funding bills for fiscal year 2026 ahead of its upcoming August recess, but Congress is bracing for a potentially messy fight to prevent a shutdown when they return in September. The chamber approved three bills that provide more than $180 billion in discretionary funding for the departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), military construction, legislative branch operations and rural development. The bills passed in two parts: on an 87-9 vote for military construction, VA, agriculture and FDA funding; and an 81-15 vote for legislative branch funding. The votes cap off days of uncertainty over whether the Senate would be joining the House on a monthlong recess with any of its 12 annual funding bills passed out of the chamber. Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), who heads the subcommittee that crafted the full-year VA funding bill, said Friday that he sees the first batch of bills as more of a 'test run.' 'It's just been so long since we've done our appropriations bills. A lot of people just [forgot] the procedures,' he told The Hill, noting that in the previous congressional session senators 'really didn't do bills.' Appropriators say the vote marks the first time since 2018 that the Senate has passed funding legislation before the August recess. 'It's really a matter of just kind of legislating again, and the more we do it, the easier, the easier it'll be as we go back,' Boozman said. In the past week, senators had gone through several iterations of their first funding package of the year, as leaders on both sides worked through frustrations in their ranks over proposed spending levels and actions by the Trump administration that incensed Democrats. Well over half of the funding approved Friday is included in the annual VA and military construction bill, which calls for upwards of $153 billion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2026. That includes about $133 billion for the VA and roughly $20 billion for the Department of Defense military construction program. More than $113 billion in discretionary funding would go toward VA medical care. The annual agricultural funding plan calls for $27 billion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2026. It includes $8.2 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), about $7 billion in funding for the Food and Drug Administration, roughly $1.7 billion for rental assistance, and nearly $1.23 billion for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). Democrats have also highlighted $240 million in funding in the bill for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program, which was targeted in President Trump's latest budget request. 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Axios
25 minutes ago
- Axios
Sales tax holidays begin as families face higher school costs
Nine states are kicking off tax-free holidays this weekend —as back-to-school inflation hits hard and families rush to lock in savings. Why it matters: It's a rare tax break for families preparing for a new school year and dealing with higher prices because of President Trump's tariffs. Four states — Alabama, Mississippi, New Mexico and Tennessee — held tax holidays in July, and four more tax-free breaks are held later in August. The big picture: Retailers like Walmart and Target are freezing or lowering prices on select items to court budget-conscious shoppers. Looming tariffs on Chinese imports — including tech and school supplies — are expected to drive prices up 12–15% this season, according to retail analysts. What they're saying:"With uncertainty around costs this fall, both shoppers and retailers are trying to lock in value now while they can," Stephanie Carls, RetailMeNot retail insights expert, told Axios. Mary Hines Droesch, head of consumer and wealth management products at Bank of America, tells Axios, that spreading out purchases can help consumers avoid impulse buys and lets families catch late-season deals. Sales tax holidays 2025 include online orders Sales tax is waived for in-store purchases and online shopping during the holidays, but exclusions apply. Arkansas tax-free weekend 2025 Arkansas holds its annual sales tax holiday on the first weekend of August each year for two days — Saturday and Sunday. Tax-free items: Clothing and shoes: Less than $100 per item. Clothing accessories or equipment: Less than $50 per item. School supplies and electronic devices used by students for study are also included, the state said. Florida sales tax holiday 2025 The Sunshine State's annual sales tax holiday is now a monthlong tax break every August. Tax-free items: Clothing, footwear and accessories: $100 or less. Most school supplies: $50 or less. Computers and accessories for personal use: $1,500 or less. Learning aids and jigsaw puzzles: $30 or less. Iowa sales tax holiday weekend 2025 The Hawkeye State's tax holiday is held annually on the first weekend in August and lasts two days, Friday and Saturday. No state or local option sales tax will be collected on clothing or footwear less than $100, according to the state. Missouri tax-free weekend 2025 Missouri's annual three-day tax holiday runs Friday through Sunday, Aug. 3, per the state. Tax-free items: Clothing: $100 or less. Personal computers and computer peripheral devices: Up to $1,500 and software up to $350. School supplies: Not to exceed $50 per purchase, graphing calculators up to $150. Ohio expanded sales tax holiday 2025 Ohio expanded its annual sales tax holiday into a two-week event, which ends at 11:59pm Aug. 14. The sales tax holiday includes "all tangible personal property that is $500 or less," including electronics, clothing, books, home goods, sporting goods, food and more. Oklahoma sales tax holiday 2025 Oklahoma's three-day sales tax holiday is held the first Friday through Sunday in August annually. Tax-free items: Clothing and footwear: Less than $100. South Carolina tax-free weekend 2025 The annual sales tax holiday in South Carolina is Friday through Sunday, Aug. 3 and exempts eligible purchases from the 6% state tax and local taxes. Tax-free items: Regardless of price, all computers, printers, school supplies, clothing and accessories, shoes and certain bed and bath items. Virginia sales tax holiday 2025 Virginia's three-day sales tax holiday — Friday through Sunday — waives tax on school supplies, clothing, footwear, emergency preparedness items as well as select appliances. Tax-free items: Clothing and footwear: $100 or less per item. School supplies: $20 or less. West Virginia sales tax holiday 2025 West Virginia's sales tax holiday runs Friday through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 4, the state says. Tax-free items: Clothing: $125 or less. Laptop and tablet computers: $500 or less. School supplies: $50 or less. School instruction material: $20 or less. Sports equipment: $150 or less. Upcoming sales tax holidays
Newsweek
26 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Ex-Trump Commissioner Warns of 'Dangerous Precedent' After New Firing
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