Turkey says it is closely monitoring PKK disbandment to secure peace
The PKK, widely designated as a terrorist organisation, announced the historic decision on Monday months after its imprisoned leader called for the group to formally disband and disarm – a move that could bring an end to one of the Middle East's longest-running insurgencies.
In making the call, the PKK leader stressed the need for securing Kurdish rights through negotiation rather than armed struggle.
Previous peace efforts with the group have failed, most recently in 2015. Given the past failures, a close aide to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed determination to uphold the current initiative and prevent any disruptions.
'We are closely following attempts to sabotage the process and we will not allow anyone to test our state's determination in this regard,' Fahrettin Altun, the head of the Turkish presidential communications office said.
The PKK initially launched its struggle with the goal of establishing an independent Kurdish state.
Over time, it moderated its objectives toward autonomy and greater Kurdish rights within Turkey.
The conflict, which has spilled into neighbouring Iraq and Syria, has claimed tens of thousands of lives since it began in the 1980s.
The latest peace effort, which the government has labelled 'Terror-Free Turkey' was launched in October, after a key ally of the president suggested parole for PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan if the PKK renounces violence and disbands.
Officials have not disclosed details about the process that will follow the PKK's decision.
Media close to the government have reported that the PKK's disarmament process is expected to take three to four months, with weapons being collected at designated locations in northern Iraq under official supervision.
According to Hurriyet newspaper, the disarmament could be overseen jointly by Turkey and the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq or through a commission involving Turkey, the US, European Union nations and Iraq.
The newspaper also suggested that high-ranking PKK members may be relocated to third countries, while lower-ranking militants without arrest warrants could return to Turkey once a legal framework is established to facilitate their reintegration.
Turkish officials have not responded to requests for comment on the report.
Analysts expect Mr Ocalan to see improved prison conditions following the PKK's disbandment.
Mr Erdogan said on Monday that the PKK's declaration should apply to all PKK-affiliated groups, including Kurdish groups in Syria.
The Kurdish fighters in Syria have ties to the PKK and have been involved in intense fighting with Turkish-backed forces there. The leader of the US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces previously said Mr Ocalan's call for a dissolution does not apply to his group in Syria.
The group then reached an agreement with the central government in Damascus for a nationwide ceasefire and its merger into the Syrian army. Despite the deal, Kurdish officials in Syria later declared their desire for a federal state, sparking tensions with the Syrian government.
Some believe the main aim of the reconciliation effort is for Mr Erdogan's government to garner Kurdish support for a new constitution that would allow him to remain in power beyond 2028, when his term ends.
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Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
State board backs Newsom's plan to give water agencies more leeway in meeting rules
California regulators are supporting a controversial plan backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom — and opposed by environmental groups — that would give water agencies more leeway in how they comply with water quality rules. The Newsom-backed approach is included as part of a proposed water plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, released by the State Water Resources Control Board on Thursday. The plan would give water agencies two potential pathways to comply with water quality goals — either a traditional regulatory approach based on limiting water withdrawals to maintain certain river flow levels, or an alternative approach supported by the governor in which water agencies, under negotiated agreements, would make certain water flow commitments while contributing funding for wetland habitat restoration projects and other measures. The proposed plan is intended to protect native fish species and the ecosystem through water quality standards and flow objectives for the Delta and San Francisco Bay. Major water agencies have lined up to support these so-called voluntary agreements, which Newsom and his administration have touted as a solution to break away from the traditional conflict-ridden regulatory approach and improve the Delta's ecological health. Newsom called the plan 'a testament to California's commitment to a collaborative, science-driven approach to managing our water for the benefit of our communities, economy, and fish and wildlife.' The proposed plan, developed by the state agency's staff, will now go through a public comment process, and will eventually go before the five-member state water board for a decision on adoption. Members of the board are appointed by the governor. Environmental and fishing groups, as well as leaders in Delta communities, have argued that the voluntary approach would harm the estuary's deteriorating ecosystem andfish species that have suffered dramatic declines. The Delta draws together rivers from a vast watershed and flows toward San Francisco Bay. On the south side of the Delta, pumps operated by the state and federal governments send water flowing to cities and farms. Eric Oppenheimer, executive director of the state water board, said the proposed update of the water quality plan would 'improve conditions for fish and wildlife through a combination of flow and habitat measures while considering the needs of cities, towns and farms.' Oppenheimer noted that the state water board would track agencies' commitments under the voluntary agreements, which have also been called the Healthy Rivers and Landscapes Program. Under the draft plan, state officials would review the voluntary agreements after eight years to determine if they should be extended, modified or terminated. The board could decide to return water agencies to the traditional regulatory approach if they determine the voluntary agreements haven't achieved the desired results. 'We included the voluntary agreement pathway because we think the voluntary agreements have merit,' Oppenheimer told reporters during a briefing. 'The basic concept behind these voluntary agreements is that by combining both flow and habitat, we think we can achieve significant ecosystem improvements, and we think it can be done with a lower water supply impact.' Oppenheimer said state officials believe this approach will 'engender a high degree of cooperation and buy-in from the water users.' Environmental and fishing groups have condemned the agencies' proposed voluntary agreements as backroom deals struck without input from Native tribes, Delta communities or conservation advocates. They have said that by failing to protect existing flows, the agreements are aimed at setting the stage for massive additional water diversions. Newsom and his administration are pushing for the proposed Delta Conveyance Project, seeking to build a 45-mile water tunnel beneath the Delta, and are also moving ahead with plans to build Sites Reservoir, the state's first new major reservoir in decades, in a valley north of Sacramento. Ashley Overhouse, water policy advisor for the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife, said she is very concerned about the state board's approach. 'This is just the latest attempt by the Newsom administration to promote the woefully inadequate and inequitable voluntary agreements, undercutting bare minimum protections,' Overhouse said. 'The proposal to cut freshwater flows through the Delta during wet and dry years will be devastating for species and the overall health of the estuary.' Overhouse and other environmental advocates argue that the voluntary deals struck by major water suppliers would be disastrous for threatened and endangered fish, including salmon, steelhead, green sturgeon, longfin smelt and Delta smelt. They have called for more stringent flow requirements to help populations recover. This year, populations of Chinook salmon were so low that regulators shut down the commercial fishing season along the coast for a third straight year, though limited recreational fishing was allowed. The state water board 'seems to be collapsing under pressure from the Governor to approve the fatally flawed voluntary agreements,' said Scott Artis, executive director of Golden State Salmon Assn., a nonprofit group that represents fishing communities. Artis said the voluntary approach would worsen the environmental crisis in the Delta and set the stage for 'even more damaging diversions by the massive Delta tunnel.' His group has also criticized the $2.9 billion in proposed funding that would be needed to carry out the agreements, much of it from state and federal funds. The group has called it a 'shell game' and a 'taxpayer rip off.' The update of the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan has been years in the making. The last substantial changes in water quality and flow requirements were adopted in 1995 for much of the watershed. In 2018, the State Water Board released new standards to increase flows in the San Joaquin River. The pending update will set rules for the Sacramento River watershed and the rest of the Delta. The State Water Resources Control Board plans to hold a public hearing on the draft plan Sept. 8-9, and will be accepting written comments until Sept. 10. A date for a decision by the board has not been set. The proposal also calls for establishing tribal 'beneficial uses' of water in recognition of the connections between Native tribes and fish populations. There are over 100 tribes in the Bay-Delta watershed. State officials say this designation would not guarantee tribes a certain volume of water, but would ensure that cultural uses of water, including for fish species, have protections under the plan. Wade Crowfoot, the state's natural resources secretary, said the approach outlined under the plan will 'improve the health of our rivers by both restoring river flows and revitalizing habitat.' Newsom noted that he has also proposed legislation to create an exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act for all such water quality plans. The governor said this would 'accelerate the time it takes to get these critical plans done by removing unnecessary and redundant process requirements.'
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
The Latest: US cuts short Gaza ceasefire talks, blaming Hamas
President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday the U.S. is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing home its negotiating team from Qatar for consultations, after the latest response from Hamas 'shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.' The talks have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war. Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war. Israel says it will not agree to end the war until Hamas gives up power and disarms — a condition the militant group rejects. As Israel's blockade and military offensive in Gaza grinds on, four leading news organizations said Thursday that their journalists there are facing the threat of starvation. The joint statement by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters and the BBC called on Israel to allow journalists in and out of Gaza and allow adequate food supplies into the territory. Israel's war in Gaza , launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says that more than half of the dead are women and children. Here's the latest: Ceasefire talks break down as Israel drives Gaza to the brink of famine, aid groups say Amid Israel's blockade and ongoing military offensive, the United Nations food agency says nearly 100,000 women and children are suffering from severe, acute malnutrition. The Gaza Health Ministry has reported a rise in hunger-related deaths. Israel says it is allowing in enough aid and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. But those agencies say it is nearly impossible to safely deliver it because of Israeli restrictions and a breakdown of law and order, with crowds of thousands unloading food trucks as soon as they move into Gaza. A separate Israeli-backed system run by an American contractor has also been marred by chaos. Witnesses, health officials and the U.N. human rights office say Israeli forces have repeatedly fired on crowds seeking aid, killing more than 1,000 people. Israel says its forces have only fired warning shots and that the death toll is exaggerated. Israel faces mounting pressure to end Gaza's humanitarian crisis Twenty-eight Western-aligned countries recently called for an end to the war in Gaza and harshly criticizing Israel's blockade and a new aid delivery model it has rolled out. More than 100 charity and human rights groups released a similar letter, saying that even their own staff are struggling to get enough food. The U.S. and Israel rejected the allegations and blamed Hamas for prolonging the war by not accepting their terms for a ceasefire. Israel-Hamas truce has eluded Trump administration for months The sides have held weeks of talks in Qatar, reporting small signs of progress but no major breakthroughs. 'While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith,' Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff said in a statement. 'We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.' It was unclear what 'alternative options' the U.S. was considering. The White House had no immediate comment, and the State Department did not immediately respond to messages. Where do gaps remain in Gaza ceasefire talks? Negotiations have been bogged down over competing demands for ending the war. Hamas says it will only release all hostages in exchange for a full Israeli withdrawal and end to the war. Israel says it will not agree to end the war until Hamas gives up power and disarms — a condition the militant group rejects. The U.S. plan called for an initial 60-day ceasefire and a partial, phased hostage release. The two sides were to launch further negotiations on a lasting ceasefire. Hamas is believed to be holding the hostages in different locations, including tunnels, and says it has ordered its guards to kill them if Israeli forces approach. Trump's envoy says ceasefire talks are getting cut short President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said Thursday the U.S. is cutting short Gaza ceasefire talks and bringing home its negotiating team from Qatar for consultations, after the latest response from Hamas 'shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.' The breakdown comes just hours after an Israeli official called the latest Hamas proposal 'workable,' although no details were provided. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Netanyahu warns Hamas against mistaking ceasefire talks for weakness Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that his government is working toward a new agreement to free hostages held in Gaza. 'But if Hamas perceives our willingness to reach a deal as a weakness, as an opportunity to dictate lines of defeat that will endanger Israel, it is greatly mistaken,' Netanyahu said. He spoke at a ceremony commemorating the death anniversary of Zeev Jabotinsky. Considered the spiritual father of the Israeli right, Jabotinsky worked closely with Netanyahu's father on promoting Zionism in the U.S. Gaza women describe humiliating and fruitless attempt to get aid at US-run hub The 10 women told The Associated Press that they waited for hours at the U.S.-run aid site as American contractors told them to move from place to place. The women said contractors fired pepper spray at the crowds and that in the end they didn't receive any aid. 'They terrified us in ways unimaginable,' said Azza Abu Taha, a mother looking after six family members. 'I just want a bag of flour for me and my children.' Umm Ibrahim Anshasi said she arrived at 9 a.m. as instructed. 'They tell you to wait, then they tell you go out,' she said. 'We came just to be insulted.' The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation acknowledged that a 'limited amount of aid' was distributed at the site where the pepper spray was used. It said that 'overall, the effort was a major success.' Palestinian killed near Gaza aid site on women-only day, health officials say Ten women who were at the site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation , an Israeli-backed American contractor, described a chaotic scene on Thursday and said they eventually left without any aid. The foundation said its contractors used a 'limited amount of pepper spray' to control crowds and prevent injuries, and did not fire any shots. Some of the women said sound grenades were fired and others heard gunshots. They said Israeli forces were operating nearby. There was no immediate comment from the military. Khadija al-Qahouji, 37, was shot in the head near the aid site and died, according to Nasser Hospital, which received the body. It did not have further details. More than 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli forces while approaching the GHF sites since they opened in May, according to witnesses, local health officials and the United Nations human rights office. The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots, and GHF says its contractors have only occasionally used pepper spray or fired into the air to prevent stampedes. Celebrity chef from Israel condemns 'famine' in Gaza The level of hunger in Gaza is 'shocking beyond belief,' said Yotam Ottolenghi, a Jerusalem-born British chef and bestselling author. In a post on social media, Ottolenghi said he's adding his voice to global calls for Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza and let aid enter without restriction. 'The sequence of events leading to this moment – with victims on both sides – cannot justify withholding food from a whole population,' he said. 'This goes against any value I was raised on.' Ottolenghi wrote a book with Palestinian Sami Tamimi called 'Jerusalem,' covering Arab and Jewish cooking in the holy city. Netanyahu recalls ceasefire negotiators back to Israel Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu's office recalled the negotiating team back to Israel in light of Hamas' response Thursday morning. In a brief statement, the prime minister's office expressed its appreciation for the efforts of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and mediators Qatar and Egypt, but gave no further details. Earlier Thursday, Israel said Hamas' latest response was 'workable.' 'Growing optimism' that Israel and Hamas are closing in on a deal, official says An official with knowledge of the Gaza ceasefire talks said Hamas had submitted a 'positive response' through Qatari mediators. 'The Hamas response has now been passed to the Israeli side, and there is growing optimism that the gaps are narrowing and a deal can be reached,' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the behind-the-scenes talks. The official said senior officials from the U.S. and Qatar were set to meet in Italy later Thursday to discuss the progress. There were no further details. — By Josef Federman in Jerusalem More than 40 Palestinians died from malnutrition in July, Gaza's Health Ministry says Gaza's Health Ministry said 48 Palestinians have died of malnutrition this past month, adding that 59 Palestinians died of malnutrition so far in 2025, up from 50 in 2024, and four in 2023 when Israel started its war against the Hamas militant group in Gaza after its rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7. In the most recent cases, a man and a woman died of malnutrition Wednesday, the Shifa Hospital told The Associated Press. Of the 113 that died of malnutrition in Gaza since 2023, 81 were children, Gaza's Health Ministry said. Since Israel's aid blockade in March, Gaza's humanitarian situation has become dire, alarming international organizations. The United Nations World Food Program has said 100,000 women and children are facing famine levels of starvation. The International Rescue Community said their teams in Gaza have reported a surge in cases of children being rushed to the hospital due to malnutrition. 'Their small bodies are shutting down — they can't breathe, their immune systems are collapsing, and they are highly vulnerable to infection,' IRC's acting director in the occupied Palestinian Territories, Scott Lea, said in a statement Wednesday. 'Their lives are hanging by a thread.' Rocket landed near Gaza aid site, Israel says Israel's military said militants had fired a rocket that landed close to an aid distribution site in southern Gaza. In a statement Thursday, the military said militants in the city of Khan Younis had fired a rocket that landed 250 meters (820 feet) from an aid site in Rafah. The military did not say if the rocket strike injured anyone. The aid site is run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed American organization distributing aid in Gaza which launched operations in May. The U.S. and Israel seek to replace the traditional U.N.-led aid distribution system in Gaza, asserting that Hamas militants siphon off supplies. The U.N. denies the allegation. Indonesia condemns Israeli motion to annex the occupied West Bank Indonesia has strongly condemned the Israeli Parliament's symbolic motion to annex the occupied West Bank. In a statement Thursday by Indonesia's Foreign Affairs Ministry, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country reiterated that Israel has no legitimate sovereignty over occupied Palestinian territory and that such actions do not alter the legal status of the territory. 'This move constitutes an act of annexation, violating the fundamental principle of non-acquisition of territory by force,' the statement said. 'We reaffirm our support for the establishment and sovereign State of Palestine within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with the Two-State Solution.' The declarative motion, passed Wednesday by the Israeli Parliament, or Knesset, has no direct legal implications, although it could place the issue of annexation on the agenda of future debates. The Southeast Asian nation urged the United Nations Security Council and the international community to take concrete measures to halt what it termed Israel's illegal actions, saying it aims to make its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory permanent. Israeli military says 8 soldiers wounded in ramming attack Eight Israeli soldiers were wounded Thursday when a car rammed into a bus stop near the central coastal city of Netanya, the military said. The driver fled the scene, prompting a police manhunt. Two soldiers were moderately wounded and another six were lightly wounded in the attack. The military did not identify the attacker or provide further details. Palestinian militants have carried out scores of shooting, stabbing and car-ramming attacks since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip. Israel has launched major military operations in the occupied West Bank, and there has been a spike in settler violence against Palestinians there. 5 Palestinians killed in central Gaza At least five Palestinians were killed in central Gaza late Wednesday, according to the Aqsa Hospital morgue that received the bodies Thursday in the city of Deir al-Balah. Two people, a man and a woman, were killed east of the city in Israeli tank shelling. Another person was killed by Israeli troops in a shooting in the Bureij refugee camp, and two others were among a group of people hit by an Israeli strike in Zawaida. The Israeli military, which has expanded operations in the area in the last few days, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Major media say their journalists in Gaza are 'increasingly unable to feed themselves' Four leading news organizations said Thursday their journalists in Gaza are facing the threat of starvation as the Israel-Hamas war grinds on. 'We are desperately concerned for our journalists in Gaza, who are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families,' said a joint statement by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters and the BBC. 'For many months, these independent journalists have been the world's eyes and ears on the ground in Gaza. They are now facing the same dire circumstances as those they are covering.' The statement called on Israel to allow journalists in and out of Gaza and allow adequate food supplies into the territory. Israel has barred international media from entering Gaza independently throughout the 21-month war. The deal on the table Top U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to head to Italy on Thursday to meet top Israeli negotiator Ron Dermer and discuss the ceasefire deal on the table, according to Israeli and U.S. officials. For Israel, sending Dermer — a close Netanyahu confidant — to the meeting marks a show of seriousness in reaching a deal. The deal under discussion is expected to include a 60-day ceasefire in which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 others in phases in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Aid supplies would be ramped up and the two sides would hold negotiations on a lasting truce. Hamas earlier Thursday submitted a response to the latest ceasefire proposal which an Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, billed as 'workable.' American Jewish groups demand an investigation into Israeli settler violence Prominent religious Jewish leaders in the United States are calling on Israel to investigate a surge of settler violence against Palestinians and the recent killing of an American citizen by Israeli settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. In a statement released Wednesday, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Union for Reform Judaism and the American Conference of Cantors said Israel must undertake a 'full investigation' into the death of Sayfollah Musallet, a Palestinian-American from Tampa, Florida. Palestinian authorities say Musallet was beaten to death by Israeli settlers while visiting family in the West Bank. Violence has spiraled in the occupied West Bank since the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, with at least 955 Palestinians killed there by Israeli fire, according to the United Nations. The rabbis said Israel must also investigate the 'growing phenomenon' of settler violence overall. They wrote that the far-right government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 'seems to tolerate and even encourage violence against Palestinians.' Israeli official says Hamas' latest proposal is workable An Israeli official familiar with ceasefire talks said a Hamas proposal was 'workable' and that Israel was studying it. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on record. Hamas confirmed sending a response to mediators in an statement early Thursday. Israel said that it was reviewing Hamas' response to the latest ceasefire proposal to potentially wind down the war. A statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed receipt of the Hamas response Thursday but did not specify what it entailed. — By Julia Frankel in Jerusalem Israeli fire kills two teens in the occupied West Bank Palestinian health officials said Thursday that two Palestinian teenage boys were killed by Israeli fire Wednesday night in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Israel's military said its forces had fired at Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails toward a highway, killing two near the West Bank town of Al-Khader. Palestinian health officials named the teens killed as Ahmed Al-Salah, 15, and Mohammed Khaled Alian Issa, 17. Violence has spiraled in the occupied West Bank since the war that began with Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Over 955 Palestinians have been killed there by Israeli fire during that time, according to the United Nations, many during raids Israel says are to stamp out militancy. Error! 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Fox News
4 hours ago
- Fox News
Noncitizen illegally voted in swing state's 2024 election, authorities say
A non-U.S. citizen in New Hampshire is being charged with illegally voting in several elections, including the 2024 presidential primary and general elections. According to a statement by the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Naseef Bryan, who was living in Manchester, New Hampshire, was arrested and is being charged with three counts of wrongful voting. He allegedly knowingly illegally voted in a local Manchester election in 2023 as well as the 2024 presidential primary and general. If convicted, he is facing between three and a half and seven years in New Hampshire State Prison and a fine of up to $4,000. He will be arraigned at the Ninth Circuit Court, Manchester District Division, in August. New Hampshire outlet NHPR reported that Bryan is a 34-year-old immigrant who, according to a legal filing, is a permanent U.S. resident from Jamaica. The outlet reported that Bryan has a lengthy history of filing over a dozen lawsuits against an array of government agencies and individuals, including a local police department, a community college in Concord and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Bryan has previously sued USCIS twice though, according to the outlet, his grievances are unclear due to the filings being "ambiguous and contain[ing] long stretches of writing about disparate topics." NHPR wrote that in one filing against USCIS, Bryan references maritime law and requests relief in the form of gold coins. A Republican-backed law passed in 2024 requires anyone registering to vote in New Hampshire to present proof of U.S. citizenship. Though the voting bill was signed into law in September, it did not take effect until days after the 2024 presidential election, according to the New Hampshire Bulletin. Former Vice President Kamala Harris narrowly won the state of New Hampshire's four electoral college votes over President Donald Trump in a 50% to 48% vote. Republicans, however, have controlled the governor's office and both chambers of the state legislature since 2021. Bryan's arrest comes as concerns over noncitizens illegally voting are growing across the country. In Texas, state Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, recently launched an investigation into more than 100 potential noncitizens who allegedly cast at least 200 ballots in the 2020 and 2022 election cycles. The majority of the suspected illegal ballots cast by potential noncitizens were in Harris County, but Paxton's office is also investigating possible instances in Guadalupe, Cameron and Eastland counties using information from the Texas secretary of state, according to a news release. The discovery was made possible by an executive order signed by Trump directing the Department of Homeland Security to provide the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service's SAVE Database to the states. Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York also recently raised alarms when she suggested in a resurfaced video that she needed immigrants to bolster the numbers in her district, saying, they are needed "for redistricting purposes."
