Latest news with #DebbieWassermanSchultz
The Hill
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
DHS pushes back on report of hungry detainees: ‘FALSE'
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday pushed back on a new report from NBC News that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees are going hungry and being fed spoiled food. 'FAKE NEWS! Any claim that there is a lack of food or subprime conditions at ICE detention centers are FALSE,' DHS said in a post on the social platform X. 'All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers. Meals are certified by dieticians. Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE,' the department added. According to the NBC News report, ICE detainees in multiple states have reported facing food scarcity or receiving spoiled food, according to immigration advocates and detainees themselves. The outlet said detainees are experiencing weight loss and sickness as a result. One Salvadoran man being held at the Golden State Annex detention facility in California complained of flavorless ground beef that 'looks like little, small pebbles.' An attorney said clients described moldy and inedible food at some centers. And the wife of a man held in El Paso said, 'He tells me many are given two spoonfuls of rice and that many are still hungry,' according to NBC News. The Hill has reached out to NBC News for comment on DHS's response to its reporting. Democrats have railed against the Trump administration's immigration policies and ICE tactics, such as workplace raids, masked agents and alleged racial profiling. Trump's critics have raised particular alarm about 'Alligator Alcatraz,' a recently opened facility in Florida's Everglades. Following a tour of the facility this weekend, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said detainees 'are essentially packed into cages, wall-to-wall humans, 32 detainees per cage.' Families of detainees have complained of sweltering heat, power outages, intense mosquitoes and lack of food at the detention center. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons responded to criticism from Democrats during an interview on Fox News Monday. 'One thing that a lot of the elected officials need to realize is, this isn't a resort in Florida. People aren't coming to that location for a long-term stay. They're there to just be housed so they can be removed from the country quickly,' he said. 'Add like I said, I'll always go back to, ICE prides itself on our detention standards, and I'm still gonna stick with that with our partnership in the state of Florida.'
E&E News
8 hours ago
- Politics
- E&E News
Lawmakers visit ‘Alligator Alcatraz.' Here's what they saw.
MIAMI — Democrats on Saturday called for the closure of 'Alligator Alcatraz' after touring the controversial pop-up tent immigration detention center that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis quickly assembled in the Everglades. DeSantis has looked to match President Donald Trump's hard line on immigration, painting his state as an eager partner in the president's plan to detain and deport potentially millions of immigrants. At least five members of Congress and roughly 20 state legislators toured the detention center over the weekend, the first inspection by elected officials of the area since it opened about a week ago. Trump visited the site ahead of detainees arriving earlier this month, accompanied by DeSantis and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and since then news accounts of dire living conditions have emerged. Advertisement While Republicans insisted that the facility was appropriate and clean, and staffed similar to any detention facility, Democratic lawmakers raised concerns about food quantity, drinking water and high temperatures, with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz calling the facility an 'internment camp.'
CNN
16 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
5 things to know for July 14: Immigration, Gaza, Epstein files, Kentucky shooting, Texas flooding
A fast-moving wildfire destroyed 50 to 80 structures on the Grand Canyon's North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge. The blaze, which was started by lightning 10 days ago, rapidly grew to 7.8 square miles due to hot temperatures, low humidity and strong wind gusts, fire officials said. According to park officials, the North Rim will remain closed for the rest of the season. Here's what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day. Florida lawmakers who took a limited tour of the immigration detention center located deep in the Everglades described the conditions as 'inhumane.' Dozens of detainees are housed in each cell where they experience sweltering heat, bug infestations, meager meals and a lack of privacy, they said. Although the lawmakers were barred from viewing the medical facilities or meeting any of the detainees, many could be heard crying out for freedom. 'They are essentially packed into cages, wall-to-wall humans, 32 detainees per cage,' said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents Florida's 25th Congressional District. She also said each cage contained three small toilets with attached sinks, which detainees used for drinking water and to brush their teeth. About 900 people are currently detained in the center, which has been dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz.' Republicans have touted it as a 'low-cost' facility fortified by Mother Nature. A group of children collecting water in central Gaza died in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday, health officials said. According to the Al-Awda Hospital, the attack killed six children and four others at a water distribution point. The Israeli military acknowledged that an airstrike targeting an 'Islamic Jihad terrorist' had gone wrong, and that the 'munition fell dozens of meters from the target.' The incident is under review. Also on Sunday, 12 people were killed and dozens injured when an Israeli airstrike targeted a crowded junction in central Gaza, according to the Director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex. Sam Rose, acting director of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, said Palestinians in Gaza are forced to make 'impossible choices' between starvation or risking death to secure much-needed aid. 'Conditions on the ground are worse than they've ever been,' he said. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump expressed his frustration with many of the MAGA faithful for their response to the Justice Department's claims about Jeffrey Epstein. A recently released DOJ memo said the disgraced financier and accused sex offender was not murdered, nor did he leave a client list. The memo contradicted some of the conspiracy theories that were previously pushed by Trump and his top lieutenants. Some of the president's biggest supporters, including far-right activist Laura Loomer and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, have blamed Attorney General Pam Bondi's handling of the case, but Trump took issue with that on Sunday. 'What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?' They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening,' he wrote on his social media site. A shooting spree left 2 people dead and 3 injured in Lexington, Kentucky, on Sunday. The suspect, whose name has not yet been released, allegedly shot a state trooper during a traffic stop near the city's airport, then fled the scene and carjacked another vehicle. He then drove to the Richmond Richard Road Baptist Church about 15 minutes away and opened fire on people there. Two women, ages 34 and 72, were killed in the church shooting. Two men were injured; one is in critical condition and the other is stable. The wounded trooper is also in stable condition. Three responding officers shot the suspect, who was declared dead at the scene. Just 10 days after catastrophic flash floods swept through central Texas, a band of slow-moving thunderstorms is bringing more heavy rain to the region. While the most significant rain occurred on Sunday morning, the chance of thunderstorms — as well as the potential for rapid river rises and more flash flooding — continues into today. Over the weekend, the state conducted water rescues in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. Some areas of San Saba County were under a mandatory evacuation order due to rainfall in the area. Further south in Kerr County, where 106 people died and at least 140 others are still missing following the July 4 disaster, a flood watch remains in effect until 9 a.m. local time today. GET '5 THINGS' IN YOUR INBOX If your day doesn't start until you're up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to your new favorite morning fix. Sign up here for the '5 Things' newsletter. Tennis star Iga Świątek dominated her singles final against American Amanda Anisimova over the weekend. In the men's division, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner won his first Wimbledon title against two-time reigning champ Carlos Alcaraz. 'Love Island USA' is hugely popular, especially with Gen Z. But many fans aren't just watching the reality TV show. They're showing up for each other. Justin Bieber surprised fans by dropping his first new studio album in four years. Former Beatle Paul McCartney plans to go back on tour this September Did you catch the new 'Superman' movie over the weekend? If so, you may enjoy reading more about that furry scene stealer, Krypto. $122,571That's how high Bitcoin reached in early trading today. It's the first time the cryptocurrency has crossed the $120,000 level.. '…We deeply apologize for the horrific behavior that many experienced. — Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI, issuing a lengthy apology for a series of violent and antisemitic posts from its Grok chatbot last week. 🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect. Astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain reveal what life is like aboard the International Space Station. Today's edition of 5 Things AM was edited and produced by CNN's Andrew Torgan.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Kristi Noem takes NBC host to task after liberal tears over 'inhumane' Alligator Alcatraz
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made a fiery appearance on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday as she fiercely defended the Trump administration's controversial new migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz.' The interview came after Democratic lawmakers described the facility as a humanitarian nightmare. In a blistering exchange with NBC anchor Kristen Welker, Noem accused Democrats of hypocrisy and political theater after a congressional tour of the facility ended with accusations of inhumane treatment and squalid conditions. 'I wish they would've said that during the Biden administration,' Noem said as Welker repeatedly pressed her about reports of overcrowded cells and unsanitary water sources. 'They were piling people on top of each other on cement floors... and they didn't have two feet to move. They never did that, and that's why this politics has to end.' The clash came just 24 hours after Florida Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and other Democrats toured the newly opened compound and compared it to an internment camp. 'There are really disturbing, vile conditions and this place needs to be shut the hell down,' Wasserman Schultz told reporters. 'This place is a stunt, and they're abusing human beings here.' According to lawmakers on the tour, more than 30 migrants were packed into cage-style cells with just three combination sink-toilets. Temperatures hovered in the mid-80s inside medical intake tents. Grasshoppers, mosquitoes, and other insects were rampant. One detainee reportedly shouted, 'I'm an American citizen!' while others chanted 'Libertad!', Spanish for 'freedom.' Welker confronted Noem with such claims: 'Thirty people stuffed into a jail cell? Drinking water from the same place they use the bathroom?' But Noem appeared unshaken and fired back. 'Our detention centers at the federal level are held to a higher standard than most local or state centers and even federal prisons. The standards are extremely high. This is a state-run facility, but it still exceeds the requirements.' She elaborated: 'I have been there and I have seen the rooms they are in. I will call them jail cells - it's a facility where they are held that are secure and meet the highest levels of what the government requires for detention.' When Welker pushed further, saying Democrats have 'called them cages,' Noem announced that the administration would soon allow cameras into the facility. 'We'll take cameras and show people what the facilities look like. Because if you compare them to what happened under the Biden and Obama administrations, these centers are at the highest levels - even higher than our federal prison standards.' Noem also disclosed plans for expansion. 'We are going to expand,' she told Welker. 'We're actively looking at how to open more detention sites like this one. We are looking for more information and how we can get more detention.' Noem stood by the facility and doubled down, revealing that five Republican governors have already spoken with her about using the Florida site as a model. 'We are going to expand,' Noem said. 'We're actively looking at how to open more detention sites like this one.' Currently, media access remains blocked and journalists were not allowed to attend Saturday's tour. Legislators were also barred from bringing phones or cameras inside. Critics, including attorneys and advocacy groups, claim the facility is little more than a prison camp hidden deep in Florida's swamps. Detainees have reported worms in the food, overflowing toilets, and 24-hour lockdowns in cages teeming with mosquitoes. At least one minor and several individuals with no criminal record are reportedly being held. 'These are human beings who have inherent rights, and they have a right to dignity,' immigration attorney Josephine Arroyo said. 'They're violating a lot of their rights by putting them there.' A Venezuelan detainee described the facility as a 'zoo cage,' adding that detainees were being pressured to sign self-deportation documents. There are several people protesting outside the Alligator Alcatraz facility Republican lawmakers say the criticisms are exaggerated. 'The rhetoric coming out of the Democrats does not match the reality,' Florida State Senator Blaise Ingoglia said. 'The living quarters were clean. The air conditioning worked well. No squalor.' State Senator Jay Collins, a US Army veteran who toured a different section, agreed. 'Would I want that toilet-and-sink combination at my house? Probably not, but this is a transitional holding facility.' Division of Emergency Management spokesperson Stephanie Hartman called the reports of mistreatment 'completely false.' 'The facility meets all required standards and is in good working order,' Hartman said. 'Every detainee gets three meals a day, unlimited drinking water, showers, and other necessities.' The Alligator Alcatraz facility was constructed in days and built on a remote airstrip in the Everglades. It now holds nearly 900 detainees but has a capacity of over 3,000.
Fox News
a day ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Kristi Noem clashes with NBC anchor over 'inhumane' conditions at Alligator Alcatraz in testy exchange
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem clashed with NBC "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker in a testy exchange on Sunday over alleged "inhumane" conditions at the newly-opened Alligator Alcatraz migrant detention facility in the Florida everglades. The detention facility, which currently holds 900 people but has the capacity to hold nearly 4,000, has been under scrutiny after Democratic lawmakers toured the facility on Saturday. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., described the facility as an "internment camp." Democratic lawmakers who toured the facility claimed that detainees were subjected to inhumane treatment, unsanitary conditions and sweltering heat. Wasserman Schultz claimed that detainees were forced to drink water from the same sink they use for the bathroom, and were packed into "wall-to-wall cages." "Our detention centers at the federal level are held to a higher standard than most local or state centers and even federal prisons. The standards are extremely high, now this is a state-run facility at Alligator Alcatraz ---" Noem told Welker in response to being questioned over whether the Florida facility was inhumane, before being interrupted by the host. "More than 30 people stuffed into a jail cell?" Welker asked, cutting off Noem. "I wish they would have said that back during the Biden administration and back when the Democrats were in the White House when they were piling people on top of each other on cement floors and they didn't have two feet to move. They never did that, and that's why this politics has to end," Noem said. "I wouldn't call them jail cells, I would call them a facility where they are held and that are secure facilities, but are held to the highest levels of what the federal government requires for detention facilities --" Noem said before once again being cut off by Welker. "Democrats have called them cages," the "Meet the Press" host interrupted. Noem vowed to allow cameras to document the conditions inside migrant detention centers to show how their conditions are superior to centers used in the Biden administration. She also encouraged illegal immigrants to self-deport to avoid the detention process entirely and give themselves an opportunity to return to the country legally. Trump administration Border Czar Tom Homan also took Democrats to task Sunday for overlooking migrant detention conditions under Biden and failing to criticize them until Trump took office on CNN's State of the Union. ""You didn't see them complaining about, under Biden administration, people being held in a border patrol parking lot surrounded by a fence and sweltering heat, they ignored four years of open borders, historic migrant deaths, historic Americans dying from fentanyl, historic numbers of women and children being sex trafficked." The Trump administration's deportation policies have been the subject of widespread controversy and multiple court injunctions. The White House has aggressively moved to secure the southern border and has been deporting illegal immigrants at a rapid pace.
