Latest news with #MarshalsService
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
US Marshals Service operation recovers 60 missing children in Florida
A massive investigation into child sex trafficking resulted in the rescue of 60 "critically missing" children in the Tampa Bay area, Florida State Attorney James Uthmeier announced with other officials at a news conference on June 23. "Operation Dragon Eye" was led by the U.S. Marshals Service Middle District of Florida and involved 20 agencies, state officials said. Eight people were arrested, with charges ranging from human trafficking, child endangerment, drug possession, and drug trafficking. The investigation was focused on recovering or safely locating "critically missing" children in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties. The children's ages ranged from 9 to 17, officials said. "I have to curtail my enthusiasm because of the sensitivity of the victims involved in this operation, but the successful recovery of 60 missing children, complemented with the arrest of eight individuals, including child predators, signifies the most successful missing child recovery effort in the history of the United States Marshals Service; or to my knowledge, any other similar operation held in the United States," said William Berger, U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida. "The real heroes behind this operation are the law enforcement who built and executed this mission. As your Attorney General and a father of three young kids, protecting children is my top priority," Uthmeier said. "If you victimize children, you're going to prison, end of story." What is Operation Dragon Eye? Operation Dragon Eye was a two-week initiative "geared to recover or safely locate the most critically missing youth," the U.S. Marshals Service said in a release. According to Uthmeier, 17 boys and 43 girls were recovered in the two-week targeted operation. The operation had three primary objectives: "The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care," Berger said. "This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youth will not return to the streets to be further victimized.' These kids were missing for years. Why experts say parental abductions need attention. What are 'critically missing children'? The Marshals Service defines critically missing children as "those at risk of crimes of violence or those with other elevated risk factors, such as substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure, or domestic violence." Operation Dragon Eye was the product of "a multidisciplinary task force of federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as social service entities, the medical community, and non-governmental organizations," the Marshals Service said in a released statement. The other agencies included the Florida Attorney General's Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Pasco Sherriff's Office, Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, St. Petersburg Police Department, Tampa Police Department, BayCare, Bridging Freedom, Bridges of Hope, Children's Home Network, Children's Network of Hillsborough County, Family Support Services Pasco Pinellas Counties, More Too Life, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and Redefining Refuge. 'Working tirelessly to help make sure that every child has a safe childhood' Since the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act was passed in 2015, the Marshals Service has located or recovered nearly 4,000 missing children. The Marshals Service located or recovered missing children in 66% of the cases it received, according to a released statement. Of those recovered, 61% were found within seven days. In 2024, 200 missing children were found as part of a nationwide operation called "Operation We Will Find You 2," conducted May 20 to June 24 by the Marshals Service and other federal, state, and local agencies across the United States. The 2024 operation, conducted with help from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, recovered and removed 123 children from dangerous situations, the Marshals Service said at the time. The other 77 missing children were located and found to be in safe locations, according to law enforcement or child welfare agencies. Callahan Walsh, executive director of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, applauded the agencies that collaborated in Operation DRAGON EYE to help protect children. "We're proud to have supported the U.S. Marshals Service and our partners in Florida to recover these missing children and provide critical support to those who need it most," Walsh said in a statement. "NCMEC is honored to stand alongside these teams and will continue working tirelessly to help make sure that every child has a safe childhood." Contributing: Mike Snider, USA TODAY
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Cynthia Lummis Shares Pathway To Build America's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Now, Says It Will Eliminate Half Of US Debt
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) is the latest to weigh in on budget-neutral strategies the U.S. could use to build its Bitcoin reserve. President Donald Trump issued an executive order in March for the Commerce and Treasury secretaries to develop 'budget-neutral' strategies to build the U.S.'s strategic Bitcoin reserve. The big question following this executive order has been what these budget-neutral strategies would look like in practice. Lummis told Bloomberg Television last week that there are indeed pathways to build the U.S. strategic reserve now within the confines of Trump's executive order. Don't Miss: — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. Grow your IRA or 401(k) with Crypto – . According to Lummis, one budget-neutral way the U.S. can start building its Bitcoin reserve now is by using digital assets currently held by the U.S. Marshals Service from asset forfeitures. Beyond digital assets, Lummis said other forfeited assets held by the Marshals Service could also be converted to Bitcoin to add to the U.S.'s reserve. 'We can add other currently held assets, assets held in a different form, convert them to Bitcoin and hold them,' she said. Just how much the Marshals Service currently holds in seized assets, digital and otherwise, however, is unclear. Its last audit came in 2022. At the time, it was estimated that the agency held $3.4 billion worth of seized assets as of the end of fiscal 2021, with $466 million of these assets being digital assets. U.S. agencies were supposed to release an audit of their digital asset holdings on April 5. However, the audits have yet to be released. CoinDesk reported in February that the Marshal Service could not account for the digital assets it held, citing sources familiar with the matter. These sources highlighted struggles with management and tracking. Trending: New to crypto? on Coinbase. Regardless of how the Trump administration chooses to build the U.S.'s Bitcoin reserve, Lummis last week stressed the importance of establishing legislation around the effort. 'I think it's important eventually to have a legislative framework for a strategic Bitcoin reserve so it can't be undone by future presidents,' she said. Lummis unveiled the Boosting Innovation, Technology, and Competitiveness through Optimized Investment Nationwide, or BITCOIN, Act in 2024, outlining a plan for the U.S. government to accumulate 1 million BTC over five years funded by profits from the country's gold reserves. She told Bloomberg last week that in 20 years, this Bitcoin stash would be able to clear half of the U.S.'s debt, which currently stands at nearly $37 trillion. Concerns that a revaluation of the U.S.'s gold certificates would impact confidence in the dollar and gold market stability, however, cast doubt on the feasibility of Lummis' plan. The BITCOIN Act has been relegated to the background in recent months. For now, lawmakers are focused on stablecoin rules. A stablecoin bill, called the GENIUS Act, is being debated in the Senate ahead of a final vote. This vote was supposed to take place last week, but it is being delayed by resistance from state banks and proposed amendments on the floor, The American Prospect reported on Monday. Read Next: A must-have for all crypto enthusiasts: . Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Image: Shutterstock This article Sen. Cynthia Lummis Shares Pathway To Build America's Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Now, Says It Will Eliminate Half Of US Debt originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fury at immigration raids, boots on the ground, and a political dogfight: What to know about LA protests
Donald Trump has authorized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles after an immigration crackdown erupted into mass protests on Saturday. The first troops arrived on Sunday morning, with around 300 being dispersed over three locations in Greater Los Angeles. Footage has shown protesters throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles and others trying to get in the way of a Marshals Service bus after more than a hundred arrests were made. On Sunday the violence continued, with state authorities urging calm and blasting the president for the 'unnecessary' action that was designed to create 'chaos' and 'a spectacle.' Here, the Independent breaks down what you need to know about the unrest in LA. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers conducted search warrants at multiple locations on Friday. One search was executed outside a clothing warehouse in the Fashion District, after a judge found probable cause that the employer was using fictitious documents for some of its workers, according to representatives for Homeland Security Investigations and the US Attorney's Office. Crowds tried to stop ICE agents from driving away following the arrests. Another protest was sparked outside a federal building in downtown LA, after demonstrators discovered detainees were allegedly being held in the basement of the building. Protests then erupted in Paramount, LA, after it appeared federal law enforcement officers were conducting another immigration operation in the area. The protests also spread to the nearby city of Compton. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that as many as 400 people were involved in the demonstration. The ICE operations in Los Angeles resulted in the arrests of 118 immigrants this week, including 44 people in Friday's operations, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The arrests led to protesters gathering outside a federal detention center, chanting, "Set them free, let them stay!" On Saturday, Trump ordered the deployment of at least 2,000 National Guard troops to LA. "If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!' he wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday. California Governor Gavin Newsom also wrote on social media that the "federal government is moving to take over the California National Guard and deploy 2,000 soldiers. That move is purposefully inflammatory and will only escalate tensions.' He added deployment is "the wrong mission and will erode public trust." The state National Guard has not been federalized by a president, overriding a governor, since 1965. On Sunday the first national guard troops arrived in areas of Los Angeles, including in Paramount – but also in the downtown area. According to the U.S. Northern Command, 300 troops had been dispersed over three locations in the Greater Los Angeles Area. Footage shared online showed an escalation in the clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement with police in riot gear using tear gas to disperse people. Other video showed protesters throwing fireworks and other projectiles at officers. Vehicles have been set on fire and graffiti reading 'f*** ICE' has been sprayed in multiple locations. By late Sunday morning the LAPD had already made 29 arrests, with law enforcement braced for 'several more protests' in the city throughout the day. A police source told CBS that city officials "are supportive of immigrant rights" and described the current situation a "no win" for law enforcement. Meanwhile a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department told The Independent that just two arrests had been made in the city of Paramount on Saturday. The city's Democratic representative Nanette Barragán told CNN's State of the Union that she is being told to prepare for "30 days of ICE enforcement.' Over on the east coast around 20 anti-ICE protesters were also led away by police in New York, following demonstrations in lower Manhattan. ABC7 reported that dozens of protesters were out for hours at Federal Plaza on Sunday, calling out concerns about ICE detainments. Earlier on Sunday, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino confirmed arrests had been made in New York as well as Los Angeles, warning protesters to 'choose wisely.' Newsom and Bass have both continued to speak out against the president's decision to deploy the troops, describing it as 'unnecessary' and an attempt by the administration to create 'chaos.' In a statement put out via email the governor said that Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 'want a spectacle' and violence. 'We have been working closely with law enforcement. There is no unmet need. The President is attempting to inflame passions and provoke a response,' he wrote. 'He would like nothing more than for this provocative show of force -- and Pete Hegseth's absurd threat to deploy United States Marines on American soil – to escalate tensions and incite violence. 'They want a spectacle. They want the violence. They think this is good for them politically.' Newsom added: 'This is not the way a civilized country behaves. It is completely deranged behavior. Don't give them the spectacle they want. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully and in large numbers.' Speaking to KTLA on Sunday, Bass said that Trump's decision was unnecessary and 'just political.' 'I'm very disappointed. To me, this is just completely unnecessary, and I think it's the [Trump] administration just posturing.' Other Democrats including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New Jersey Senator Corey Booker backed Newsom and Bass, with Booker describing the president's actions as 'hypocritical at best.' Members of the Trump administration and GOP, including FBI Director Kash Patel, Speaker Mike Johnson and Homeland Security Secretary Krist Noem, rallied around the president.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE Mistakenly Detains U.S. Marshals Deputy Who ‘Fit The General Description' Of Intended Person
Immigration agents briefly detained a U.S. Marshals Service deputy last month as he was entering a federal building that houses the immigration court in Tucson, Arizona. The Marshals Service — an agency in charge of enforcing the law in federal courts, protecting judges and apprehending fugitives — confirmed with the Arizona Daily Star on Thursday that a deputy 'who fit the general description of a subject being sought by ICE was briefly detained at a federal building in Tucson after entering the lobby of the building.' Immigration and Customs Enforecement officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost. 'The Deputy US Marshal's identity was quickly confirmed by other law enforcement officers, and he exited the building without incident,' the Marshals Service told the Arizona Daily Star It's unclear what the Marshals Service meant when it said the deputy 'fit the general description' of a person being sought by ICE. However, President Donald Trump's policy of aggressive mass deportation has raised concerns about racial profiling. Legal residents and U.S. citizens, including Native Americans, all have been stopped by ICE. And prior to Trump's current presidential term, a 2022 report from the American Civil Liberties Union shed light on racial profiling that it called 'endemic' to an ICE program that allows state and local law enforcement to perform certain immigration enforcement duties. Earlier this year, Jensy Machado, a Northern Virginia man who voted for Trump, was handcuffed by ICE agents. A spokesperson for ICE said Machado 'matched the description of the subject of an operation.' Machado is now reconsidering his vote for the president and said ICE agents are 'just following Hispanic people.' Last week, Axios reported on a meeting between two top Trump administration officials, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, where they discussed a goal of arresting 3,000 people a day. Noah Schramm of the ACLU of Arizona told the Arizona Daily Star that while there's little information about the incident involving the deputy, arrest quotas from the Trump administration are leading to more mistakes. 'It is not surprising that there would be these cases that the wrong person is detained,' Schramm said. 'I think it reflects that they are trying to get numbers and that they are OK violating basic principles and basic procedures that are meant to protect people and make sure the wrong people don't get picked up.' U.S. Citizen Says He's Reconsidering Support For Trump After Being Handcuffed By ICE 11 ICE Officers Are Stuck In A Shipping Container In Djibouti Massachusetts Teen Arrested By ICE On His Way To Volleyball Practice Has Been Released
New York Times
27-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Marshals' Data Shows Spike in Threats Against Federal Judges
Threats against federal judges have risen drastically since President Trump took office, according to internal data compiled by the U.S. Marshals Service. In the five-month period leading up to March 1 of this year, 80 individual judges had received threats, the data shows. Then, over the next six weeks, an additional 162 judges received threats, a dramatic increase. That spike in threats coincided with a flood of harsh rhetoric — often from Mr. Trump himself — criticizing judges who have ruled against the administration and, in some cases, calling on Congress to impeach them. Many judges have already spoken out, worrying about the possibility of violence and urging political leaders to tone things down. Since mid-April, the pace of the threats has slowed slightly, the data shows. Between April 14 and May 27, it shows 35 additional individual judges received threats. Still, the total number of judges threatened this fiscal year — 277 — represents roughly a third of the judiciary. The threat data was not released publicly but was provided to The New York Times by Judge Esther Salas of Federal District Court for New Jersey, who said she obtained it from the Marshals Service, which is tasked by law with overseeing security for the judiciary. In 2020, Judge Salas' son, Daniel Anderl, was shot and killed at the entrance of her home by a self-described 'anti-feminist' lawyer, and since then she has advocated judicial safety. 'This has nothing to do with hysteria or hyperbole,' she said in an interview. 'These numbers tell a dramatic story. They show a spike that ought to be alarming and concerning to everyone.' Spokesmen for the White House and the marshals did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The marshals define a threat as 'any action or communication, whether explicit or implied, of intent to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate or interfere' with any marshals-protected person, including federal judges, according to an internal document reviewed by The Times. That language mirrors a federal statute that treats as criminals those who interfere with federal officials performing their duties. Threats against judges have been rising in recent years, including before Mr. Trump took office. Marshals Service data shows there were threats against more than 400 individual judges in 2023, the year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion. In June 2022, after the Supreme Court's ruling on Roe leaked, an armed man tried to assassinate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh at his home. A series of judges have blocked Mr. Trump's sweeping executive actions, including his efforts to deliver on his campaign promise of mass deportations. Last week, a federal judge in Boston ordered the United States to maintain custody of a group of deportees whom the administration is trying to send to South Sudan, and to bring back another deportee now in hiding in Guatemala. Mr. Trump called the judge, Brian E. Murphy, a 'far-left activist' and then broadened his attack on Monday, condemning 'USA hating judges who suffer from an ideology that is sick, and very dangerous for our country,' in a social media post rendered in all capital letters. Some judges who have ruled against the administration have received unwelcome pizza deliveries at their homes, and at the homes of their family members. The authorities are investigating the matter. Judge Salas said she had learned from the marshals that 103 pizzas had been sent anonymously, including 20 in the name of her dead son.
