(The Center Square)–Twice the number of detainers were issued for criminal illegal aliens under the Trump administration than the Biden administration, according to a new analysis of federal data published by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. The nonprofit data research center is affiliated with the Newhouse School of Public Communications and Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.
Detainers are issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, otherwise known as “immigration holds,” to apprehend and detain often violent individuals wanted for a crime in another country, arrested or convicted of one in the U.S., or placed in removal proceedings by a federal immigration judge.
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris has long called for abolishing ICE, defunding ICE detention facilities, and defunding ICE agent positions. President Donald Trump has said he will expand ICE funding and implement a massive deportation strategy if elected.
TRAC’s report compares the latest detainer-by-detainer ICE records it received, which show that detainers climbed under the Biden-Harris administration since February 2023. The report fails to explain that the increase occurred after the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a major blow to Texas and Louisiana, which sued to block a deportation directive issued by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. In 2021, he instructed ICE agents to stop arresting most illegal foreign nationals and only prioritize violent criminals. The Biden-Harris administration also reduced funding for ICE detention facilities and staff. After the ruling, ICE resumed identifying the most violent offenders for removal, DHS announced, prompting the numbers to climb.
ICE officials “have regularly issued more than 10,000 [detainers] each month,” the report states. From fiscal 2021 through the first quarter of fiscal 2024, the administration issued just under 300,000 detainers that were sent to 4,305 local law enforcement agencies.
Those in California received the most with more than 7,800. The report fails to mention that California’s sanctuary state law prohibits local law enforcement officials from cooperating with ICE agents, including ignoring detainer requests. California sheriffs argue this has increased crime that’s devasting communities and California has become “an open territory for the cartel to do whatever it wants.”
The next greatest number of detainers issued was in Texas, with the most in the country in Houston of more than 10,000. The report fails to mention that the Democratic leaders of Houston and Harris County have implemented sanctuary policies discouraging cooperation with ICE.
Phoenix, Arizona, received the third largest number of ICE detainers of more than 6,600, according to the report.
By contrast, under the Trump administration, 50% more ICE detainers were issued from fiscal 2017 to fiscal 2020, according to the data. Detainers were issued to roughly the same number of local law enforcement agencies. The report fails to explain that this number is relatively constant because the detainers are issued in major metropolitan areas, like Houston and Los Angeles, where large county jails and ICE offices are located.
Under the Trump administration, the most detainers were issued in Los Angeles of 20,318, followed by 19,289 in Houston and 17,294 in Phoenix. Twelve cities nationwide received 5,000 or more detainers; 25 received 3,000 or more under the Trump administration, according to the data.
The report also includes interactive maps to allow users to click on regions of the country to identify where ICE issued detainers under each administration. They can also access information about counties, states, local law enforcement agencies and the criminal foreign nationals for which detainers were issued.
The report notes that many detention facilities are located closer to the U.S.-Mexico border. Facilities in Edinburgh and Dilley, Texas, for example, hold the fourth and sixth largest number of criminal foreign nationals, respectively. Dilley is where a large state prison is located and Edinburgh is located near some of the largest U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facilities in the country in the Rio Grande Valley. They are also located where Texas law enforcement officers are actively participating in Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star, who regularly cooperate with ICE.
The majority of cities where double the number of detainers were issued under Trump compared to Biden are located in Texas, followed by California. The most were issued in Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, Edinburg, Santa Ana, Calif., Lawrenceville, Ga., Miami, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Big Spring, Texas, Taft, Calif., Austin, Queens, Phillipsburg, Penn., Brooklyn, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Huntsville, San Francisco, Raleigh, Ventura, Calif., Dublin, Calif., Conroe, Texas, and Van Nuys, Calif.
Twenty-five towns also received more detainers under the Biden administration than Trump, according to the data. The report fails to explain that the top cities listed are located in Texas is because Abbott expanded state facilities there through OLS. They are located in Dilley, Del Rio, and El Paso, where The Center Square has visited. They are also located in other regions like Odessa and Forth Worth, whose sheriffs and local law enforcement are participating in OLS.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
More than 100 Texas sheriffs, and hundreds of leaders of 55 Texas counties that declared an invasion, have expressed support for OLS. They’ve also urged the Biden-Harris administration to close the border and deport criminals they argue are wreaking havoc on their communities.
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— Read More: headlineusa.com
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.