The senators pointed to reviews that DHS and ICE are tapping into instruments starting from facial recognition and license plate readers to social media monitoring.
Michele Sandiford
- Each of Virginia’s senators need an investigation into how the Division of Homeland Safety makes use of delicate private information. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) this week requested that DHS Inspector Basic Joseph Cuffari look into that subject. They pointed to reviews that DHS and Immigration and Customs Enforcement are tapping into instruments starting from facial recognition and license plate readers to social media monitoring. Earlier this month, ICE additionally launched a request for info on the usage of AdTech information to assist with its investigations.
- The Trump administration is naming a brand new chief to the federal statistical system. Stuart Levenbach is the brand new U.S. Chief Statistician overseeing a few dozen statistical businesses. He’ll take over for Mark Calabria, who beforehand held the place. The White Home made no formal announcement of the change in management. However the web site for the Interagency Council on Statistical Coverage now lists Levenbach as its chair and as chief statistician. President Donald Trump beforehand nominated Levenbach in November to go the Shopper Monetary Safety Bureau.
- A former contracting officer consultant on the Basic Providers Administration pled responsible to 2 counts of conspiracy to bribe a federal official. Lennie Lamont Miller faces a most penalty of 10 years in jail. The responsible plea is for Miller’s function in agreeing to just accept bribes from development corporations in alternate for steering work their manner. The Justice Division stated that between 2018 and 2021, Miller obtained greater than $100,000 in money and different issues of worth, together with a sports activities automobile. A sentencing date has not been set. The house owners of the development firm pled responsible to bribery in 2025 and will likely be sentenced later this yr.
- Democrats within the Senate are urging OPM to reject modifications to the appeals course of for probationary workers. A dozen Senators consider a proposed rule that will dramatically change the enchantment strategy of fired probationary workers is misguided and does not want to maneuver ahead. The lawmakers wrote to OPM Director Scott Kupor saying the brand new appeals physique, referred to as OPM’s Benefit System Accountability and Compliance, would lack the balanced governing board of the MSPB. The Democrats stated OPM may direct businesses to make probationary terminations after which adjudicate those self same actions, eliminating any significant independence. OPM issued the proposed rule in late December and feedback had been due yesterday. OPM stated it has obtained greater than 325 feedback.
- The Air Drive has quietly eradicated all in-person and digital hearings for Particular Entry Program (SAP) appeals. It’s now changing in-person appearances with a paper-only course of and making the service’s particular entry oversight workplace the ultimate authority. It’s unclear whether or not the Air Drive will enable appellants to submit written responses as a substitute of a private look or if selections will rely fully on current safety recordsdata, with no alternative for people to reply. Dan Meyer, associate at Tully Rinckey PLLC, stated it will be a lack of due course of if people usually are not in a position to see derogatory info underlying a SAP denial after which reply in writing.
- A longtime watchdog workplace is closing its doorways for good. The Particular Inspector Basic for Afghanistan Reconstruction will terminate on Saturday. The watchdog workplace despatched an archived model of its web site, together with all its publicly out there reviews, to the federal authorities’s CyberCemetery. An archived webpage for an additional workplace, the Particular Inspector Basic for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), can be out there within the CyberCemetery.
- The Nationwide Safety Company and U.S. Cyber Command are a step nearer to having a everlasting chief. Yesterday, Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd appeared earlier than the Senate Armed Providers Committee for his affirmation listening to as the subsequent NSA director and CYBERCOM commander. Senators from each events stated they consider he’ll be confirmed, however a vote of the total Senate hasn’t but been scheduled. That dual-hatted function has been vacant since final April, when President Trump fired Gen. Timothy Haugh.
- The Protection Well being Company is trying to strengthen its fight assist function, in addition to carry extra sufferers again into its army therapy services in 2026. Appearing Director David Smith outlined the plan in a message despatched to the company’s workforce in December. The primary line of effort, “making ready for conflict each day,” seeks to make sure medical groups can assist troops in fight. A DHA official stated that the company’s strategic focus this yr is “pushed by the necessity to present unified, efficient, and agile well being providers so we’re ready for conflict.” The second line of effort appears to attract sufferers again into its army therapy services (MTFs) after years of shifting care to the personal sector. The Protection Division’s skill to look after sufferers in its personal medical services has declined sharply over the previous twenty years.
- The Senate at the moment is anticipated to go the remaining spending payments for fiscal 2026, apart from the Division of Homeland Safety. The mini-bus appropriations invoice would fund a number of businesses, together with the departments of Protection, Well being and Human Providers, Training, Labor and Transportation. Senate Democrats and the White Home reached an settlement yesterday to take away the DHS portion from the mini-bus and go a unbroken decision to maintain the company open for an additional two weeks to keep away from a partial shutdown. Democrats are calling for brand new restrictions on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement surge.
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