A newsletter by Reuters and Westlaw |
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ICE is warning supervisors that its rapid hiring surge is outpacing background‑check processing, prompting new guidance on how to handle allegations of recruits’ past misconduct, according to an internal email. Here’s what to know: |
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The email comes amid concerns that the Trump administration’s push to rapidly add 12,000 ICE officers is straining vetting systems, with DHS denying any systemic problems.
- Democrats and some former ICE officials have raised concerns that accelerated recruitment could let unqualified or dangerous candidates into the ranks.
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ICE told supervisors that high hiring volume and delayed background checks may leave field offices uncertain about how to respond to misconduct allegations involving new recruits.
- Under the new guidance, any “derogatory information” about a hire’s prior conduct, including termination from another law‑enforcement agency, should be referred to ICE’s Internal Integrity Investigations Unit.
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Some recruits have been removed or flagged post‑hire for suspected gang ties, active warrants, or other issues, raising questions about risks tied to accelerated onboarding.
- Ted Hesson and Kristina Cooke have more here.
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Health: The 2nd Circuit will hear arguments in a lawsuit brought by the National Organization for Women challenging a U.S. Department of Defense policy restricting IVF coverage for veterans with service-connected injuries. Read the complaint.
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Environment: The D.C. Circuit will hear arguments in a lawsuit brought by Friends of the Earth challenging Export-Import Bank of the United States’ approval of a $4.7 billion loan to subsidize construction of a liquefied natural gas project in Mozambique. The lower court denied a request for a preliminary injunction.
- Immigration: The Trump administration will ask U.S. District Judge William Young in Boston to pause pending appeal his order aimed at protecting academics who challenged the arrest and deportation of non-citizen, pro-Palestinian activists on college campuses.
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Voting rights: Chief U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston will consider whether to declare unlawful core parts of President Trump's executive order overhauling federal elections, after earlier blocking provisions that would require proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote and barring states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. Read the preliminary injunction.
- Government: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to appear for a deposition behind closed doors in the House Oversight Committee investigation of Jeffrey Epstein.
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SCOTUS: Justice Clarence Thomas is scheduled to speak at the J. Reuben Clark Annual Conference at American University’s Washington College of Law in D.C.
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Court calendars are subject to last-minute docket changes. |
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"A valid defense leads to a judgment of non-liability. But it does not allow the defendant to escape the varied rigors and costs of legal proceedings." |
—U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan wrote for a unanimous court. The justices ruled that GEO Group cannot immediately appeal a lower court's decision denying the private prison operator governmental immunity in a class action alleging that immigrant detainees were forced to work and paid $1 a day. The issue is technical but significant for federal contractors. Read the opinion.
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—That’s how many Republican state attorneys general have urged the DOJ to conduct a thorough review of Netflix's bid to acquire studio and streaming assets from Warner Bros, saying the deal threatens U.S. dominance in movies, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Read more here. |
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