On May 26, 2017, Miguel Angel Vega-Torres was a passenger on a commercial bus that stopped at a border patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias, Texas. Border Patrol Agent David Gonzalez conducted an inspection of the bus at the checkpoint. During that inspection, Agent Gonzalez asked Vega-Torres for his citizenship documentation. Vega-Torres handed Agent Gonzalez his Legal Permanent Resident (“LPR”) card. Agent Gonzalez had a difficult time matching Vega-Torres’s face with the LPR card photo because Vega-Torres was occupied on his cell phone and made brief eye contact with Agent Gonzalez.

Tune in to FEDtalk this week for a discussion on the importance of whistleblower protection. Whistleblowers play a key role in ensuring oversight and accountability within the federal government. Leading whistleblower advocates will break down current whistleblower protections, gaps in public policy, and a path for enhancing protections.

Last week, 53 college students completed a 10-week fellowship with the federal government called Coding it Forward, where they worked within agencies to improve data and technology projects. During their final presentations, several students discussed the importance of attracting young people to public service and opportunities for the government to improve their recruitment strategy.

Representative Lacy Clay (D-MO) has teamed up with Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) to introduce legislation that would create a single federal standard for use of force. Clay and Khanna held a press conference Friday to introduce the measure aimed at combating misuse of force by law enforcement.

A Colombian national has been arrested in Colombia and sent to the United States to serve his sentence for robbery. Oscar Javier Rodriguez Roa of Bogota pled guilty to his involvement in a South American theft ring targeting traveling jewelry salesmen in the U.S. and around the world.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced a commitment to improving some of the principle workforce problems identified in a May Blue Ribbon Panel on the agency’s human capital policy. TSA leaders have announced a focus on pay and development to improve workforce morale and retention.

As the next step in Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s plan to cultivate a new “professional ethos” within the Department of State, Pompeo has announced several new pilots to encourage continued workforce training. The new “One Team” training program will formally launch later this month.

Nathan Catura, President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA), the nation’s largest non-partisan, not-for-profit professional association representing more than 27,000 federal law enforcement officers and agents across 65 federal agencies, today issued the following statement in support of the EAGLES Act.

The former Sheriff of Philadelphia John Green was sentenced last week to serve five years in prison followed by one year of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $76,581. Green accepted several hidden personal benefits from a co-defendant in exchange for providing the co-defendant with millions of dollars of business through the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office.

Whether the mere offer to buy or sell a controlled substance can, by itself, constitute the crime of an “attempt” to violate the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) is currently on petition for certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Firearms-related fatalities decreased 35 percent over same period last year.

Tune in to FEDtalk this week for a discussion on the transition between college and government. The guests will cover how the federal government is currently struggling to recruit and retain young people in public service.

Following overwhelming support in the Senate and House, the Never Forget the Heroes: Permanent Authorization of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act has been signed into law. On Monday, a crowd of first responders and their families watched as President Trump gave remarks commending Congress for coming together around this issue.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers came together Tuesday to honor whistleblowers. At a ceremony hosted by the National Whistleblower Center (NWC) to commemorate the 241st anniversary of America’s first whistleblower protection, lawmakers discussed the rich history of whistleblower protection and its importance in a modern context.

“I [patroller’s name], do swear, that I will as searcher for guns, swords, and other weapons among the slaves in my district, faithfully, and as privately as I can, discharge the trust reposed in me as the law directs, to the best of my power. So help me, God.”  -Slave Patroller’s Oath, North Carolina, 1828.[i]

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) arrested a Chinese national living in the U.S. on a student visa for his role in trafficking counterfeit Apple products from China to the U.S. These products included phony iPhones and iPads.

Earlier this year, FEDagent reported on oral argument heard before the Supreme Court in Mitchell v. Wisconsin, a case that asks whether a state statute permitting a warrantless blood draw of an unconscious driver is authorized under the Fourth Amendment. Recently, the Supreme Court issued its decision on that case, and held that when a driver is unconscious and cannot be given a breath test, the exigent circumstances doctrine permits a blood test without a warrant.

Federal service has its own thrills, challenges, and culture. Civilian Federal Employees are impacted by political decisions and evolving agency landscapes, all while working to create tangible, long-lasting impacts on the country.

Anonymous survey app Blind asked members of the technology community their views about creating artificial intelligence (AI) programs for law enforcement, including possible ethical implications. While respondents were willing to create the technology, some expressed concerns about the ethics of its use.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has released the grand jury indictment of a Florida couple who engaged in a large-scale conspiracy to traffic protected wildlife. The indictment charges the couple with smuggling wildlife from Indonesia to the U.S. and reselling the wildlife from their Florida home.