President Biden Nominates Dr. Rahul Gupta to Lead ONDCP
In a July 13, 2021 press release, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Dr. Rahul Gupta to be Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a position also known as drug czar.
Leader of a Drug Trafficking Organization and Ally of the Sinaloa Cartel Sentenced
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated July 27, 2021, Luz Irene Fajardo Campos, aka “La Comadre,” “La Madrina,” and “La Doña,” 57, of Culiacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison following a 2019 trial for her role in in an international drug trafficking conspiracy that included Mexico, Colombia, Honduras, and the United States.
Whistleblower Protection – Where We Stand 243 Years After the First Whistleblower Law
National Whistleblower Day is celebrated each year on July 30. America’s first whistleblower law was approved during the height of the American Revolution on July 30, 1778 when Congress acted on whistleblower disclosures made about wrongdoing and abuses by a senior officer of the Continental Navy.
A Day in the Life of a Surviving Spouse
Our day starts around 8:00 a.m. when I hear my three kids moving around. Some days I have the energy to go downstairs and make them a nice breakfast but other days I have a harder time getting out of bed so they grab something easy.
Attorney General Marks 31st Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act
ICYMI: Attorney General Merrick Garland addresses the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law 31 years ago this month. This law passed with bipartisan support and has been life-changing for people with disabilities.
Nominee to Lead ICE Addresses Concerns of Republican Senators During Nomination Hearing
Harris County, TX Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, President Biden’s pick to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), appeared before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in a July 15, 2021 hearing to field questions about his suitability for the role.
Federal Judiciary Requests $1.54 Billion from Congress to Bolster Security and Infrastructure
The Judicial Conference of the United States is requesting $1.54 billion from Congress to be put towards information technology and cybersecurity updates, stronger security measures, and courthouse construction. This funding could be part of either an infrastructure package to be released by lawmakers or a budget plan that is still being negotiated.
GAO Releases Report on Online Sex Trafficking and Enforcement Actions
Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report entitled Sex Trafficking: Online Platforms and Federal Prosecutions. The report examines Department of Justice (DOJ) enforcement actions against online platforms that promote sex trafficking from 2014 to 2020. Two events in 2018 shifted the landscape of the online sex market and therefore the landscape of online sex trafficking.
Seventh Circuit: Facebook’s Reporting of Child Pornography Does Not Make It a Government Actor
In 2018, Alexander Bebris sent messages to a woman via Facebook Messenger, a private messaging system on Facebook. Facebook Messenger utilizes PhotoDNA, a Microsoft image-recognition program that provides the capability to scan images uploaded onto the company’s platform and compares the “hash,” or essence of a photo, with a database of known images of child pornography. After a “hit,” Facebook reviews the flagged images and sends them to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) through the CyberTipline.
Ohio Man Charged with Plot to Conduct Mass Shooting of Women
According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release dated July 21, 2021, Tres Genco, 21, of Hillsboro, Ohio was charged with attempting to conduct a mass shooting of women and with illegally possessing a machine gun.
Keeping Kids Safe Online
Watch this #FedLifeHacks video from FEEA with tips on how to keep kids of all ages safe online.
Survivor Story of Garrett Garton
In this round of the FEDForum, Concerns of Police Survivors would like to share the Survivor Story of Garrett Garton, Surviving Child of Hawthorne Police Officer Andrew Garton, EOW 5/26/2011. Garrett was just 12 years old at the time of his father’s death. Here is his story in his own words.
Prolonged Warrantless Monitoring From Pole Cameras Not A Fourth Amendment Violation, Seventh Circuit Decides
Using three pole cameras mounted on public property to continuously monitor the exterior of a defendant’s home for 18 months without a warrant is not an unreasonable search in violation of the Fourth Amendment, according to the Seventh Circuit.
Department of the Interior Announces Task Force to Review Policing Standards
Secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI) Deb Haaland signed a memo last week creating a task force to review law enforcement policies and procedures across the department. The memo cites the June 2021 Office of Inspector General (OIG) report “Review of U.S. Park Police Actions at Lafayette Park" as an impetus for the task force creation.
ICE Issues New Policy on Detention of Pregnant, Postpartum, and Nursing Individuals
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a new policy directive regarding the identification, detention, monitoring, and use of restraints against persons who are pregnant, postpartum, or nursing. Generally, the directive notes that ICE should not detain, arrest, or take into custody individuals who are pregnant, postpartum, or nursing for administrative immigration violations “unless release is prohibited by law or exceptional circumstances exist.”
Tree DNA Helps Secure Conviction of Timber Thief
In a first for a federal criminal trial, prosecutors used tree DNA evidence to help convict the lead defendant for stealing timber from U.S. Forest Service lands in Washington state.
Webinar: Inside Santos v. NASA
In this live webinar, an attorney from Shaw Bransford & Roth will explain the Federal Circuit's holding in Santos v. NASA.
TSA's Vision: A Glimpse at the Future of Travel
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provides an inside look at what they see as the future of travel.
Supreme Court Restricts Police Powers to Enter a Home Without a Warrant
In recent years, federal law enforcement officers have been the subject of increasing scrutiny from the media, public, and politicians.
Law Enforcement and Security Workshops at The WIFLE Conference
On Wednesday, August 18, 2021, join us for conversations on civil rights, unrest, equity and reform. Sessions include Averting Targeted School Violence - A U.S. Secret Service Analysis and the Blue Campaign-Human Trafficking.