Crimes and Courts

Border official resigns amid uproar over migrant children

Published

7 years ago

June 26, 2019

HOUSTON (AP) — The acting head of U.S. Customs and Border Protection resigned Tuesday amid an uproar over the discovery of migrant children being held in pitiful conditions at one of the agency’s stations in Texas.

Acting Commissioner John Sanders’ departure deepened the sense of crisis and added to the rapid turnover inside the agencies responsible for enforcing President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration priorities as the U.S. deals with record numbers of migrant families coming across the border.

In a message to employees, Sanders said he would step down on July 5. He did not give a reason for leaving.

“Although I will leave it to you to determine whether I was successful, I can unequivocally say that helping support the amazing men and women of CBP has been the most fulfilling and satisfying opportunity of my career,” he said.

Hours after Sanders’ departure became public, two officials told The Associated Press that he was being replaced by Mark Morgan, who was named acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement just last month. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly about the move and declined to be identified.

In an interview last week, Sanders blamed the problems in detention on a lack of money and called on Congress to pass a $4.5 billion emergency funding bill to address the crisis. The House approved the legislation on Tuesday night, setting up a showdown with the Senate where Republican leaders plan approval of a different, bipartisan bill this week that does not offer as many protections and services for migrants.

At the White House, Trump said that he did not ask for Sanders’ resignation — adding that he doesn’t think he has ever spoken to the man — but that he is “moving some people around into different locations” amid the crisis.

While activists welcomed Sanders’ departure, Trump defended U.S. border authorities, saying, “The laws are so bad and the asylum rules and laws are so bad that our Border Patrol people, who are so incredible, aren’t allowed to do their jobs.”

The unprecedented surge of migrant families has left U.S. immigration detention centers severely overcrowded and taxed the government’s ability to provide medical care and other attention. Six children have died since September after being detained by border agents.

After he was picked to lead ICE, Morgan, the new acting director, showed a willingness to deport families during enforcement sweeps. However, past Trump immigration officials hesitated over concerns about logistics and the public’s reaction.

The Trump administration has faced a barrage of criticism in recent days over conditions inside the Border Patrol facility in Clint, Texas, first reported by The Associated Press: inadequate food, lack of medical care, no soap, and older children trying to care for toddlers.

In one case reported in Clint, attorneys said a 2-year-old boy without a diaper was being watched by older children. Several youngsters had the flu. Many were separated from extended family members like aunts and uncles who brought them to the border; others were teenage mothers with babies.

As word of the children’s plight got out, people moved by their stories started showing up the station’s doors to donate boxes of diapers and even a Cookie Monster stuffed toy. They were not allowed in the building. Customs and Border Protection says it has enough supplies, but was checking with lawyers to see if it could accept donated items.

“On just a gut level I see myself, I see my family, I see my neighbors, I see my students in these migrants,” said Diego Carlos, who teaches social studies at an El Paso high school and joined a small protest outside the station.

“Literally, I have students who come over from the border almost every day to go to school at the school I teach,” Carlos added.

An official from Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday that the majority of the roughly 300 children detained at Clint last week had been moved to facilities operated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The official, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity, wouldn’t say exactly how many.

But around the same time Sanders announced his resignation, his agency said officials had moved more than 100 children back to the station.

The human costs of the migrant surge were driven home this week by a searing photo of the bodies of a Salvadoran man and his nearly 2-year-old daughter, face down in shallow water along the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. On Sunday, two babies, a toddler and a woman were found dead on the Texas side, overcome by the sweltering heat.

Trump said he is “very concerned” about conditions at the border but claimed without evidence that things are “much better than they were under President Obama, by far” and in “much better shape than it ever was” — an assertion immigration activists said is simply not true.

“We did not have the kind of overcrowded conditions for unaccompanied kids in Border Patrol holding cells like we saw in Clint,” said Michael Bochenek, a lawyer from Human Rights Watch.

Previously CBP’s chief operating officer, Sanders was named acting commissioner in April after the agency’s previous leader, Kevin McAleenan, became acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Other key DHS agencies also have interim or acting directors, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Morgan, who also served as chief of the Border Patrol, a subsidiary of CBP, under President Barack Obama, is now expected to be replaced as ICE’s acting leader by Matthew Albence. Albence served as acting director earlier this year after the departure of another former leader, Ronald Vitiello.

ICE on Saturday delayed an operation to sweep U.S. cities and arrest hundreds of people accused of flouting orders to leave the country, days after Trump tweeted about the upcoming crackdown. Former ICE acting director Thomas Homan, a Trump administration ally, then went on television to accuse McAleenan of leaking information about the operation because he opposed it.

CBP is the agency that apprehends and first detains migrant parents and children crossing the Mexican border.

CBP’s facilities at the border were almost all built when most people crossing into the U.S. illegally were single adults. Now, the agency is apprehending tens of thousands of parents and children weekly. It recorded 84,500 apprehensions of adults and children traveling together in May.

In the wake of Sanders’ resignation, Democratic Rep. Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, lashed out at the administration’s immigration policies and “bad actors in the White House.”

“There is simply no excuse for the horrific conditions children and families are being held in at the border,” he said.

Jennifer Quigley, director of refugee advocacy for Human Rights First, called on Congress to hold hearings on the youngsters’ treatment.

“Trump administration officials need to be held accountable for the disgraceful response to the situation at the border,” she said in a statement. “This is only the tip of the iceberg. We need a full accounting of how children came to be caged in filthy and unsafe conditions.”

Crimes and Courts

Florida Gambling Crackdown Earns International Award After 14000 Slot Machine Seizures

Published

2 weeks ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

The commission reports more than $24 million in gambling proceeds seized since July 2022, with international recognition highlighting its coordinated enforcement efforts.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — The Florida Gaming Control Commission has won the 2026 Regulatory Excellence Award from the International Association of Gaming Regulators, recognizing the agency’s coordinated efforts to combat illegal gambling.

The commission announced the award Oct. 26. The honor recognizes excellence in gaming policy, regulation, compliance and enforcement outcomes.

International Recognition for Coordinated Enforcement

IAGR CEO Kevin Mullally praised the commission’s collaboration with enforcement partners and its support for international efforts against illegal online gambling.

“The Florida Gaming Control Commission’s coordinated approach to combating illegal gambling has produced impressive results,” Mullally said. “Its strategy illustrates the power of collaboration.”

He also recognized the agency’s willingness to support IAGR’s international work targeting illegal online gambling.

Agency Reports 14,000 Illegal Slot Machines Seized

Since beginning operations in July 2022, the commission says it has seized more than 14,000 illegal slot machines and more than $24 million in illegal gambling proceeds.

In the past year, the agency reported shutting down 184 illegal gambling arcades and making 160 arrests.

According to the commission, its investigations have also helped authorities combat illegal narcotics, illegal firearms and dog betting rings connected to criminal gambling operations.

The enforcement figures describe seizures, closures and arrests reported by the agency; arrests do not establish guilt.

Commission Chair Credits Staff and State Support

Commission Chair Julie Brown said the award recognizes the agency’s employees and the support of Florida’s elected leaders.

“We are thrilled to receive such a tremendous honor for our very young agency,” Brown said.

Brown credited Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida Legislature and Attorney General James Uthmeier for supporting the commission’s work.

Attorney General Calls for Tougher Penalties

Uthmeier said his office will continue working with the commission to investigate illegal gambling and pursue stronger criminal penalties.

“Illegal gambling operations pose a serious threat to public safety and jeopardize the integrity of gaming in our state,” Uthmeier said.

He said stronger penalties would help hold illegal gambling operators accountable and support law enforcement efforts.

Oversight Extends Beyond Illegal Gambling

The commission’s responsibilities also include regulating authorized gambling activities, including pari-mutuel wagering, cardrooms and slot machine facilities, along with overseeing the state’s gaming compacts. Its authority excludes the Florida Lottery.

Central Florida News

Attorney General James Uthmeter announces 100 felony counts against Kissimmee man, sues AI platform

Published

2 weeks ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

James Uthmeier speaks at a news conference wearing a navy suit, white shirt and red tie, with flags behind him.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday, Oct. 28, that a Kissimmee man faces 100 felony counts involving child sexual abuse material and images depicting sexual activity with animals. In a separate action, the state sued an artificial intelligence company accused of enabling users to generate sexualized images of children and other people without their consent.

The criminal case names Jerry Jesus Reyes, 26. The civil lawsuit targets Rengstorff Consulting Ltd., the company operating the A2E artificial intelligence platform.

“There is nothing more evil than the sexual exploitation of children, and anyone who possesses, shares, or creates these images is an active participant in that abuse,” Uthmeier said in a statement.

Osceola County Sheriff Christopher Blackmon. Photo by Florida National News

Tip leads to criminal investigation

According to the attorney general’s office, the Reyes investigation began with a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children concerning activity on a Snapchat account.

Detectives with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit used subpoenas and search warrants to link the account to Reyes, authorities said. Investigators reported finding files depicting the sexual abuse of children and sexual activity involving an animal.

The charges include:

86 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child.
13 counts of unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual activity with animals.
One count of transmitting child pornography by electronic device.

Potential prison penalties

According to the announcement, the child sexual abuse material possession charges were reclassified as first-degree felonies because the case involved 10 or more images. First-degree felonies generally carry a maximum sentence of 30 years per count under Florida law.

The second-degree felony transmission charge carries a five-year mandatory minimum, according to the announcement, and a statutory maximum of 15 years. Third-degree felonies generally carry up to five years per count.

Reyes could face decades in state prison if convicted. His total sentence would depend on the convictions, applicable sentencing provisions and whether the judge orders sentences served concurrently or consecutively.

The attorney general’s office said Reyes was being held at the Osceola County Jail on $100,000 bond, with conditions of release prohibiting internet access and contact with minors.

Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day is prosecuting the case in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.

Separate lawsuit targets AI platform

In the civil case, the state alleges A2E allows users to upload photographs or videos of real people, including children, and generate nude or sexually explicit depictions without their consent.

The complaint also alleges the platform permits users to digitally alter adults to appear underage in sexualized imagery.

Although A2E’s terms prohibit certain abusive content, the state alleges the company failed to enforce those restrictions through adequate monitoring, consent verification and reporting of illegal material.

The complaint cites separate criminal investigations in Tampa and Tallahassee in which people allegedly used A2E to generate child sexual abuse material.

“Predators who traffic in the abuse of children and animals have no place in Florida,” Uthmeier said.

He added that companies profiting from AI tools that facilitate child sexual abuse material or nonconsensual sexual imagery “will be held accountable.”

State seeks injunction and financial penalties

The lawsuit, filed in Sarasota County, alleges violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The state seeks a permanent injunction restricting the company’s provision of the challenged AI tools, restitution, recovery of profits and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per willful violation.

Reyes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The allegations against Rengstorff Consulting have not been proven in court. Responses from Reyes or his attorney and the company were not included in the materials available for this report.

Central Florida News

FBI Director Kash Patel Addresses Global Threats, Crime-Fighting Partnerships at International Police Conference in Orlando

Published

2 weeks ago

October 28, 2026

FNN NEWS

Kash Patel seated onstage in a gray suit and dark tie, speaking with one hand raised against a black and turquoise background.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — FBI Director Kash Patel discussed bureau priorities, violent crime and cooperation across jurisdictions during the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center.

The annual conference and exposition, held Oct. 24-27, brought together law enforcement professionals from the United States and abroad for training, presentations and discussions about public safety.

Patel addressed the evolving global threat environment and the importance of partnerships among federal, state, local, territorial and international law enforcement agencies confronting violent crime and transnational threats.

FBI priorities and violent crime

Violent crime enforcement was among the priorities Patel discussed during his Orlando visit.

Published coverage of his weekly update from Orlando described a broader agenda encompassing cybercrime, fraud and other investigative responsibilities. The update also highlighted cooperation among the FBI, the Justice Department and state and local authorities.

The conference provided an opportunity for bureau leadership to discuss those priorities with police executives whose agencies work alongside federal investigators.

Photo by Florida National News

Cooperation across jurisdictions

Partnerships were a central theme of Patel’s appearance, including coordination among agencies at different levels of government and cooperation with international counterparts.

Transnational investigations can involve suspects, evidence and criminal activity spanning multiple jurisdictions, requiring agencies to work across geographic and institutional boundaries.

Published coverage of Patel’s visit also reported plans for meetings with the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the IACP Board of Directors.

Patel highlights partnerships in X post

“Great to be in Orlando visiting with our brilliant law enforcement partners,” Patel wrote in a post on X about the conference.

Patel described the gathering as drawing more than 20,000 law enforcement professionals, leaders and partners. He credited cooperation with the FBI for reductions in crime.

In the post, Patel cited a 20% reduction in the national murder rate and more than 54,000 FBI violent crime arrests, which he described as a 90% increase.

The post did not specify the reporting periods or underlying datasets for those figures. The statistics were not independently verified for this article..

Global threats and local policing

The changing threat environment was another focus of Patel’s remarks, connecting the FBI’s national responsibilities with challenges facing police departments and their international partners.

The gathering offered law enforcement leaders an opportunity to discuss shared concerns, exchange professional knowledge and strengthen relationships that support investigations.

IACP President David B. Rausch, left, gestures over an open notebook while FBI Director Kash Patel listens from a gray armchair onstage.

FBI Director Kash Patel, right, participates in a fireside chat with IACP President David B. Rausch during the Closing General Assembly of the 2026 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Florida National News.

Training and professional development

Beyond executive presentations, the four-day conference featured educational sessions, networking opportunities and an exposition showcasing products and services for law enforcement.

Organizers identified training, networking and exhibit hall education as the conference’s three central components.

The Orlando event brought those activities together to help police leaders develop their agencies and exchange approaches to public safety.

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Florida National News Staff | News@FloridaNationalNews.com