Stateless Palestinian woman released from ICE custody after 5 monthsNew Foto - Stateless Palestinian woman released from ICE custody after 5 months

Ward Sakeik -- a stateless Palestinian woman who wasdetained on her way back from her honeymoon-- has been released from ICE detention nearly five months after her arrest, her husband confirmed to ABC News. Sakeik, whose husband is a U.S. citizen, was arrested at the St. Thomas Airport in the U.S. Virgin Islands in February. "The Trump administration's brazenly unconstitutional attempt to deport this young woman in violation of a federal court order should shock the conscience of every American. Had we not intervened, she may very well be in a foreign country right now, separated from her family like so many others illegally deported to third countries," Eric Lee, Sakeik's attorney, said in a statement Wednesday. MORE: Newlywed bride's honeymoon ends with months of ICE detention and the prospect of deportation The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment on Sakeik's release. The government had attempted to deport Sakeik twice -- the first time reportedly to Israel just hours before it launched its attack on Iran in June. Thesecond attempt to deport hercame despite a federal judge ordering that she remain in the northern district of Texas and not be removed from the U.S. The government and its attorneys told her husband, Taahir Shaikh, and Sakeik's lawyers that the attempt to deport her earlier this week was "an honest mistake," according to Shaikh. On Tuesday evening, Shaikh received a call from his wife asking him to pick her up from the Texas detention facility where she was being held. "I'm just completely confused. And she says, 'An ICE officer just came to me and said he's going to serve me papers for my release.' And I told her, 'I don't believe it,'" Shaikh told ABC News. "The ICE officer spoke directly with our legal team, and about four hours later, I was able to go pick her up directly from Prairieland Detention Center -- just me by myself, and at 9:30 at night, she ran directly into my arms," Shaikh said. Sakeik's family is from Gaza, but she is legally stateless and has lived in the U.S. since she was 8 years old. Her family had traveled to the U.S. on a tourist visa and applied for asylum, according to Shaikh. MORE: Government attempts to deport stateless Palestinian woman again despite court order Sakeik was issued a deportation order more than a decade ago after her asylum case was denied, but she was permitted to stay in the U.S. under what's known as an "order of supervision," in which she was given a work permit and regularly checks in with federal immigration authorities, according to her attorney and her husband. While Sakeik was being detained, the first stage of her green card application was approved, Shaikh said. "Now that we have that first part of the green card application already approved, all we need to do is work on reopening her immigration case, and once that order of deportation is lifted, she has a clear path to a green card," Shaikh said. After nearly five months in detention, an ICE officer told Sakeik that she would not be re-detained but there will be future commitments for her to show up either in immigration courts or immigration check ins, Shaikh said. "I'm not saying that that is justice served, because five months of detention for a woman who never committed a crime, there is no justice served by, you know, announcing her discretionary release, but it's a good step in the right direction," Shaikh said. Shaikh said his wife's release was a shock after the government had refused her release at every stage of her detention. "Whoever it was that made the call probably saw just how many mistakes the people on the ground were making with my wife, and they probably felt like they dug themselves way too deep to where they knew they couldn't afford to make another mistake. And before they allowed that mistake to happen, someone made a call to say, 'We're going to grant this release,'" Shaikh said. Shaikh also pointed to the media attention his wife's case had garnered. In statement shared with ABC News previously, DHS said Sakeik was not detained as part of a targeted operation by ICE, in a statement to ABC News earlier this week. "She chose to fly over international waters and outside the U.S. customs zone and was then flagged by CBP trying to renter the continental U.S.," DHS said. When ABC News followed up to ask if it is the government's position that travel to the Virgin Islands, a U.S. territory, constitutes someone choosing to "leave the country," DHS provided an updated statement. "The facts are she is in our country illegally. She overstayed her visa and has had a final order by an immigration judge for over a decade. President Trump and Secretary Noem are committed to restoring integrity to the visa program and ensuring it is not abused to allow aliens a permanent one-way ticket to remain in the U.S.," DHS said in its statement. DHS did not previously acknowledge the judge's order barring Sakeik's removal from Texas or that she was previously under an order of supervision.

Stateless Palestinian woman released from ICE custody after 5 months

Stateless Palestinian woman released from ICE custody after 5 months Ward Sakeik -- a stateless Palestinian woman who wasdetained on her way...
DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrationsNew Foto - DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrations

Attacks perpetrated by lone actors are the biggest terrorism threat to July 4th festivities in New York City and elsewhere, federal authorities said in a threat assessment obtained by CNN. The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies issued a joint bulletin in late June saying "the most significant terrorism threat facing the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks stems from lone offenders and small groups of individuals seeking to commit acts of violence." "These individuals are often motivated by a broad range of racial, ethnic, political, religious, anti-government, societal, or personal grievances," the assessment continued. But the threat is not limited to New York City. The bulletin said other large gatherings could be targeted. "Special events with high attendance and media coverage … remain attractive targets" for domestic and foreign terrorists and violent extremists who may want to "cause mass casualties or draw attention to their causes," the bulletin said. The agencies said they had not received any reports of specific threats at the massive fireworks show or related events. However, "high-profile, large events can draw interest from malicious actors looking for targets of opportunity to perpetrate criminal schemes," the bulletin said. It's not uncommon for authorities to issue threat assessments before major events. But several recent, high-profile attacks have spurred additional concern heading into July 4. "We are concerned about the potential threat of copycat attacks inspired by the 2025 New Year's Day vehicle-ramming attack in New Orleans and continued FTO (foreign terrorist organization) messaging calling for attacks against Western targets," the bulletin said. On January 1, a driver intentionally rammed a6,000-pound truck into a crowdof revelers in New Orleans' bustling French Quarter,killing 14 people. The assailant, a Texas-born Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, was killed in a shootout with police. Investigators later discovered he had recorded several videos before the attack that mentionedhis divorce and claimed he had joined ISIS. Just one month before that massacre, the FBI and DHS warned about the threat of violence from lone offenders and thepotential use of vehicle ramming, according to two internal memos obtained by CNN. Tensions over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza have been linked to a spate of recent violence in the United States, and authorities say similar attacks could erupt on July 4. "Most attackers motivated at least in part by the Israel-HAMAS conflict have selected targets with a symbolic link to Israel, houses of worship, or locations associated with houses of worship. Individuals with grievances linked to the conflict could also perceive large gatherings, such as Independence Day celebrations, as opportunistic targets symbolic of the West in general," the threat assessment said. The DHS and FBI cited last month's firebomb attack in Boulder, Colorado, that targeted a group of demonstrators supporting Israelis who were held hostage by Hamas. Dozens of people were injured, andan 82-year-old woman died. The attack marked "the most recent act of terrorist violence in the Homeland motivated by the Israel-HAMAS conflict," the joint bulletin said. "This attack came shortly after the (May 21) attackkilling two Israeli embassy staffin Washington, DC." Drones have also raised the specter of possible violence at large holiday events, the threat assessment said. "Unauthorized unmanned aircraft system (UAS) activities may pose a hazard to participants and attendees, delay events, and disrupt law enforcement operations," the FBI and DHS said. "Although we have no credible, specific reporting regarding illicit plans to use UAS to target the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks, we assess that unauthorized UAS operations have the potential to increase public safety risks." While most drones are flown legally by hobbyists, they "have also been used to facilitate terrorist and other criminal acts," the threat assessment said. "Various state and nonstate actors have increased their use and modification of short-range UAS to conduct surveillance of adversary positions, drop small munitions on targets, and detonate explosive-laden UAS on impact to targets in conflict zones abroad," the bulletin said. "Malicious use of UAS poses a potential risk to spectators, volunteers, security personnel, and first responders in and around the event." For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrations

DHS and FBI warn about potential lone wolf attacks ahead of July 4 celebrations Attacks perpetrated by lone actors are the biggest terrorism...
Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on termsNew Foto - Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on terms

CAIRO (AP) — U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsays Israel hasagreed on termsfor a new 60-day ceasefire with Hamas and that Washington would work with both sides during that time to try to endmore than 20 months of war in Gaza. Neither sidehas accepted the proposalannounced Tuesday by Trump, who has admonished Hamas that ifthe militant groupdoes not buy into the offer, its prospects will get worse. It's not clear what conditions Israel agreed to. The efforts to reach a truce are unfolding in the wake of powerful Israeli and American strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, which has long supported Hamas, and just days before Trump is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington. Here's a look at the situation and the challenges it might present. Details are murky Details of the proposed ceasefire are just beginning to emerge. But rather than being completely new, the potential deal seems to be a somewhat modified version of a framework proposed earlier this year by Trump's Middle East envoy,Steve Witkoff. Trump said Tuesday in a social media post that Qatar and Egypt have been working on the details and would deliver a final proposal to Hamas. An Egyptian official involved in the ceasefire talks told The Associated Press that the proposal calls for Hamas to release 10 more hostages during the two-month period — eight on the first day and two on the final day. During that period, Israel would withdraw troops from some parts of Gaza and allow badly needed aid into the territory. Thewar beganon Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages. The group is believed to still have some 50 hostages, with fewer than half of them thought to be alive. The Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, said a sticking point over how aid would be distributed had been resolved with Israel. He said both sides have agreed that the United Nations and the Palestinian Red Crescent would lead aid operations and that the Israeli- and U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund would also continue to operate. Hamas has been weakened The unraveling of Iran's regional network of proxies, capped by the blow inflicted on Iran during the recent12-day war with Israel, has left Hamas weaker and more isolated in the region. Iran was a key backer of the militant group, but its influence has waned, and it's now preoccupied with its own problems. At the same time, Trump has made it clear to Israel that he wants to see the Israel-Hamas war end soon. While he has been supportive of Netanyahu, Trump had tough words for Israel in the opening hours of last week'sceasefire with Iran, when he pressured Israel to scale back its response to an Iranian missile attack. That could help persuade Hamas to embrace a deal. A diplomat briefed on the talks said there is now a "big opportunity" to reach an agreement. "The indications we're getting are people are ready." He said Trump's harsh talk toward Israel has "given a bit of confidence to Hamas" that the U.S. will guarantee any future deal and prevent a return to fighting. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing behind-the-scenes diplomatic contacts. Israeli military positions and future talks pose obstacles The Egyptian official said Israel has not yet agreed to a proposal to withdraw its forces to positions held in early March after a previous ceasefire officially expired. Since then, the Israeli army has seized large swaths of Gaza to put pressure on Hamas, and it's not clear whether Israel is ready to return to those same positions. An Israeli official characterized the agreement as a 60-day deal that would include a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the territory. The mediators and the U.S. would provide assurances about talks on ending the war, but Israel is not committing to that as part of the latest proposal, said the official, who was not authorized to discuss the details of the deal with the media and spoke on condition of anonymity. The Egyptian official said Hamas will have to review the proposal with other factions before submitting an official response. One point that does seem to have been ironed out is the question of who will administer Gaza. Israel has said Hamas cannot run the territory, and the Egyptian official said the proposal would instead put Gaza under a group of Palestinians without political affiliations known as the Community Support Committee once a ceasefire is reached. Potentially complicating the effort, Netanyahu reiterated his hard-line position Wednesday, vowing that "there will be no Hamas" following the 60-day ceasefire plan. Previous ceasefire did not last A previous ceasefire agreed to in January established three phases, but the two sides never made it past phase one. During that time, however, there were multiple exchanges of Hamas-held hostages for prisoners held by Israel, andcritical humanitarian aidwas able to reach Gaza. When phase one expired on March 1, Israel sought to extend it while Hamas argued that phase two should go ahead as planned. The second phase would have compelled Hamas to release all the remaining living hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. That was always seen as difficult, because it would have forced Israel to choose between its two main war goals — the safe return of the hostages and the annihilation of Hamas. On March 18, Israel broke the ceasefire with new airstrikes and resumed hostilities. In Gaza, residents expressed hope that this time, a ceasefire will bring an end to the war. "We are seriously tired," said Asmaa al-Gendy, who has been living in a tent camp in Deir al Balah with her two children. The family has been displaced and starved and endured "every form of torture in the world." ___ Rising reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem and Wafaa Shurafa in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, contributed to this report.

Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on terms

Trump says deal for ceasefire in Gaza is closer after Israel agrees on terms CAIRO (AP) — U.S. PresidentDonald Trumpsays Israel hasagreed on...
Wilyer Abreu's RBI single helps Red Sox to 5-3 win over Reds in completion of suspended gameNew Foto - Wilyer Abreu's RBI single helps Red Sox to 5-3 win over Reds in completion of suspended game

BOSTON (AP) — Wilyer Abreu hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning Wednesday afternoon and the Boston Red Sox beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3 in the completion of a game suspended by rain a night earlier. Trevor Story added an RBI double after Abreu's hit, sending Boston to its third win in four games after a six-game losing skid, its longest since September 2022. Spencer Steer hit a two-run homer for the Reds, who have dropped three of four. Brayan Bello (4-3) worked five innings of relief and Aroldis Chapman got the final three outs for his 15th save, and the 350th of his career. With just a few thousand fans of the 32,355 paid attendance in Fenway Park, play resumed at 2:32 p.m. before Steer, the National League's reigning player of the week, hit an 0-1 cutter from Bello into the Green Monster seats to make it 3-2 in the fourth. The Red Soxwon the opener of the three-game series Mondaywhen Abreu became just the sixth player in major league history to hit an inside-the-park homer and grand slam in the same game. The previous was Roger Maris on August 3, 1958. Tuesday's game was halted after three innings, delayed 1 hour, 20 minutes before it wassuspended. It was the Reds'second suspended game this season. The total time of the game lasted just 2 hours, 9 minutes. Key moment With a pinch runner Nate Eaton on third and two outs, Abreu blooped a single to right against Lyon Richardson (0-3). Story then doubled off the center field wall. Key stat The Red Sox are a win away from getting back to .500 (43-44) this season. Up next Reds RHP Nick Martinez (5-8, 4.12 ERA) is scheduled to pitch the regularly scheduled nightcap. Red Sox manager Alex Cora hadn't announced a starter yet. ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Wilyer Abreu's RBI single helps Red Sox to 5-3 win over Reds in completion of suspended game

Wilyer Abreu's RBI single helps Red Sox to 5-3 win over Reds in completion of suspended game BOSTON (AP) — Wilyer Abreu hit a tiebreakin...
Fox News, MAGA hats and cookies: Inside Trump's West WingNew Foto - Fox News, MAGA hats and cookies: Inside Trump's West Wing

WASHINGTON — The military leaders who came to the Oval Office to discuss the newF-47 stealth fighter jethad a few surprises in store. At one point in their sit-down with President Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta chief executive, walked in unexpectedly. Worried that he didn't have security clearance, officials asked the social media magnate to wait outside, two people familiar with the meeting said. A young aide also came in during the meeting, showed the president something on her laptop computer and left. Trump's cellphone rang a couple of times. Expecting more privacy in the meeting with the commander in chief, some of the officials came away mystified and a bit unnerved. They quietly discussed among themselves whether the visitors and calls might have compromised sensitive information, with one asking whether they should be concerned about "spillage." Trump affectionately refers to the Oval Office as "Grand Central Terminal" because of all the comings and goings, a senior White House official said. One of the people familiar with the winter meeting about the plane used another term: "bizarro world." Various aides have tried over the years to impose a certain discipline in the Trump White House, with limited results. Trump likes to see whom he wants and call whom he chooses, and in the new term, he presides over a freewheeling West Wing that mirrors the man, current and former aides say. Trump will interrupt an Oval Office meeting and spontaneously pick up the phone and call a friend or confidant, a senior administration official said. Cabinet secretaries often mill around the building, popping in and out of offices with powerful advisers, including chief of staff Susie Wiles and deputy chief Stephen Miller. "No one wants to miss the decision," a person who has been to the White House for meetings said. One meeting rolls into another. Cabinet members who'd planned 30-minute visits to the White House may end up staying for hours at the president's invitation. "If you're in a meeting about [disaster] preparedness and the next meeting is about whatever, he'll say, 'Stick around,'" the senior administration official said. If Trump's methods are unorthodox, his supporters say, he is delivering results. He is on the cusp ofpassing a billthat would accomplish many of his domestic goals: cutting taxes and clamping down on illegal immigration. And he orchestrated a ceasefire between Iran and Israel that is holding for now, averting further escalation. Yet Trump's managerial style also poses risks, current and former officials say. Cabinet secretaries run complex agencies that need attention and leadership. Decamping to the West Wing can deprive the federal workforce of both. A staff's careful effort to provide balanced viewpoints before the president sets policy can blow up if he's also hearing from friends and associates sharing unvetted information. And, unlike Grand Central Station, the White House is a zone where secrets need to be protected. NBC News spoke to more than a dozen past and current administration officials, lawmakers and Trump allies about the West Wing's rhythms. What's noteworthy is the informality, they said. One former national security official said they were struck by how often they'd run into Vice President JD Vance standing outside the Oval Office near the Keurig coffee maker, drinking a cup or eating one of the cookies on offer. Vance's office declined to comment. A Republican senator invited over for a bill signing said Trump took him and others to see what the president called "the Monica Lewinsky Room," scene of the trysts between Bill Clinton and a certain White House intern. There, in the space near the Oval Office, Trump keeps a supply of MAGA hats and shirts to give out to visitors. The senior White House official described the room as a "beautifully organized" gift shop of sorts. "He does what he wants, and they [Trump aides] let him do it," the senator said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Some visitors to the White House say they've been struck by the ubiquity of Trump Cabinet secretaries. At least in the early phase of Trump's last term, Cabinet members tended to stick to their home agencies, a former White House official said. "They should be running their bureaucracies. They shouldn't be hanging around the White House," the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Now, Cabinet members are a routine presence in the West Wing. Trump likes it that way, the senior White House official said. Trump is the ultimate decision-maker, and that's why they come, the person said, adding, "He wants them here, too." Secretary of State Marco Rubio has an office in the West Wing now that Trump has given him the dual role of national security adviser — the first person to simultaneously hold both jobs since Henry Kissinger did so in the Nixon administration. Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, works out of the building next door and, with a broad portfolio that encompasses the economy and tariffs, is a regular visitor. So is Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a key player in Trump's tariff negotiations with other countries. Indeed, some aides past and present describe Lutnick as a perennial guest: quick to arrive, not as quick to leave. Lutnick's headquarters is less than a mile from the White House, but he "could be stationed in Maryland, and he would still be at the White House," a second senior White House official said, who added that Lutnick spends his time there going in and out of meetings with Trump. The official said that was due in part to Lutnick's oversight of trade and tariff issues at the center of the president's agenda. The Commerce Department didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. Meta declined to comment. Face time with the president can be a way for Cabinet members to retain influence, something that may not be lost on the people who serve at Trump's pleasure.Turnover in Trump's first termwas high; this time, his Cabinet has stayed largely intact. "If you're a Cabinet member, there's a fine line between too much time and not enough time" in Trump's company, the senior administration official said. "Sometimes in Trump world, scarcity is a good thing. But too much scarcity and you get forgotten." In a prepared statement, the White House deputy chief of staff for communications, Taylor Budowich, said: "President Trump has assembled the greatest cabinet in American history—a group of talented individuals who embody the diverse coalition that delivered his historic election victory. [Wiles] has played an integral role in operationalizing his agenda through his administration and has ensured everyone is empowered with the tools to deliver on the president's mandate." One habit that is carryover from Trump's first term is his fondness for the cellphone. Trump will pause a meeting to call old friends like Dana White, chief executive of Ultimate Fighting Championship, or Rupert Murdoch, the chairman emeritus of Fox, the senior administration official said. "He'll say: 'Let's call Rupert. Fox is killing me today,'" the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk freely. Lately, Trump has phoned Murdoch for his views on the conflict between Israel and Iran and, in particular, Washington's involvement, according to two people with knowledge of the calls. Overseeing the West Wing operation is Wiles, the fifth chief of staff Trump has had in his 4½ years in office. Trump affectionately calls her the "Ice Maiden." Few of the chiefs have succeeded in controlling access to Trump or policing his calls to outside friends and advisers who might want to sway his thinking on an issue. But Wiles is credited with at least balancing Trump's improvisational instincts with a semblance of order. "She's in virtually every meeting that matters," said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Trump ally, who describes her as the best chief of staff Trump has had. "She sits there and takes notes and knows what the president wants to accomplish and does it." A White House official said Wiles, a former lobbyist, holds the view that while she may not know the answers, she'll see to it that Trump hears all sides of an issue before he makes a decision. Trump's longest-serving chief of staff, John Kelly, tried something similar in the first term. Kelly's practice was to see to it that if someone came into the Oval Office to pitch an idea to Trump, a person representing an opposing view would also be on hand so the president heard both viewpoints. Kelly was gone after about a year and a half, his effort to bring more structure to the West Wing having fizzled. "I don't think the president's habits have changed much," the Republican senator said. "He watches a lot of TV, and he lives on the telephone. He likes to be called. In fact, last time I was with him, he said, 'Why don't you call me anymore?' and I'm thinking, 'Because I don't have anything to say and, No. 2, because you're the president and you're busy.'"

Fox News, MAGA hats and cookies: Inside Trump's West Wing

Fox News, MAGA hats and cookies: Inside Trump's West Wing WASHINGTON — The military leaders who came to the Oval Office to discuss the n...

 

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