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illegal immigration

Trump border czar dismisses Pope’s attack on immigration policy

Published

1 week ago

7 minute read

From LifeSiteNews

By Michael Haynes, Snr. Vatican Correspondent

Despite Pope Francis’ critique of Trump’s plans to secure the U.S. border, the Vatican City State recently enacted stringent border laws of its own… the new laws state that those who break into the Vatican City State territory unlawfully shall be handed a jail term of between one and five years, and a fine of €10,000 to €25,000.

President Donald Trump’s border czar Tom Homan robustly rejected Pope Francis’ criticism of the administration’s border policies, saying the Pope “ought to fix the Catholic Church and concentrate on his work and leave border enforcement to us.”

Speaking to reporters outside the White House last night, Homan issued succinct comments on Pope Francis’ surprise letter sent yesterday to the U.S. bishops.

“I’ve got harsh words for the Pope. The Pope ought to fix the Catholic Church,” began Homan.

“I’m saying this as a lifelong Catholic: I was baptized Catholic, [had] my first Communion as a Catholic, confirmation as a Catholic. He ought to fix the Catholic Church and concentrate on his work and leave border enforcement to us,” added Homan.

Continuing, the border czar implied the Pope was hypocritical in his denunciation of the U.S. policy, saying “he wants to attack us securing our border? He has got a wall around the Vatican, does he not? So he has a wall to protect his people and himself, but we can’t have a wall around the United States.”

“I wish he’d stick to the Catholic Church and fix that and leave border enforcement to us,” Homan closed.

Homan’s comments came hours after the Vatican published an open letter from Pope Francis to the U.S. Catholic bishops.

Francis referred to the “major crisis” of the Trump administration’s policies regarding illegal immigrants, and rejected the notion that breaking U.S. border laws makes people criminals.

“The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality,” wrote Francis. “At the same time, one must recognize the right of a nation to defend itself and keep communities safe from those who have committed violent or serious crimes while in the country or prior to arrival.”

Francis added that deporting individuals “damages the dignity of many men and women” if they left their native country for “reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment.”

He also rejected comments made by Vice President JD Vance about the “ordo amoris,” saying instead that an “infinite dignity” of man should motivate border policies to be more permissive, and formed on love that “builds a fraternity open to all, without exception.”

Following Trump’s inauguration, the new administration announced steps to tackle the “border crisis” as numbers of illegal immigrants have swelled in the nation.

Since then much of the mainstream narrative has presented Trump as enacting mass deportations and an ethnic cleansing of the U.S. in terms of his plans to remove illegal immigrants.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated February 3 that only 5,693 immigrants had been removed from the country since January 20. Reuters reports that since January 20, Mexico has received some 11,000 migrants back to the country and onwards to Honduras, as of February 7.

By contrast, Homeland Security data show that 4.7 million illegal immigrants were repatriated under the Biden administration’s years of 2021 through 2024. Conflicting data reports cloud the matter, with the Migration Policy Institute suggesting a lower figure, and that Biden matched Trump’s first term and deported around 1.5 million illegal migrants.

Homan’s office of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s own 2024 report shows that enforcement and removal operations saw over 270,000 people repatriated in 2024, as ICE “removed more people without legal basis to remain in the United States than it did in any other fiscal year since 2015.”

While month-by-month data is unavailable before October 2013, total figures document that Obama saw 5.2 million deportations in his two terms, which was around half that of President George W. Bush and less than half of President Bill Clinton.

In contrast, monthly deportations under Biden far exceeded those made by Obama during his second term, suggesting that the invective directed against Trump’s deportation plans is not taking into account the historical record of his predecessors in the White House on the issue.

Somewhat little reported is that, despite Pope Francis’ critique of Trump’s plans to secure the U.S. border, the Vatican City State recently enacted stringent border laws of its own. Issued quietly late December 2024, the new laws state that those who break into the Vatican City State territory unlawfully shall be handed a jail term of between one and five years, and a fine of €10,000 to €25,000 ($10,300 to $25,800).

But if extenuating circumstances are involved and the perpetrator uses guns, vehicles, disguises, or is in a group, then the penalties are increased.

The Vatican City State is largely surrounded by the border wall, with the notable exception being, of course, St. Peter’s Basilica; however, even though the Basilica is readily accessible to tourists, entry is subject to security checks akin to those found at airports. Anyone attempting to bypass security at the border is swiftly ejected or taken into custody.

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illegal immigration

Trump signs executive order cutting off taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens

Published on February 20, 2025

By

MXM logo  MxM News

Quick Hit:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday night barring illegal immigrants from receiving federally funded benefits, a move he says will ensure taxpayer dollars are reserved for American citizens in need.

Key Details:

  • The order directs federal agencies to identify and cut off benefits to illegal immigrants.
  • Trump argues the Biden administration “undermined” federal law and improperly expanded benefits to non-citizens.
  • The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is tasked with reviewing all federal funding sources for illegal aliens.
  • The order mandates stricter eligibility verification systems and calls for improper payments to be referred to the DOJ and DHS.

Diving Deeper:

President Donald Trump took executive action Wednesday night to block illegal immigrants from receiving taxpayer-funded federal benefits, calling the move necessary to uphold the rule of law and protect resources for American citizens, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

In signing the order, Trump pointed to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which was supposed to bar most illegal immigrants from accessing government benefits. However, he argued that multiple administrations—especially President Joe Biden’s—had worked to “undermine” these restrictions, effectively allowing taxpayer funds to support illegal immigration.

“The Biden administration repeatedly undercut the goals of that law, resulting in the improper expenditure of significant taxpayer resources,” Trump said. He further asserted that these benefits had acted as a “magnet” for illegal immigration, drawing more people across the border unlawfully.

The order directs the heads of all federal agencies to identify programs that currently allow illegal aliens to receive taxpayer-funded benefits and to take “all appropriate actions” to bring them in line with federal law. It also aims to prevent federal funds from subsidizing sanctuary policies, which shield illegal immigrants from deportation.

One of the most significant aspects of the order is the role of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a relatively new federal agency led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. DOGE is tasked with reviewing all sources of federal funding for illegal immigrants and recommending additional measures to align spending with Trump’s directive. Trump has praised Musk and DOGE for cutting through bureaucratic resistance to implement his policies.

Additionally, the order calls for enhanced eligibility verification systems to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining benefits in the first place. Federal agencies are also required to refer any improper payments to the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security for further action.

The move is the latest in Trump’s aggressive crackdown on illegal immigration, a central issue of his presidency and his 2024 re-election campaign. With a focus on border security, ending sanctuary policies, and tightening federal spending, Trump’s executive order represents yet another step in his administration’s effort to reverse the policies of his predecessor and enforce strict immigration laws.

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Crime

Cartel threats against border agents include explosives, drones

Published on February 18, 2025

By

MXM logo MxM News

Quick Hit:

Cartels are intensifying their threats against U.S. Border Patrol and ICE agents, employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, including drones, wireless tracking devices, and potential explosive attacks. As President Donald Trump strengthens border security measures, agents face growing dangers both at and beyond the southern border. Experts warn that these threats are an effort to counteract the administration’s immigration enforcement policies.

Key Details:

  • Cartels are using drones and wireless tracking to monitor and potentially attack Border Patrol and ICE agents.
  • The discovery of a security risk tied to body cameras has led CBP to suspend their use to prevent agents from being tracked.
  • Leaks of ICE raids pose additional threats, increasing the risk of ambushes against agents conducting enforcement operations.

Diving Deeper:

Cartels along the U.S.-Mexico border are becoming more aggressive as President Trump enforces stricter immigration policies, with reports indicating that border agents are facing an escalating range of security threats. Fox News reports that Mexican cartels are leveraging new technology to track and potentially harm Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, emphasized that cartels are feeling the pressure from Trump’s border policies and are resorting to dangerous countermeasures. “The cartels are losing business. The encounters at the border are the lowest they’ve been in decades, and the cartels are not just going to give up that business quietly,” Ries told Fox News.

Among the threats agents face are drones used for surveillance, gunfire from across the border, and even the possibility of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). A recent internal memo warned that cartels might be planning to use snipers positioned in Mexico to attack U.S. agents. Additionally, agents are now vulnerable to tracking through wireless technology, prompting CBP to suspend the use of body-worn cameras after a social media post revealed they could be exploited via Bluetooth scanning apps.

The suspension of body cameras has raised concerns about increased false claims against border agents. Ries warned that “the number of claims of abuse are about to jump to exploit this lack of camera use,” underscoring the challenges agents will face without recorded footage of their encounters.

Beyond external threats from cartels, agents must also contend with internal security risks. Leaks about upcoming ICE raids have made enforcement operations more dangerous, potentially exposing agents to ambushes. Ries noted, “That subjects ICE agents to an ambush… Worse would be if aliens stay here and attack ICE agents, that is a risk.”

To counter these threats, border security experts stress the need for increased congressional funding to provide CBP and ICE agents with enhanced technology, equipment, and manpower. Ries urged lawmakers to act swiftly, stating, “Congress needs to hurry up” to ensure agents have the necessary resources to carry out Trump’s mass deportation efforts and secure the southern border.

As cartels escalate their tactics in response to Trump’s immigration policies, the safety of border agents remains a growing concern, highlighting the urgent need for stronger enforcement and security measures.

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