All posts tagged: raids

Meet the pastors who support the ICE raids

Meet the pastors who support the ICE raids

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — Pastors and other clergy have made headlines over the past year for their roles in protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdowns in places such as Chicago and Minneapolis. They’ve been hit by pepper balls and tear gas during protests; sued to gain access to ICE facilities and to block ICE raids on houses of worship; and called on their flocks to welcome immigrants, not fear them. Earlier this year, hundreds of clergy flocked to Minneapolis for a two-day training on how to resist ICE. Jim Garlow is not one of them. “It’s not wrong for a government to have borders and to enforce its borders,” said Garlow, the former longtime pastor of Skyline Church near San Diego and founder of Well Versed, a ministry to conservative politicians such as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson. Garlow is part of a group of evangelical clergy who, invoking Scripture and morality, support the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Some say they back deportation only for those with criminal records. Others say they want anyone in the …

Galveston County raids target alleged gambling network across multiple properties

Galveston County raids target alleged gambling network across multiple properties

Published by skeptic

A sweeping law enforcement operation unfolded across Galveston County on Monday (June 1) as investigators moved to break apart what they say was a long-running illegal gambling network centered in La Marque and surrounding communities. Members of the Galveston County Organized Crime Task Force began serving 21 search warrants at about 9:30 a.m. on June 1. According to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, the coordinated action stemmed from an investigation into suspected organized criminal activity and money laundering connected to illegal game rooms. Galveston authorities target illegal gambling rooms and financial records Investigators focused on several game room businesses, related properties in Fort Bend County and a number of financial institutions believed to be tied to the operation’s finances. Seven warrants were carried out at game rooms in and around La Marque. Those locations included Gold Chest, Pig Pen, TJ’s, Rusty’s, Purple Building and Double Diamond, along with the 24/7 game room in Alvin. Rusty’s game room in La Marque was among the businesses targeted during a multi-agency gambling investigation. Credit: Google Maps Authorities also …

Sarasota gambling raids seize 69 machines as enforcement expands

Sarasota gambling raids seize 69 machines as enforcement expands

Published by skeptic

Florida authorities say two suspected illegal gambling businesses in Sarasota County were shut down during a coordinated operation that resulted in dozens of gaming machines being confiscated along with more than $62,000 in cash. The May 27 action brought together the Florida Gaming Control Commission and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Search warrants were served at Bingo Palace on South Tamiami Trail in Venice and at another gambling location on Clark Road in Sarasota as part of Operation Early Morning. FGCC partnered with the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office to close two illegal gambling locations. Read more at https://t.co/hOOukO1Qw8. pic.twitter.com/iMkLoEUD32 — Florida Gaming Control Commission (@FLGamingControl) May 28, 2026 Investigators reported finding 69 unauthorized slot machines between the two sites. According to officials, 39 machines were removed from the Venice business and 30 were taken from the Sarasota location. Deputies also recovered $62,376 in cash connected to the machines. The case remains under investigation. The Sarasota County operation is the latest step in a statewide campaign targeting gambling businesses that operate outside Florida’s legal and regulated …

ICE impersonators are preying on immigrants amid Trump administration raids

ICE impersonators are preying on immigrants amid Trump administration raids

Published by Sam Flores

Experts, activists and officials interviewed by Noticias Telemundo warned that immigrants are easy prey for these fake agents: They often comply without resistance, may not speak or understand English well, and often fail to report crimes or withdraw from investigations and court proceedings out of fear of deportation. Noticias Telemundo reached out to at least a dozen immigrants who were victims or witnesses in documented 2025 cases. Seven did not respond or declined to talk, including two women allegedly raped by fake agents. Some cited fear of their attackers or of being identified by immigration authorities. “You never know what might happen to me or my family,” a Venezuelan who said he witnessed an impostor staging a fake “immigration operation” said. Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Calif., said, “We truly don’t know how often these crimes may be happening.” “If someone is robbed or assaulted and is undocumented, in this environment, they’re probably not going to come forward and complain to the police,” she said. “It’s very possible that this is happening a lot more than we even …

Ukraine’s Odesa Heavily Attacked In ‘Retaliation’ For Deadly Drone Raids On Moscow

Ukraine’s Odesa Heavily Attacked In ‘Retaliation’ For Deadly Drone Raids On Moscow

Published by Jenni Sidey

The Russian Defense Ministry (MoD) announced Monday that its forces executed a massive missile and drone barrage across Ukraine, which is clearly the expected big retaliatory response following Ukraine’s large-scale drone wave attack on Moscow over the weekend. Kremlin officials specifically described the new assault as indeed direct retaliation for “terrorist attacks” carried out by Kiev, which killed at least three in the Russian capital, injured dozens, hit a refinery, and unleashed havoc and fear among the population. The MoD said it targeted military and defense industrial sites, but Ukraine’s account differed. Ukrainian forces had deployed at least 130 UAVs during the capital-bound raid, and damaged a major regional airport. Large fires were spotted near major roadways, sometimes in the heart of busy city areas. Russia’s nighttime into early Monday retaliation has been expectedly fierce, as overnight it specifically targeted Odesa and Dnipro, leaving at least one person dead and over 30 injured. In the port city of Odesa, the drone strikes damaged residential buildings, a school, and a kindergarten, according to Ukrainian officials. Prior …

Why did Saudi Arabia and the UAE allegedly carry out secret bombing raids on Iran?

Why did Saudi Arabia and the UAE allegedly carry out secret bombing raids on Iran?

Published by Sam Flores

At least two Gulf states “secretly” carried out bombing raids on Iran during the latest US-Israeli war against Tehran, officials speaking on condition of anonymity told the media earlier this week.  The United Arab Emirates struck several Iranian sites in early April, including an oil refinery on Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. And Saudi Arabia also launched “numerous” air strikes against Iran towards the end of March, Reuters news agency reported Tuesday, citing two Iranian officials and two Western officials briefed on the matter. Ready and willing There has been no official confirmation of what would be a significant escalation in the conflict that has swept the Middle East, whether from Washington, Tehran, Riyadh or Abu Dhabi. If the attacks indeed took place, it would be the first time that the two Gulf states have carried out direct attacks on the Islamic Republic. “For the UAE strikes, there are photos that seem to confirm Emirati military involvement,” said Veronika Hinman, deputy …

Missouri gambling raids seize machines cash and trigger dozens of charges

Missouri gambling raids seize machines cash and trigger dozens of charges

Published by skeptic

Missouri authorities say they confiscated 35 illegal gambling machines and nearly $60,000 during a coordinated enforcement operation that stretched across four counties and targeted five separate businesses. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced the raids alongside the Missouri State Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies. Investigators carried out searches in Boone, Dallas, Jefferson and Miller counties, leading to criminal cases connected to alleged illegal gaming activity. My office remains committed to dismantling illegal gaming manufacturers, distributors, and retail stores that continue to defy law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/PrFpWhfOp8 — Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway (@AGCHanaway) May 13, 2026 Officials said authorities recovered $58,815 that investigators believe came from unlawful gambling operations. Prosecutors later filed 21 felony counts of first-degree promoting gambling tied to four businesses and five misdemeanor counts of second-degree promoting gambling connected to another location. Authorities stressed that the allegations have not been proven in court and that all defendants are presumed innocent. “The era of Missouri’s illegal gaming industry hiding behind a so-called ‘gray market’ is over,” Hanaway said in a press release. “Illegal …

FF14 announces new raids as part of Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover, with Yoko Taro supervising

FF14 announces new raids as part of Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover, with Yoko Taro supervising

Published by Daniella Wilson

Final Fantasy XIV will be getting a crossover with the cult anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, it has been revealed. The crossover comes as part of Evangelion’s 30th anniversary celebrations, with a new anime adaptation in the works from Drakengard and Nier developer Yoko Taro. Now, as part of the Fan Fest 2026 in Anaheim, FF14 director Naoki Yoshida (Yoshi-P) has announced that multiple new Evangelion-themed raids will be coming to the game in the future. Want to see this content? This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose ‘Accept and continue’ to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes. Accept and continue Dubbed ‘Ghosts of Desire’, Yoshida confirmed of the crossover’s development that, “Square Enix will be developing the content while the producer of Evangelion Yoko Taro will be fully supervising.” Yoshida continued, explaining his love for the series, noting that “I’m a massive Evangelion otaku,” before sighing and exclaiming, “Pressure!” …

Contributor: ICE raids and migrant pay cuts are devastating California economies

Contributor: ICE raids and migrant pay cuts are devastating California economies

Published by Sam Flores

Along the southern stretch of California’s Central Coast, President Trump’s crusade against immigrants has left a visceral mark. It seems these days that almost everyone there has seen or felt the aftermath of an immigration raid: cars with shattered windows left idling and businesses emptied of their usual employees and patrons. The human toll is stark. Raids around Christmas removed at least 100 people from our communities, leaving children without parents and families without primary earners — creating crises that cascade far beyond the moment of enforcement. The economic consequences of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are equally severe. Recent farmer surveys have shown that immigration raids and the fear they generate have caused farmworker shortages, particularly in labor-intensive crops such as strawberries — the region’s most valuable agricultural commodity — where fruit rots on the plant without the immigrant workers who pick it. Early research quantifying the economic impact of ICE raids in Oxnard estimates direct crop losses of $3 billion to $7 billion with significant spillover into other sectors of the economy. As …

The Chicago faith leaders who resisted Trump’s immigration raids

The Chicago faith leaders who resisted Trump’s immigration raids

Published by Sam Flores

Throughout last fall and the early part of winter, the city of Chicago felt like a war zone. In retrospect, those difficult weeks offered a preview of what would happen in Minneapolis just a few weeks later. Military transport helicopters flew overhead throughout the day and night. Heavily armed federal agents marched down Michigan Avenue wearing body armor and carrying assault rifles. In what the Trump administration termed Operation Midway Blitz, more than 3,000 people were reportedly detained or arrested by ICE officers and other agents of law enforcement. Many of those people still languish in detention centers, while many more have already been deported. More affluent and majority-white neighborhoods, in general, were spared these experiences. In those areas, daily life proceeds largely unchanged. But numerous U.S. citizens have been caught up in the administration’s mass deportation dragnets, which clearly seem to involve racial and ethnic profiling: Skin color, surname, accent and language are treated as prima facie evidence that a person may be undocumented and subject to immediate removal. Public opinion research has repeatedly …