Texas Gov. Greg Abbott unveils billboard campaign to deter migrants
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has launched a billboard campaign to deter migrants from crossing the border from Mexico into Texas. However, many of these billboards aren’t located in Texas, or even the U.S.
“How much did you pay to have your daughter raped? Many girls are raped by the coyotes you hire,” one billboard states.
Another billboard reads, “Stop. If you cross the border illegally into Texas, you will be jailed.”
A third billboard warns of kidnapped girls who tried to migrate to Texas. “For the sake of your family… stop,” it also says.
The term “coyote” commonly describes a human smuggler.
At a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 20, Abbott revealed that officials have strategically placed more than 40 billboards in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, as well as along the Texas-Mexico border. The billboards intend to warn migrants about the dangerous journey to the U.S.
“We’re here to expose the truth,” Abbott said. “The truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here. The truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way.”
The billboards are in various languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.
Abbott said the billboard campaign –– the state’s latest effort to curb illegal immigration –– will cost $100,000.
In 2021, Texas launched “Operation Lone Star” in response to the border crisis, as millions of migrants crossed into the U.S. through the southern border.
According to Abbott’s office, under Operation Lone Star, Texas law enforcement apprehended 523,100 immigrants and arrested 47,800 individuals. Also, 41,300 of them face felony charges.
Additionally, Texas law enforcement has seized more than 551 million lethal doses of fentanyl — enough to kill every man, woman and child in the U.S. and Mexico combined.
Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics have shown decreased migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border. In November 2024, there were 94,190 encounters, compared to 242,399 encounters in November 2023.
President-elect Donald Trump has also vowed to implement the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
VA funding its first study of psychedelic treatment for PTSD
The Department of Veterans Affairs is funding the department’s very first study on the use of psychedelics to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. This comes after a Food and Drug Administration panel said in June it won’t recommend the use of MDMA-assisted therapy as a treatment for PTSD in veterans.
The FDA panel said there’s no proof the benefits of using psychedelics to treat PTSD outweigh the risks. Despite the panel, the VA has set aside $1.5 million to see if that’s true.
VA researchers affiliated with Brown University and Yale University are leading the study. The study will see how MDMA-assisted therapy works for veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder.
MDMA, more commonly known as ecstasy or Molly, is often used as a party drug. Researchers believe the psychedelic compound can increase emotional openness, reduce fear and promote introspection during therapy.
At random, some participants will receive an active placebo, which will be a lower dose of the psychedelic.
The study is spurred by anecdotal evidence from veterans who turn to psychedelic therapy when traditional treatments for combat-related mental health issues don’t work for them.
A New York Times article published this week followed a group of American special operations veterans as they crossed the border into Mexico seeking treatment at a psychedelic clinic.
For years, people viewed these relatively obscure clinics as a last resort for treating drug addiction. However, more and more veterans have been turning to the unorthodox method of treatment.
According to the Times, no one tracks how many veterans turn to these clinics for help. Clinic owners estimate they see thousands of Americans every year, and that number is increasing.
The owners say some active-duty troops have even made the trek for treatment, even though it risks a court-martial.
The drug of choice for most psychedelic clinics in Mexico isn’t MDMA but ibogaine, an extract made from the bark of an African shrub.
While MDMA induces a sense of connectedness and emotional communion, ibogaine is among a group of psychedelics that create altered perceptual states. LSD and psilocybin are also among this group of drugs.
Despite the drugs’ differences, experts say MDMA and ibogaine both create neuroplasticity. Scientists say this allows the brain to heal damaged neural circuits. Imaging shows neural circuits can be shriveled up in patients with addiction, depression and PTSD.
Also, unlike MDMA-assisted therapy, psychedelic clinics typically administer ibogaine in a single dose and then follow it the next day with a dose of the poison of the Sonoran Desert toad.
That poison, nicknamed “the god molecule,” is a powerful short-acting psychedelic. It tends to give users an overwhelming feeling of spiritual connection. In most cases, the patient uses each substance just once and participates in psychotherapy before and afterward.
The VA’s study is on track to begin enrollment by September 2025 and the $1.5 million grant will spread over five years. In the meantime, the VA strongly discourages self-medicating with psychedelics or any other unprescribed substances.
Immigration surge to US since 2021 largest in history: Report
The surge in immigration to the U.S. since 2021 has been the largest in history, according to an analysis of government data by The New York Times. The annual net migration numbers reveal that, from 2021 to 2023, an average of 2.4 million immigrants arrived in the U.S. per year.
Those immigration numbers surpass the immigration boom of the late 1800s and early 1900s. This figure includes both legal and illegal immigrants.
The Times reported that during the 1850s, when the U.S. Census first began collecting statistical data, the country saw a net increase of 190,000 immigrants per year, or about 0.6% of the total population.
Between 2020 and 2023, that number exceeded 2 million migrants annually, maintaining the same percentage of about 0.6% of the U.S. population.
According to The Times, the share of the U.S. population that is foreign-born reached a new high of 15.2% in 2023. That’s up from 13.6% in 2020. The previous high was 14.8% in 1890.
The immigration surge has been driven by a variety of factors, including the Biden administration’s loosening of immigration policies, which were implemented to counter the more restrictive stance taken by President Donald Trump during his first term.
Under the Biden administration, it has become easier for asylum-seekers to cross the border. Experts said this has resulted in millions of migrants waiting years for their cases to be heard in immigration court.
According to data from TRAC (Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse) in December 2023, the immigration court backlog surpassed 3 million pending cases. The data also showed an average of 4,500 cases per immigration judge. For context, the total number of pending cases was just over half a million in 2016.
In addition to policy changes, external factors such as violence in countries like Haiti and Venezuela have forced many people to leave their homes in search of a better life.
Immigration has been one of the biggest issues for Americans during this year’s presidential election, according to exit polls. President-elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations, stricter immigration policies, and enhanced border security.
The Times said it used a combination of Census and congressional budget data and collaborated with government experts and Federal Reserve specialists to pair and analyze the immigration data.
Congress hopeful a DACA deal can be reached during Trump administration
Members of Congress are optimistic about a deal for immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children. The immigrants, known as “Dreamers” based on never-passed proposals in Congress called the DREAM Act, got a boost in their chances after President-elect Trump said he wanted them to stay.
“This is going to be a great opportunity for my colleagues on the Democrat side, who all high-fived me a couple of years back when we did a lot of substantive, bipartisan bills,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said. “Now let’s see if they’re committed to bipartisanship and actually working with President Trump to give the ‘Dreamers’ the certainty that they need.”
“I’m hopeful that we can move forward on a variety of areas where there’s common ground, involving immigration,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said. “I think we have a huge opportunity to reach bipartisan compromise on a comprehensive immigration reform.”
During an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” President-elect Trump said he wants to work with Democrats on a plan. He said many of these young immigrants are successful professionals and business owners who should stay in the U.S.
“I want to be able to work something out,” Trump said. “I think we can work with the Democrats and work something out.”
During the 2019 government shutdown, then-President Trump offered to give 700,000 DACA recipients and other immigrants with temporary protected status a three-year extension in exchange for $5.7 billion for the border wall.
The deal was not accepted.
“They’ve been here a long time, and they came as children. And my view is that people who come here as children are not responsible, the adults are responsible,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said.
President Obama started Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, in 2012 through executive action. Since that time, Congress has been unable to reach a deal to make that executive order the law of the land.
More drowned at southern border than government estimates showed: Report
A new international investigative report found that hundreds more people have drowned trying to cross into the U.S. than the U.S. and Mexican governments reported. The Washington Post, Mexican newspaper El Universal and Lighthouse Reports reviewed death records from every Mexican state and Texas county along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Through their research and data from public records requests, they found more than 1,100 people drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande from Mexico into the U.S. between 2017 and 2023.
The investigation documented 858 deaths in Texas in that span, while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 587 across the entire southwestern border.
A CBP official told the Post it was a challenge to document every death. They claimed the unit running the tracking efforts has limited funding.
The number peaked in 2022, a year when a record number of migrants tried to cross into the U.S. The report states 267 people died between the U.S. and Mexico that year.
Many of the people crossing were families. In 2023, 1 in 10 drownings involved a child, the report says.
The report found one Texas city in particular where many crossings and drownings occurred.
Eagle Pass became a hub because of its location across from a border area of Mexico considered safer than others controlled by gangs.
That area of the river is particularly tough to cross, with fast-moving currents and a sudden deep spot near the middle.
Additional challenges came from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to defy the Biden administration and enforce border security using state resources. Abbott’s administration has placed containers, buoys and barbed wire along the river to discourage crossings.
Abbott’s office told the Post that it didn’t believe the administration’s efforts, code-named Operation Lone Star, contributed to any deaths.
Abbott blamed the Biden administration, accusing it of encouraging people to take the risk of crossing.
A White House spokesperson told the Post that Biden administration policies implemented over the summer have reduced border crossings. They accused Republicans of engaging in “dangerous and inhumane political stunts.”
Trump says he’ll ‘most likely’ pardon Jan. 6 rioters on first day
In his first network TV interview since winning the election, President-elect Trump touched on some of his biggest campaign promises. He plans to start following through with them immediately when he takes office in January.
In an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker for “Meet the Press“,”” on Sunday, Dec. 8, Trump said, “A lot of it will have to do with economics. A lot’s gonna do with energy. A lot’s having to do with the border. We’re gonna immediately strengthen up the border and do a real job.”
Trump also doubled down on his promise to pardon Americans jailed for their role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
“We’re looking at it, right now,” Trump said. “Most likely, yeah.”
Trump said those arrested had no other choice than to plead guilty. He said the ones who assaulted police officers “had no choice.”
“I’m going to look at everything. We’ll look at individual cases,” Trump said. “But I’m going to be acting very quickly.”
Department of Justice records show more than 1,500 people have been arrested or charged in connection with that attack and nearly 900 have pleaded guilty.
“Everybody on that committee, for what they did, honestly, they should go to jail,” Trump said.
After the NBC interview aired, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY), who was on the committee, issued a statement saying, “Donald Trump’s suggestion that members of congress who later investigated his illegal and unconstitutional actions should be jailed is a continuation of his assault on the rule of law and the foundations of our republic.”
Trump did reiterate multiple times during Sunday’s interview he has no plans to go after political rivals, but as we’ve reported here at Straight Arrow News, President Joe Biden is considering preemptive pardons for Cheney and others who were part of the House Jan. 6 investigation, as well as Dr. Anthony Fauci and Special Counsel Jack Smith.
‘Risk and uncertainty’ as Syrian rebels oust Assad after decades in power
Syrian rebels oust dictator Bashar al-Assad, who has fled the country after nearly 25 years in power. And the suspected killer of a health care CEO in New York City is still at-large after eluding a massive manhunt for almost a week. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Dec. 9, 2024.
‘Risk and uncertainty’ as Syrian rebels oust Assad after decades in power
It’s the dawn of a new era in Syria. After more than a decade of civil war in the country, President Bashar al-Assad was ousted after rebel groups overtook the capital in a coup on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Now Syria and its people are left with the question of what comes next as countries around the world, including the United States, react to the changing landscape.
Syrians could be seen celebrating in the streets as word spread that Assad had fled the country. State media reported the president and his family landed in Russia Sunday evening and Assad has been granted political asylum in Moscow.
The toppled leader, who had been in power since 2000 and whose family had ruled for five decades, was forced to vacate after rebel forces quickly captured city after city leading to them taking control of Damascus.
Since the civil war broke out in the wake of the pro-democracy Arab Spring demonstrations of 2011, Assad’s forces have been accused of brutal severe human rights violations, including using chemical weapons against their people. They’ve been held responsible for the deaths of more than 5,000 people and the displacement of millions of others.
The rebels who led to Assad’s ouster were headed by Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Jolani called the coup “a victory for the whole Islamic nation.”
Jolani’s group used to be linked to Al Qaeda. Though it has cut those ties, the U.S. still designates it a terrorist group.
President Joe Biden spoke from the White House Sunday, calling the end of Assad’s regime a “fundamental act of justice.” Biden added the U.S. will support Syria’s neighbors Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq should any threat arise from this period of transition.
Biden referred to this as a time of “risk and uncertainty.”
“We will remain vigilante. Make no mistake, some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses,” Biden said. “We’ve taken note of statements by the leaders of these rebel groups in recent days and they’re saying the right things now. But as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words but their actions.”
Biden said Assad’s downfall came in part due to allies Iran, Russia and Hezbollah being weaker today than when Biden began his term.
President-elect Donald Trump issued a statement on his Truth Social platform Sunday, saying Iran and Russia are in weakened states right now and calling for the end of the war in Ukraine. However, in a post on Saturday, Dec. 7, Trump said the U.S. should not get involved with Syria, saying, “This is not our fight. Let it play out.”
Iran’s president said it is up to the Syrian people to decide the future of their country.
Amid the time of transition in Syria, the U.S. showed it will continue its efforts against ISIS in the region. U.S. Central Command said it launched a series of airstrikes Sunday targeting ISIS camps and leaders in central Syria, confirming 75 “targets” had been hit. U.S. officials said it will not allow ISIS to take advantage of the current situation in Syria.
Trump promises to pardon Jan. 6 rioters on first day in office
In his first network TV interview since winning the election, President-elect Trump touched on some of his biggest campaign promises and his plans to start following through with them immediately when he takes office in January.
In an interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker for Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” Trump said, “A lot of it will have to do with economics. A lot’s gonna do with energy. A lot’s having to do with the border. We’re gonna immediately strengthen up the border and do a real job.”
Trump also doubled down on his promise to pardon Americans jailed for their role in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, saying they had no other choice than to plead guilty. Department of Justice records show more than 1,500 people have been arrested or charged in connection with that attack and nearly 900 have pleaded guilty.
While Trump said he will not tell his nominees for FBI director and attorney general to go after his political rivals, he did share his opinion on what should happen to lawmakers who were on the House’s select committee to investigate January 6.
“Everybody on that committee, for what they did, honestly, they should go to jail,” he said.
After that interview, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY), who was on the committee, issued a statement saying, “Donald Trump’s suggestion that members of congress who later investigated his illegal and unconstitutional actions should be jailed is a continuation of his assault on the rule of law and the foundations of our republic.”
Trump did reiterate multiple times during Sunday’s interview he has no plans to go after political rivals, but as we’ve reported here at Straight Arrow News, President Biden is considering preemptive pardons for Cheney and others who were part of the House Jan. 6 investigation, as well as Dr. Anthony Fauci and Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Police release new images of suspect in NYC deadly shooting
The manhunt for the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson enters a new week.
Over the weekend, the NYPD released new images of the apparent suspect. Police identify the man in the pictures as “a person of interest” wanted for questioning for the fatal shooting outside a Hilton hotel Wednesday, Dec. 4.
One image shows the masked man in the back of a taxi. Another shows him walking on the sidewalk outside a vehicle. Police are hoping these images, along with others released last week, will help lead to the gunman.
Authorities reportedly traveled to Atlanta on Saturday, Dec. 7, and have been searching a lake near Central Park. On Friday night, Dec. 6, reports said investigators found a backpack believed to belong to the shooter. Inside they found two items: a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and Monopoly money.
Jay-Z accused of raping 13-year-old girl alongside Diddy
Music mogul Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs. In a civil suit filed Sunday, the anonymous accuser claimed the assault happened in 2000 at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party.
The federal lawsuit was originally filed in October only listing Combs as a defendant, but it was refiled Sunday to include Carter.
Jay-Z, who is married to Beyonce, denied the accusation and said in a statement directed at the attorney who filed the suit, “These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!”
Combs’ lawyer also responded, calling the suit a “shameless” publicity stunt.
In September, federal prosecutors in New York criminally charged Combs with racketeering, sex trafficking and other offenses. He is in jail awaiting trial, which is scheduled to start May 5.
Kennedy Center honors Coppola, Grateful Dead, The Apollo
President Biden was among those in attendance — a tradition President Trump did not continue during his first term in office, saying he did not want to be a political distraction as some attendees had threatened to boycott his appearance. As Trump gets ready to start his second term in office, there are questions about whether federal funding for the arts might be on the chopping block.
Reports: Juan Soto, Mets agree on largest contract in pro sports history
Former New York Yankees star outfielder Juan Soto is staying in the Big Apple, but moving leagues in reportedly the largest deal in professional sports history.
But should Soto decide not to opt out, his pay will reportedly go up an extra $4 million a year for the remainder of the deal — meaning in the end, this could be an over $800 million deal.
The agreement also reportedly includes a $75 million signing bonus. Soto’s deal surpasses the record set just last year by Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract.
Note: The headline has been corrected to Assad. A previous version had the incorrect name.
ICE seeks new immigration detention center in California, despite opposition
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is looking to establish a new detention center in Northern California, CalMatters reported. Democratic lawmakers have criticized the effort but will likely be unable to prevent the move.
California was unsuccessful at banning new federal immigration detention centers during President-elect Trump’s first term in office.
A federal appeals court ruled that immigration is a federal issue and determined that states cannot overstep the federal government. As of 2024, there are six ICE detention centers in California.
Federal documents revealed ICE hopes to establish a seventh detention center. The agency said it is seeking a facility “within a two-hour surface commute of an ICE field office or sub-office” and “approximately 850 to 950 detention beds,” with 15% to 20% reserved for female detainees.
The agency said it prefers to find facilities exclusively for ICE detainees. However, authorities would consider other detention facilities “housing other detained populations if separation from ICE detainees is maintained.”
The facilities can be either publicly or privately owned.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Northern California has said that immigration detention centers are plagued by severe and ongoing human rights abuses. Grievances include inadequate food, clean water and medical care, as well as bullying, harassment and sexual assault.
On Tuesday, Dec. 3, Democratic lawmakers in California urged the Biden administration to shut down a privately run immigration detention center in the state.
It remains unclear whether the Biden administration will grant the request before the president leaves office next month.
ICE is also looking to expand in Arizona, New Mexico, Washington and Oregon.
20 million fentanyl pills seized in Mexico’s largest drug bust
Mexican authorities seized over a ton of fentanyl in Sinaloa, marking the largest bust of the synthetic opioid in the country’s history. Officials said the haul, equivalent to more than 20 million doses, has an estimated street value of nearly $400 million.
The operation occurred Tuesday, Dec. 3, when military personnel spotted two armed men in Sinaloa, a region known for cartel activity. The suspects fled into two houses, where authorities discovered over 660 pounds of fentanyl in one house and a truck carrying an additional 1,750 pounds. Agents also seized several firearms and arrested two suspects at the scene.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said the bust was part of an ongoing investigation. However, analysts suggested the timing may be linked to recent pressure from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has demanded stronger action on drug trafficking and immigration.
Trump recently threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods unless both nations address the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
The synthetic opioid is a major contributor to the U.S. overdose crisis, causing approximately 70,000 deaths annually.
Fentanyl seizures in Mexico sharply declined earlier this year, with federal forces confiscating only 286 pounds nationwide between January and June — a 94% drop from 2023.
The record seizure in Sinaloa signals a potential shift in enforcement priorities as U.S.-Mexico relations face heightened scrutiny over the fentanyl crisis.
Meanwhile, U.S. authorities have intensified their own efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking. Earlier this year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 4 million fentanyl pills in Arizona, marking the largest seizure in the agency’s history.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams seeks meeting with Trump’s border czar
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, said he wants to meet with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan. Trump tapped Homan to implement a mass deportation plan.
“I would love to sit down with the border czar and hear his thoughts on how we are going to address those who are harming our citizens,” Adams said during a news conference on the afternoon of Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Under the Biden administration, more than 200,000 migrants who crossed the U.S.-southern border were bused into New York City. Adams says the city has spent $6.4 billion to assist those migrants. He also said that money could have been used to fund community schools, student enrichment programs, guidance counselors, social workers, and MetroCards for summer youth employment participants.
“The federal government made me take $6.4 billion out of providing these services that we should. We should all be angry at what happened to our city under this administration,” Adams said.
Adams has previously stated that he does not believe in the mass deportation of migrants who come to the U.S. seeking a better life and the opportunity to achieve the American dream. However, he is interested in discussing ways to remove violent migrants from New York City.
“Those who are here committing crimes, robberies, shooting at police officers, raping innocent people, have been a harm to our country. I want to sit down and hear the plan on how we are going to address them,” Adams said. “Those are the people I am talking about, and I would love to sit down with the border czar and hear his thoughts on how we are going to address those who are harming our citizens.”
“I have just been notified he wants to meet with me,” Homan said. “I’m willing to meet with him. I’m willing to meet with anybody to help make their communities safer.”
The New York Post reported Monday, Dec. 2, that nearly 60,000 migrants living in New York City have criminal records or pending criminal charges.