International

ICE set to become America’s largest security force under Trump’s $75B immigration overhaul

President Donald Trump’s “great and beautiful law” is set to transform U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into the largest security agency in the country, with a projected budget of $75 billion—a figure that surpasses the military budgets of nearly every country in the world, according to experts.

Under the budget Trump signed on July 4, ICE will receive $45 billion through 2029 to build new detention centers—62% more than the entire federal prison system—which would enable the agency to detain 116,000 people daily, according to analysis by the American Immigration Council (AIC).

An additional $30 billion will fund operations, allowing the hiring of 10,000 new agents to join the existing 20,000, reaching an annual deportation capacity of 1 million people, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The budget also includes $4.1 billion to recruit 3,000 new Border Patrol agents and 3,000 Customs officers, DHS stated.

These allocations will give immigration enforcement more funding than all other U.S. law enforcement agencies combined, including the FBI, Secret Service, Department of Justice, DEA, and ATF, according to a Cato Institutereport.

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ICE’s $75 billion budget would also surpass the military budgets of all but five countries: the United States, China, Russia, India, and Saudi Arabia, according to an analysis by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

A “dramatic” and “outrageous” increase

Civil rights organizations have voiced alarm over the sweeping expansion, especially amid growing reports of human rights violations—including the deaths of 11 migrants in ICE custody since the start of the 2025 fiscal year in October, nearly matching the 12 deaths recorded during all of the previous year.

“We find it outrageous to see such a dramatic increase in funding for an agency that has spent the last several months terrorizing communities, families, and neighborhoods across the country,” said Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress (CAP), during a virtual press call.

Frank Sharry, founder of America’s Voice, a group advocating for immigration reform, described the expansion as “a shocking advance of authoritarianism,” citing incidents in which U.S. citizens have been mistakenly detained by ICE.

“This is empowering an American-style secret police force that could very well go beyond targeting innocent undocumented immigrants to include legal immigrants and U.S. citizens,” Sharry warned.

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International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.