DOJ Files to Revoke Citizenship of Former Mayor Over Alleged Fraud

Former North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime allegedly used two identities and made false statements to authorities during his bid for U.S. citizenship.

The U.S. Department of Justice in Washington on Jan. 6, 2026.

The Trump administration said Feb. 20 it has filed court papers to strip a former elected official in Florida of U.S. citizenship for allegedly committing fraud during the naturalization process.

The civil legal process against former North Miami Mayor Philippe Bien-Aime was initiated months after the federal government made a policy announcement.

In June 2025, the government said it would begin prioritizing the denaturalization of foreign-born citizens who either “illegally procured” naturalization or procured naturalization by “concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.”

Bien-Aime, a native of Haiti, used two identities to secure immigration benefits and eventually obtain U.S. citizenship after unlawfully entering the United States, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) said in a statement.

CIS said the fraud was confirmed by comparing the fingerprints he provided while using the two identities, as part of a joint project carried out by CIS and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

CIS alleged that before he became a U.S. citizen using the name Philippe Bien-Aime, the individual used a fraudulent passport with a switched photo to come to the United States under the name Jean Philippe Janvier. As Janvier, he was ordered deported. He later withdrew his appeal and represented that he had returned to Haiti.

In reality, according to CIS, he remained in the United States, used a new name and birthdate, and was married to a U.S. citizen to procure permanent resident status. The marriage was invalid because he was already married to a citizen of Haiti. He also made various false statements during the immigration and naturalization process and became a U.S. citizen in 2006 using the Bien-Aime identity, CIS alleged.

The DOJ said in a statement that a legal complaint was filed Feb. 18 with the U.S. District Court in Miami to launch the denaturalization proceeding against Bien-Aime. Miami-based U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said U.S. citizenship “is a privilege grounded in honesty and allegiance to this country.”

“The complaint alleges that this defendant built his citizenship on fraud — using false identities, false statements, and a sham marriage to evade a lawful removal order,” Quiñones said in the DOJ statement.

“The fact that he later served as an elected mayor makes the alleged deception even more serious, because public office carries a duty of candor and respect for the rule of law,” he added.

Assistant U.S. Attorney General Brett Shumate said the Trump administration “will not permit fraudsters and tricksters who cheat their way to the gift of U.S. citizenship.”

“The passage of time does not diminish blatant immigration fraud,” he said in the statement.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/doj-files-to-revoke-citizenship-of-former-mayor-over-alleged-fraud-5988343?ea_src=frontpage&ea_med=section-1

Mexico Erupts in Flames After Reported Death of Largest Terrorist Cartel Boss, El Mencho

Cartel gunmen have begun carrying out terrorist attacks in various states in Mexico in response to the reported death of the country’s most powerful terrorist cartel leader, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes. Mexico’s government has not officially confirmed his death.

The chaos began on Sunday early morning when cartel gunmen began setting up blockades in four key states that are controlled by El Mencho’s terrorist organization Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG), one of several cartels that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

The gunmen deployed road spikes, carjacked vehicles, set fire to buildings, and brought several cities to a standstill in the border state of Tamaulipas, as well as the central state of Guanajuato and the western states of Michoacan and Jalisco. Soon after, states like Nayarit, Colima, and others reported similar chaos. The hyperviolent reaction follows a high-profile military operation carried out in the state of Jalisco, where military forces reportedly killed El Mencho during a clash with his gunmen.

Several top news organizations in Mexico began reporting the death of El Mencho on Sunday morning. The death of the top cartel figure has not been confirmed by Mexico’s government.

Breitbart Texas consulted with key sources within the Mexican government and with various U.S. agencies that are part of the intelligence community, which revealed that the current information and available intelligence point to a strong possibility that Mexican military forces killed the elusive cartel figure. Other information points to an attempt to capture one of his top lieutenants and additional operations aimed at decapitating CJNG.

As violence erupted across the region, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Mexico issued a security alert, warning, “Due to ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, U.S. citizens in the named locations should shelter in place until further notice.”

If confirmed, the death of El Mencho or the capture of top CJNG figures would strengthen the credibility of Mexico’s efforts to fight drug cartels as requested by the Trump administration. In the past, Mexico had acted against other organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel, the Gulf Cartel, and other smaller cartels — CJNG remained largely untouched.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2026/02/22/mexico-erupts-in-flames-after-reported-death-of-largest-terrorist-cartel-boss-el-mencho/

Israel to form global alliance against radical Islam, says Netanyahu

Prime Minister Netanyahu lays out vision for “hexagon” of alliances with India, moderate Arab states, African nations, and Mediterranean allies to form a bulwark against both the Iranian axis and radical Sunni Islam.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans on Sunday to form an international alliance against radical Islam, forming a bulwark against both the Iranian-centered Shi’ite axis and the radical Sunni axis.

Netanyahu laid out his vision while addressing ministers at the opening of the weekly government meeting, during which he touted his ties with the Trump administration.

“We have a unique and, in my opinion, historic alliance with the United States, both nation-to-nation and through my personal relationship with President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “This alliance does not mean that we are not seeking additional alliances; on the contrary, we are cultivating them constantly.”

The prime minister highlighted his “special relationship” with his Indian counterpart, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that India could become a major partner in a new alliance to counter radical Islam.

That alliance, Netanyahu predicted, will span Europe, Asia, and Africa, bringing together countries including Israel, India, Greece, and moderate Arab states.

“I want to say something regarding the diplomatic aspect: In the vision I see before me, we will create an entire system, essentially a ‘hexagon’ of alliances around or within the Middle East.”

“This includes India, Arab nations, African nations, Mediterranean nations (Greece and Cyprus), and nations in Asia that I won’t detail at the moment. I will present this in an organized manner.”

“The intention here is to create an axis of nations that see eye-to-eye on the reality, challenges, and goals against the radical axes, both the radical Shia axis, which we have struck very hard, and the emerging radical Sunni axis.”

“All of these nations share a different perception, and our cooperation can yield great results and, of course, ensure our resilience and our future.”

https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-to-form-global-alliance-against-radical-islam-says-netanyahu/?vwo_powered=1

PEAK Desperation! Katie Porter's Bizarre, Creepy, Curse-Filled Anti-Trump Rant BOMBS

Full transparency, we totally forgot that Katie Porter was running for governor. In our defense, she's such a horrible politician and person in general (we've seen how she treats her staff and we know she dumped scalding hot mashed potatoes on her ex-husband) so we don't feel too terribly bad for forgetting about her.

The last time she popped up on our radar she was verbally abusing her staff ... and now she's on our radar again for doing something similar.

Watch this crazy woman.

Post continues:

... kindergarteners in her awful, sing-songy child-scold voice and cadence while giving vent to the only unifier still holding the ratbag of team donkey together:  hatred of trump.

but that is not a platform.

she is at once vulgar and vapid, a sort of demented and deranged cartoon of politics that reaches past mere negative campaigning and deep into self indictment as a bereft and barren movement seeking nothing, no principle, no real aim outside of its own self-perpetuation.

i'm not sure there is really anything left here that can stand as a simple positive.  as they stand in the ruins of DEI, socialist takings, taxes, eco-lunacy and energy destruction, damaged children, deficits, and systemic failures unable to chart a new course or defend what they have wrought in the golden state, they seek any message they can at least get some sort of cheer from, the desperate overreach of a failing comedian whose jokes have turned desperately dark.

the shrillery of the collapsing echo chamber grows ever more intense and ever less meaningful.

this seems like a group in the final stages of eating itself.

will the last donkey out please turn out the lights...

We really really really hope he's right, especially after what Abigail Spanberger somehow magically pulled off in Virginia.

Tiresome is a really good word for this broad.

She is definitely the sort of woman who cuts in line and screams at you if you notice.

https://twitchy.com/samj/2026/02/22/katie-porter-curse-filled-anti-trump-speech-n2425290

DHS Suspends TSA PreCheck and Global Entry As Winter Storm Hits During Democrat Shutdown

The Department of Homeland Security suspended TSA PreCheck and Global Entry nationwide at 6 a.m. Sunday, as the Democrat-triggered DHS shutdown entered its second week and just as a major winter storm moves into the Northeast air corridor.

More than 40 million vetted travelers rely on those expedited screening programs. Now, as snow and ice threaten major hubs from Washington to Boston, corridors that handle thousands of daily departures, those passengers are being routed back into standard security lines.

DHS is pausing the programs as part of emergency staffing measures following Congress's failure to pass funding.

The department is pausing its TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs — one of several emergency measures the agency said it is taking to redirect staffing....

Security checkpoints remain open. TSA officers are still screening passengers. But expedited benefits are suspended, enrollment operations are halted, and trusted-traveler privileges are effectively stripped during a funding fight. In prior federal shutdowns, enrollment slowed, but PreCheck lanes and Global Entry kiosks remained operational. This suspension goes further.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem placed the blame squarely on Democrats.

“This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,” Noem said. “Shutdowns have serious real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security.”

Under DHS’s September 2025 shutdown plan, roughly 90 percent of the workforce continues operating, many without pay. The first missed paycheck is scheduled for March 3, including for an estimated 63,000 TSA officers staffing airport checkpoints nationwide.

Noem described the broader operational tradeoffs now underway.

“The American people depend on this department every day, and we are making tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians,” she said, adding that TSA and Customs and Border Protection are focusing on “the general traveling public” while suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.

Those reallocations collide with winter weather that slows aircraft rotations, requires 20–40 minute de-icing procedures, widens departure spacing, and increases the risk of cascading cancellations. Crews can time out under federal work limits. Rebooked passengers flood terminals. In those moments, expedited screening lanes normally act as a release valve.

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Read More: Backfire - DHS Shutdown Now Halts ICE Oversight

Kristi Noem Lays Bare the Democrat Dishonesty As FEMA Works Without Pay to Clean Up DC Sewage

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TSA PreCheck moves vetted travelers through dedicated lanes, easing strain on standard screening. Global Entry accelerates customs processing for international arrivals. With both programs suspended during the DHS shutdown, more passengers are forced into general screening flows precisely as storm-related congestion builds.

Democrats argue that the shutdown leverage is necessary to impose new immigration enforcement restrictions. But the first visible consequence is not policy reform; it is longer lines for travelers and missed paychecks for TSA agents.

The storm will pass. The shutdown will not, and until Democrats fund DHS, the bottleneck will be at the checkpoint.

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Update: The TSA shared a post to X indicating that, as of Sunday morning, Pre-Check remains operational, subject to change, based on staffing needs. Courtesy escorts, including those for Members of Congress? Not so much. 

https://redstate.com/ben-smith/2026/02/22/dhs-suspends-tsa-precheck-and-global-entry-as-winter-storm-hits-during-democrat-shutdown-n2199426

America Is Back: Team USA Sweeps Canada to Take Home Gold in Milan

They’ve achieved it—completing a sweep in Milan. Team USA secured gold medals in both women’s and men’s hockey. It has been 46 years since our team last won gold following the Miracle on Ice against the Soviets in 1980 at Lake Placid, New York. This time in Milan, the USA men's hockey team defeated longtime rival Canada in an epic game. US goalie Connor Hellebuyck delivered an outstanding performance against a fiercely aggressive Canadian team that applied intense pressure throughout. 

Canada outshot the Americans 41-26, applying intense pressure throughout the second and third periods. American player Matt Boldy opened the scoring with a 1-0 lead, but Canada’s Cale Makar equalized in the second, which was expected since Hellebuyck was besieged. The Canadian forecheck was exceptional, with moments when they looked poised to pull away. There was a moment where it was five-on-three after two penalties on the US, but America's special teams held firm, capping off a 100 percent penalty kill rate during these games. 

During overtime, which features three-on-three play for 20 minutes, Jack Hughes scored the game-winning golden goal, beating Canada 2-1, concluding what was a beautiful hockey game.  

What a game. What a goal. America is back! 

Do you believe in miracles? YES! 

The USA Women's team also beat Canada 2-1, with this game-winner from Megan Keller to take home the gold.

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2026/02/22/cue-free-bird-team-usa-beats-archrival-canada-to-take-home-the-gold-in-milan-n2671704 

Armed man shot and killed after ‘unauthorized entry’ into Mar-a-Lago: Secret Service

Suspect identified as 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina

A man in his early 20s was shot and killed early Sunday after allegedly breaching the secure perimeter of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the U.S. Secret Service announced.

The Secret Service said the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. when the suspect made an "unauthorized entry" at the property.

The individual was observed near the north gate carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can.

Agents and a deputy from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) confronted the man who was pronounced dead at the scene. 

SECRET SERVICE THWARTS POTENTIAL THREAT NEAR TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS WITH RAPID RESPONSE

An aerial view shows the Mar-a-Lago estate and the north gate in Palm Beach, Florida, following reports of a shooting incident, Feb. 22, 2026. 

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw confirmed to Fox News that the suspect was 21-year-old Austin Tucker Martin of North Carolina.

No Secret Service or PBSO personnel were injured, and no Secret Service protectees were present at the location during the time of the incident, officials said. Trump was also not in Florida when the shooting occurred.

The FBI, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office are investigating, including the man’s background, actions and potential motive, as well as the use of force.

Bradshaw said at a press conference that a deputy and two Secret Service agents on the detail went to investigate after an individual made his way onto the "inner perimeter" of Mar-a-Lago.

BONGINO DETAILS FBI’S ‘ZERO-FAIL MISSION’ AFTER HUNTING STAND FOUND NEAR TRUMP’S AIR FORCE ONE EXIT AREA

A moving truck is parked outside Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 18, 2021.

"They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him – at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position," Bradshaw told reporters. "At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat."

He said the suspect did not exchange any words with law enforcement officers who instructed the man to "drop the items."

FBI Miami Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles said the bureau is assisting in the investigation because the shooting occurred in an area under Secret Service protection.

The man who was shot and killed after allegedly breaching the secure perimeter at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, was observed carrying what appeared to be a shotgun and a fuel can. 

He said the FBI’s evidence response team is processing the scene and collecting evidence, and urged residents who live nearby to review their exterior cameras for footage from Saturday night into early Saturday morning. 

"If you see anything that looks suspicious or out of place, please contact us," he told reporters.

FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X that his agency "is dedicating all necessary resources in the investigation of this morning’s incident," and "will continue working closely with @SecretService as well our state and federal partners and will provide updates as we are able."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/armed-man-shot-killed-after-unauthorized-entry-mar-a-lago-secret-service