Israel Faces Global Backlash Over Gaza Flotilla Activists’ Treatment 
DHS Threatens to Halt International Airport Processing in Sanctuary Cities 
Mexico-EU Free Trade Deal Signals Strategic Shift Away From U.S. Dependence 
Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Refugee Camp Kills Infant and Parents Amid Fragile Ceasefire 
US Approves $108 Million Hawk Missile System Support Package for Ukraine 
Trump Sends 5,000 Additional U.S. Troops to Poland Ahead of NATO Talks on Iran War 
Rubio, Jaishankar Discuss Iran Crisis, Trade, and Energy Security During Key U.S.-India Talks 
White House Shooting Reports Prompt Major Security Response in Washington, D.C. 
Wang Yi to Lead UN Security Council Meeting and Visit Canada Amid Improving China-Canada Relations 
Rubio Says NATO Must Benefit All Members Ahead of Sweden Meeting 
Trump Signals Tough Stance on Iran Uranium Stockpile as Nuclear Talks Show Limited Progress 
China Coal Mine Explosion Death Toll Revised to 82 in Shanxi 
Marco Rubio Visits India to Rebuild U.S.-India Ties Amid Trade and Geopolitical Tensions 
Trump-China Summit Yields Limited Progress on Trade and Tech Cooperation 
Xi Jinping Orders Full Rescue After Shanxi Coal Mine Gas Explosion Kills Eight 
Taiwan Says No Notice of U.S. Arms Sales Pause Amid Iran Conflict Concerns 
World Bank Emergency Funding Demand Surges as 27 Countries Seek Crisis Support Amid Iran Conflict 
Joe Biden is announcing his nominations for key positions in other agencies and this week he has announced his picks for two immigration agencies. Biden is nominating Chris Magnus and Ur Jaddou to lead the CBP and the USCIS respectively.
Biden is set to nominate Magnus, police chief of Tucson, Arizona to lead the US Customs and Border Protection, and Jaddou to lead the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Jaddou has already been speculated to lead the agency that oversees the country’s immigration system. Jaddou served under the Obama administration as the agency’s chief counsel and led the Biden-Harris DHS transition review team.
Magnus previously served as the police chief of Richmond, California for 10 years. Prior to that, Magnus also served as police chief of Fargo, North Dakota. If he is confirmed, Magnus would be in charge of the country’s largest law enforcement agency and second-largest revenue collecting department in the federal government.
Magnus would be taking over the duties from acting CBP head Troy Miller if he is confirmed. The CBP has 60,000 employees. The agency has not had a confirmed commissioner since Kevin McAleenan, who was eventually appointed as Acting Homeland Security Secretary.
Magnus is also known to have been critical of the Trump administration, writing an op-ed piece for NYT back in 2017 when he was still serving as police chief. Magnus criticized the Trump administration for its stance against “sanctuary cities.”
“Washington is trying to retaliate against them by withholding funding for things like crime prevention, drug treatment, and mental health programs,” wrote Magnus. “When crime victims and witnesses are unwilling to testify because they’re afraid and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent will be waiting to arrest them at the courtroom doors, real criminals go unpunished.”
In other news, Biden will be joining his former colleague and predecessor Barack Obama in an hour-long tv special on NBC to promote COVID-19 vaccinations. This is part of the efforts to get reluctant Americans to receive their vaccine. The special also comes following the news of the halt of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine distribution after six cases of a “rare and severe” type of blood clot were reported.
