Category: News
Llamadas al 911 revelan sufrimiento de los internos en el mayor centro de detención del ICE
Por MORGAN LEE, RYAN J. FOLEY y MICHAEL BIESECKER
EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Las llamadas al 911 del personal de Camp East Montana, en Texas, el mayor centro de detención del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés), se sucedieron a un ritmo de casi una al día durante cinco meses, cada una con su propio relato de dolor y desesperación.
Un hombre solloza tras ser agredido por otro detenido. Otro se golpea la cabeza contra la pared tras manifestar ideas suicidas. Una mujer embarazada se quejó de un fuerte dolor de espalda y además tenía coronavirus.
“Cada día se sentía como una semana. Cada semana se sentía como un mes. Cada mes se sentía como un año”, relató Owen Ramsingh, exadministrador de propiedades en Columbia, Missouri, que pasó varias semanas en el campamento antes de ser deportado en febrero a Holanda. “Camp East Montana era 1.000% peor que una prisión”.
Impulsadas por miles de millones de dólares en nueva financiación, las operaciones del ICE en todo el país han sacudido comunidades, separado familias y creado una cultura de miedo en aras de cumplir la promesa del presidente Donald Trump de librar al país de migrantes sin autorización.
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NOTA DEL EDITOR — En esta historia se hace mención del suicidio. Si usted o alguien que conoce necesita ayuda, la línea nacional de prevención del suicidio y crisis en Estados Unidos está disponible por teléfono o enviando un mensaje de texto al 988. También hay un chat en línea en 988lifeline.org
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Los arrestos masivos han hecho crecer los centros de detención y han hecho que el ICE emprenda una búsqueda nacional de espacio para alojar a los detenidos. Lejos de los “peores de los peores” que Trump prometió deportar, los datos de la agencia muestran que el 80% de los internos en el campamento no tenían antecedentes penales y, en cambio, quedaron atrapados en una redada de gran alcance.
Camp East Montana luce como una aldea improvisada, con seis largas carpas a lo largo de un tramo del desierto de Chihuahua, a las afueras de El Paso, en la base Fort Bliss del Ejército de Estados Unidos, que en su día albergó un campo de internamiento para estadounidenses de origen japonés durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Dentro del campamento, construido a toda prisa, una serie de módulos de vida comunitaria aloja a miles de inmigrantes con uniformes codificados por colores y zapatos tipo Crocs.
Pero los relatos sobre las condiciones en la instalación, revelados en datos y grabaciones de más de un centenar de llamadas al 911 obtenidas por The Associated Press —además de entrevistas de seguimiento y documentos judiciales— ofrecen un inquietante retrato de hacinamiento, negligencia médica, desnutrición y angustia emocional.
Los detenidos describen un campamento donde, en promedio, han vivido unas 3.000 personas por día en espacios ruidosos e insalubres, en los que las enfermedades se propagan con facilidad y dormir es un lujo. El centro permanecerá cerrado a visitantes al menos hasta el 19 de marzo debido a un brote de sarampión, según la representante federal Veronica Escobar.
Los detenidos tienen dificultades para obtener medicamentos y atención médica, pierden cantidades preocupantes de peso por falta de comida y viven con miedo a los guardias de seguridad privada, conocidos por usar la fuerza para sofocar disturbios. Los techos de las carpas sin ventanas gotean cuando llueve y solo ven la luz del sol durante breves salidas una o dos veces por semana a un estrecho patio de recreación.
En un correo electrónico, un portavoz del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés) que no proporcionó su nombre rechazó las afirmaciones de condiciones deficientes y sostuvo que los detenidos de Camp East Montana reciben comida, agua y tratamiento médico en una instalación que se limpia con regularidad.
La agencia indicó el martes que las operaciones normales continúan en el campamento. The Washington Post informó el miércoles que el ICE ya estudia un plan para cerrarlo.
Un detenido afirma que los guardias apuestan sobre el suicidio
Al igual que otros detenidos, Ramsingh contó que, en los periodos entre limpiezas, las habitaciones, los baños y las duchas a menudo estaban sucios e infestados de insectos. Señaló que los detenidos robaban la comida de otros porque todos tenían hambre debido a las pequeñas raciones que, a veces, eran incomibles, lo que provocaba peleas, y que las condiciones afectaron su salud mental.
Dijo que, en un momento dado, escuchó a un guardia de seguridad hablar sobre apuestas hechas entre el personal acerca de qué detenido sería el siguiente en morir por suicidio. El guardia comentó que había aportado 500 dólares a una bolsa común, y que el monto total dependía del resultado. La conversación fue especialmente perturbadora, explicó, porque él mismo había contemplado quitarse la vida.
El portavoz del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional afirmó que el relato de Ramsingh era falso, aunque no dio indicios de cómo la agencia había intentado verificarlo.
Ramsingh dijo que se enteró de la bolsa de apuestas después del 3 de enero, cuando el ICE informó que los guardias de seguridad intervinieron tras el intento de un hombre cubano de 55 años de autolesionarse y luego usaron esposas y fuerza para inmovilizarlo. Un médico forense determinó que la muerte de Geraldo Lunas Campos fue un homicidio causado por asfixia.
El 14 de enero, el personal reportó que un hombre nicaragüense de 36 años murió por suicidio días después de ser detenido mientras trabajaba en Minnesota.
Además de esos casos, los detenidos intentaron hacerse daño a ellos mismos mientras expresaban ideas suicidas en al menos otras seis ocasiones que derivaron en llamadas al 911, según registros de la ciudad de El Paso obtenidos bajo la ley de información pública de Texas.
El DHS indicó que el personal médico de la instalación “vigila de cerca a los detenidos en riesgo”, brinda tratamiento de salud mental e intenta prevenir los intentos de suicidio.
Ramsingh era residente permanente legal y fue llevado a Estados Unidos a los 5 años, cuando su madre neerlandesa se casó con un miembro de las fuerzas armadas de Estados Unidos. Se casó con una ciudadana estadounidense en 2015.
Pero a los 45 años, las autoridades migratorias lo detuvieron en el aeropuerto O’Hare de Chicago en septiembre, tras volver a casa de un viaje para visitar a su familia en Holanda. Mencionaron una condena por drogas de cuando tenía 16 años, por la que cumplió pena de prisión hace décadas. Fue uno de los primeros detenidos enviados a Camp East Montana.
“Es mentalmente agotador”
Otras emergencias médicas incluyeron convulsiones, problemas en el pecho y el corazón, según la revisión de AP de 130 llamadas realizadas desde la inauguración del campamento a mediados de agosto hasta el 20 de enero.
“No es fácil aquí dentro, psicológicamente”, expresó el detenido Roland Kusi, de 31 años, quien dijo que huyó de Camerún en 2022 para escapar de la violencia política. “Sigues pensando, todo el tiempo, pensando y pensando en una solución… En verdad es mentalmente agotador”.
Las autoridades migratorias lo arrestaron en septiembre en Chicago, durante una cita con su esposa, integrante de la Guardia Nacional del Ejército, para registrar su matrimonio en busca de la residencia legal para él. Fue trasladado de inmediato a El Paso.
Un inmigrante cubano de unos 50 años dijo a la AP que solicitó recibir su medicación para la diabetes, la hipertensión y la hiperplasia prostática durante una detención de seis semanas en Camp East Montana, pero nunca llegó. El hombre habló bajo condición de anonimato por temor a represalias.
Desesperado, contó que una vez se negó a salir de los dormitorios cuando llegó un equipo de limpieza. Un funcionario de inmigración le ofreció ibuprofeno y lo instó a considerar la posibilidad de irse a otro país.
Temiendo morir, el hombre aceptó autodeportarse a México, a Ciudad Juárez —al otro lado de la frontera internacional, lejos de su esposa y su hijo de 11 años, que radican en El Paso.
Los detenidos lesionados van de adolescentes a jubilados
Los detenidos, en su mayoría hombres, provienen de todo el mundo. Algunos han vivido en Estados Unidos durante décadas.
El campamento está destinado a estancias de corto plazo antes de que los detenidos sean trasladados o deportados. La estancia promedio es de solo nueve días, según datos del ICE, pero algunos detenidos han permanecido durante meses en medio de procesos judiciales o problemas logísticos relacionados con la deportación. Ramsingh dijo que quedó atrapado allí durante semanas después de que se ordenó su deportación porque el ICE perdió su pasaporte neerlandés. Sus pertenencias personales, incluidas joyas de oro, también desaparecieron.
Defensores de los detenidos y algunos miembros del Congreso han pedido el cierre del campamento, mencionando condiciones inhumanas.
Escobar, representante demócrata de El Paso que ha recorrido el campamento varias veces, afirmó: “Esta instalación no debería estar en operación. Parece como si este contratista estuviera reinventando la rueda, y la gente pierde la vida en su experimento”.
Señaló que la instalación había reducido temporalmente su población por debajo de 1.900 cuando la visitó el mes pasado, después de que se reportaran casos de sarampión y tuberculosis.
En una visita, una detenida le mostró a Escobar una escasa porción de huevos revueltos que se sirvió aún congelada en el centro. Se enteró de que los detenidos protestaron después de que dejaron de recibir jugo, fruta y leche con sus comidas.
La representante también se reunió con un detenido de Ecuador que dijo que le habían roto el brazo durante un arresto violento por parte de agentes de inmigración en Minnesota. Semanas después, seguía suplicando un tratamiento médico adecuado y la congresista aún podía ver los huesos fracturados del antebrazo sobresaliendo bajo la piel.
“Le pregunté: ‘¿Has pedido ayuda?’ Y él me dijo: ‘Pido todos los días, todo el día. Y lo único que me dan es aspirina’”, recordó.
Desaparece informe de inspección
The Washington Post informó en septiembre que, en una inspección obligatoria del ICE, se encontró que las condiciones en la instalación violaban al menos 60 normas federales de detención migratoria, pero ese informe nunca se ha publicado.
El portavoz del DHS no explicó por qué, pero calificó de falsas las afirmaciones del reportaje de The Washington Post. También dijo que la Oficina de Supervisión de Detención del ICE completó recientemente una inspección en Camp East Montana, pero ese informe tampoco se ha divulgado.
El campamento se construyó apresuradamente el verano pasado después de que el gobierno otorgó un contrato que ahora vale hasta 1.300 millones de dólares a Acquisition Logistics LLC, un contratista de Virginia que nunca había operado una instalación del ICE.
La empresa emplea a subcontratistas en Camp East Montana, incluida la firma de seguridad Akima Global Services y el contratista médico Loyal Source.
Escobar pidió una investigación sobre los contratistas, al afirmar que no prestaban los servicios por los que los contribuyentes estaban pagando.
“Debería conmover a la gente la crueldad absoluta, pero si no es así, espero que les conmuevan el fraude y la corrupción”, manifestó.
Akima no respondió a los mensajes en busca de comentarios. Loyal Source declinó comentar.
Convulsiones y peleas
La mayoría de las llamadas al 911 fueron realizadas por el personal médico contratado del campamento. Al menos 20 incidentes se reportaron como convulsiones, entre ellos, algunos que provocaron traumatismos craneales.
Algunas lesiones se originaron en peleas entre detenidos, como en el caso de un hombre que dijo haber recibido una patada en la oreja y que lo habían golpeado en las costillas. Otro hombre informó que no podía mover el ojo izquierdo tras haber sido agredido el día anterior.
Una mujer con 12 semanas de embarazo no había recibido atención prenatal antes de su llegada a Camp East Montana y tenía un intenso dolor, revelaron las llamadas al 911. Ella formó parte de un pequeño número de emergencias relacionadas con mujeres, que representan menos del 10% de la población del campamento.
Las llamadas también revelaron desacuerdos entre el personal. Se escucha a un médico reprender a otro empleado por intentar llevar de vuelta a un detenido con ideas suicidas a la instalación de detención en lugar de a la sala de emergencias, para luego darse cuenta de que habían confundido a dos pacientes distintos.
Después de que un detenido intentó suicidarse mientras estaba en una sala de aislamiento, se pudo escuchar a un médico hablando con un colega conmocionado. Un supervisor de seguridad le aseguró, según dijo el médico, que incidentes “como este no deberían ocurrir”.
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Foley informó desde Iowa City, Iowa, y Biesecker informó desde Washington.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Iran won’t compete at Paralympics as its only athlete can’t travel safely to Italy
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Iran will not participate in the Milan Cortina Paralympics because its only athlete set to compete can’t safely travel to Italy amid the intensifying Middle East conflict, the International Paralympic Committee said Friday.
The announcement that Aboulfazl Khatibi won’t compete came just hours ahead of the opening ceremony in Verona. The Games are beginning less than a week since the United States and Israel launched a military attack against Iran.
“Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2022 Paralympian cannot travel safely to Italy,” the IPC said.
Khatibi was set to compete in two Para cross-country events beginning next week. He had been announced as Iran’s flagbearer but was not going to actually carry the flag — volunteers will be handed the task for all nations because not all flagbearers will be able to attend the ceremony for logistics and training issues.
The IPC said Iran’s flag was removed from the nations’ parade at the opening ceremony on Friday.
Guide to the 6 sports at the Milan Cortina Winter Paralympics
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/06/iran-paralympics-aboulfazl-khatibi/
From ‘Model Migrant’ To Wife-Chopper: Integration Poster-Boy Accused Of Grisly Murder
From ‘Model Migrant’ To Wife-Chopper: Integration Poster-Boy Accused Of Grisly Murder
The Eritrean migrant accused of dismembering his partner and the mother of his daughter was once held up as a “model migrant” 10 years ago in a variety of German newspapers. These papers reported that he was an example of how “integration” could work.
Today, 41-year-old Asmerom G. is accused of butchering his own wife. In fact, authorities have still not found her head.
German media were still singing his praises in 2016. The man from Eritrea had landed a job as an electrical assistant at a firm in Rheinbach, in North Rhine-Westphalia, and gave interviews about leaving his homeland three years earlier to escape political persecution.
He wanted German citizenship, he said. His boss at the time was quick to describe Asmerom G. as talented, reliable, and “capable of anything,” according to Bild newspaper.
However, then reality arrived. Within a year, Asmerom G. was in trouble with the law. A brawl led to a conviction for grievous bodily harm at Siegburg District Court, earning him a six-month suspended sentence.
He moved on from Rheinbach and took up work behind the wheel of a freight truck.
Somewhere along the way, he made a trip back to his home country — for reasons that remain unclear — and returned to Germany with a woman named Weghata A., who was 31, his wife under Eritrean law.
On July 26, 2025, she delivered their daughter.
Three months later, Weghata A. was dead.
What happened next garnered headlines across Germany.
On Nov. 17, on Autobahn 45 near Olpe on Nov. 17, a driver said she spotted something on the side of the road. When officers investigated, they found two severed women’s hands. Forensic teams matched the fingerprints to Weghata A., who had already been reported missing from her asylum accommodation in Bonn, where she had been living alone with her infant daughter.
Days later, Weghata A.’s torso was recovered, but her head remains missing.
The baby was found the day before, alive and unharmed, abandoned in a stroller in Hesse outside the Kröffelbach monastery in Waldsolms. A monk found the child and two handwritten notes giving only her name and date of birth.
While investigators quickly identified Asmerom G. as the prime suspect, he had already boarded a flight to Ethiopia. He was arrested there in late November.
In early February, he was extradited back to Germany, where he is now in pre-trial detention.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 03/06/2026 – 10:00
Introducing the 2025-26 Post-Tribune Girls Basketball All-Area Team
The selections include four players each from Crown Point and Valparaiso and three players each from Chesterton and Marquette.
FIRST TEAM
Lillian Barnes, Valparaiso, senior, guard: Averaged 21.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 4.9 steals for Duneland Athletic Conference and Class 4A sectional champion. School’s career scoring leader and team’s career leader in assists and steals. Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Senior All-State Supreme 15, conference MVP. Ball State recruit.
Laniah Davis, Marquette, senior, guard: Averaged 20.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 3.4 steals for Class 1A sectional champion. School’s career scoring leader and team’s career leader in steals. IBCA Senior All-State Supreme 15. Northern Illinois recruit.
Kylah Patterson, Morton, junior, forward: Averaged 27.2 points, 15.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 5.0 steals and 1.5 blocked shots. Team’s career scoring leader. IBCA Underclass All-State Supreme 15.
Ava Richie, Crown Point, sophomore, guard: Averaged 16.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.5 steals for Class 4A regional champion. IBCA Large School Underclass All-State, all-conference.
Jordan Steele, Highland, senior, guard/forward: Averaged 22.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.8 steals for Class 3A sectional champion. Team’s career scoring leader. IBCA Large School Senior All-State, conference player of the year. Indiana Northwest recruit.
SECOND TEAM
Jill Beaderstadt, Lake Central, sophomore, forward/center: Averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds. All-conference.
Ivy Henderson, Crown Point, junior, forward/center: Averaged 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds for Class 4A regional champion. Honorable mention IBCA Underclass All-State, all-conference.
Indiah Hutchinson, Hammond Central, senior, guard/forward: Averaged 18.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.9 blocked shots. Team’s career leader in points, rebounds, assists and blocks. IBCA Large School Senior All-State. Howard recruit.
Delilah Kincaid, Valparaiso, junior, forward: Averaged 12.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals for Class 4A sectional and DAC champion. Honorable mention IBCA Underclass All-State, all-conference. Bowling Green softball recruit.
Saffy Thompson-Woods, Morgan Township, junior, guard: Averaged 18.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 3.2 steals. Honorable mention IBCA Underclass All-State, conference co-MVP.
Kouts’ Avery Elijah drives to the basket during a nonconference game against Hanover Central in Cedar Lake on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Mandy Coppinger / Post-Tribune)
THIRD TEAM
Olivia Adams, Kankakee Valley, junior, forward/center: Averaged 11.4 points and 9.3 rebounds for Northwest Crossroads Conference and Class 3A sectional champion. Honorable mention IBCA Underclass All-State, all-conference.
Lela Edmonds, East Chicago Central, senior, guard/forward: Averaged 13.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
Avery Elijah, Kouts, freshman, guard: Averaged 13.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 5.9 steals. Team’s single-season leader in steals. Honorable mention IBCA Underclass All-State, all-conference.
Marissa Pleasant, Marquette, junior, guard: Averaged 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals for Class 1A sectional champion. Team’s career leader in 3-pointers. Honorable mention IBCA Underclass All-State.
Kylie Simpson, Wheeler, sophomore, guard: Averaged 15.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.5 steals. Honorable mention IBCA Underclass All-State, all-conference.
Hanover Central’s Sienna Stilley (32) calls a play during a nonconference game against Kouts in Cedar Lake on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (Mandy Coppinger / Post-Tribune)
HONORABLE MENTION
• Savannah Ballard, Highland, junior, guard
• Ella Boyanski, Chesterton, freshman, guard
• Novea Brandon, Chesterton, junior, guard
• Chyanne Brown, Valparaiso, junior, forward
• Brooklyn Campbell, Washington Township, senior, forward/center
• Cadynce Clark, Valparaiso, senior, guard
• Brooke Dawson, Lowell, junior, guard
• Sidney Hale, Crown Point, sophomore, guard/forward
• Gatlin Hanrath, Lowell, junior, forward
• Kurah Krucina, Hobart, junior, guard
• Camry Krueger, Kankakee Valley, sophomore, guard
• Ecrin Mart, Bishop Noll, senior, guard
• Lindsi McGuffey, Chesterton, sophomore, guard
• Arroya Mongerie, Munster, senior, guard
• Delaney Myers, Andrean, sophomore, guard/forward
• Emma Myszak, Lake Central, sophomore, guard
• Addison Penziol, Marquette, senior, guard
• Ava Punak, Crown Point, junior, forward
• Keilaeyah Roundtree, LaPorte, senior, forward/center
• Sienna Stilley, Hanover Central, senior, forward/center
• Morgan Von Ogden, Griffith, senior, guard/forward
• Giniya Williams, Bishop Noll, sophomore, forward/center
• Melaney Williams, Merrillville, senior, forward
• De’Zyrra Willingham, Morton, sophomore, guard
• Camryn Young, Griffith, freshman, guard
Grupo alemán Axel Springer comprará al británico Telegraph Media Group por 766 millones de dólares
Associated Press
LONDRES (AP) — El grupo mediático alemán Axel Springer acordó comprar al propietario del periódico británico Daily Telegraph por 575 millones de libras (766 millones de dólares), anunciaron las compañías el viernes.
El acuerdo pone fin a una larga saga sobre la propiedad de Telegraph Media Group, que publica el Daily Telegraph, de 171 años y de tendencia conservadora, y su edición dominical hermana.
Axel Springer indicó que invertirá en el grupo “para permitirle convertirse en el principal medio de centroderecha en el mundo angloparlante” y “acelerar” la expansión hacia el mercado de Estados Unidos.
“Hace más de 20 años intentamos adquirir The Telegraph y no lo logramos. Ahora nuestro sueño se hace realidad”, afirmó Mathias Döpfner, director ejecutivo de Axel Springer.
La empresa alemana es propietaria de otros medios, como los periódicos Bild y Welt, y del grupo de información política Politico.
El acuerdo llega tras años de incertidumbre sobre el futuro de los periódicos y frustra una oferta rival del propietario del Daily Mail para comprar los títulos de The Telegraph.
El grupo Telegraph, que anteriormente pertenecía a la familia británica Barclay, se puso a la venta en 2023 para ayudar a saldar las deudas de la familia. Hubo una oferta para comprar las publicaciones por parte de RedBird IMI, un consorcio respaldado por RedBird Capital Partners y el jeque Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, miembro de la familia real de Abu Dabi y vicepresidente de los Emiratos Árabes Unidos.
El consorcio se retiró en 2024 tras una fuerte oposición del gobierno del Reino Unido, que impulsó una ley para bloquear la propiedad por parte de Estados extranjeros de la prensa británica.
El propietario del Daily Mail, de centroderecha, presentó después una oferta de 500 millones de libras, pero el gobierno ordenó investigarla a principios de este año por preocupaciones sobre el impacto de la compra en la competencia y en la “pluralidad de opiniones” en los medios del Reino Unido.
La revista de noticias de tendencia derechista The Spectator, que antes formaba parte del grupo Telegraph, se vendió por separado en 2024 al inversor británico de fondos de cobertura Paul Marshall.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Bulletproof vests and rolex watches: the rise and fall of Kristi Noem
The display of a Rolex at a notorious prison in El Salvador. A self-promotional advertising campaign for mass deportations. The lingering story of the killing of her dog.
Kristi Noem never appeared able — or particularly keen — to step out of the spotlight during her time leading the Department of Homeland Security. But even for a White House familiar with political crises, Noem’s streak of controversies, handling of government funding and flair for theatrics might have proved too much for President Donald Trump.
On Thursday, Trump announced on social media that he was firing Noem, and that he had selected Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to replace her. The decision capped an embattled two-year arc for the former governor of South Dakota, in which she went from a contender for vice president to the first Cabinet member to be ousted from Trump’s second stint in the White House.
Under Noem’s leadership, the Department of Homeland Security made progress on some of Trump’s core campaign promises, including his effort to bring illegal crossings at the southern border to historic lows.
“The American people and our posterity are better off today, tomorrow, and for generations to come because of Secretary Noem’s dedication to public service,” the department posted on social media Thursday.
Noem wrote on the social platform X on Thursday that “we have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again.”
But a number of episodes over the course of her tenure also prompted frustration among Trump’s allies and some White House officials.
Here are key moments in the rise and fall of Kristi Noem.
Spring 2024: The beginning of Noem’s political evolution
Noem appeared on the cusp of a major transformation.
After Republicans suffered losses in the 2022 midterm elections, she told The New York Times that she did not believe Trump offered “the best chance” for the party in 2024.
But she then worked to gain favor with him, deploying the National Guard to the border and endorsing him before many other Republican governors. She was front and center in an ad promoting her cosmetic dental work that some saw as a move to catch Trump’s attention, even as it drew legal scrutiny. She was widely seen as a potential pick for vice president.
But she drew criticism from a number of political figures when she defended a story in her autobiography in which she killed a family dog on her farm, to her daughter’s distress. Noem wrote that she had hoped to train the dog, Cricket, to hunt pheasant, but that she proved “untrainable” and “less than worthless” as a hunting dog. “I hated that dog,” Noem wrote.
The story, which she highlighted to demonstrate her leadership skills and ability to make tough decisions, struck some people as unnecessarily cruel, and shadowed her tenure.
March 2025: A self-promotional approach to running DHS
The Trump administration had just used a wartime law to deport hundreds of Venezuelan migrants to a prison in El Salvador. Noem wanted to see the facility for herself — and wanted to make sure her presence was noticed.
Noem toured the prison, known for its harsh conditions, in a baseball cap emblazoned with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement logo. She also wore a gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona that sells for about $50,000. Noem filmed a video during the tour in front of rows of prisoners crowded tightly into bunks behind bars.
It was one of many photo ops that prompted ridicule on social media and among the rank and file of ICE and Border Patrol. Agents objected to her choice to show up to immigration operations in field gear, accusing her of cosplaying, such as an episode in Phoenix in which her bulletproof vest appeared to be improperly secured. Some agents used disparaging names for her, such as “ICE Barbie.”
June 2025: Funding bottleneck at DHS
Noem faced backlash for her handling of the Department of Homeland Security’s non-immigration missions, including delivering grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Trump had already created unease over the future of disaster relief when he mused about shutting FEMA down. But last June, Noem signed off on a rule that required her approval for any expense more than $100,000.
Noem was slow to sign off on the new spending requests, including projects deemed crucial for national security. The policy also created a backlog of spending requests from FEMA, including one contract that would provide inspections of an estimated 6 million homes damaged in disasters. And the $100,000 requirement delayed FEMA’s response to catastrophic floods in central Texas.
June 2025: A senator is handcuffed at a Noem event
Noem was holding a press availability in a federal building in Los Angeles when Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., interrupted and began questioning mug shots on display behind the secretary.
Padilla, a vocal critic of Trump’s deportation policies, was muscled out of the room by federal agents and handcuffed.
“Sir! Sir! Hands off!” Padilla said as the agents surrounded him.
Padilla later said in an interview that he wanted answers about the administration’s “increasingly extreme” immigration actions, and that he had not been able to get them. Democrats denounced the treatment of Padilla as an escalation in what they said were authoritarian-style actions by Trump and Noem.
Noem later told reporters that she spoke to Padilla after the incident and that they had a “great conversation.”
June 2025: Empowering a fiery new official: Gregory Bovino
After protests raged in Los Angeles following an immigration operation, Noem turned to a little-known border official to take over enforcement in the region.
Gregory Bovino, the head of the El Centro sector of the border dividing California and Mexico, would run immigration operations in Southern California. Soon, images of agents chasing migrants from car washes and parking lots became ubiquitous online. U.S. citizens were getting caught in the dragnet, and allegations of racial profiling were rampant.
The decision to allow Border Patrol to conduct mass immigration operations across the country was unprecedented for an agency primarily charged with handling the country’s borders.
Bovino took his operations to Chicago, New Orleans, Charlotte and Minnesota. In nearly every location, lawsuits and chaotic scenes followed. Inside DHS, some officials were concerned about the tactics deployed by Bovino, and Noem’s decision to empower him.
Following the shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, by federal agents in Minneapolis, Bovino left his perch running operations across the United States. He was replaced by Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, who was charged with bringing calm to the region.
January 2026: Labels protesters domestic terrorists
In the hours after agents pinned down and shot Pretti, Noem weighed in with comments that would rapidly accelerate her downfall.
In a news conference, Noem said Pretti had been attempting an act of “domestic terrorism,” and claimed he had brandished a gun. An initial review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection shortly after the shooting found those claims to be untrue, and the episode undermined Noem’s credibility.
Days later, when asked about Noem’s characterization of Pretti, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, declined to defend it, distancing Trump from the remarks. Days later, Trump himself called Pretti an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist.”
March 2026: Leadership under fire at congressional hearings
Noem’s ouster came after she was grilled by lawmakers on a range of topics during congressional hearings.
She declined to apologize for her description of Pretti and another U.S. citizen killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, Renee Good, as domestic terrorists. She said her statements were informed by “reports from the ground, from agents at the scene.”
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., grilled Noem about a ProPublica report that her department had spent more than $200 million on ad contracts, which he said had been steered to her former political consultants. Kennedy described the ads, including one in which she appeared on a horse in front of Mount Rushmore, as wasteful spending meant to boost Noem’s “name recognition.”
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who’s retiring at the end of his term, accused Noem of a “failure of leadership.”
And during a House hearing this week, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., alluding to rumors, asked Noem if she had a sexual relationship with her senior adviser, Corey Lewandowski. Noem responded by calling the question “tabloid garbage.”
“This has been something that I have refuted for years, and I continue to do that,” she said at a different point in the hearing. Democrats, she said, attack Republican women by saying “we are either stupid, or we’re sluts.”
She added: “I am neither of those.”
Lewandowski, who ran Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, served at DHS as a special government employee, a role meant to last 130 days a year.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/06/bulletproof-vests-rolex-kristi-noem/
Lou Malnati’s aims to open restaurant on east side of St. Charles in the fall
Get ready, St. Charles deep dish fans: Lou Malnati’s is aiming to open a restaurant on the city’s east side in the fall.
On Thursday, the deep dish pizza restaurant announced that it has signed a lease in St. Charles for a space at 3050 E. Main St. The restaurant is planned to occupy a former restaurant space in an outlot of the new Fox Haven Square development near the northeast corner of Kirk Road and East Main Street.
Slated to open in the spring, Fox Haven Square is a development project in St. Charles that’s expected to bring a number of businesses to the city’s east side, occupying what was a vacant lot, according to the city. The $22 million project is being spearheaded by Bartlett-based Greco Investment Management, LLC., and is set to house things like restaurants and a pickleball facility.
The former restaurant space slated to hold Lou Malnati’s has long been closed down, explained St. Charles Economic Development Director Derek Conley. As it’s laid vacant, the city has fielded questions from residents about the property’s fate, he explained.
Conley said that the city began working with the Greco family on the Fox Haven Square development around two years ago, and that they had expressed interest in taking over the restaurant property, too. They ultimately landed on Lou Malnati’s.
“We’re excited to welcome Lou Malnati’s to St. Charles,” G Ninety Family Partners President Pat Greco said in a news release from Lou Malnati’s about the planned St. Charles location. “It’s a beloved Chicago staple, and we know it will be a wonderful addition to the local dining scene and overall Fox Haven Square development.”
The restaurant would be technically separate from the Fox Haven Square project, Conley explained, but is under the same ownership — and would sit just next door.
Conley referred to Lou Malnati’s as a “great addition” to the city that’s expected to be popular with both St. Charles residents and others in the area.
The project is also coming up as other developments are being proposed for the city’s east side, which have prompted questions from the city as to how they manage this economic growth.
“I think people think of St. Charles for our cute downtown,” Conley said, “and that’s absolutely true, but we’re also happy to have other developments around our city kind of taking off.”
The Lou Malnati’s project is still pending final plan review and permits and approvals from the city of St. Charles, but the 6,200-square-foot establishment is expected to include a main dining room, private dining, a full-service bar and an outdoor patio, with seating for approximately 200 customers, the news release from Lou Malnati’s said. It would offer dine-in, carryout and delivery options.
And, with plans to open in the fall, the St. Charles location would mark Lou Malnati’s 61st in the Chicago area, officials said on Thursday.
“We’ve had customers from St. Charles asking us to open a location here for years,” Lou Malnati’s CEO Julie Younglove-Webb said in the news release. “The growth and redevelopment happening on the east end of the city makes this the perfect time, and we can’t wait to bring people together over deep dish in this community with a full-service restaurant.”
mmorrow@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/06/lou-malnatis-st-charles-location/
Protestan chiíes en Pakistán por ataques de EEUU e Israel a Irán; embajada de EEUU emite alerta
Associated Press
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Cientos de chiíes de minorías protestaron el viernes en la capital de Pakistán y en otros puntos del país para denunciar la muerte del líder supremo de Irán, el ayatolá Alí Jamenei, en ataques de Estados Unidos e Israel, al tiempo que la Embajada estadounidense en Islamabad emitía una alerta de seguridad en que advertía a los estadounidenses sobre posibles actos de violencia.
En medio de un fuerte despliegue policial, unos 300 manifestantes realizaron una sentada en Islamabad, sosteniendo carteles de Jamenei y coreando “Muerte a Estados Unidos” y “Muerte a Israel”. La policía de Islamabad había colocado contenedores de carga en las calles que conducen a la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Islamabad para evitar cualquier posible escalada de violencia.
Las autoridades paquistaníes indicaron que los manifestantes habían aceptado no marchar hacia la embajada en Islamabad, ubicada a unos 3 kilómetros (1,8 millas) de la sentada. Los manifestantes planeaban poner fin a su protesta más tarde el viernes.
Jamenei, que gobernó Irán desde 1989, ha sido durante mucho tiempo una figura religiosa y política central para los chiíes de todo el mundo, incluidos los de Pakistán. Su muerte en una operación conjunta de Estados Unidos e Israel al inicio de la guerra la semana pasada desató indignación entre muchos chiíes.
También se reforzó la seguridad en la ciudad portuaria de Karachi, donde cientos de chiíes irrumpieron en el Consulado de Estados Unidos el domingo, rompieron ventanas e intentaron prender fuego al edificio. La policía utilizó porras, gas lacrimógeno y munición real para dispersar a la multitud. La violencia dejó 10 manifestantes muertos en Karachi, y al menos 13 murieron en ciudades del norte, incluidas Skardu y Gilgit.
En Karachi, manifestantes chiíes se congregaron el viernes a unos 4 kilómetros (2,5 millas) del consulado.
Por separado, grupos más pequeños de manifestantes suníes también protestaron el viernes en Islamabad y Karachi contra la guerra de Estados Unidos e Israel con Irán. Las protestas se realizaron lejos de las misiones diplomáticas de Estados Unidos. No se reportó violencia.
En una alerta de seguridad previa a las protestas, la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Islamabad instó a los estadounidenses en el país a limitar sus actividades fuera de casa. Además, un aviso actualizado advirtió a los ciudadanos de Estados Unidos que no viajen a la provincia suroccidental paquistaní de Baluchistán, a la noroccidental Khyber Pakhtunkhwa y a la disputada región himalaya de Cachemira debido a riesgos de “terrorismo y secuestro”.
Los chiíes representan aproximadamente el 15% de la población de Pakistán, de unos 250 millones, la mayoría de los cuales son musulmanes suníes.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Russia Giving Iran Targeting Intelligence Of American Warships, Aircraft: US Officials
Russia Giving Iran Targeting Intelligence Of American Warships, Aircraft: US Officials
The Trump-ordered US-Israeli attack on Iran is continuing to create an array of ‘unknowns’ while steadily drawing in outside powers, with the most significant Friday development being The Washington Post reporting that Russia has been providing Iran with intelligence on the locations of US military assets in the Middle East, including warships and aircraft.
US officials described the effort as “a pretty comprehensive effort” by Moscow, though the accuracy of the intelligence remains unclear – the paper admits. What follows is the money quote:
“Russia is providing Iran with targeting information to attack American forces in the Middle East, the first indication that another major US adversary is participating – even indirectly – in the war, according to three officials familiar with the intelligence.”
Russian Foreign Ministry image/Flickr
The report cites three officials familiar with the intelligence, who spoke about the support on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“The targeting information has included the locations of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East, the officials said,” WaPo writes.
A couple of contextual issues: it remains that the ‘fog of war’ and propaganda is very heavy – and so such allegations especially from an ultra-heart-of-the-establishment D.C. beltway publication should be treated with caution and skepticism.
It is meant to keep pressure and scrutiny on Moscow at a moment the world’s attention is wholly fixated on the Iran theatre.
However, it also makes perfect sense that Moscow would support a remaining Middle East ally (after the fall of Assad in Syria), given that Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement earlier this year expanding military and defense cooperation. Despite that, Hegseth said earlier in the week that Russia is “not really a factor” in the conflict.
If the report is accurate, what might this look like on the ground? Here’s an example of the possible implications:
New investigations by CNN reveal that Iran successfully destroyed an advanced U.S. radar system located inside Jordanian territory.
According to CNN’s analysis of satellite imagery, the radar installation appears to have been completely destroyed. The investigation also indicates that buildings housing similar radar systems at two additional locations in the United Arab Emirates were reportedly targeted in separate attacks.
Above: this is over 500 miles from Iran.
Could the Iran war eventually emerge as the next ground zero Mideast proxy battleground between the US and Russia? It remains unlikely that Moscow will get involved too directly, given also it has a costly war with Ukraine to run; however, this alleged heightened intelligence sharing with Tehran points to a first step of sorts.
From the Kremlin’s point of view, Washington has already long been doing the same, and in a major way, in the context of the Ukraine proxy war.
Tyler Durden
Fri, 03/06/2026 – 09:40
Handel’s ‘Messiah: The Passion’ to be presented at Marmion Abbey in Aurora
The Fox Valley Orchestra and Fox Chamber Singers will present Handel’s “Messiah: The Passion” at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at Marmion Abbey in Aurora.
The event will feature Parts 2 and 3 of Handel’s “Messiah,” which focus on the Easter story, according to a press release about the event.
The event is a fundraiser, with all proceeds benefiting the various community orchestra and chorus programs in the area supported by the Fox Valley Music Consortium, organizers said.
The professional voices from the Fox Chamber Singers, directed by Lisa Fredenburgh, will perform the solo and chorus portions and together with the Fox Valley Orchestra will present the program, according to the release. Stephen Squires, music director of the Fox Valley Orchestra, will lead the performance.
Tickets are $13 online and $15 at the door. For more information, go to https://www.foxvalleyorchestra.org/messiahpassion.php
Geneva to offer free yard waste pickup
Geneva residents can get a head start on their spring yard work during a free yard waste collection event during the last two full weeks of March.
The free yard waste disposal is included in the city’s refuse contract with LRS, according to a press release about the program. Yard waste bags set out with garbage will be picked up free of charge – no waste sticker needed – during residents’ regular pickup days during the weeks of March 16 and 23.
Yard waste should be placed in Kraft brown paper bags and should not exceed 50 pounds, the release said. While LRS prefers bags, residents who pay for a designated LRS yard waste cart can use it during the free collection period. Accepted yard waste includes grass clippings, vines, weeds, leaves, plants, pine cones, small branches and garden waste.
Tree limbs wider than 1-inch in diameter should be disposed of through the city’s monthly brush pickup, which is scheduled to begin in April, officials said.
For more information about Geneva’s refuse and recycling services, go to the city’s website at https://www.geneva.il.us/.
Golf Gala After Hours event set in St. Charles
The St. Charles Public Library Foundation has announced its 2026 Golf Gala After Hours event will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at the library, 1 S. Sixth Ave. in St. Charles.
Guests are invited to enjoy an evening celebrating the game of golf in a unique setting, library officials said in a press release.
The fundraising event for the foundation will offer guests golf‑themed experiences, including a celebration at the 19th hole, a chance to explore some of the world’s most beautiful golf courses on the library’s immersive screen, a hole-in-one putting contest, trivia, a special golf clinic with golf professional Kathy Williams and more.
Basket raffle tickets will be available for purchase with the drawing at the end of the evening, organizers said. Appetizers and desserts will be served at the event.
Tickets are $75 per person. To purchase tickets, go to https://tinyurl.com/5yhctxjy.
Birds and coffee topic of program
The connection between coffee and birds will be explored during the next Learn from the Experts program set for 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, at the Barbara Belding Lodge in St. Charles.
The Barbara Belding Lodge is located within Brewster Creek Forest Preserve at 6N921 Route 25 in St. Charles.
Participants at the March 21 event can enjoy a responsibly-sourced cup of coffee while learning about the history of coffee consumption and production, and its connection to birds, according to a press release about the event.
Greg DuBois, contributing author for Illinois Audubon Magazine and bird monitor at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, will share the story of the decline of migrating birds in North America since 1970, according to the release. He’ll also explain how the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center is working to mitigate this decline and reveal ways that you can help, one cup of coffee at a time.
Advance registration is required. The program fee is $10 per person. To register, go to www.kaneforest.com/register.
Learn from the Experts programs are classes about local ecology which are sponsored by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the St. Charles Park District and the Geneva Park District.
For more information, go to www.kaneforest.com, call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com.
DuPage plans events for 250th anniversary of U.S.
DuPage County and its partners are planning community celebrations throughout the year in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States.
The DuPage County Board and the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference are inviting all municipalities and countywide elected officials to contribute one item to a time capsule that will be buried on the county campus in Wheaton in June, a news release said.
In partnership with the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau, the board is launching a photo contest, “Snapshots of DuPage: Honoring 250 Years of America.” Entries in the adult and youth categories will be accepted through Nov. 2.
Selected photos will be featured in county and visitors bureau communications, exhibits and social media, the release said. Winners will be recognized at the Dec. 8 DuPage County Board meeting.
For more information, go to www.DiscoverDuPage.com/America250-Contest.
The DuPage County Historical Museum exhibit, “Defining US: The 250th Anniversary of the United States,” will open in July. It will show American identity and history through a DuPage County lens, the release said.
Another exhibit will focus on the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and other major DuPage County firsts. It will run from August through November.
The museum’s oral history program, “Voices of DuPage,” continues to gather stories from county residents. Choose DuPage will contribute interviews with local business leaders discussing their company’s story and why they located in the county.
For more information, go to DuPageMuseum.org or ChooseDuPage.com.
