Statement from Acting Secretary Huffman on US Border Patrol Agent Killed in Line of Duty

 

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman issued the following statement on the death of a US Border Patrol Agent:

“Monday January 20th, a Border Patrol agent assigned to the US Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector was fatally shot in the line of duty.

“Every single day, our Border Patrol agents put themselves in harm’s way so that Americans and our homeland are safe and secure. My prayers and deepest condolences are with our Department, the Agent’s family, loved ones, and colleagues.

“This incident is being swiftly investigated and DHS will release additional information as soon as it becomes available.” 

Justice Department Secures Settlement to Resolve Discrimination Claims in Student Loans Against SouthEast Bank

 

The Justice Department announced that SouthEast Bank agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it engaged in a pattern or practice of lending discrimination by disproportionately discouraging and denying Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) graduates seeking to refinance their student loans.

“Everyone in our country should have a fair chance and equal opportunity to refinance a school loan. By rejecting graduates based on where they obtained their degree, SouthEast Bank’s policy denied and discouraged Black, American Indian and Alaska Native graduates seeking to refinance student loans for reasons that were wholly unrelated to their personal merit or ability to repay their loans,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This is a reminder of how historic inequities in lending and refinance opportunities for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native students persist, and why combating these inequities is an essential part of the Justice Department’s work.”

The complaint, which was filed on Jan. 18, in the Eastern District of Tennessee, alleges that, between December 2015 and April 2021, the refinance program’s eligibility criteria automatically denied graduates of schools with school-based default rates above thresholds SouthEast established. Under this policy, for example, Black bachelor’s degree recipients were as much as 4.3 times more likely to be excluded than bachelor’s degree recipients who were not Black. Similarly, AI/AN Bachelor’s degree recipients were as much as 3 times more likely to be excluded than bachelor’s degree recipients who were not AI/AN. The department’s complaint further alleges that SouthEast’s policy disproportionately excluded graduates of as many as 84.4% of majority-Black schools, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, but no more than 21.1% of colleges and universities whose student bodies were not majority-Black.

The consent order, which is subject to court approval, requires SouthEast Bank to spend a total of $1.5 million to:

• Compensate applicants who were denied the ability to refinance their student loans by the policy;
• Increase access to student loan refinancing for qualified graduates of schools that were previously excluded under the policy; and
• Provide consumer financial education to students and graduates of those previously excluded schools.

The department’s investigation into SouthEast’s student loan refinancing program originated from a referral by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. SouthEast cooperated with the investigation and worked with the Justice Department to resolve the allegations.

Additional information about the Civil Rights Division’s work to uphold and protect civil and constitutional rights is available at justice.gov/crt. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov.

United States Files Fair Housing Act Lawsuit Against Lettire Construction Corp. And Related Entities For Failure To Construct Apartments With Features Accessible To Persons With Disabilities

 

Edward Y. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that the U.S. has filed a federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) lawsuit against LETTIRE CONSTRUCTION CORP. (“LETTIRE”) relating to its failure to design and construct new apartment buildings to be accessible to persons with physical disabilities.  The lawsuit also names other entities related to LETTIRE that participated in the design or construction of these residential complexes.  Upon filing suit, the U.S. also submitted to the Court proposed consent decrees with LETTIRE, EAST 124TH STREET LLC, and other entities related to LETTIRE which participated in the design and construction of such buildings.  These settlements are subject to the review and approval of the U.S. District Judge assigned to the case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim said: “This filing is the 20th suit that this Office has brought to remedy the failure of real estate developers to comply with the Fair Housing Act.  We appreciate Lettire’s and East 124th Street LLC’s cooperation in taking responsibility for their actions so that more properties are rendered accessible to more people.  This Office will remain vigilant in ensuring that developers, construction managers, and architects comply with the FHA and remedy inaccessible housing in this District.”

The FHA’s accessible design and construction provisions require multifamily housing complexes constructed after January 1991 to have basic features accessible to persons with disabilities.

According to the allegations in the Complaint:

The inaccessible conditions at buildings that LETTIRE constructed include excessively high thresholds at building entrances and entrances to common use areas, and bathrooms in individual apartments that lack sufficient clear floor space for people who use wheelchairs.  These features in the common use areas of buildings that LETTIRE constructed, as well as in the buildings’ apartment interiors, did not meet the standards set forth in the Fair Housing Act.

The Complaint identifies inaccessible conditions at the following three properties:

• The Tapestry, at 245 East 124th Street in Manhattan.  In addition to LETTIRE, the Complaint names as defendants LETTIRE 124th STREET LLC as a co-developer of the Tapestry, and EAST 124th STREET LLC (with whom, as noted above, the Government has reached an agreement subject to Court approval) as the owner and managing member of the Tapestry.
• Chestnut Commons, at 3269 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. In addition to LETTIRE, the Complaint names as defendants UBC CHESTNUT COMMONS LLC as a co-developer of Chestnut Commons, CHESTNUT COMMONS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT FUND CORP. as the owner of Chestnut Commons, and MHANY MANAGEMENT INC. as the managing member of Chestnut Commons. The Government’s claims relating to Chestnut Commons have not yet been resolved.
• The Atrium, at 57 Marcus Garvey Boulevard in Brooklyn.  However, by the time that the Atrium opened in 2024, LETTIRE had retained an accessibility consultant, and the identified inaccessible conditions were in the process of being substantially remediated in consultation with the Government.  The Atrium has been included in the lawsuit in order to ensure that remaining retrofits are completed.

Due to the inaccessible conditions at the buildings LETTIRE designed and constructed, LETTIRE engaged in a pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of rights protected by the FHA and denied such rights to people with disabilities.  The Complaint seeks a court order directing LETTIRE to retrofit individual apartments as well as the public and common use areas of the buildings so that they are accessible, to adopt policies and procedures to ensure FHA compliance in future constructions, and to compensate individuals who suffered discrimination due to the inaccessible conditions.

Under the settlement with LETTIRE and other related entities, LETTIRE agreed to complete necessary retrofits at the Atrium, establish procedures to ensure FHA compliance at future development projects, and to institute policies and training to ensure that its employees and agents will comply with the FHA’s accessibility requirements.  LETTIRE agreed to pay a civil penalty of $20,000, and the related entities agreed to pay a civil penalty of $10,000 each, commensurate with their role in designing and/or constructing the Tapestry and Chestnut Commons.

Under the settlement with EAST 124TH STREET LLC, EAST 124TH STREET LLC agreed to complete necessary retrofits at the Tapestry, establish procedures to ensure FHA compliance at future development projects, and to institute policies and training to ensure that its employees and agents will comply with the FHA’s accessibility requirements.  EAST 124TH STREET LLC also agreed to pay a civil penalty of $10,000, commensurate with its role in designing and/or constructing the Tapestry.

Further, the settlement requires EAST 124th STREET LLC to provide $20,000 to compensate aggrieved persons with respect to the Tapestry.  Aggrieved individuals may include those who:

• Were discouraged from living at the Tapestry because of the lack of accessible features;
• Have been hurt in any way by the lack of accessible features at the Tapestry;
• Paid to have an apartment at the Tapestry made more accessible to persons with disabilities; or
• Otherwise were discriminated against on the basis of disability at the Tapestry as a result of inaccessible design and construction.

People who believe they may have experienced discrimination due to the inaccessible conditions at the above-named buildings developed by LETTIRE may contact the Civil Rights Complaint account at USANYS-CivilRights@usdoj.gov, use the Civil Rights Complaint Form available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s website http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/civilrights.html, or send a written report to:

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York

86 Chambers Street, 3rd Floor

New York, New York 10007

Attention: Chief, Civil Rights Unit

Mr. Kim thanked HUD for its assistance on the investigation.

Statement by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander on President Donald Trump’s Executive Orders

 

In response to the inauguration and executive actions by President Donald Trump, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander issued the following statement:

“Today’s executive actions will do nothing to bring down the cost of living, make anyone safer, or get government working better for people. Instead, President Trump is scapegoating vulnerable communities, rolling back environmental protections even as Los Angeles burns, and tarnishing the legacy of Dr. King. It’s especially shameful that Mayor Adams is there cheering him on.

“Trump has never stopped smearing and dehumanizing immigrants. Now, he is taking unprecedented action to deploy the military for immigration enforcement. We are the city of immigrants: nearly forty percent of New York City residents are immigrants. Trump’s mass deportation agenda is a family separation policy that will harm the physical and mental health of our residents (including the one million New York City children in mixed status households), the safety of our communities, and the vibrancy of our economy.

“Dismantling programs that seek to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on Dr. King’s birthday is especially insulting. In the Comptroller’s office, we’re proud to have achieved strong pension fund returns – last year’s outperformance saved the City $1.8 billion, and our pensions are better-funded than ever – while significantly increasing the diversity of our asset managers. Regardless of what happens in Washington, we will not cower or retreat in this work.

“The bogus ‘national energy emergency’ is a ruse that serves to profit Trump’s billionaire friends in the fossil fuel industry. By allowing fossil fuel projects to circumvent crucial environmental regulations and public processes, Trump is fueling the actual climate emergency of an ever-warming planet that just concluded the hottest year on record, even as we watch one of America’s great cities burn. We will not back down from our net zero plan for the City’s pension funds, from our divestment of fossil fuels, from our commitment to retrofit our buildings, or from our innovative plan for Public Solar NYC.

“With today’s actions, the Trump Administration also seeks to define transgender people out of existence. Today’s actions chip away at the civil rights and bodily autonomy we all deserve. New York City is the proud home to Stonewall and the largest LGBTQ+ population in the country, and we won’t go along with Trump’s scapegoating.

“My office will use all the tools at our disposal to push back against executive actions and federal policies that erode the freedoms, undermine the economic stability, or threaten the well-being of New Yorkers. Dr. King would expect no less.”

Governor Hochul Declares State of Emergency for Counties Impacted by Lake Effect Snow Storm

State of Emergency Includes Counties of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Allegany, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Oneida and Contiguous Counties

Declaration Allows New York State To Coordinate With Local Communities Responding to Current Lake Effect Snowstorm

Communities Near Lake Ontario Could Receive Up to Three Feet of Snow and Up to Two Feet in Western New York

Coldest Temperatures so far This Year To Impact Most of the State;

Feels Like Temperatures Could Reach Negative 25 Degrees Fahrenheit

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that she has declared a State of Emergency in the counties of Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Allegany, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Oneida and contiguous counties, that will allow the State to coordinate and share resources with local governments affected by the current Lake Effect snowstorm. This includes the State Department of Transportation, which will provide assistance to municipalities impacted by the State of Emergency in excess of existing shared service agreements.

“As lake effect snow falls across several areas of our state, I’m declaring a State of Emergency for these areas to ensure state resources are available to assist local communities as we work together to keep New Yorkers safe throughout the duration of the storm,” Governor Hochul said. “We also continue to deal with extreme cold which poses an extraordinary risk to anyone who is exposed to the elements or is unable to adequately heat their home, and I encourage all New Yorkers to monitor their local forecast and take precautions to keep themselves and their families safe.”

Today through Wednesday, significant Lake Effect snow will fall in areas east of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. In the Western New York Region, one to two feet of snow are expected off Lake Erie in South Buffalo and areas farther south, while Downtown Buffalo may see up to a foot. Two to three feet expected off Lake Ontario in the Watertown area.

Travel will become very difficult with very poor visibility and deep snow cover on roads off both lakes through Wednesday night. Snowfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour in the heaviest bands combined with wind gusts up to 30 mph will reduce visibility.

The lowest temperatures of the winter season so far are expected tonight through Wednesday. Dangerously cold “feels like” temperatures between 0 and negative 25 degrees are possible across most of the State today through Wednesday, with the most extreme temperatures expected in Western New York and the North Country.

For a complete listing of weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service’s website. New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by subscribing to NY Alert — a free service providing critical emergency information to your cell phone or computer.

Thruway Authority

Thruway Authority staff are monitoring the forecast and ready to respond with 688 operators and supervisors available. Statewide equipment numbers and resources are listed below:

• 354 large and medium duty plow trucks
• 10 tow plows
• 65 loaders
• 113,000+ tons of salt on hand

Variable Message Signs and social media are utilized to alert motorists of winter weather conditions on the Thruway.

New this snow and ice season, all of the Thruway's more than 250 heavy-duty plow trucks are equipped with green hazard lights, complementing the standard amber hazard lights. Green lights are intended to improve visibility and enhance safety during winter operations, particularly in low-light conditions and poor weather. Drivers are reminded that Thruway snowplows travel at about 35 miles per hour — which in many cases is slower than the posted speed limit — in order to ensure that salt being dispersed stays in the driving lanes and does not scatter off the roadways. The safest place for motorists is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and treated.

The Thruway Authority encourages motorists to download its app, which is available for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic information, live traffic cameras and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for emails and follow on X for the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway. 

New York State Department of Public Service

New York's utilities have about 5,500 workers available statewide to engage in damage assessment, response, repair and restoration efforts across New York State, as necessary. Agency staff will track utilities' work throughout the event and ensure utilities shift appropriate staffing to regions that experience the greatest impact.

New York State Police

State Police have instructed all Troopers to remain vigilant and will deploy extra patrols to affected areas as needed. All four-wheel drive vehicles are in service and all specialty vehicles, including Utility Terrain Vehicles and snowmobiles, are staged and ready for deployment.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

DEC Emergency Management staff, Environmental Conservation Police Officers, Forest Rangers and regional staff remain on alert and continue to monitor the developing situation and weather forecasts. Working with partner agencies, DEC is prepared to coordinate resource deployment of all available assets, including first responders, to targeted areas in preparation for potential impacts due to snow.

DEC reminds those responsible for the removal and disposal of snow to follow best management practices to help prevent flooding and reduce the potential for pollutants like salt, sand, oils, trash and other debris from affecting water quality. Disposal of snow in local creeks and streams can create ice dams, which may cause flooding. Public and private snow removal operators should be aware of these safety issues during and after winter storms.

Unpredictable winter weather and storms in the Adirondacks, Catskills and other backcountry areas can create unexpectedly hazardous conditions. Visitors should be prepared with proper clothing and equipment for snow, ice and the cold to ensure a safe winter experience. Snow depths range greatly throughout the Adirondacks, with the deepest snow at higher elevations in the High Peaks region and other mountains over 3,000 feet. Lower elevation trails have mixed conditions of snow, ice, slush and mud, including many trails in the Catskill Mountains where the potential for icy conditions exists.

While ice is beginning to form on some waterways, DEC advises outdoor enthusiasts to before heading out.

Hikers are advised to temporarily avoid all high-elevation trails as well as trails that cross rivers and streams. Hikers in the Adirondacks are encouraged to check the webpages for updates on trail conditions, seasonal road closures and general recreation information.

Backcountry visitors should and follow proper safety guidelines. Plan trips accordingly. In an emergency, call 9-1-1. To request Forest Ranger assistance, call 1-833-NYS-RANGERS.

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

New York State Park Police and park personnel are on alert and closely monitoring weather conditions and impacts. Response equipment is being fueled, tested and prepared for storm response use. Park visitors should visit, check the free mobile app, or call their local park office for the latest updates regarding park hours, openings and closings.

The East Bronx History Forum (EBHF) is pleased to announce its 191st meeting on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7:30 p.m.

Dear East Bronx History Forum Member,

The East Bronx History Forum (EBHF) is pleased to announce its 191st meeting on Wednesday, January 22nd at 7:30 p.m. in the lower level of St. Clare of Assisi Church, located at 1027 Rhinelander Avenue. Parking is free and just north of the entrance on Paulding Avenue. 

 

Please join Ismer Mjeku, who is the founder and publisher of the Albanian Media Group (AMG), a public relations, consulting, and marketing company established in 1998 in the Arthur Avenue section of the Bronx. Ismer will present a lecture never approached by the EBHF, about the history of Albanians in America and more specifically here in the Bronx. This meeting was originally slated for November but has been rescheduled for this month. 

 

An attorney by profession from his native Kosovo, Mjeku took an interest in the Albanian American community in 1992 when he started working for Illyria, the only Albanian American Newspaper in the US. He got to cover, travel, and report on an emerging community and helped set up the first marketing section for the newspaper. His pioneering work was in 1998 when he compiled and published the first Albanian Yellow Pages, a community guide and business directory that targets Albanian American businesses, still in use online and in print. Mjeku was instrumental in establishing a section of Albanian eateries on the corner of Arthur Avenue and Crescent Avenue in 2022, adding to the culinary fabric of the vibrant Arthur Avenue. 

 

Ismer Mjeku has been cited by major media such as The New York Times, Daily News, and others. He has been recognized by New York City, New York State and Albanian American organizations for his contributions to the community. 

 

The entrance to this free event is on Paulding Avenue in Msgr. Joseph Raimondo Hall. The EBHF is a 501(c)3 non-profit chartered by the New York State Education Department. Donations are always accepted and can be made through our website BronxNYC.com. Additionally, remember to follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages for the most current updates or information. We look forward to seeing you. 

Dorothy A. Krynicki, Secretary 

Leaders of Colombian Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle over 43,000 Kilos of Cocaine into the United States

 

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jorge Hernan Gonzalez-Ortiz, 50, of Colombia, and Carlos Andres Aldana-Gil, 43, also of Colombia, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

According to the plea agreements and other court documents, from 2016 until 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz established and led a drug trafficking organization in Colombia responsible for transporting cocaine via commercial airplanes. Conspirators loaded the commercial aircraft with cocaine disguised in boxes of fruit at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón International Airport in Cali, Colombia and intended for Gustavo Rojas Pinilla International Airport in San Andrés Island, Colombia. With the assistance of corrupt Colombian police officers, the conspirators unloaded the cocaine and then smuggled it by boat to either Nicaragua or Honduras, then to Mexico and the United States.

From 2016 until 2023, Gonzalez-Ortiz’s organization smuggled cocaine onto at least 27 commercial flights in Cali, totaling at least 43,000 kilograms. 

From 2021 to 2023, Aldana-Gil worked on behalf of Gonzalez-Ortiz for all logistical aspects of the smuggling operation from Cali. He received truckloads of cocaine from other conspirators, transported the drugs to the airport, and paid an airport security supervisor to divert security cameras away from the airport’s external gates. He also hired and paid the conspirators responsible for altering the cargo manifests as well as the luggage cart drivers who loaded the drugs onto commercial aircraft. On July 29, 2023, one of the organization’s cocaine shipments was interdicted by the Colombian National Police after it was offloaded from a commercial aircraft in San Andrés Island. 

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model  enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi- jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations involved in large scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and related activities. The OCDETF Panama Express Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Florida.

Valuable assistance was provided by the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Colombian National Police’s Dirreccion de Antinarcotics (DIRAN), and the Colombian Equipo de Trabajo Investigativo Control Aeronaves (ETICA). 

TENANT CHARGED WITH MURDER OF BUILDING SUPERINTENDENT WHO WAS TRYING TO COLLECT UNPAID RENT

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Sandra Coto-Navarro has been charged with murder for allegedly killing her building’s superintendent, 55-year-old Jose Portillo, inside her apartment in Kew Gardens Hills. The victim reportedly entered the defendant’s apartment to collect unpaid rent on behalf of the landlord. The super’s coworkers called the police later that day after he failed to return. NYPD officers discovered Portillo’s body wrapped in garbage bags and clothing stuffed under a bed inside the apartment.

District Attorney Katz said: “This was a gruesome murder.  As alleged, the defendant not only murdered the superintendent trying to collect rent, but attempted to dismember the lifeless victim, wrapped his body in black garbage bags and tried bleaching the area. Now, a life has been lost and a family is in upheaval because the defendant allegedly chose to resolve a rent dispute with violence. This is not the way a civilized society operates. The defendant will face justice for this heinous murder.”

Coto-Navarro, 48, of 70th Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills, was arraigned just before midnight on Thursday, January 16, before Criminal Court Judge Vidya Pappachan on charges of murder in the second degree, two counts of tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Judge Pappachan remanded the defendant and ordered her to return to court today. If convicted of the top count, the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

According to the charges, on January 14, at approximately 8:40 a.m., the victim entered the defendant’s apartment as he attempted to collect past due rent from the defendant.

The victim’s coworkers attempted to contact Portillo multiple times, and the victim failed to answer his phone. A call was placed to 911 at approximately 5:00 p.m. asking for police assistance in finding Portillo.

Arriving officers reviewed video surveillance and spoke to Coto-Navarro, who said that the victim stopped by her apartment earlier in the day and that she paid him $23,000 and Portillo left. The police then reviewed video surveillance which did not depict the victim leaving the apartment.

Upon returning to the apartment, police were directed to the bedroom of the apartment. Upon entering the bedroom, officers observed the victim’s lifeless body wrapped in clothing and black garbage bags under the bed. Police also reported smelling a strong odor of bleach and observed a mop and what appeared to be blood near the bottom of the bed and by a dresser in the bedroom.

According to the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the victim sustained multiple blunt force injuries to the head and a bag was placed over his head, causing his death. The victim further sustained post-mortem sharp force injuries to his neck and left leg near the knee. The defendant was arrested on-site.

The investigation was conducted by members of the NYPD’s 107th Precinct Detective Squad.