Six Indicted on Drug-Trafficking Charges in Connection with Federal Investigation

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that six individuals face indictment stemming from a federal drug trafficking organization (DTO) investigation. 

George Robinson, 58, of Baltimore; Shane Green, 50, of Baltimore; Shawn Hearn, 53, of Baltimore; Cori Grant, 47, of Baltimore; Vanessa Dancy, 59, of Baltimore; and Angela Pugh-Smith, 61, of Dayton, Ohio, are charged with drug-trafficking crimes in connection with the federal investigation. The co-conspirators are all charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances while some of them face additional charges.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to the indictment, Robinson is also charged with three counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Additionally, Grant, Green, Hearn, and Pugh-Smith are each charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. 

As revealed in court documents, in September 2025, the DEA began investigating the DTO after it learned about Robinson’s reputation as a well-known, large-scale drug supplier in Baltimore.  Confidential sources informed law enforcement that Robinson owned numerous legitimate businesses that he used to launder money. Additionally, the confidential sources estimated Robinson obtained between 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine at a time.  One source also believed Robinson possessed heroin and/or fentanyl.

Then during the investigation, law enforcement observed that between October 2025 and May 2026, on six different occasions, Robinson received large drug shipments concealed inside steel structures. The steel structures were packed in crates that were loaded on flatbed trailers and delivered to two warehouses in Baltimore. Robinson then allegedly unloaded the drugs and concealed them inside these warehouses. Law enforcement also discovered that Robinson stored drug proceeds inside the crates and steel structures, loaded them onto flatbed trailers, and then shipped them to his drug supplier. 

On May 6, law enforcement executed search warrants at Robinson’s residence, warehouses, laundromat, and other locations associated with DTO members. During the search, investigators seized more than 140 kilograms of cocaine; approximately 10 kilograms of fentanyl; smaller amounts of a variety of drugs; approximately $1.3 million; firearms; drug-packing paraphernalia; and dozens of cellular devices.

If convicted, the co-conspirators face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for all counts charged in the indictment. 

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, USMS, and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Baltimore County Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office, for their valuable assistance 

Mamdani Administration, NYCHA and Development Partners Put Public Land to Work, Breaking Ground on 229 Affordable Homes at Sol on Park

 

New homes coming to Morris Houses campus, including 80 homes for current NYCHA residents in the largest use of “Transfer of Assistance” program to date

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, Deputy Mayor Leila Bozorg, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), City agencies and development partners broke ground on Sol on Park, a 229-apartment, 100% affordable senior housing development on the Morris Houses campus in the Bronx.

The project represents the largest use of the Transfer of Assistance program to date. Through the program, NYCHA, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) are leveraging public land to create new affordable senior housing for current NYCHA residents, formerly homeless New Yorkers and low-income seniors.

“New Yorkers are facing a housing crisis, and we have no time to waste,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Sol on Park shows what is possible when we invest in NYCHA and use every tool available to build affordable homes. This project will give current NYCHA residents and low-income seniors the opportunity to move into new, high-quality homes while strengthening the Morris Houses community. That’s what building a city for the many looks like.”

“Sol on Park shows what is possible when we bring a human-centered approach to delivering affordable housing. When this project is complete, it will provide brand-new housing to formerly homeless and low-income seniors as well as NYCHA residents – along with new community and open space. I'm grateful to the many public agencies, development partners, and neighborhood residents who have made this milestone possible and who will continue to ensure this deeply needed affordable housing is a success,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning.

“Sol on Park is an excellent example of how we can leverage underutilized land on NYCHA properties and innovative tools like Transfer of Assistance to deliver brand-new, modern, and permanently affordable homes for seniors,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “We are investing in the Morris Houses community by reserving 80 apartments for existing residents and providing a brand new space for the Resident Association in the new 18-story building. We are grateful to the development team and all of our city partners for their collaboration and partnership in helping turn this vision into a reality.”

“Sol on Park exemplifies our commitment to both seniors and public housing tenants,” said HPD Commissioner Dina Levy. “Not only will the project create more than 225 affordable homes for seniors, including current NYCHA residents and formerly homeless seniors, it will also provide social services and a new health and wellness center.”

“Sol on Park will help address the urgent housing needs of older New Yorkers by providing nearly 230 deeply affordable homes paired with on-site social services that will allow residents to age with dignity and stability,” said HDC President Eric Enderlin. “HDC looks forward to working with all our partners to bring this transformative project to life.”

Developed by The NRP Group, Selfhelp Realty Group and Foxy Management, Sol on Park will include 80 homes reserved for current NYCHA residents living at Morris I and II, 69 homes for formerly homeless seniors and 79 homes available through the Housing Connect lottery for low- and middle-income seniors. The development will also include health-focused amenities, more than 8,000 square feet of community space, a pedestrian plaza and a new, fully accessible space for the Morris Houses Resident Association.

Construction is now underway, with pre-leasing and early move-ins scheduled for early 2029.

Designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning, Sol on Park will be built to LEED Platinum and Passive House standards. The development will use a high-performance, energy-efficient design that supports resident health and comfort while reducing energy consumption. On-site services will be provided through partnerships with Union Community Health Center and Green Bronx Machine’s National Health & Wellness Center.

The project represents New York City’s largest application of the Transfer of Assistance program to date. The innovative financing tool uses public land and investment to create new, permanently affordable housing while opening existing NYCHA apartments for future residents and giving current residents an opportunity to move into newly constructed affordable homes.

The Mamdani administration and NYCHA plan to expand the use of the Transfer of Assistance program through the Block by Block housing plan.

Investing in public housing and rebooting NYCHA as a public developer is a key component of Block by Block. Mayor Mamdani’s first capital plan includes the largest capital investment in NYCHA in recent history. Alongside additional expense budget investments, these resources will support comprehensive building repairs, bring vacant apartments back online, repair elevators and address mold and leaks.

Sol on Park is also example of the Mamdani administration’s commitment to building new housing on publicly owned land. On his first day in office, Mayor Mamdani created the Land Inventory Fast Track (LIFT) Task Force to identify publicly owned sites and accelerate housing development. In July, the administration launched the LIFT Tracker, showing the City’s work to create more than 50,000 new homes across more than 100 active sites.

The administration will continue an aggressive pace of affordable housing development on City-owned land, releasing additional requests for proposal (RFPs) each year.

“NYCHA residents should benefit from investment and new construction happening on their campus and today, we are one step closer today to being able to deliver 228 permanently affordable senior homes to this community, including 80 apartments for NYCHA residents,” said NYCHA Chief Real Estate Officer Heather Beck. “By using Transfer of Assistance, we will provide senior households at Morris Houses an opportunity to move into a brand new, accessible building with social services ensuring they can age in place in dignity. We look forward to seeing construction advance and to welcoming Morris Houses seniors into their new homes.”

“Sol on Park serves as a blueprint for how we build deeply affordable and quality housing that enables our older adults to age in place with the dignity and respect that they deserve,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “I am excited to break ground on this important project, which will provide stability and support to our seniors and formerly unhoused New Yorkers, giving our most vulnerable residents an opportunity to live in an environment that prioritizes their security and well-being. Thank you to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the New York City Housing Authority, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the New York City Housing Development Corporation, The NRP Group, Selfhelp Realty Group, and Foxy Management for their support of this project and for bringing us one step closer to the finish line.”

DOJ’s Fraud Division Uncovers $1.34M in Stolen Social Security Benefits in One Month Takedown, Including Fraudster Who Allegedly Hid Deceased Mother in Garage Freezer

11 U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with federal investigative agencies, participate in Social Security Administration fraud enforcement surge 

Today, the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the results of a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s benefits programs, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI). 

Between Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, the Fraud Division and U.S. Attorneys in 11 districts, along with the assistance of the SSA Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), brought charges against 17 defendants who are allegedly responsible for more than $1.3 million in intended loss to the United States.

“The Social Security Administration’s benefits programs are meant to safeguard America’s elderly and most vulnerable — not to bankroll fraudsters,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Every dollar stolen is a dollar taken from a retiree’s medicine, meals, or housing. These cases represent just a fraction of the fraud we are aggressively pursuing every day. The egregious facts uncovered in these cases underscore why our mission to combat fraud — large or small — is vital to protecting public trust and ensuring justice.”

“President Trump and Vice President Vance have given the federal government an unprecedented mandate — and the tools and resources to back it up — to find fraud wherever it exists and root it out,” said Commissioner Frank Bisignano of the Social Security Administration. “At Social Security, we are putting that mandate into action. Working hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice, we are aggressively pursuing fraud, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and protecting Social Security.”

“Fraud involving Social Security’s retirement and disability programs will not be tolerated. Thanks to OIG’s partnership with the Department of Justice, those targeting taxpayer dollars and jeopardizing our most vulnerable populations will be held accountable,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant at SSA OIG. “These cases demonstrate the value of focusing resources to identify and prosecuting fraud schemes to ensure taxpayers dollars are paid only to those who are rightfully entitled.”

Notable Cases (Intended Loss Figures):

S. v. Eva Bratcher (Indictment) – $21,402 – Northern District of Illinois      

Bratcher allegedly concealed her mother’s body in a deep freezer in her garage for two years. During those two years, Bratcher assumed her mother’s identity, collected her mother’s SSA benefits, and used her mother’s SNAP benefits. The defendant also allegedly used an alternative Social Security Number to steal additional SNAP benefits to which she was not entitled.

Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S. Code § 408 (Fraud, Misrepresentation, or misuse of Social Security Benefits)

Maximum Penalties: 10 years; 5 years in prison

Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Gardner-Erickson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani for the Northern District of Illinois. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Tomlinson for Northern District of Illinois.  

S. v. David Darling (Indictment) – $ 109,746 – Northern District of New York

Darling had control of his deceased brother’s ATM card and began withdrawing money the day after death. SSA was unaware of the death and continued to pay into the account. Darling continued his scheme for a total of $109,746 in stolen social security benefits.

Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 1029 (Access Device Fraud); 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 18 U.S. Code § 1028A (Aggravated Identify Theft)

Maximum Penalties: 15 years; 10 years; 2-year mandatory minimum in prison

Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arne Soldwedel for the Northern District of New York. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Clark for the Northern District of New York.  

S. v. Debra Reed (Indictment) – $ 59,070 – Western District of Pennsylvania

On Nov. 23, 2020, Debra Reed’s father died. Between Nov. 24, 2020, and Oct. 26, 2023, the Social Security Administration continued to pay social security retirement payments to the father’s account, and Reed either personally stole the money or caused her daughter to take the money and transfer it to her directly.

Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property)

Maximum Penalties: 10 years in prison

Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna for the Western District of Pennsylvania. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

United States v. Laura Whisenant – $ 121, 980 – Eastern District of Michigan (Complaint)

Laura Whisenant served as a representative payee for her elderly, mentally disabled uncle.  For seven years, she stole and misused nearly $121 K of her uncle’s SSA benefits — all while he lived in squalor, in a house without running water, electricity, or heat. 

Charges: 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(5)

Maximum Penalties: 5 years in prison

Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.

United States v. Keshaune Pace also known as Keshaune Jenkins – Southeast Michigan (Complaint)

Keshaune Pace served as representative payee for her minor son, who was a recipient of SSI benefits due to disability. In order to maintain the receipt of her son’s benefits after he left her custody, she lied to the SSA about her son’s living arrangements, going so far as to have another person impersonate her son during an SSA-initiated review. Pace stole and misused $30,000 of the benefits paid on behalf of her son; $6,000 of those benefits should have been used for her son’s needs and were not, $24,000 should have been paid to no one at all.

Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S.C. § 1383a(a)(4) (Social Security Representative Payee Fraud)

Maximum Penalties: 10 years; 5 years in prison

Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Additional Charges During SSA Surge:

• United States v. Tammy Phillips - $65,000 – Western District of Pennsylvania
• United States v. Israel Gonzalez - $139,952 – Western District of North Carolina
• United States vs. John Zaccaria - $143,685 – District of Rhode Island
• United States v. Sherry Freude - $100,845 – Southern District of Texas
• United States v. Lisa Martinez - $50,501 – Western District of Texas
• United States v. Stacey L. Stoudermire - $31,237 – Northern District of Ohio
• United States vs. Ruthie M. Lewis - $33,131 – Northern District of Ohio
• United States vs. Lizbeth A. Reinhard - $170,166 – Northern District of Ohio
• United States vs. Carrie Miller - $50,658 – District of Idaho
• United States vs. Calandra Davis - $53,234 – Northern District of Indiana
• United States v. Tammy Hopkins - $98,879 – Eastern District of Michigan
• United States v. Darlette Williams - $46,844 – Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. Attorney Partners: District of Idaho, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of New York, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, Western District of North Carolina, Western District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Texas.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Illegal Alien from Venezuela Charged with Assaulting and Resisting a Federal Officer in Austin

An illegal alien from Venezuela made his initial appearance in federal court today after being charged with one count of assaulting, resisting, interfering, and impeding a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, on Sept. 20, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) officers initiated a traffic stop for Wilber Rafael Garces-Perez, 28. The stop was initiated due to confirmation of an immigration judge having issued a final order of removal on Garces-Perez.

The criminal complaint alleges that, during the stop, Garces-Perez provided the ICE ERO officers with his driver’s license. After verifying Garces-Perez was the person they were seeking, the officers asked Garces-Perez to place his vehicle in park and step out—orders which he allegedly ignored. The complaint alleges and body camera footage shows that after further direction from the officers in Spanish, Garces-Perez abruptly closed his window and drove off, striking one of the ICE ERO officers in the torso with the driver’s side-view mirror.

The ICE ERO officers pursued Garces-Perez in their vehicles with their emergency lights and sirens activated. The complaint alleges Garces-Perez led them on a high-speed chase through a commercial and residential area. While one of the officers lost sight of Garces-Perez during the pursuit, the other ICE ERO officer caught up to Garces-Perez, who allegedly attempted to strike the officer with his car, causing the officer to fire his pistol.

Garces-Perez made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin Howell of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. A detention hearing is set for Friday, Oct. 2. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Britni Verdeja is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.  

Speaker Julie Menin and 32BJ President Manny Pastreich Team Up to Highlight New Healthcare Accountability Report

Report reveals hospital consolidation and increasing care service prices as major drivers of rising healthcare costs

Findings also show fewer than 3 percent of commercial insurance claims are appealed internally, despite the fact that appeals tend to win one third of the time 

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and 32BJ President Manny Pastreich appeared jointly in a new video highlighting the Healthcare Accountability Report, which was recently published by the NYC Office of Healthcare Accountability (OHA). The report, which examines the drivers of rising healthcare costs, found that pricing — not how much care consumers use — remains the primary cause. The analysis also uncovered extreme price variation in hospitals across the city.

Healthcare costs in New York City are rising faster than wages and inflation, and are a major financial burden for many New Yorkers. The annual Healthcare Accountability Report provides context on major healthcare affordability issues, uses public data to analyze the financial practices of hospitals and insurers, and offers detailed price transparency data on both hospitals and payers, in addition to City spending on employee, retiree, and dependent healthcare.

In the video, Speaker Menin and Pastreich underscore the importance of consumer transparency. The full video can be found here, and the full 2026 OHA Report can be found here.

“When you go to the hospital, you don’t know what you’ll be charged for a service or procedure. For consumers, there is no other industry where you’re procuring a service—much less in the hospital at your most vulnerable time—and have no idea what it’ll cost,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “New Yorkers should never have to choose whether or not to get the care they need simply because they can’t afford it. Transparency brings down costs, and this year’s OHA report arms New Yorkers with the critical information they need about the cost of health procedures so they can make better informed decisions about the care they receive. I’m grateful to 32BJ for their partnership in making healthcare more affordable for New Yorkers across the city.”

“Knowledge is power. This new report helps put the power back into people’s hands by exposing the outrageous prices and growing hospital consolidations that drive up healthcare costs,” said Manny Pastreich, President of 32BJ. “It’s clear that less competition allows big hospitals to buy up the market, leaving everyday New Yorkers stuck with paying higher prices. While this report brings greater transparency to our hospital pricing system, accountability must be our next step. That’s why 32BJ strongly supports implementing the stakeholder convening provisions of Local Law 78 and has been championing the Fair Pricing Act in Albany. I commend Speaker Menin for passing the legislation that created the Office of Healthcare Accountability which produced this report and for her continued leadership and support for greater healthcare affordability.”

Key findings from the report reveal:

•   Hospital prices for identical procedures range dramatically across New York City. For example, a C-section can cost anywhere from $7,000 to $64,000 depending on the hospital, and an emergency room visit can range from $210 up to $6,000.
•    Nearly 70% ($3 billion) of the City health plans’ 2025 spend on hospital benefits were concentrated in the five largest NYC academic medical centers (Montefiore Health System, Mount Sinai Health System, NewYork Presbyterian, Northwell Health, NYU Langone Health).
•    Among the City’s own health plans, outpatient care spending outpaced all other categories, rising 13–17% in just one year, with that growth clustered at two hospital systems. This is compared to inpatient care spending, which only rose 4-5% in the same period.
•    The average marketplace premium reached $909 per month in 2025, jumping 20% over two years. Meanwhile, the City’s total spend on employee and retiree premiums reached $10.03 billion in Fiscal Year 2025, up 15% over the past two years.  
•    The denial rate of commercial insurance claims in 2024 was around 25% — or one in every four claims — with fewer than 3% of those denials being appealed internally even though appeals win up to a third of the time.  
•    In 2024, New York City’s nonprofit hospitals reported $10.6 billion in community benefit spending — 20% of total expenses. At the same time, large academic hospitals continue to treat fewer Medicaid and uninsured patients than public and safety-net hospitals.  

“As we prepare to negotiate the citywide economic agreement for city workers, we want to ensure more money goes back into our members’ pockets than in the pockets of hospital CEOs,” said Henry Garrido, Executive Director of District Council 37 AFSCME. “Every dollar counts for New Yorkers, and the reports generated by the Office of Healthcare Accountability have been instrumental in recent negotiations with certain hospital systems when benchmarking costs for individual services. We thank Speaker Menin for her partnership and advocacy in sponsoring the Healthcare Accountability and Consumer Protection Act, and look forward to using this new report to make the case for lowering arbitrary hospital prices.”

The Office of Healthcare Accountability last year helped the city harness its purchasing power to negotiate a better employee health plan, expanding care while saving taxpayer dollars.

In 2023, then Council Member Menin in collaboration with 32BJ and labor advocacy partners worked to pass Local Law 78, which established the Office of Healthcare Accountability — the first of its kind in the U.S. The office provides recommendations relating to City healthcare and hospital costs, analyzes expenditures on healthcare costs for city employees, provides information relating to the costs of hospital procedures, convenes stakeholders to examine healthcare costs, and collects hospital financial documents and makes them publicly available.

Speaker Menin has long been a champion of consumer protection. As the former Commissioner of Consumer Affairs, she worked to put money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, increasing consumer restitution by 70%, implementing the city’s historic Paid Sick Leave Law, and launching an Earned Income Tax Credit that returned $260 million to low-income residents.

Report: Biden-Era Afghan Refugee Program Had a 40% Error Rate, Potentially Bringing Terrorists and Other Dangerous Criminals into the United States

 

A lawsuit against the Biden Administration’s DHS forced USCIS to adjudicate 90% of the program’s asylum applications within 150 days

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after a report by the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) revealed that a Biden-era program to admit Afghan refugees had a 40% error rate in adjudicating asylum claims, which put the United States at risk of admitting potential terrorists and other dangerous criminals.

Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) was established under the Biden Administration by the Afghanistan Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022, which required U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to interview an OAW asylum applicant within 45 days of the filing of the application, with no exceptions. In April 2023, a group of plaintiffs sued Biden’s DHS in Ahmed vs. DHS, with the lawsuit being settled in September 2023. As a result of the settlement, DHS ordered USCIS to adjudicate 90% of OAW asylum applications within 150 days.

Following complaints from USCIS employees warning that the rushed timeline would hinder the agency’s ability to comprehensively review each application, the OIG conducted its own evaluation of the process from March 2024 to January 2025. The OIG report determined that there was a 40% error rate in the adjudication of OAW asylum files, with USCIS missing opportunities to potentially link alias names provided by applicants to information that could have made them ineligible for asylum.

“Our asylum system should be as strict as possible. If even one dangerous criminal or terrorist slips through and enters our country, it endangers countless American lives,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The Biden Administration dangerously mismanaged the Operation Allies Welcome program, disregarding all the thorough and well-established procedures of our asylum system and putting our nation at risk. Unlike the Biden Administration, the Trump Administration is putting the American people first and bringing an end to these reckless and rushed asylum practices.”

Operation Allies Welcome resulted in many criminal aliens being released into the country under the Biden Administration, including those convicted for lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, sexual battery, hit-and-run, drug possession, and kidnapping. Other examples include:

• In November 2025, DHS assisted the FBI in the arrest of an Afghan national who entered the United States under OAW and was federally charged for threatening to kill Americans and others.
• In December 2025, ICE arrested a member of ISIS-K who was allowed to enter the United States under OAW.
• In March 2026, ICE and USCIS arrested an Afghan national, allowed into the country by OAW, who had previously been convicted of indecent exposure to a minor.

Attorney General James Sues Festival Promoters for Scamming Ticket Buyers

 

Promoters Abruptly Canceled Evolutions Music Festival 10 Days Before Event, Failed to Refund Ticket Buyers and Vendors

Organizers Pocketed Over $240,000 in Advance Ticket Sales and $21,000 in Vendor Fees from Small Businesses

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a lawsuit against Evolutions Festival and its organizers, Michael and Justin Brown, for failing to refund ticket holders and vendors after abruptly canceling the three-day electronic dance music (EDM) and arts festival just 10 days before it was scheduled to begin. Evolutions Festival, which was scheduled for September 5-7, 2025 at the Sugar Mountain Performing Arts Center in Canedea, Allegany County, had sold more than $243,000 in advance tickets to 521 people and collected more than $21,000 in advance vendor fees. Attorney General James is seeking restitution for all ticket holders and vendors, civil penalties, and an order preventing the promoters from holding future events in New York state unless they provide a $500,000 bond.

“Concertgoers and vendors who spend their hard-earned money in New York should know that my office has their back,” said Attorney General James. “Arts and culture are a cornerstone of what draws people to our great state. My office will never allow unsavory promoters to ruin that experience and take advantage of consumers or small business owners.”

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) launched an investigation into Evolutions Festival LLC and 845 Vibrations LLC (the organizers) after receiving multiple consumer complaints about the festival’s failure to issue refunds. Evolutions Festival, promoted as an enhanced three-day weekend of music, arts, and camping, was first held in 2024. Organizers claimed that the 2025 event would be even better, touting A-list headliners, new so-called “glamping” options, immersive on-site experiences, and diverse international food offerings. The festival lineup included popular artists including Allison Wonderland, Of the Trees, and Flowdan.

Tickets went on sale on March 20, 2025 with prices ranging from around $200 to more than $700. Consumers could also purchase camping, parking, transportation, and other add-ons. In total, the organizers collected $243,158.04 in advance ticket sales through 1,157 tickets purchased by 521 individuals. The organizers also charged vendors advance fees ranging from $650 to $1,150 for a planned “vendor village,” which brought in $21,662.75 from 28 small businesses.

On August 26, 2025, just 10 days before the festival was scheduled to begin, Evolutions Festival announced on social media that the event was being “postponed.” The organizers claimed that the venue had not secured the necessary permitting for the festival, and as a result, the event was unable to move forward as planned. Despite the cancellation, Evolutions Festival did not offer refunds to ticket purchasers. Only 11 of 521 ticket purchasers received refunds, all by contacting their credit card companies and disputing the charges. Some consumers reported feeling like they had been scammed.

The festival also failed to refund vendors who had paid in advance to participate. One Rochester-area small business owner paid over $1,200 to secure a booth for the weekend and was notified of the event’s cancellation just six days before it was scheduled to begin. Festival organizers told her that they were working to reschedule the event, but that she could email a request for a refund and that those requests would be processed quickly. That promise was not kept.

Attorney General James alleges Evolutions Festival’s organizers violated New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law by failing to keep all advance ticket-sale funds in escrow or otherwise provide required financial protection for ticket purchasers. Under the law, ticket purchasers are entitled to a refund even when a performance is canceled or rescheduled. Attorney General James is seeking full restitution for all ticketholders and vendors, an order to prevent the organizers from hosting cultural events in New York unless they first post a $500,000 performance bond, and civil penalties of $5,000 for all 1,185 alleged violations of New York’s General Business Law.

During Suicide Prevention Month, Governor Hochul Announces New Mental Health Training to Support First Responders

New Training Focuses on First Responder Suicide Prevention and the Barriers That Prevent Responders From Seeking Treatment

Training Now Available for Mental Health Professionals Statewide

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the release of a new online training for mental health professionals working with or considering a career helping first responders such as 911 dispatchers, law enforcement, emergency medical technicians and firefighters. Developed by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the First Responder Mental Health and Cultural Awareness Training features content on the challenges these individuals face and barriers to treatment they may encounter, using insights gained from Governor Hochul’s New York State First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment, which included input from more than 6,000 emergency professionals statewide.

“First responders see things in their day-to-day work that people in other lines of work could only imagine — it’s crucial that we provide the best resources and support to ensure others can help them take care of themselves as much as they take care of others,” Governor Hochul said. “The professionals who serve our first responders need to understand the complexities of such work and this training will go a long way to ensure our responders can get the care that they deserve. Our communities are better because of the work they do and we must show up to support them.”

The one-hour awareness-level training is for mental health professionals interested in working with first responders and includes suicide prevention videos specific to first responder professions, along with scenarios and interactive exercises. Modules include understanding the work of first responders, risk and protective factors, barriers to seeking care, recognition and assessment of suicidal ideation, and strategies for intermediate intervention and ongoing care.

The training is focused on suicide prevention and is the second in a series on first responder mental health and cultural awareness. Mental health professionals successfully completing the training can receive continuing education credit.

Complementing this training, the state Office of Mental Health’s CARES UP initiative is offering a series of webinars this month related to suicide prevention. Topics include sessions with first responders who have successfully navigated suicidal ideation and other challenges.

If you or someone you love are in need of support, OMH also hosts the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which connects New Yorkers to trained crisis counselors 24/7 and can help anyone thinking about suicide, struggling with substance use, experiencing a mental health crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress. New Yorkers can also call, text or chat 988 if they are worried about someone or believe they may need crisis support.

The state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is also among the most active in the nation, logging more than 51,000 calls in August alone – second only to California. The 988-Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has been one of Governor Hochul’s capstone mental health initiatives – enough so that she secured more than $60 million to fund the service, including through a robust public awareness campaign that is now entering its third year.