National Security

Opponents want alternatives to immigrant detention centers

Marcos Restrepo | 03.14.12 | 3:58 pm | The Florida Independent | View Article

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, led a tour this week of its new immigrant detention center in Texas. The detention center, which will be managed by Florida-based private prison industry corporation The GEO Group More…, has raised concerns from immigrant advocates.

Texas company stands at the forefront of emerging domestic drone market

| 03.09.12 | 2:08 pm | View Article

Unmanned aerial vehicles, otherwise known as drones, are big business. With the war in Iraq over and the war in Afghanistan scheduled to draw down, defense contractors that manufacture drones are looking domestically to replace the revenue created from a decade of conflict in the Middle East.
According to one More…

Battle rages in Florida over private detention center

Marcos Restrepo | 02.29.12 | 5:22 pm | The Florida Independent | View Article

Residents opposed to a federally-funded, privately-managed immigration detention center in South Florida issued a statement Wednesday calling on President Obama to step in and halt the project.
A press release issued More… by No Prison in Southwest Ranches states: “Will the President step in and protect the people in this area from

Homeland Security budget includes funding for ‘nationwide deployment’ of Secure Communities

Marcos Restrepo | 02.14.12 | 1:18 pm | The Florida Independent | View Article
The Department of Homeland Security’s 2013 budget, released Monday, includes overall cuts to the agency, but secures funding for the controversial immigration enforcement program Secure Communities. More…

Immigration restrictionist group says Florida governor is welcoming ‘illegal aliens’

Marcos Restrepo | 02.13.12 | 8:30 am | The Florida Independent | View Article
A Florida immigration restrictionist group put up a billboard this week to thank Gov. Rick Scott for welcoming “illegal aliens” to Florida.

More…

Report: Number of Muslim-Americans indicted for terrorist plots going down

Marcos Restrepo | 02.09.12 | 6:15 pm | The Florida Independent | View Article
The number of Muslim-Americans indicted for violent plots and/or offering financial support to terrorism declined for the second straight year, according to a study released Wednesday.

“Muslim-American Terrorism in the Decade Since 9/11″ More… (.pdf), the third annual report on this issue, states that 20 Muslim-Americans were indicted for violent terrorist

Houston area lawmakers, flush with industry cash, request drone testing site

| 02.09.12 | 9:15 am | View Article
Could residents of Houston see the same unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flown in the Middle East soon flying overhead here at home? Several Houston area lawmakers recently requested that acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Michael Huerta, consider Ellington Field, a small airport in southeast Houston, as a new More…

Occupy Miami protesters say they have been highlighting, not perpetuating homelessness

Marcos Restrepo | 02.08.12 | 3:36 pm | The Florida Independent | View Article
Five members of Occupy Miami said Tuesday night that despite last week’s eviction and arrests the movement will continue to meet and move forward with a campaign to support homeowners who have been evicted. More…