The DHS Ad-Hoc ‘Loan-a-Drone’ Program Revealed

Report: Rubio, McCain Cooking Up Immigration Bill

“Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is seen as his party’s natural leader on immigration reform, but he will have to share the stage with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The 2008 GOP presidential nominee is the upper chamber’s most seasoned expert on immigration reform, and nearly pushed a comprehensive deal through Congress six years ago. Rubio has already talked with McCain to iron out a strategy for next year, but the two lawmakers have yet to sit down together to carefully review policy details.” The Hill reports.

Politico has a related story that lists 5 Republicans who matter on immigration (according to Politico).

“They lack the stature of the Big Three Republicans in the immigration reform debate: Marco Rubio, John McCain and Lindsey Graham. But just below that senatorial trio, there’s another group of lesser-known GOP lawmakers expected to play an outsize role — both within the party and negotiating with Democrats — as Congress delves into an issue that could consume much of its bandwidth next year,” the story says.

Suit Filed Against Montana Immigration Initiative

“An immigrants advocacy group, the state’s largest union and a Montana resident who was born in Canada filed a lawsuit Friday aimed at reversing a statewide initiative that prohibits state agencies from providing certain state services or benefits to undocumented aliens,” the Great Falls Tribune reports.

“LR-121 passed with nearly 81 percent of voters supporting it in the Nov. 6 election. The new law, set to take effect Jan. 1, requires certain state agencies to certify through a federal database that people requesting services are citizens before any services are provided to them.”

The DHS Ad-Hoc ‘Loan-a-Drone’ Program Revealed

“The little-noticed August 2011 incident at the Lakota, N.D., ranch, which ended peacefully, was a watershed moment for Americans: it was one of the first known times an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) owned by the U.S. government was used against civilians for local police work. Since then, the Washington Guardian has confirmed, DHS and its Customs and Border Protection agency have deployed drones — originally bought to guard America’s borders — to assist local law enforcement and other federal agencies on several occasions,” WTOP reports.

“The practice is raising questions inside and outside government about whether federal officials may be creating an ad-hoc, loan-a-drone program without formal rules for engagement, privacy protection or taxpayer reimbursements. The drones used by CPB can cost between $15 million and $34 million each to buy, and have hourly operational costs as well.”