The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is facing a potential shutdown as funding is set to expire early Saturday morning, potentially disrupting travel, immigration enforcement, and disaster relief, according to the New York Times. Simultaneously, the agency is also expanding its efforts to identify individuals who oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by requesting identifying information from social media companies. In other news, tempers flared at an Olympic curling match, and the U.S. military conducted a lethal strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel in the Caribbean.
The impending shutdown, as reported by the New York Times, is not expected to halt most of the department's operations, as essential missions and functions would continue. However, department officials have warned that many employees would be working without pay, potentially causing financial strain. During previous government shutdowns, agencies like the Transportation Security Administration experienced a rise in resignations.
In a separate development, DHS has been sending legal requests to tech companies, including Google, Reddit, Discord, and Meta, seeking the names, email addresses, telephone numbers, and other identifying data behind social media accounts that track or criticize the agency, according to four government officials and tech employees who spoke to the New York Times. Google, Meta, and Reddit have complied with some of these requests, the officials said.
In other news, an Olympic curling match between Canada and Sweden saw tempers flare after allegations of cheating. According to Fox News, Canadian third Marc Kennedy and Sweden's Oskar Eriksson exchanged heated words after Eriksson accused Kennedy of an illegal procedure. Kennedy responded with a profane insult, as reported by Fox News.
Additionally, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced that the U.S. military carried out a lethal strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, targeting suspected drug traffickers. The operation, conducted on February 13th, resulted in the deaths of three individuals, according to a post on X by SOUTHCOM.
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