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As the Trump administration expands its immigration crackdown nationwide, President Trump is simultaneously creating new pathways for wealthy noncitizens to obtain U.S. visas. Earlier this week, Trump officially launched a program allowing affluent visitors to fast-track permission to live and work in the United States. For a $1 million payment, applicants can receive a so-called Trump Gold Card, which promises to speed up U.S. residency applications "in record time." The administration says it will also soon offer a $5 million "Trump Platinum Card" that would allow participants to avoid paying some U.S. taxes. The announcement comes as new rules published this week would require visitors from 42 countries in the visa waiver program to submit up to five years of social media history, along with phone numbers, email addresses and biometric data.
Shev Dalal-Dheini, director of government relations at the American Immigration Lawyers Association, says the changes show that "if you're wealthy, if you can pay to play, then you're welcome to come to the United States. But if you're not — if you're coming as a tourist, or you're coming to seek humanitarian protection — then we're going to make it much tougher for you to come here and really put a lot of hurdles along the way in the guise of security and vetting."
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New integrated financial, procurement, and asset management system improves DHS resource management
— The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Management Directorate announced that the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has recently transitioned to an updated integrated financial, procurement, and asset management system, called the Financial System Modernization Solution (FSMS). The new system includes automated and integrated controls, a common appropriations structure and accounting line, standard business practices, up-to-date security, and functionality that will assist the USCG in overseeing their annual budget of more than $12 billion more efficiently and effectively.
"Modernizing our financial support systems is vital to the Department of Homeland Security and is one of our top priorities," said Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Chief Financial Officer Stacy Marcott. "The new system will vastly improve the U.S. Coast Guard's business systems, help employees be more productive, and allow them to achieve more reliable results when paying bills, procuring goods and services, reporting and managing budgets, and much more."
The DHS Financial Systems Modernization initiative works by updating legacy financial systems to provide greater security, data integrity, efficiency, and flexibility. These improvements will lead to more accurate reporting, therefore improving transparency and accountability.
"This is truly the beginning of a new era for the United States Coast Guard's Financial Management and Procurement Services," says Rear Admiral Mark Fedor, Assistant Commandant for Resources & Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Coast Guard. "I'm honored to help lead the Coast Guard through this financial transformation and confident the Service will be more efficient, adaptable to our dynamic operational environment, and better stewards of the taxpayers' dollars. Hundreds of people have invested thousands
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WASHINGTON - Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas authorized U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to move forward with activities necessary to address life, safety, environmental, and remediation requirements for border barrier projects previously undertaken by the Department of Defense (DoD) and located within the Border Patrol's San Diego, El Centro, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, and Del Rio Sectors. The activities will be undertaken in accordance with the Department's plan for the use of border barrier funds.
In furtherance of Presidential Proclamation 10142, the Deputy Secretary of Defense directed the cancellation of all DoD 284 Projects. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), on behalf of DoD, is in the process of terminating the construction contracts for these projects. As part of that process, DoD will turn over unfinished projects to DHS in various stages of completion to undertake activities necessary to address urgent life, safety, environmental, or other remediation required to protect border communities.
Activities include but are not limited to:
Completing and/or installing drainage to prevent flooding. Installing and completing permanent erosion control and slope stabilization measures to ensure the safety and stability of structures in the region. Completing prior construction of patrol, maintenance, and access roads by adding guardrails, signage, and integrating existing roadways to address safety concerns. Remediating temporary use areas such as laydown yards, haul roads, and project areas impacted by construction. Disposing of residual materials not required for completion of the work as identified above. Closing small gaps that remain open from prior construction activities and remediating incomplete gates. The type
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