Presidents’ Day is the perfect opportunity for a trip through time to celebrate some of our nation’s formative leaders. This week on FEDtalk, historians will come together to discuss how our early presidents shaped the role of the executive and how that role continues to change over time.

In December, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) aimed at reducing the number of asylum seekers living in the U.S. awaiting immigration court proceedings. These directives have come under fire by civil liberties groups claiming a lack of due process protections. Now, DHS Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen is working to clarify the MPP rules to avoid further legal scrutiny.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Wednesday that a former U.S. service member and counterintelligence agent has been indicted by a grand jury for conspiracy to deliver and delivering national defense information to the Iranian government. Monica Elfriede Witt, the individual charged, remains at large.

Last week, the Fifth Circuit utilized the common-law trespass test to find that a state trooper’s tapping of a car tire was a search.

A three-day successful operation called Operation Callout produced well over 100 drug and firearm related arrests in Louisiana last week. City, parish, state, and federal law enforcement agencies came together to combat drug violence, and in this investigation their close cooperation paid off.

Recently, the Ninth Circuit held that officers may not extend a lawfully initiated traffic stop because a passenger refuses to identify himself absent reasonable suspicion that the individual committed a criminal offense.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has named Officer Joseph Grasso, of the North Brunswick (NJ) Police Department, as the recipient of its Officer of the Month Award for January 2019.

The U.S. borders have inundated news cycles in recent months.  To find out what’s really going on, tune in to FEDtalk to hear a group of federal law enforcement professionals discuss what they experience at the border and what they need to do their mission.

As the President of FEDS, I didn’t know whether to celebrate the agreement to fund agencies through mid­February or to commiserate over the uncertainty that lies ahead.

Free admission on Saturday, February 2, 2019 plus K9-focused activities for the whole family.

Border Patrol agents used advanced technology and National Guard assistance to arrest four individuals for smuggling large amounts of marijuana across southern New Mexico this week. On Tuesday evening, Lordsburg Border Patrol agents used infrared surveillance equipment to locate and apprehend the subjects.

While it’s not Open Season for Life Insurance, it’s a perfect time to evaluate your coverage. Life insurance is a vital tool when it comes to safeguarding your family’s future.

Agents from the U.S. Marshal Service Western District of Missouri announced last week the arrests of seven Southwest Missouri fugitives in the Springfield area. The fugitives were charged with a range of violent and drug related crimes as part of the Violent Fugitive Task Force’s ongoing mission to combat conflicts in the region.

Last week, FEDagent reported on the Federal Circuit’s decision in Siler v. EPA, on the issue of whether EPA adequately asserted the attorney-client privilege to withhold documents from Siler during the discovery phase of his MSPB appeal his removal from federal service. This week, we report on the portion of the court’s decision that vacated the MSPB’s denial of Siler’s whistleblower reprisal affirmative defense and remanded the matter to MSPB for further proceedings.

Mr. Floyd will remain as Founding CEO Emeritus and consultant.

The National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service is wrapping up its first year.  The bipartisan, 11-member commission--created by Congress--seeks to inspire more young Americans to serve their country.

Secret Service agents, joined by New Rochelle, New York police officers, executed an arrest warrant last week in an apartment on the 37th floor of the Skyline New Rochelle in the city's downtown area. The raid led to the detention of several individuals believed to be participating in a credit card fraud ring that has made stolen credit card purchases of approximately $3,000,000.

Recently, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a decision of an Merit System Protection Board Administrative Judge, and found that the EPA made no evidentiary showing to prove its claim of the attorney-client privilege to prevent the discovery of draft proposed disciplinary actions.  

Manning, South Carolina police Chief Gary Blair Shaffer has been arrested following a FBI investigation into misconduct during his term. Shaffer has been charged with theft of federal funds, money laundering, structuring, and false statements.

The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, via a panel decision, held that when a federal employee is removed from service on a charge of “positive test for illegal drug use,” there is no requirement for the government to prove that the employee intended to use an illegal drug.