Federal Executive Branch
Here's a look at documents from the U.S. Executive Branch
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Surface Transportation Board Issues Decision Involving 2025 Tax Information For Use in Revenue Shortfall Allocation Method
WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. EP 682; Sub-No. 17) entitled "2025 Tax Information For Use in the Revenue Shortfall Allocation Method":
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The Board is publishing, and providing the public an opportunity to comment on, the 2025 weighted average state tax rates for each Class I railroad, as calculated by the Association of American Railroads (AAR), for use in the Revenue Shortfall Allocation Method (RSAM).
The RSAM figure is one of three benchmarks that together are used to determine the reasonableness
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WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Surface Transportation Board issued the following decision (Docket No. EP 682; Sub-No. 17) entitled "2025 Tax Information For Use in the Revenue Shortfall Allocation Method":
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The Board is publishing, and providing the public an opportunity to comment on, the 2025 weighted average state tax rates for each Class I railroad, as calculated by the Association of American Railroads (AAR), for use in the Revenue Shortfall Allocation Method (RSAM).
The RSAM figure is one of three benchmarks that together are used to determine the reasonablenessof a challenged rate under the Board's Simplified Standards for Rail Rate Cases, EP 646 (Sub-No. 1), slip op. at 10 (STB served Sept. 5, 2007),/1 as further revised in Simplified Standards for Rail Rate Cases--Taxes in Revenue Shortfall Allocation Method (Simplified Standards--Taxes in RSAM), EP 646 (Sub-No. 2) (STB served Nov. 21, 2008). RSAM is intended to measure the average markup that the railroad would need to collect from all of its "potentially captive traffic" (traffic with a revenue-to-variable-cost ratio above 180%) to earn adequate revenues as measured by the Board under 49 U.S.C. 10704(a)(2) (i.e., earn a return on investment equal to the railroad industry cost of capital). Simplified Standards--Taxes in RSAM, EP 646 (Sub-No. 2), slip op. at 1. In Simplified Standards--Taxes in RSAM, EP 646 (Sub-No. 2), slip op. at 3, 5, the Board modified its RSAM formula to account for taxes, as the prior formula mistakenly compared pre-tax and after-tax revenues. In that decision, the Board stated that it would institute a separate proceeding in which Class I railroads would be required to submit the annual tax information necessary for the Board's annual RSAM calculation. Id. at 5-6.
Pursuant to 49 CFR 1135.2, AAR is required to annually calculate and submit to the Board the weighted average state tax rate for each Class I railroad for the previous year. On May 29, 2026, AAR filed its calculation of the weighted average state tax rates for 2025, listed below for each Class I railroad:
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Weighted Average State Tax Rates
Railroad ... 2025 ... 2024 ... % Change
BNSF Railway Company ... 4.687% ... 4.739% ... -0.052%
CSX Transportation, Inc. ... 5.055% ... 5.118% ... -0.063%
Grand Trunk Corporation ... 7.464% ... 7.575% ... -0.111%
Canadian Pacific Kansas City ... 5.991% ... 6.178% ... -0.187%
Norfolk Southern Combined Railroad Subsidiaries ... 5.198% ... 5.265% ... -0.067%
Union Pacific Railroad Company ... 4.925% ... 5.035% ... -0.110%
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Pursuant to 49 CFR 1135.2(b), notice of AAR's submission will be published in the Federal Register. Any party wishing to comment on AAR's calculation of the 2025 weighted average state tax rates should file a comment by July 8, 2026. See 49 CFR 1135.2(c). If any comments opposing AAR's calculations are filed, AAR's reply will be due within 20 days of the filing date of the comments. Id. If any comments are filed, the Board will review AAR's submission, together with the comments, and serve a decision within 60 days of the close of the record that either accepts, rejects, or modifies AAR's railroad-specific tax information. Id. If no comments are filed by July 8, 2026, AAR's submitted weighted average state tax rates will be automatically adopted by the Board, effective July 9, 2026. Id.
It is ordered:
1. Comments on AAR's calculation of the 2025 weighted average state tax rates for the Class I railroads are due by July 8, 2026. If any comments opposing AAR's calculations are filed, AAR's reply is due within 20 days of the filing of the comments.
2. If no comments are filed, AAR's calculation of the 2025 weighted average state tax rates for each Class I railroad will be automatically adopted by the Board, effective July 9, 2026.
3. Notice will be published in the Federal Register.
By the Board, Anika S. Cooper, Chief Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel.
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Footnote:
1/ Aff'd sub nom. CSX Transp., Inc. v. STB, 568 F.3d 236 (D.C. Cir. 2009), vacated in part on reh'g, 584 F.3d 1076 (D.C. Cir. 2009).
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Original text here: https://dcms-external.s3.amazonaws.com/DCMS_External_PROD/1780929004120/53092.pdf
State Department Issues Public Schedule for June 8, 2026
WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for June 8, 2026:
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SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO
Secretary Rubio attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State and the White House.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER LANDAU
Deputy Secretary Landau is on travel to Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia from June 6-June 13, 2026.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES MICHAEL J. RIGAS
Deputy Secretary Rigas attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS ALLISON M. HOOKER
Under Secretary
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WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for June 8, 2026:
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SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO
Secretary Rubio attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State and the White House.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE CHRISTOPHER LANDAU
Deputy Secretary Landau is on travel to Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia from June 6-June 13, 2026.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES MICHAEL J. RIGAS
Deputy Secretary Rigas attends meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS ALLISON M. HOOKER
Under SecretaryHooker has no public appointments.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY SARAH B. ROGERS
Under Secretary Rogers is on travel to India, Nepal, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan from May 27-June 10, 2026.
BRIEFING SCHEDULE
No Department Press Briefing.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/06/public-schedule-june-8-2026/
NIH: Researchers Trigger Sleep's Restorative Effect in Parts of the Awake Brain
WASHINGTON, June 9 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health issued the following news release:
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Researchers trigger sleep's restorative effect in parts of the awake brain
NIH-funded study in animals offers new details about how the brain resets during sleep.
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By inducing specific patterns of activity in small portions of the brain in awake mice, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have triggered a recalibration of neural connections that normally only occurs during sleep. This new approach offset the effects
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WASHINGTON, June 9 (TNSjou) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health issued the following news release:
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Researchers trigger sleep's restorative effect in parts of the awake brain
NIH-funded study in animals offers new details about how the brain resets during sleep.
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By inducing specific patterns of activity in small portions of the brain in awake mice, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have triggered a recalibration of neural connections that normally only occurs during sleep. This new approach offset the effectsof sleep deprivation in memory tasks and revealed features of sleep that are key to its restorative effect.
"What we're essentially doing is forcing sleep in a local region of the brain. While that part is solidifying memories and restoring learning capacity, other parts stay aware/vigilant and connected to environment," said corresponding author Chiara Cirelli, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Dolphins do something similar, sleeping with only one brain hemisphere at a time."
Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, which makes up about 80% of sleep for adults, is when the junctions between neurons that make memories are evaluated. During this phase, the brain protects important connections for long-term storage, prunes those that are less necessary, and makes space for new ones.
Cirelli and her colleagues previously showed that, when sleep-deprived, both rats and humans can exhibit local slow-wave brain activity -- a hallmark of NREM sleep -- while awake. These deprivation-induced dips into sleep-like activity may have been too sporadic and brief to be beneficial, but the findings raised questions about the possible effects of a longer, more systematic version of this activity.
In the new research, the authors used a combination of light-pulsing implants and genetic modifications to induce rhythmic on-and-off activity in one side of the brains of sleep deprived mice for 30 minutes at a time, mimicking patterns that occur during NREM sleep.
When mice subsequently slept, slow-wave activity was lower in the specific brain regions the authors had stimulated, indicating less need for sleep. Additional experiments suggested that this effect hinged not on the overall reduction in neuronal firing, which some scientists had suggested was critical to recover from wake-induced neuronal fatigue, but rather on the specific alternating on-and-off pattern of activity.
The researchers explored potential benefits through a behavioral test of tactile memory, for which sleep is important. Sleep-deprived mice who received stimulation in motor and sensory regions on both sides of the brain performed similarly to those who were well rested. Sleep-deprived mice who did not receive stimulation performed significantly worse.
In future studies, Cirelli aims to learn whether similar effects could be replicated in humans using less invasive, transcranial stimulation technology.
"This research further decodes why we sleep and how we learn, which brings us a step closer to understanding how to better prevent and treat cognitive decline," said Amy Bany Adams, Ph.D., acting director of the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which funded the research.
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About the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): NINDS is the nation's leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. https://www.ninds.nih.gov.
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About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health(R)
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Reference
Kort Driessen et al. Induction of cortical ON/OFF periods in awake mice fulfills sleep functions. Nature Neuroscience. 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02318-9
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Original text here: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/researchers-trigger-sleeps-restorative-effect-parts-awake-brain
Justice Department Moves to Strip U.S. Citizenship From 17 Naturalized Sex Offenders, Fraudsters, Drug Dealers, and More
WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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Justice Department Moves to Strip U.S. Citizenship from 17 Naturalized Sex Offenders, Fraudsters, Drug Dealers, and More
The Department of Justice announced today that it filed denaturalization actions in various U.S. district courts against 17 individuals accused of serious offenses--including sexual abuse of a minor, wire and bank fraud, and distributing drugs wholesale without a license.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen's citizenship may be revoked,
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WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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Justice Department Moves to Strip U.S. Citizenship from 17 Naturalized Sex Offenders, Fraudsters, Drug Dealers, and More
The Department of Justice announced today that it filed denaturalization actions in various U.S. district courts against 17 individuals accused of serious offenses--including sexual abuse of a minor, wire and bank fraud, and distributing drugs wholesale without a license.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen's citizenship may be revoked,and certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
"When criminal aliens exploit the naturalization process by breaking the law, there are consequences. Criminal aliens are lying about their past crimes, including drug dealers, sexual predators, and fraudsters. Gaining U.S. citizenship is a privilege and under the steadfast leadership of President Trump, this Department of Justice maintains a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of this process," said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. "We continue to work around the clock with our interagency partners to make sure U.S. citizenship is granted to those who truly deserve it."
"American citizenship is a privilege, and it must be earned honestly. If you come here break our laws, and lie in your immigration proceedings, you forfeit that privilege," said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "DHS will not stand idly by while Americans are harmed by criminals including sex offenders, perpetrators of fraud, and drug traffickers who have exploited our generosity and gamed our immigration system. We will continue to use every lawful avenue to denaturalize and remove aliens."
"We will not turn a blind eye to those who unlawfully obtained U.S. citizenship," Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. "Anyone thinking they can defraud the naturalization process should think again. We will continue to pursue anyone who unlawfully or fraudulently obtained U.S. citizenship."
1. Leidys Delmas Garcia (Age 54/Cuba): Delmas Garcia is a native of Cuba who was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The U.S. seeks an order revoking Delmas Garcia's naturalization based on her admission in criminal proceedings that she and her co-conspirators established and operated 30 physical therapy clinics in Florida that fraudulently billed commercial insurance provider Blue Cross, Blue Shield approximately $36,728,595 for physical therapy services that were not medically necessary and/or never provided. During her naturalization interview, Delmas Garcia represented under penalty of perjury that she had not committed crimes for which she had not been arrested and that she had never given false or misleading information to any U.S. government official while applying for any immigration benefit. Neither was true.
2. Jean Claude Alfred (Age 68/Haiti): The United States filed a denaturalization action against Jean Claude Alfred, a native of Haiti who naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1994. Beginning in September 1993, approximately one month before filing his naturalization application, Alfred repeatedly sexually abused his minor daughter and continued that conduct during the pendency of his naturalization proceedings. During the naturalization process, Alfred represented in his application and under oath that he had not committed any crime for which he had not been arrested and concealed his ongoing criminal conduct. In 1996, a Florida jury convicted Alfred of attempted sexual battery upon a child in a familial or custodial relationship and lewd, lascivious, and indecent assault upon a child under the age of 16 for Alfred's criminal conduct that began in September 1993, before he naturalized. The denaturalization complaint alleges that Alfred illegally procured his citizenship because he provided false testimony which prevented him from establishing good moral character required for naturalization. The complaint further alleges that Alfred obtained citizenship through the concealment and willful misrepresentation of material facts concerning his sexual abuse of a minor.
3. Andrea Marroquin (Age 44/Colombia): Marroquin is the daughter of a major Colombian drug trafficker who inherited his money when he died. She obtained permanent residence in the United States by concealing her bigamous marriage to a United States citizen. Between 2003 and 2011, she conspired to engage in wire and bank fraud and money laundering, using her late father's drug money to finance fraudulent real estate transactions in Miami, Florida. She became a naturalized citizen in 2009 by concealing her crimes. The United States has brought four claims against Marroquin seeking her denaturalization, including claims she knowingly lied to immigration authorities and lacked the good moral character to become a U.S. citizen.
4. Maria Lourdes Montoya (Age 63/Mexico): On June 4, 2026, the United States brought a denaturalization action against Maria Lourdes Montoya, who misrepresented her husband's identify to secure permanent residence and later citizenship. In support of both her application for permanent residence and naturalization, Montoya represented herself to be the spouse of a U.S. Citizen--Gilberto Montoya. But Montya was never married to Gilberto Montoya, who died decades earlier. Instead, Montoya was marred to Ernesto Orozco-Viramontes, a Mexican national who had assumed the identity of Gilberto. Montoya was aware of her husband's deception and leveraged it to obtain immigration benefits, including naturalized citizenship. The United States filed a five-count complaint against Montoya seeking to cancel her naturalized citizenship.
5. Tahir Lekaj (Age 43/Yugoslavia): Lekaj was admitted to the United States in August 1999 and subsequently obtained permanent residence. When he applied to naturalize in 2004, Mr. Lekaj wrote in his application that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested. He later repeated that claim orally and under oath during his naturalization interview. His application was approved, and he naturalized in May 2005. However, in 2022, the State of Connecticut convicted Mr. Lekaj of two counts of sexually abusing a child under the age of 15 in January 2003. Evidence at trial indicated that the victim was 10 years old when the abuse began. The United States filed a complaint seeking to revoke Mr. Lekaj's citizenship because he illegally procured his citizenship because he was unable to demonstrate the good moral character required of naturalization because of the sexual abuse. Additionally, Mr. Lekaj is subject to denaturalization because he willfully misrepresented or concealed the sexual abuse while seeking United States citizenship.
6. Talman Harris (Age 49/Jamaica): Over an eight-year period, including during his 2012-2014 naturalization proceedings, Talman Harris, a native of Jamaica, conspired to manipulate the price and volume of shares of stock in publicly traded companies, causing more than $54 million to be invested in artificially controlled shares and an ultimate loss to investors of approximately $39 million from the scheme. In 2016, after Harris naturalized, a jury found him guilty of wire fraud and conspiring to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, with his fraudulent wire transfers and the conspiracy occurring during the period in which Harris was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character to naturalize. The denaturalization complaint against Harris alleges that, during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, he committed a crime involving moral turpitude, committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crime. The complaint additionally alleges that Harris willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crimes during his naturalization proceedings.
7. Armando Mendoza (Age 39/Mexico): Before Mendoza naturalized, he began knowingly receiving sexually explicit images of minors as early as 2009. In his 2011 naturalization application and interview, however, Mendoza, a Mexico native, claimed that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. In 2013, after he naturalized, Mendoza pled guilty to the receipt of such images. The denaturalization complaint against Mendoza alleges that, during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, Mendoza was precluded from doing so because he had committed a crime involving moral turpitude, committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crime. Additionally, the complaint alleges that Mendoza willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crime during his naturalization proceedings.
8. Neeraj Sharma (Age 50/India): Neeraj Sharma, a native of India, was both the owner and chief executive officer of Magnavision LLC, a staffing company located in New Jersey. As an officer of Magnavision LLC, Sharma signed and filed eleven fraudulent H-1B visa petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS"). Each petition included false representations that the visa beneficiaries would be employed with a particular global financial institution, and also included letters on official corporate letterhead with forged signatures of the executives. In 2017, Sharma applied for naturalization, and under penalty of perjury, falsely asserted that he had never: (a) committed a crime or offense for which he was not arrested; (b) given any U.S. Government officials any information or documentation that was false or misleading; and (c) lied to any U.S. Government official to gain immigration benefits. Based on these material falsehoods, USCIS approved his application, and Defendant became a U.S. citizen in December 2017. Subsequently, Defendant was convicted of Fraud and Misuse of Visas, in violation of 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1546, with the date of offense between April 25, 2015, through April 27, 2017. The United States seeks to revoke Defendant's naturalization, pursuant to 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1451(a), as an alien who illegally procured his naturalization by: (1) failing to disclose unlawful acts; (2) providing false testimony; and (3) concealment of a material fact and willful misrepresentation.
9. Federico Michel Fermin (Age 54/Dominican Republic): From September 2004 through August 2005, Federico Michel Fermin, a native of the Dominican Republic, conspired with others to distribute more than $1.7 million in prescription drugs wholesale without a license. As part of the criminal conspiracy, Fermin altered drug packaging and caused it to be altered so that the prescription drugs that were distributed to pharmacies would appear to have been purchased from persons who were licensed to distribute them. On May 12, 2011, a jury convicted Fermin of conspiracy to distribute prescription drugs wholesale without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 371. He was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment. However, during his naturalization process, Fermin represented, under penalty of perjury, that he had never knowingly committed any crime for which he had not been arrested and testified under oath to the same at his naturalization interview. Accordingly, Fermin illegally procured is naturalization as a United States citizen because he misrepresented and concealed facts that were material to determining his eligibility for naturalization.
10. Abdikadir Ali Kadiye (Age 54/Somalia): On June 3, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota filed a civil denaturalization complaint in District of Minnesota against Abdikadir Ali Kadiye. Beginning in April of 1997, Kadiye sought admission to the United States by filing applications under two separate identities. Kadiye initially sought admission to the United States under the identity Liban M. Degel and he claimed that he was married with no children. After an immigration judge denied his application for immigration benefits, Kadiye submitted a second application under the identity of Abdikadir Ali Kadiye. After his naturalization, Kadiye admitted to a customs and border patrol agent that he had previously used two identities for admission for admission.
11. Victor San Shing Kwok (Age 50/People's Republic of China): On June 4, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of the Northern District of Georgia filed a civil denaturalization complaint against Victor San Shing Kwon in the Northern District of Georgia. In September 1994, Kwok sought admission to the United States under the identity of Xin Cheng Guo. After an immigration judge denied his application for an immigration benefit, Kwok sought admission to the United States by marrying a U.S. citizen. In his application to adjust his resident status, Kwok failed to disclose the prior denial of his prior application for an immigration benefit and his pending order of removal. There is no record that Kwok departed the United States as ordered by the immigration judge.
12. Louise Hunkporti (Age 64/Congo): In 1995, Hunkporti applied for and was denied an immigration benefit. When he was denied the immigration benefit, Hunkporti adopted a new identity and submitted a falsified application using the new identity. Hunkporti naturalized as a U.S. citizen on March 2, 2010 under the adopted identity. After USCIS digitized its paper fingerprint cards, the U.S. Department of Justice discovered that the fingerprints Hunkporti submitted when she naturalized matched those she submitted when she applied for the immigration benefit in 1995. The complaint alleges eight counts for her numerous misrepresentations and unlawful acts that adversely reflect her moral character.
13. Fernando Cristancho (Age 69/Colombia): Cristancho, an ordained Roman Catholic priest, entered the United States as a religious worker and then used his leadership position in the church to gain access to minor victims. In that capacity, Mr. Cristancho sexually groomed and abused a minor parishioner from when the victim was 11 to 13 years old. Mr. Cristancho later admitted to the crime--and egregious conduct involving other minor victims--and pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement in violation of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 2422(b), resulting in a 22-year prison sentence. The denaturalization complaint filed against Mr. Cristancho charges that he hid his ongoing crime from immigration officials, thereby illegally procuring his naturalization by concealing material facts and willfully misrepresenting his unlawful sexual activity and by his inability to demonstrate the requisite good moral character in support of his application. (Park/Burley)
14. Ronnie Price (Age 40/Trinidad and Tobago): Before his naturalization in 2016, 30-year-old Ronnie Price had sexual intercourse with a female who was under 16 - a statutory rape crime to which he eventually pled guilty. During his naturalization proceedings, however, Price claimed he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, he falsely testified to the same, and he concealed facts that would have uncovered his criminal activity. The denaturalization complaint alleges that Price engaged in unlawful conduct during a critical statutory period during which he was required by law to maintain good moral character, that he provided false testimony during his naturalization interview, and that he did so in order to conceal his crimes and willfully misrepresent material facts that would have revealed his ineligibility for the privilege of United States citizenship.
15. Rodger George Gurdon (Age 55/Jamaica): Prior to naturalizing in 2011, Rodger George Gurdon, a native of Jamaica, engaged in a conspiracy to steal and resell medical products from military hospitals operated by the Department of Defense. Gurdon likewise engaged in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 100 kilograms of a substance containing marijuana. In 2013, after he naturalized, Gurdon pled guilty to Conspiring to Steal Pre-Retail Medical Products, Interstate Receipt of Stolen Property, and Conspiring to Distribute Marijuana, with the conspiracies occurring during the period in which Gurdon was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character to naturalize. The denaturalization complaint against Gurdon alleges that, during the period in which he was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, Gurdon was precluded from doing so because he had committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on his moral character, and falsely testified about his crimes. Additionally, the complaint alleges that Gurdon willfully misrepresented the material fact of his crimes during his naturalization proceedings. (McManus/Bic)
16. Jheromell Obejera Arcilla (Age 39/Philippines): On Friday, June 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the United States District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, against Jheromell Obejera Arcilla, a native of the Philippines who, prior to his naturalization, began sexually abusing the 15-year-old daughter of his biological cousin, with whom he lived. The sexual abuse lasted for over a year, during which time Mr. Arcilla successfully naturalized. In 2020, a grand jury indicted Mr. Arcilla on three counts of sexual offenses in violation of the Maryland criminal code, and in 2021, Mr. Arcilla pleaded guilty to one of those counts, sex abuse of a minor. Mr. Arcilla lied about the commission of this crime in connection with his naturalization application. The United States has brought three claims against Mr. Arcilla seeking his denaturalization, including claims that he lacked the good moral character to become a U.S. citizen and that he knowingly lied to immigration authorities.
17. Milagros Marileisis Acosta Torres (Age 40/Cuba): Before Milagros Marileisis Acosta Torres naturalized, she was part of a larger conspiracy to defraud a tribal casino in Florida. Her husband and several others stole millions of dollars from the casino by creating false credit vouchers. Acosta Torres subsequently engaged in various financial transactions involving the criminal proceeds to disguise the fact that they were obtained though fraud and to circumvent transaction reporting requirements imposed by federal and state law. But in her naturalization application and interview, Acosta Torres falsely claimed that she had never committed a crime or offense for which she had not been arrested. The denaturalization complaint against Acosta Torres alleges that she is subject to denaturalization because during the period in which she was statutorily required to demonstrate good moral character, she committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on her moral character and falsely testified about her crime. Additionally, she willfully misrepresented the material fact of her crime during her naturalization proceedings.
These cases were prosecuted by the Justice Department's Office of Immigration Litigation, with assistance from USCIS, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Southern District of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Southern District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, and New Jersey.
The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-moves-strip-us-citizenship-17-naturalized-sex-offenders-fraudsters-drug
Justice Department Launches Compliance Review Concerning Gender Ideology in San Francisco Unified School District and Three Additional California School Districts
WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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Justice Department Launches Compliance Review Concerning Gender Ideology in San Francisco Unified School District and Three Additional California School Districts
Today, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division launched a compliance review into four California public school districts: Graves Elementary School District, San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), Santa Rita Union School District, and Soledad Unified School District (collectively, the California School Districts)
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WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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Justice Department Launches Compliance Review Concerning Gender Ideology in San Francisco Unified School District and Three Additional California School Districts
Today, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division launched a compliance review into four California public school districts: Graves Elementary School District, San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), Santa Rita Union School District, and Soledad Unified School District (collectively, the California School Districts)regarding instruction on sexual orientation and gender ideology (SOGI) in grades pre-K-12.
"This Department of Justice will not tolerate local school authorities trampling on the rights of parents concerning the education of their children," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "The Supreme Court's recent decisions in Mahmoud and Mirabelli have put all school districts on notice: policies that keep parents in the dark about sexuality and gender ideology in the classroom must end now."
The review will examine whether, and to what extent, the California School Districts have notified parents of their right to opt their children out of such instruction. Under California law, sex education must include SOGI topics. While parental notice and opt-out provisions apply to "all or part of" sex education, SFUSD, for example, has previously advised its teachers that neither parental permission nor notification are required to teach or discuss SOGI topics. Further, SOGI topics appear to be embedded in California's social studies and history classes. The compliance review will also assess policies that permit access to single-sex intimate spaces (such as bathrooms and locker rooms) and girls' sports teams based on purported gender identity rather than biological sex.
The review will examine whether the California School Districts, which all receive taxpayer funding, are adhering to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. DOJ will also evaluate whether what actions, if any, the California School Districts have taken in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decisions in Mirabelli v. Bonta and Mahmoud v. Taylor, which reiterated the nation's extensive precedents on parental rights.
The Civil Rights Division has not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigation.
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Original text here: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-launches-compliance-review-concerning-gender-ideology-san-francisco
Department of the Interior Announces $461 Million for Parks and Outdoor Recreation Across America
WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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Department of the Interior announces $461 million for parks and outdoor recreation across America
Investments will leverage more than $900 million for parks, trails and outdoor recreation projects nationwide.
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The Department of the Interior today announced the distribution of more than $327 million in formula grants and $134 million in competitive grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia,
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WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release on June 8, 2026:
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Department of the Interior announces $461 million for parks and outdoor recreation across America
Investments will leverage more than $900 million for parks, trails and outdoor recreation projects nationwide.
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The Department of the Interior today announced the distribution of more than $327 million in formula grants and $134 million in competitive grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to all 50 states, U.S. territories and the District of Columbia,a major investment in the parks, playgrounds, trails and open spaces that bring communities together across the country. These funds will be matched at least 1:1, for a total outdoor recreation investment of more than $900 million.
Permanently funded through President Donald J. Trump's Great American Outdoors Act, LWCF is one of the nation's most successful conservation and recreation programs, helping communities create and improve outdoor spaces that enhance quality of life and expand access to recreation.
The funding, administered through the National Park Service, will support the development and rehabilitation of parks, conservation areas and outdoor recreation facilities in communities large and small. These investments will help expand access to outdoor recreation, improve visitor amenities and support projects that enhance quality of life for local residents.
"The Land and Water Conservation Fund has helped connect generations of Americans to the outdoors and remains one of our nation's most successful conservation and recreation programs," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "We are grateful for President Trump's leadership in permanently funding LWCF through the Great American Outdoors Act. These investments are helping communities create and improve parks, trails and recreation opportunities while supporting local economies and ensuring future generations can enjoy the outdoors."
For more than six decades, LWCF has helped communities conserve natural resources and expand outdoor recreation opportunities. Since 1965, the program has funded more than 47,000 projects in nearly every county nationwide, supporting everything from neighborhood parks and athletic fields to trails, boat launches and public open spaces.
The funding also supports local economies by creating jobs, attracting tourism and expanding access to outdoor recreation opportunities that communities rely on. In urban neighborhoods, rural towns and growing suburban communities alike, LWCF investments help make the outdoors more accessible for everyone.
The National Park Service plays a critical role in supporting close-to-home recreation opportunities, helping states, tribes, and local communities invest in projects that reflect the needs of their communities.
Additional Funding Opportunities
The Department also announced new funding opportunities through two additional National Park Service grant programs that expand access to parks and outdoor recreation and support locally led conservation efforts nationwide. Together, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program and the Readiness and Recreation Initiative will make up to $134 million available for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks and outdoor recreation spaces.
The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program will make up to $125 million available nationwide to support recreation projects in urban communities with limited access to the outdoors. Recent updates to the program, authorized through the EXPLORE Act, expand eligibility to federally recognized Indian Tribes, Hawaiian and Alaska Native communities and broaden the number of eligible communities nationwide. The National Park Service is also expanding technical assistance resources, including webinars and office hours, to help applicants develop competitive proposals. Information on how to apply for the program's grants can be found at grants.gov.
The Readiness and Recreation Initiative (RARI) will make up to $9 million available nationwide to support outdoor recreation projects that strengthen military readiness and protect mission-critical landscapes near eligible military installations and Sentinel Landscapes. Through a partnership with the Department of War's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, qualifying projects may leverage RARI funding to meet matching requirements. Readiness and Recreation Initiative grants can be applied by following instructions on grants.gov.
In accordance with Secretary's Order 3442, the National Park Service has also modernized the LWCF federal financial assistance manual and the LWCF State Assistance Program grant execution framework to reduce administrative burden, improve the timeliness of awards and reimbursements, and sustain programmatic compliance as funding levels remain historically high. These updates will help states more efficiently deliver locally led conservation and outdoor recreation projects.
The Secretary of the Interior is proud to apportion these funds to help states evolve their outdoor recreation vision. Funding allocations are determined through a formula established in the LWCF, primarily based on population. States and territories then award funding to local governments for eligible conservation and outdoor recreation projects.
By investing in parks, open spaces and outdoor recreation infrastructure, the LWCF continues to fulfill its long-standing mission of ensuring every American has access to the outdoors -- not just in iconic national parks, but in the local parks and community spaces that shape everyday life for millions of families.
Fiscal Year 2026 Total Formula Grant Apportionment by State/Territory
Alabama ... $4,877,682
Alaska ... $2,730,501
Arizona ... $6,777,981
Arkansas ... $3,836,527
California ... $27,588,634
Colorado ... $5,854,259
Connecticut ... $4,538,140
Delaware ... $2,930,981
Florida ... $15,881,303
Georgia ... $8,389,932
Hawaii ... $3,226,701
Idaho ... $3,347,017
Illinois ... $10,179,600
Indiana ... $6,100,892
Iowa ... $4,015,048
Kansas ... $3,980,963
Kentucky ... $4,631,788
Louisiana ... $4,928,112
Maine ... $2,933,496
Maryland ... $6,090,526
Massachusetts ... $6,753,900
Michigan ... $8,009,721
Minnesota ... $5,517,672
Mississippi ... $3,711,953
Missouri ... $5,712,944
Montana ... $2,871,246
Nebraska ... $3,441,006
Nevada ... $4,321,833
New Hampshire ... $3,039,437
New Jersey ... $8,256,163
New Mexico ... $3,540,458
New York ... $14,738,344
North Carolina ... $7,954,987
North Dakota ... $2,743,553
Ohio ... $9,099,870
Oklahoma ... $4,439,846
Oregon ... $4,833,564
Pennsylvania ... $9,797,196
Rhode Island ... $3,028,931
South Carolina ... $5,116,623
South Dakota ... $2,786,969
Tennessee ... $6,045,223
Texas ... $19,829,688
Utah ... $4,376,734
Vermont ... $2,612,397
Virginia ... $7,264,631
Washington ... $6,954,689
West Virginia ... $3,160,621
Wisconsin ... $5,518,383
Wyoming ... $2,641,270
District of Columbia ... $2,795,855
Puerto Rico ... $4,410,804
Virgin Islands ... $2,396,904
Guam ... $2,436,252
American Samoa ... $2,369,358
Northern Marianas ... $2,368,392
Total ... $327,737,500
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About the National Park Service. Established in 1916, the National Park Service preserves America's most treasured natural and cultural places for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of current and future generations. Learn more at nps.gov.
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Original text here: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/department-of-the-interior-announces-$461-million-for-parks-and-outdoor-recreation-across-america.htm
BD Issues Nationwide Recall for Specific Lots of ChloraPrep Clear Single Sterile 1 ML and FREPP Clear 1.5 ML Applicators Due to Microbial Contamination
WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued the following recall notice:
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BD Issues Nationwide Recall for Specific Lots of ChloraPrep(TM) Clear Single Sterile 1 mL and FREPP(TM) Clear 1.5 mL Applicators Due to Microbial Contamination
Summary
Company Announcement Date: June 06, 2026
FDA Publish Date: June 08, 2026
Product Type: Drugs
Reason for Announcement: Potential fungal contamination under certain environmental conditions allowing the growth of Aspergillus penicillioides
Company Name: BD
Brand Name: BD
Product Description:
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, June 9 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration issued the following recall notice:
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BD Issues Nationwide Recall for Specific Lots of ChloraPrep(TM) Clear Single Sterile 1 mL and FREPP(TM) Clear 1.5 mL Applicators Due to Microbial Contamination
Summary
Company Announcement Date: June 06, 2026
FDA Publish Date: June 08, 2026
Product Type: Drugs
Reason for Announcement: Potential fungal contamination under certain environmental conditions allowing the growth of Aspergillus penicillioides
Company Name: BD
Brand Name: BD
Product Description:ChloraPrep Clear - 1 mL Applicators and ChloraPrep FREPP Clear 1.5 mL Applicators
Company Announcement
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. - BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) is voluntarily recalling lot 4032183 of ChloraPrep(TM) Clear 1 mL Single Sterile and lot 4073005 of FREPP(TM) Clear 1.5 mL applicators with paper lidding to the consumer level. These products are being recalled due to fungal contamination under certain environmental conditions allowing the growth of Aspergillus penicillioides.
These two impacted lots were shipped to distributors and hospitals between March 2024 through June 2024.
Risk Statement: Contamination of skin preparation products with Aspergillus penicillioides may lead to serious systemic infection, sepsis, illness, and death. If the fungus is introduced in the patient's bloodstream during placement of an intravascular catheter, the catheter would most likely have to be removed, necessitating another procedure. Aspergillus penicillioides infection of a surgical site may result in the need for medical and surgical interventions and long-term treatment with antifungal drugs. Importantly, BD has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.
Affected Product NDC ... Product Name ... Catalog (REF)Number ... Lot Number ... Expiry Date ... Product Package Size
54365-400-31 ... BD ChloraPrep(TM) Clear - 1 mL Applicators ... 930480 ... 4032183 ... 01/31/2027 ... 60 Applicators per Inner Carton
54365-400-30 ... BD ChloraPrep(TM) FREPP(TM) Clear 1.5 mL Applicators ... 930299 ... 4073005 ... 03/31/2027 ... 20 Applicators per Inner Carton
In addition, BD is recalling other lots out of an abundance of caution as outlined in the customer letterExternal Link Disclaimer.
These products are packaged in a pouch with paper lidding and used for the preparation of the patient's skin prior to procedures, to help reduce bacteria that potentially can cause skin infection.
The affected lots can be identified by locating the referenced catalog and lot numbers on the lidding of the product package and the side of the inner carton as shown in the customer letter.
BD is notifying its customers and distributors who received this product directly. Customers and distributors should immediately discontinue use of and destroy all affected units in accordance with their facility's process.
BD will issue replacement for destroyed product of the affected lot numbers to customers that purchased the affected product directly from BD, following receipt of the completed Customer Response Form.
Customer inquiries related to this recall, as well as adverse reaction/events experienced with the product, should be addressed to BD's North American Regional Complaint Center: 1-844-823-5433 (Toll Free) Monday - Friday between the hours of 8a.m. and 5 p.m. CT or by emailing: productcomplaints@bd.com.
FDA MedWatch Reporting
Adverse reactions/events experienced with the use of any of these products should also be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, phone or by regular mail.
* Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
* Call 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088)
* Regular Mail: MedWatch, HF-2, FDA, 5600 Fisher's Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been notified of this recall.
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About BD
BD is one of the world's largest pure-play medical technology companies with a Purpose of advancing the world of health(TM) by driving innovation across medical essentials, connected care, biopharma systems and interventional. The company supports those on the frontlines of healthcare by developing transformative technologies, services and solutions that optimize clinical operations and improve care for patients. Operating across the globe, with more than 60,000 employees, BD delivers billions of products annually that have a positive impact on global healthcare. By working in close collaboration with customers, BD can help enhance outcomes, lower costs, increase clinical efficiency, improve safety and expand access to healthcare. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com
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URL: BD
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Original text here: https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/bd-issues-nationwide-recall-specific-lots-chlorapreptm-clear-single-sterile-1-ml-and-frepptm-clear
