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Kristi Noem mulls using ‘private bounty hunters’ to track down immigrants, report says
Technology

Kristi Noem mulls using ‘private bounty hunters’ to track down immigrants, report says

The Department of Homeland Security, led by Kristi Noem, is considering whether to hire private contractors to track down immigrants, a new report reveals. The Intercept described these contractors as “private bounty hunters” when it published a DHS document detailing the proposal on Saturday. The “Request for Information” document, which is intended for prospective vendors, states that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has “an immediate need for Skip Tracing and Process Serving Services,” which would use “Government furnished case data,” according to the outlet. Skip-tracing involves “gathering, analyzing, and verifying information to locate individuals who have disappeared, whether intentionally or unintentionally,” according to Thomson Reuters. The agency says contractors could be given dockets of 10,000 immigrants at a time, with additional assignments given in “increments of 10,000 up to 1,000,000,” according to The Intercept. ICE is also “exploring an incentive based pricing structure,” and could even provide “monetary bonuses” for performance, according to the obtained document. One way an ICE says contractors might get a cash bonus, according to The Intercept, is by identifying a person’s correct address on the first try The Independent has contacted ICE for comment. Federal immigration activity has ramped up this year after President Donald Trump vowed to carry out the “largest deportation operation” in U.S. history. The uptick in immigration raids and presence of federal immigration agents in several major cities has sparked protests throughout the country, including in Los Angeles and Chicago. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker even appealed to the Trump administration this week, asking officials overseeing the federal immigration operations in Chicago to pause their activities during Halloween weekend “Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear. No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick or treating in their own neighborhood,” Pritzker said in a statement. ““Illinois children should not be robbed of their innocence,” he continued. “Let them enjoy a time-honored American tradition safely and peacefully. Please let children be children for one holiday, free from intimidation and fear.” Noem slammed Pritzker for making the request at a press conference on Thursday. “The fact that Governor Pritzker is asking for that is shameful and I think unfortunate that he does not recognize how important the work that we do is,” Noem said.

Kristi Noem mulls using ‘private bounty hunters’ to track down immigrants, report says
Technology

Kristi Noem mulls using ‘private bounty hunters’ to track down immigrants, report says

The Department of Homeland Security, led by Kristi Noem, is considering whether to hire private contractors to track down immigrants, a new report reveals. The Intercept described these contractors as “private bounty hunters” when it published a DHS document detailing the proposal on Saturday. The “Request for Information” document, which is intended for prospective vendors, states that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has “an immediate need for Skip Tracing and Process Serving Services,” which would use “Government furnished case data,” according to the outlet. Skip-tracing involves “gathering, analyzing, and verifying information to locate individuals who have disappeared, whether intentionally or unintentionally,” according to Thomson Reuters. The agency says contractors could be given dockets of 10,000 immigrants at a time, with additional assignments given in “increments of 10,000 up to 1,000,000,” according to The Intercept. ICE is also “exploring an incentive based pricing structure,” and could even provide “monetary bonuses” for performance, according to the obtained document. One way an ICE says contractors might get a cash bonus, according to The Intercept, is by identifying a person’s correct address on the first try The Independent has contacted ICE for comment. Federal immigration activity has ramped up this year after President Donald Trump vowed to carry out the “largest deportation operation” in U.S. history. The uptick in immigration raids and presence of federal immigration agents in several major cities has sparked protests throughout the country, including in Los Angeles and Chicago. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker even appealed to the Trump administration this week, asking officials overseeing the federal immigration operations in Chicago to pause their activities during Halloween weekend “Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear. No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick or treating in their own neighborhood,” Pritzker said in a statement. ““Illinois children should not be robbed of their innocence,” he continued. “Let them enjoy a time-honored American tradition safely and peacefully. Please let children be children for one holiday, free from intimidation and fear.” Noem slammed Pritzker for making the request at a press conference on Thursday. “The fact that Governor Pritzker is asking for that is shameful and I think unfortunate that he does not recognize how important the work that we do is,” Noem said.

Two United Airlines planes collide on New York’s LaGuardia tarmac following day of ground stops and wind alerts
Technology

Two United Airlines planes collide on New York’s LaGuardia tarmac following day of ground stops and wind alerts

Two United Airlines planes collided on Friday evening at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport as travelers throughout the country face ongoing delays due to staffing shortages. A plane arriving from Chicago was pulling into its gate when it “made contact” with the tail of a stationary plane, which was preparing to depart for Houston, a United Airlines spokesperson told The Independent. No injuries were reported. Both flights returned to the gate, and the passengers deplaned normally, the spokesperson added. The airline is now working with the passengers to get them to their destinations. An unnamed passenger told the New York Post they felt a “bump” when the collision happened. “We all felt a bump during taxi to the runway but didn’t know it was another plane until the captain said it was,” the passenger said. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey directed The Independent to United Airlines when contacted for comment. LaGuardia was one of several airports suffering delays from staffing shortages on Friday, as many FAA and TSA employees go unpaid amid the government shutdown. More than 570 LaGuardia flights have been delayed so far on Friday, and more than 130 have been cancelled, according to FlightAware. LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark International Airport were all under ground delays on Friday due to staffing shortages and high winds in the area, according to New York City Emergency Management. JFK Airport was also under a ground stop for several hours on Friday afternoon. New York airports have been especially impacted by air traffic controller staffing shortages, the FAA said in a statement on Friday night. “Currently, half of our Core 30 facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80 percent of air traffic controllers are absent at New York–area facilities,” the statement said. “After 31 days without pay, air traffic controllers are under immense stress and fatigue,” the statement continued. “The shutdown must end so that these controllers receive the pay they’ve earned and travelers can avoid further disruptions and delays.” More than 5,700 flights nationwide were delayed on Friday, while nearly 500 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware.

Miami woman who entrusted dog to Rover sitter shocked to find pet’s cremated remains when she returned from vacation
Technology

Miami woman who entrusted dog to Rover sitter shocked to find pet’s cremated remains when she returned from vacation

A Florida woman was in shock after she returned from vacation and discovered her dog was cremated while in the care of a pet sitter. Eilyn Jimenez of Miami Shores, Florida, told Local 10 she entrusted her three dogs — including her 12-year-old maltese-shitzu, Aria — to sitter Barbara Paz while on vacation in August. She found Paz through Rover, an app that connects pet owners with pet sitters. At first, Paz was sending her regular updates, Jimenez said. “During the trip, I had been checking in with her, asking how everything was going and she was like, ‘No, everything is fine, everything is wonderful.’ Sending me videos of the dogs, perfect,” she told the outlet. When Jimenez returned from vacation on August 31, Paz allegedly told her Aria died in her sleep and that she was cremated. Jimenez claims Aria was cremated without her or her husband’s permission, and suspects it was done to cover up the truth, Local 10 reports. Paz allegedly allowed another person, Daniel Cruz, to pay Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation to have Aria cremated on August 29, Local 10 reports. Joseph Castronovo, a staff member at the animal funeral company, said Cruz claimed it was his dog. “The guy came in and said it was his dog. He wanted it cremated immediately. He paid 400 extra dollars to cremate it that moment when he brought it into the office,” Castronovo told Local 10. When Local 10 asked why someone would want a “rush cremation job,” Castronovo said, “Destroy of evidence, that’s why.” The company told Jimenez that Aria “had her scalp separated from her skull and an eye popping out,” and that Cruz said Aria was “attacked by a bigger dog,” according to Local 10. Now, Jimenez says she’s filed a report with the Miami Shores Police Department. She also received an apology from Rover and $1,000, but she didn’t accept the money, Local 10 reports. “I have 12 years that I was with her that have now been ripped away because somebody made a bad decision,” Jimenez said told the outlet. “I still dream of her, I still feel that sadness inside because she was ripped away from me and they just continued with their life as if nothing,” she added. When approached by Local 10 for comment, Paz said she spoke with Aria’s owners but did not answer the outlet’s questions about Aria’s cause of death. A Rover spokesperson told the outlet that Paz has been removed from their platform. “The sitter involved has been deactivated from our platform,” the spokesperson said. “We stand ready to assist law enforcement with their investigation.” The Independent has contacted Cruz, Rover, Resting Rainbow Pet Memorials and Cremation and the Miami Shores Police Department for comment.

Delta and United adopted Spirit’s micro-transaction model that made discount airlines popular. It’s left Spirit struggling to survive
Technology

Delta and United adopted Spirit’s micro-transaction model that made discount airlines popular. It’s left Spirit struggling to survive

Spirit Airlines is in trouble, and it could be in part because major airlines co-opted the airline’s business model and beat it at its own game. Major U.S. carriers like Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have co-opted strategies that made budget airlines like Spirit profitable before the COVID-19 pandemic, which rocked the airline industry, The New York Times reports. Now, Spirit — which has filed for bankruptcy twice in a year and is set to furlough about one-third of its flight attendants — and similar budget airlines are struggling to compete with mainstream airlines, according to the outlet. Spirit, which became a low-cost carrier in 2007, was a pioneer in the budget airline industry. Spirit and similar no-frills carriers offered fliers low fares while charging for extras that were, at one point, usually included in the overall ticket cost, the Times reports. But it wasn’t long until Delta, United and American Airlines all began adopting some similar tactics, according to the outlet. Now, nearly every major airline in the U.S. charges for checked bags, seat selection and other services. Some airlines even sell “basic economy” tickets, which are cheaper but more restrictive. These tickets have appealed more to customers because major airlines fly to more cities more frequently than budget carriers like Spirit, the Times reports. “The mainline carriers have effectively figured out how to compete — with higher costs and better service,” Dan Akins, an economist with the aviation consulting firm Flightpath Economics, told the paper. The Independent has contacted Spirit Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines for comment. United Airlines declined to comment. Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy for the second time in a year in August. The airline also announced last month that it will be furloughing about 1,800 of its 5,200 flight attendants by December. “We recognize the impact of this decision on affected team members, and we are committed to treating them with care and respect during this process,” a Spirit spokesperson said in a statement. Spirit COO John Bendoraitis said in a memo to flight attendants that the company initially avoided involuntary furloughs by having employees taking voluntary leave, according to theTimes. More than 800 flight attendants are currently on leave, he noted. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents Spirit flight attendants, told its members the airline will look for employees who will voluntarily take a six-month or one-year furlough starting November 1, and then move on to involuntary leaves based on seniority. “The problem is that the significant reduction of aircraft and flight hours requires a much higher reduction in force and the company is clear that a furlough is necessary,” the union said.