Annual Border Patrol memorial service.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

An annual memorial service to pay tribute to Border Patrol agents who have died in the line of duty will go on despite the coronavirus pandemic.

But instead of attending the Valor Memorial and Wreath Laying Ceremony at the National U.S. Border Patrol Museum in El Paso, which is closed, you’ll have to watch the ceremony on YouTube, which is live-streaming the service beginning at 8 a.m. MST, according to Border Report.

In the past, the ceremony included agents, families of fallen agents and multiple guests.

This year’s ceremony will be hosted by El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez, and El Paso Sector Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Chris T. Clem will be the master of ceremonies. Border Patrol Museum Director David Ham is the keynote speaker.

“The U.S. Border Patrol extends an invitation to members of the community to join us virtually in this important remembrance of the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting America’s borders,” Border Patrol said in a statement.

Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi, via U.S. Navy.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

The FBI in Houston is leading an investigation into a “terrorism-related” shooting at a U.S. Navy air base in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Thursday morning.

One sailor was injured in the 6:15 a.m. shooting at the Naval Air Station-Corpus Christi, and authorities said the gunman was dead by 7:30 a.m. The victim had minor injuries and was released from the hospital.

Authorities said a second suspect may still be at large, but did not elaborate.

“We have determined that the incident this morning at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi is terrorism-related,” FBI Senior Supervisory Special Agent Leah Greeves told reporters during a news conference, according to the Associated Press. “We are working diligently with our state, local and federal partners on this investigation, which is fluid and evolving.”

Details, including the motive and why the FBI believes the shooting was related to terrorism, were not shared with the media. Authorities also didn’t elaborate on the potential second suspect.

ICE official, via ICE.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

ICE is holding fewer migrants at three family detention centers, where the numbers declined 826 last week, a 39% decline, a federal judge said during a court hearing Monday.

The three facilities hold families in Texas and Pennsylvania, and federal authorities are doing a better job following CDC guidelines, U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg of Washington, D.C., said, according to The Washington Post.

The judge, who is considering a request to release families from the detention facilities, ordered ICE to disclose more information about COVID-19 testing and its supplies to help sick people.

“I don’t think . . . you’ve made the showing that [bulk] release is necessary at this point,” Boasberg told attorneys for assisting migrant families seeking asylum. “But what I am interested in is . . . particular categories of information that you seek, and I think requiring the government to provide that information would both benefit this litigation, but would also benefit your clients.”

ICE says none of the detainees has tested positive for the virus.

SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the coronavirus, via Wikipedia.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

The FBI arrested a 39-year-old Texas man who is accused of claiming on social media that he paid someone to intentionally spread the coronavirus at grocery stores.

Christopher Charles Perez, of San Antonio, has been charged with one count of false information and hoaxes related to weapons of mass destruction.

Federal prosecutors say Perez posted the threat on Facebook in hopes of deterring people from visiting grocery stories.

Authorities said the threat was false, and no one spread the highly contagious disease, according to a U.S. Justice Department news release.

The FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Squad and the Joint Terrorism Task Force are investigating this case.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

The FBI is trying to determine what happened to more than $500,000 that is missing from the union that represents about 20,000 Border Patrol agents.

Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, told ProPublica that the FBI’s investigation is targeting an apparent embezzlement scheme involving the bank accounts of the union’s El Paso branch, where money went missing in recent years.

“We know the FBI is looking at it,” Judd said.

In November, Judd notified agents in El Paso that money was missing. In a recording of that meeting, Judd said that the union hired forensic auditors, who found “$352,389.31 that was misappropriated. They also found that there was another $150,035.65 that was not properly paid to the IRS in tax money. Somebody pocketed it, just up and walked away.”

Judd told agents, “We expect there will be indictments.”

The FBI did not comment on the investigation.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

Customs and Border Protection expanded its facial recognition technology to a fifth location as the agency prepares to deploy the system in other areas this spring.

The newest location is at the Progreso Port of Entry in Weslaco, Texas, where the technology is able to scan pedestrians’ faces as they walk across the bridge, Nextgov.com reports.

Launched in 2018, the technology is in place at border crossings in El Paso, Laredo, Nogales and San Luis, Arizona.

This spring, the agency plans to expand the technology to more land border crossings.

The longterm goal is to deploy facial recognition technology at all border crossings, including land, air and seaports.

CBP officers helped deliver a baby. Photo via CBP.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

CBP officers helped deliver a baby at the Free Trade International Bridge at Los Indios in Texas.

Shortly after 7 a.m. on Sunday, a 16-year-old U.S. resident went into labor at the midpoint of the bridge. CBP officers were preparing to take the teenager to the hospital, but she was in full labor.

So CBP officers helped deliver the baby inside a CBP vehicle.

“Our officers are ready for a variety of situations, even childbirth, and they utilized all of their training and experience to calm the mother and assist with her delivery, which happened almost immediately after crossing back into the United States,” Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry, said in a news release.

The mother and her health baby were transported to a local hospital, where they were reported in good health.

5-year-old Belgian Malinois, Bulder.

By Steve Neavling

ticklethewire.com

A dog park in El Paso will be named after Bulder, the Border Patrol K-9 killed in the line of duty in December.

The city of El Paso wants to honor the courageous dog, a 5 -year-old Belgian Malinois.

“People just think it’s a dog. It’s actually a partner. It’s an agent,” Tim Sullivan, chief patrol agent with U.S. Border Patrol Special Operations Group, said, according to Border Report. “So, this resolution honors him and the sacrifice he made while protecting the other agents.”

Bulder was killed during a shootout that occurred as agents tried to execute a search warrant at a home in El Paso.

The 62-year-old suspect who killed the dog out in a shootout was fatally shot with return fire.

“El Paso has a big heart for our pets and of course for the men and women who serve our community,” City Rep. Claudia Ordaz-Perez said. “So we thought it was just fitting that the only dog splash park in the community that we name this park after K9 Agent Bulder to forever serve in our memories.”