NPR News: 01-17-2025 6PM EST
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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Governor Kristi Noem was questioned by lawmakers at her confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Homeland Security. As NPR's Amanda Bastille reports, she's not expected to face any hurdles.
Noem testified before Congress about her goals to help President-elect Donald Trump increase border security measures and limit immigration.
The challenges in front of us are extremely significant, and we must secure our borders against illegal trafficking and immigration. We must safeguard our critical infrastructure to make sure that we're protected against cyber attacks, respond to natural disasters, and also terrorism.
During the hearing, she vowed to revoke several Biden-era programs, such as the CPB-1 app that allows migrants to apply for asylum. and to revoke a parole program for certain Haitians, Cubans, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans. Unlike other nominees, Noem has not faced much criticism from Democrats. She's expected to receive enough votes to take up the post. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.
A former CIA analyst has pleaded guilty to leaking classified information related to Israeli plans to attack Iran. Asked if William Rahman entered his guilty plea today in federal court in Virginia. Here's NPR's Ryan Lucas.
The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of willful retention and transmission of classified national defense information. Asif William Rachman leaked two top-secret documents that contained classified information about Israeli preparations to attack Iran. At the time of the leak, Israel's intention to conduct military strikes was well-known, and it did later hit Iran with airstrikes. Court papers say the former CIA analyst took steps to cover his tracks, including deleting journal entries and destroying his cell phone and an Internet router, He used to send photos of classified documents. Rahman faces up to 10 years in prison for both counts. He's scheduled to be sentenced in May. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
As President-elect Trump prepares to take office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection says apprehensions are down, but NPR's Jasmine Garst reports the reality on the ground is more complex.
Cindy Alamy is from Colombia. She and her husband owned a small store there. She says the local gang extorted them, so they headed north. The plan was to hire a coyote, that's a smuggler, to get them over the U.S. border. They were encouraged to instead try getting an appointment using CBP1, an app to legally request entry into the U.S., She says they've been trying to get the appointment for five months. January 20th is almost here, she says, when President Trump takes office. He's vowed to shut down the CBP1 program and reinforce the border. She's starting to reconsider hiring a smuggler. Jasmine Garst, NPR News, California.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns Congress the U.S. will hit its debt limit next week, but says the agency will take measures to stretch out the government's cash. You're listening to NPR. Fire crews in Los Angeles are making progress against two major blazes. More than 12,000 structures have been damaged or lost there. At least 25 people have been killed. NPR's Laurel Walmsley reports on the growing number of private firefighters in the L.A. region who are being hired by insurance companies and wealthy individuals.
There have been reports in recent days of a few wealthy Angelenos hiring private firefighters to protect their homes and businesses. But more common are crews working on behalf of insurance companies. David Torgerson is executive chairman at Wildfire Defense Companies, which works for nearly three dozen insurers.
We clean, we sweep, we clear gutters, we take away the places where the embers can ignite on the property or take away the access that the embers have to get in the buildings.
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