U.S. and world news for Oct. 28

ICE buys software capable of spying on U.S. citizens

The Trump administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has signed contracts to buy software that can be planted on cellphones without the phone’s owner knowledge and then be used to spy on them, according to The Washington Post. The software can track locations and allow ICE to turn on the phone’s microphone to eavesdrop and also read texts and emails that may be on the phone. ICE reportedly plans to use the software to not only spy on suspected illegal immigrants to help round them up but also to spy on U.S. citizens who are against fascism. ICE is reported to be operating under authority granted by Donald Trump in an executive order that declared that anti-fascists are terrorists. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden expressed concern that ICE will use the technology to “further trample on the rights of Americans and anyone who Donald Trump labels as an enemy.”

Trump administration presses for stepped up deportations

CNN reported today that the Trump administration is planning another shakeup at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because ICE isn’t arresting and deporting enough people according to four sources familiar with the discussions. Earlier this year, Trump aide Stephen Miller pressured ICE officials to step up arrests and he set a quota of 3,000 daily arrests nationwide. Despite increased efforts nationwide that have seen U.S. citizens and people who are in the U.S. legally taken into custody and held incognito in what were described as deplorable conditions ICE has largely failed to meet the arrest quota. The shortfall has intensified tensions between the White House and ICE, with sources saying plans are underway to reassign at least a dozen ICE office directors nationwide who senior officials consider underperforming.

Hurricane Melissa targets Jamaica

Melissa has now intensified into a Category 5 hurricane with winds clocked at 180 miles per hour by a hurricane hunter aircraft, making it the strongest storm on the planet this year. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued across vulnerable coastal areas of Jamaica as the unprecedented storm barrels toward landfall in the coming hours. Up to 40 inches of rain, 13 feet of storm surge and 160 mph sustained winds will cause “extensive infrastructure damage” that will cut off communities, the National Hurricane Center warned. The storm has already killed seven people — three in Haiti, three in Jamaica and one in the Dominican Republic.

Trump and Japan’s prime minister meet

President Donald Trump held talks on Tuesday with Japan’s new conservative prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, on the second leg of his Asia tour. Takaichi heralded what she hoped would mark “a new golden age of the Japan-U.S. alliance,” and Trump told her she would be “one of the great prime ministers.” The leaders signed a rare earths agreement following their bilateral meeting in Tokyo. Separately, Trump has suggested he may meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week, saying he would “love to see” him. During his first term in office, Trump and Kim held meetings in 2018 and 2019 — including in the Korean Peninsula’s demilitarized zone.

Trump administration not moving on cutoff of food aid to Americans

The Trump administration today was holding fast to its plan to cut off food aid to U.S. citizens on Saturday. Unless a deal is made before Saturday to reopen the government or release the $6 billion that’s available to pay for food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more than 40 million people in the U.S. will lose access to food aid. Democrats argue that President Trump could save the program if he chose to do so. They are also criticizing the White House for providing a $20 billion bailout to Argentina while the massive food aid program for U.S. citizens remains at risk. The Department of Agriculture also said it will not use its $6 billion contingency fund to cover food benefits next month as the impasse continues.

Amazon layoffs reported to begin today

Amazon is laying off as many as 30,000 corporate employees beginning today, according to reports. The cuts would affect nearly 10% of the company’s more than 350,000 corporate employees. In June, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in a blog post to employees that efficiency gains from artificial intelligence would eventually allow the company to reduce its human workforce. It’s not the first round of massive layoffs for the tech giant. In 2023, the company cut 27,000 workers in its human resources department, Amazon Stores, Amazon Web Services and other divisions. At the time, Jassy attributed the job cuts to a worsening global economic outlook.