Cole Welsh, Editor

Last week, the Department of Justice announced that it will serve assets across America to address unsolved violent crime and missing person cases on tribal lands.

To address this uptick in violent crime, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will send 60 special agents to Indian reservations all over the country as part of Operation Not Forgotten.

Working on 90-day temporary duty assignments over a six-month period, these agents will support field offices in Albuquerque, Denver, Jackson (MS), Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Portland (OR), Seattle and Salt Lake City.

While local police departments and sheriffs traditionally do not have jurisdiction on Indian reservations, the FBI has special jurisdiction to commit crimes on about 200 reservations nationwide, as outlined in the General Crimes Act and the Major Crimes Act.

FBI personnel will work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Missing and Murdered Unit to utilize the latest forensic evidence and technology to solve open cases. In particular, there will be a priority placed on cases involving violence against women and children.

According to FBI Director Kash Patel, the FBI will “manhunt violent criminals on all lands” and also “find those who have gone missing.”

As the goal is to both reduce violent crime and prosecute those victimizing the innocent, the FBI will work with federal prosecutors to ensure a seamless prosecution.

In fact, Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has gained a reputation for her tough-on-crime philosophy, has instructed US Attorney’s Offices to aggressively prosecute case referrals, which is in line with her numerous tough-on-crime policies.

This deployment, which will be the longest and most intensive one to date, comes amid surging crime rates in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

At the beginning of Fiscal Year 2025, the FBI had roughly 4,300 open investigations, including 900 death investigations and 1,000 child abuse investigations.

In New Mexico, the FBI plans to focus its efforts on the Navajo Nation, which sees a disproportionate number of violent crimes against women and children.

Operation Not Forgotten, an initiative that launched in 2023, revamps efforts begun during President Trump’s first term under Executive Order 13898, Establishing the Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.

This latest deployment is the third one under Operation Not Forgotten, which has provided investigative assistance to over 500 cases in the past two years.

Combined, the first two deployments resulted in the rescue of 10 child victims, 52 arrests and 25 indictments.

Although the success of this new deployment has yet to be determined, it is clear that this operation will be the longest and most intensive national deployment of FBI agents to date. Thus, Native American communities and law enforcement alike remain optimistic that this renewed focus on tribal crime will help tackle the decades-long crisis.

Cole Welsh, Editor

During his first few weeks in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order designed to bar biological males from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.

The order, labeled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” directs federal agencies to ensure entities receiving federal funding comply with the White House’s view of Title IX, which interprets sex as the gender someone was assigned at birth.

Declaring that the war on women’s sports is over, Trump signed the executive order during a ceremony in the East Room that included lawmakers and female athletes who have come out in support of a ban, including collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines.

Coinciding with National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the issuance of the order offers some clarity in regard to transgender athletes. 

While an executive order cannot override federal laws and statutes, such a directive can still manage the operations of the federal government.

Most prominently, it authorizes the Education Department to discipline schools that allow biological males to compete in female sports, pointing to noncompliance with Title IX.

Title IX, which was passed as part of the Educational Amendments Act of 1972, protects students from sex-based discrimination in educational programs or other activities that receive federal funding.

Following the executive order’s signing, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) updated its policy, barring student-athletes assigned male at birth from competing for an NCAA women’s team.

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), which governs high school athletics in Pennsylvania, similarly ended a policy that permitted transgender athletes, replacing references to gender with sex.

However, some states and school districts have been less compliant.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into Maine’s Department of Education based on allegations that Maine is violating federal antidiscrimination law by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports.

Simultaneously, Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a letter to officials in California, Maine and Minnesota warning them to comply with federal discrimination laws.

Ignoring Trump’s executive order, the Philadelphia School District will also still allow transgender athletes to play in sports matching their gender identity.

While such opposition may be seen as an outright act of political defiance, it is no secret that elected officials have interpreted Title IX in different ways.

In Trump’s interpretation, biological females must be protected from discrimination, which includes being forced to compete against biological males.

According to Maine and other liberal states, however, transgender athletes must be protected from discrimination, meaning that they can compete against whichever sex they prefer.

While the issue is litigated in the courts, it remains to be seen what recourse, if any, Trump has to punish states that fail to comply.

When Governor Janet Mills of Maine, a Democrat, promised to continue allowing transgender athletes to compete in sports regardless of their biological sex, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding.

While Title IX’s language may be unclear for some, it is clear that many states and school districts rely on federal funds. This means that federal funding for noncompliance, if deemed lawful, may prove to be an effective strategy.

Without federal funding, many public schools may be forced to make budget cuts or eliminate entire programs altogether.

As a result, states may ultimately have to decide between allowing biological males in female sports and risking federal funding or complying with the federal government.

Jessica Perez-Salinas, Staff Writer

The Cabinet is made up of appointees to the nation’s highest positions regarding defense, treasury and more. The president’s nominees are questioned by committee hearings based on separate positions. These confirmation hearings will provide the Senate with the necessary information to approve the political appointees. As of Feb. 18, 17 out of 22 combined nominees have been confirmed by the Senate. 

Department of State

Marco Rubio was confirmed as Secretary of State on Jan. 21. He has served as a Senator representing  Florida and will be the first person of Hispanic descent to hold this position. The role of the Secretary of State is to handle U.S. foreign affairs and his confirmation hearing focused on NATO, Russian relations and China. Although Rubio has promised to follow President Trump’s lead, Rubio has previously expressed opposing views on foreign affairs. He has also been strongly against a ceasefire in Gaza.

Department of the Treasury

Scott Bessent was confirmed as Secretary of the Treasury on Jan. 28. Bessent will be tasked with carrying out Trump’s economic plans which include tax reform, creating job opportunities for Americans and increasing tariffs against many U.S. trading partners including Mexico and Canada. Outside of this position, Bessent has served as part of many global hedge funds including his own Key Square Capital Management. Bessent has pushed back against claims that Trump’s economic plan will hurt the U.S. economy, seeing many of these changes as long needed.

Department of Defense

Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense on Jan. 24. Hegseth will now handle defense spending and policy. He will oversee all current active-duty service members and advise the President on military affairs. The former Fox News presenter was a controversial pick, facing allegations of sexual assault in 2017. Hegseth has denied the claims but revealed that he paid the alleged victim $50,000. Charges were never filed, as the District Attorney’s office could not find proof beyond a reasonable doubt, but did not confirm that the allegations were false.

Department of Justice

Attorney General Pam Bondi was confirmed on Feb. 5. She will oversee primary legal matters in the U.S. This would include enforcing state and federal laws, providing legal advice to the president and representing the U.S. in legal matters. She served as the Attorney General for Florida between 2011-2019. Bondi was also Trump’s attorney during his impeachment trial and has supported his claims that the 2020 presidential election was tampered with. 

Department of Agriculture

Brooke Rollins was confirmed on Feb. 13 as Secretary of Agriculture, a position that will include taking charge of the U.S. agriculture and rural development. Rollins will be coming in at a critical time as egg shortages have deeply affected many across the nation due to the outbreak of the Avian flu. Rollins has served as a public policy analyst and has stated her commitment to protecting farmers amidst fears of labor shortages with Trump’s immigration policy.
 
Department of Commerce

On Feb. 18 Howard Lutnick was confirmed as Commerce Secretary, a position that will have him oversee American businesses and managing the U.S. Census Bureau. During his hearing, he was questioned on Trump’s tariff policy, but expressed his support and argued that the tariffs would lead to less barriers on American goods.  

Department of Labor

Lori Chavez DeRemer is Trump’s nominee for labor secretary, a position that will impact labor unions across the United States and will be tasked with regulating workplace and business issues. DeRemer has positioned herself as a pro-Union member and has recently served as a U.S. representative for Oregon.

Department of Health and Human Services

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as Health Secretary on Feb. 13 and had been seen as one of Trump’s most controversial picks. As Health Secretary he would be tasked with overseeing public health issues, managing Medicare and Medicaid services and overseeing various health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Kennedy Jr. has served as an environmental activist and has spread dangerous conspiracy theories surrounding vaccines. He also relayed false claims stating COVID has targeted specific ethnic groups.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Scott Turner was confirmed as the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This position will oversee American housing programs and home ownership. 

Department of Transportation

Sean Duffy was confirmed as the Secretary of the Department of Transportation on Jan. 28 with bipartisan support on a 77-22 vote in the Senate. He previously served as Congressman from Wisconsin’s 7^th District in Congress for ten years on the House Financial Services Committee. The Department of Transportation oversees the nation’s highways, railroads and airspace, and sets safety standards for trains, cars and trucks. Duffy vowed to “restore global confidence” in Boeing and hire more air traffic controllers. He also vowed to cut DEI programs at DOT and create federal rules for self-driving cars rather than leaving that to state regulations. Another one of his main focuses would be to reduce the overly restrictive fuel standards that drive up automotive costs, in an effort to push back against the Green New Deal “agenda.” This position is overall responsible for overseeing national and international transportation policies and regulating United States highways, railroads and airlines.
 
Department of Energy

Chris Wright was confirmed as the Secretary of the Department of Energy on Feb. 3 on a 59-38 vote, which included the support of Democrats despite opposition to his nomination from environmental groups and the party’s leadership in the Senate, of whom criticized his opinions on climate change. Wright spent his career building on fracking technologies that helped revolutionize the oil and gas sector and helped promote the United States as a producer of energy resources. The three immediate tasks he pledged to focus on are: unleashing American energy at home and abroad, pursuing innovation and technology breakthroughs and cutting red tape for energy and infrastructure projects.
 
Department of Education

Linda McMahon was nominated as secretary of Education; a position that will have her oversee student financial aid programs and K-12 Education. She has served as CEO for the World Wrestling Entertainment but has also served on Connecticut’s State Board of Education. Trump has proposed dismantling the Department of Education and during her hearing, McMahon stated that she would present a plan that would help the new agency run more efficiently. She has also expressed her support for strengthening public schools while also expressing support for access to private school vouchers.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Doug Collins was confirmed as Secretary of Veteran Affairs on Feb. 4 and will be in charge of managing veteran benefits and social services. He has served as part of the Air Force and as an attorney. Collins has been handling fears of Elon Musk’s probe into veteran affairs by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Department of Homeland Security

Kristi Noem was confirmed as the Secretary of Homeland Security, a position that will have her overseeing Trump’s mass deportation plans. Homeland Security was established to serve as an agency for public safety which includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Custom and Borders Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements. She has expressed strong support for Trump’s immigration plans but has expressed concern on cutting emergency aid from California in response to their immigration policy.

Department of the Interior

Doug Burgum was confirmed by the Senate on Jan. 30 by a vote of 79-18, with all Republicans voting for Burgum. He served two terms as governor of North Dakota and even launched a presidential campaign in 2023, but quickly dropped it to endorse President Trump. This department oversees the country’s public lands, national parks, minerals and wildlife refuges. It also protects the country’s natural resources and cultural heritage by upholding federal trust responsibilities to Native American tribes and Native Alaskans. Additionally, the Department of Interior is responsible for endangered species conservation and other environmental conservation efforts.

Jessica Perez-Salinas, Writer

During the 2024 election, Delaware voted Sarah McBride into Congress, making her the first openly transgender congressperson . Later that month, legislation was introduced that banned trans women from using bathrooms and other similar facilities that did not align with their biological sex. This was not a coincidence, and McBride was cited as the main reason for this change. Trans rights have been and continue to be threatened. Current challenges include cutting federal funding for gender-affirming care, eliminating gender options on federal IDs and removing federal protections for transgender individuals.

Although only composing around 1.6% of the U.S. population, transgender and nonbinary individuals have become part of a highly contentious issue around “gender ideology.” Gender ideology is a term that conservative groups and President Donald Trump have defined as the idea that gender is not binary. Other groups including the American Medical Association have supported trans individuals and acknowledge the differences that arise when solely comparing biological sex. However, gender ideology has been seen as an intrusion on women’s spaces but also a threat to children. Within his first month in office, President Trump has issued an executive order that directly targeted “gender ideology” and trans rights. Government agencies have 30 days as of Jan. 20^h to address the demands in the executive order. 

One major change listed in the executive order is the administration’s decision to use only biological sex as sex markers. Federal agencies had allowed trans and nonbinary individuals to indicate their preferred gender, providing the option “x” on federal IDs. Now, federal agencies and IDs must only use either male or female and agencies cannot renew passports or federal documents unless it will align with biological sex. This has already begun to impact transgender individuals, with some reporting that federal agencies have refused to give back documents when they tried to request a name change and marked their gender as “x”. Documents included birth certificates, state IDs and other federally recognized identification. Furthermore, federal employees have been required to remove pronouns or any details that support “gender ideology” from their work profiles or email signature blocks. 

Trans medical rights will also see major pushback in the coming presidency. The issue of transgender healthcare has been highly debated even among democrats, with many people opposing healthcare for trans youth. A 2022 report by the Pew Research Center found that although over half of Americans support trans rights, fewer support federal funding being used for trans medical care. Much of that debate has focused on whether or not children should be receiving puberty blockers, gender-reassignment surgeries and more. 

Although the Biden administration had expanded on trans rights in healthcare, in 2024, Biden signed a bill that banned health coverage for trans medical treatments for the children of military families. In Trump’s executive order, he has banned any use of federal funding for gender affirming care for those below the age of 19. Many argue that this will have a significant impact on the mental health of trans youth and make it harder to transition after puberty. Furthermore, gender affirming care for trans youth is rare and has not presented significant challenges that require this degree of federal regulation.

In addition, Trump has furthered bans on gendered facilities impacting prisons. Trans individuals already belong to a vulnerable population and are at a higher risk of sexual violence by prisoner/staff and disease while in prison. This could be exacerbated if they are forced to be in prisons that do not match their preferred gender. The executive order requires that individuals must stop receiving any gender affirming care while in prison and that inmates must be moved to a prison that aligns with the biological sex.

Finally, trans military personnel are banned from openly serving as transgender, as well as from receiving gender-affirming care. Trump argued that trans individuals and their beliefs do not align with the values and rigorous requirements that are needed to serve in the military. He also argued that providing gender affirming care would cost the U.S. too much money, although it is a very small portion, especially when compared to other forms of health service provided.  

Although these executive orders are just beginning and many are expected to be challenged in court, this presents a dangerous landscape for trans individuals and LGBTQ+ rights in the following years.  

Jessica Perez-Salinas, Staff Writer

The Events

On Nov. 25, around a thousand protestors headed towards Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. These protestors were led by Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Prime Minister, Imran Khan. Protestors called for the release of Khan, who has been imprisoned since last year, a move he believes has been politically motivated. Protestors rallied at the capital for two days, defying a two-month state ban on public gatherings. There have been conflicting reports about casualties and injuries sustained by both parties. The government has reported that six soldiers were killed, claiming they occurred while encountering protesters. The government has called these protests an act of extreme terrorism and argued that the protestors have used excessive force that led to the death of the soldiers. The protestors have claimed two casualties and over 30 injured. However, reports vary, and many news outlets have been unable to gather a true count of casualties. Al Jazeera and Reuters have both reiterated the claims that two protestors were killed. Violent force was used by the Pakistani government including tear gas and live ammunition to settle the protests. The protestors allege that they were preparing for a sit-in and intended to peacefully protest until the government fired back at them. 

How it Started

The man at the center of this and one of Pakistan’s most controversial figures is Imran Khan. Khan served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan between 2018-2022, before being removed through a vote of no-confidence. In 1996, Khan founded the political party Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf (PTI), which is a center-right party that aimed to focus on corruption and the establishment of an Islamic Welfare State. Many of his supporters are among the younger generation and those who were dissatisfied with the other major parties. 

During his term as Prime Minister, Khan was tasked with solving extreme economic challenges such as Pakistan’s severe debt, which only worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic. He instituted various austerity policies that restricted government spending but led to increased savings in the Pakistani economy. However, economic hardship plagued many Pakistanis as inflation continued to rise and essentials became more difficult to purchase. Furthermore, Khan and the military had a strained relationship that worsened due to conflicting opinions on foreign policy. All these factors further fueled the growing sentiment that his government was failing. As a result, former allies and oppositional parties decided to hold a vote of no confidence that removed him from office. Since then, political turmoil has risen between his supporters and the opposition. 

In August 2023, Khan was arrested and charged with various counts including corruption and for selling state possessions. He has also since been charged with anti-terrorism as a result of the protests that erupted after his arrest. His wife was also arrested and jailed for eight months under similar charges of corruption and was recently released on bail this past October. Khan has argued that his imprisonment has been politically motivated and has urged supporters to rally behind bars.

Now

Arrest warrants have been issued for dozens of protestors including many prominent leaders in the PTI and Bibi. This protest follows three other major protests, all calling for the release of Khan and have questioned the validity of the recent election. In February, the general elections were held where Nawaz Sharif won as Prime Minister, a member of one of the leading opposition parties. The PTI won the plurality of the votes but did not garner a majority. The PTI has claimed that this was due to government interference which included not allowing them to run with their party logo and restrictions on media leading up to the election. Khan has expressed his support for protestors and for his wife through X, who has yet to reappear since the protests were dissolved. For now, the future remains unclear. These protests have put a strain on Pakistanis and there are doubts arising within the party about the effectiveness of these protests. Despite this, many supporters believe that Khan’s release is essential to the establishment of democracy in Pakistan.

Isabella Teti, Editor

After months of endless political ads, social media’s forced political content and election anxiety—everyone had some of it—the election has finally come to an end. While some of us are experiencing a mixture of feelings on the Presidential election results, in the Philadelphia region, many citizens have missed perhaps one of the biggest political upsets that happened in their own backyard.

Millennial born, but a new figurehead for young Gen Z adults is the 29-year-old State Senate-elect Joseph Picozzi. He describes himself on his campaign page as a Philadelphia native who is a “…son of a Philadelphia firefighter and a special educator…” and “a fourth and fifth generation son of Irish, Italian and Russian immigrants…,” whose familial legacy encouraged and inspired his interest in the government. Additionally, his biography explains that throughout his adolescence and young adult years he was appointed by Councilman Brian O’Neill to serve on the Philadelphia Youth Commission and earned the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout. His education includes graduating from Holy Ghost Prep and the prestigious Georgetown University. Moreover, he has “…worked for the U.S. House of Representatives and in public policy, where he focused on solutions to restore our cities.” Picozzi seemed to demonstrate the makings of a politician having both the education and experience to take on this daunting task, and the people in Northeast Philadelphia agreed.

The Republican candidate, according to an article for The Philadelphia Inquirer, ran an interesting campaign saying, “…Picozzi’s candidacy is unusual in that he does not come endorsed by the Republican Party of Philadelphia, stirring confusion among some GOP ward leaders who see the race as competitive.” The article explains further that Gianni Matteo, the spokesperson for Picozzi’s campaign said, “Often people think that Republicans are people arguing about culture war issues…constantly looking back in time…Part of Joe Picozzi’s run for state Senate is the fact that it’s this new, dynamic brand of conservatism that values urban areas. They’re foundries of the future.”

Joe Picozzi took full advantage of his underdog status, winning the district with a very slight lead over incumbent Senator Jimmy Dillon. This is explained in a subsequent Philadelphia Inquirer article that said, “Dillon was first elected in 2022 during a special election to fill the remainder of John Sabatina Jr.’s term, after he was elected as a judge.” Since 2001 the 5th district has been controlled by the Democratic Party and according to the Philadelphia City Commissioners website, reports show that Picozzi received the majority of 50.35% (50,534 votes) over his opponent Dillion receiving 49.52% (49,696 votes).

While a close race, Picozzi’s methods used are quite admirable, as they seem to retreat to “old school” practices. As stated on his campaign page, he planned a meet and greet event the past month where those who wanted to attend were able to “…hang out with Joe, learn about his campaign, share your ideas, and enjoy some dinner with members of the community.” It was small events such as these that allowed him to connect with the community in Philadelphia. 

Starting this campaign, Picozzi acknowledges he didn’t have much to begin his campaign, saying in a Q&A in a City & State article that, “When we started, we had absolutely no money. It was my Bitcoin bond, and from friends and family, small checks.” Further, he mentions he used what he could afford, basic clean up supplies, to host trash cleanups in the city. Yet, perhaps the most impressive part of his campaign was his “face to face” campaign devolving a personal connection to each resident. Furthermore, the article explains that “He claims to have knocked on 70,000 doors and, famously, exploited the social media that is his generation’s modus operandi from TikTok to Instagram.” He combined the old and new-generation campaign techniques to create election results that will hopefully benefit Northeast Philadelphia.

While every election is important in our country, driving our citizens to uphold their civic duty, this Philadelphian election’s key takeaway is perhaps one that could influence any future leader in politics: a dream, vision, and hardwork can triumph over any odds presented.