This week's update begins with a rundown of an updated State Department travel advisory for Germany which warns of an enduring threat of terrorism in the country. We then shift stateside for a look at a foiled terror plot to attack the U.S. Army Tank and Armaments Command (TACOM) near Detroit. An expanded written version of this report can be found within our weekly Threat Journal email newsletter. You can subscribe for FREE by simply visiting https://www.ThreatJournal.com . A link to this issue will immediately be sent to you via email.

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Homeland Security Weekly Update - May 17, 2025

The Supreme Court temporarily stayed two lower court orders Friday that mandated the production of documents and other information from the Department of Government Efficiency. In a brief order from Chief Justice John Roberts, the high court stayed the discovery process in the public records lawsuit against DOGE pending another order by the court. The now-stayed orders from Judge Christopher Cooper of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia had granted an expedited discovery schedule that required DOGE to turn over information about its inner workings and have its administrator, Amy Gleason, give a deposition. The decision, for now, allows the Trump administration to withhold information about the Elon Musk-associated efficiency arm while the justices review the government’s appeal. On Wednesday, Solicitor General D. John Sauer asked the high court for emergency relief in the case, arguing that Cooper’s decision turned the Freedom of Information Act “on its head.” At the heart of the case, which was brought by the government watchdog nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, is the question of whether DOGE constitutes an “agency” for the purposes of FOIA. While the administration says that DOGE is exempt from public records laws as a presidential advisory body, the nonprofit argues that the efficiency team has wielded “substantial independent authority” and as such is subject to FOIA and the Federal Records Act, which requires preservation of records.

Staff at the Department of Homeland Security are no longer allowed to use commercial generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Claude, according to a memo sent to employees this month. The move is a reversal of a previous policy — which had conditionally allowed the use of commercial systems — and a pivot toward technology developed in-house. Earlier this month, DHS’s chief information officer, Antoine McCord, sent a memo directing component tech offices to begin “restricting” the use of generative AI systems and pointing employees to internal tools. Older guidance, which the CIO described as “outdated” and “too narrowly” focused on commercial generative AI, was also removed from an online list of IT management directives.  The decision comes as federal agencies weigh various pathways toward integrating generative AI into their workflows, a priority of both the Biden and Trump administrations. While some government agencies initially blocked generative AI systems, CIOs have slowly started to develop usage policies. Some agencies, like DHS and the General Services Administration, have now built their own platforms based on commercial technologies, while others have opted to use products like ChatGPT Gov through government cloud systems.

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Supreme Court halts orders directing DOGE document production; DHS cuts off access to ChatGPT and other commercial AI

To make sense of my plight, I had to put myself in the shoes of the covert state actor.

T Word Checklist - How/Why Organized Harassment in South Florida Potentially Labeled H Vanderbilt Alexander A Terrorist

OpenAI has made massive strides in recent months to position itself as a leading provider of foundational AI to the federal government. In fact, just Monday, the company launched what it’s calling OpenAI for Government, a new initiative focused on bringing its most advanced AI tools to public servants across the United States. A key driver of that work has been Katrina Mulligan, the head of the company’s national security policy and partnerships, who joined the Daily Scoop from the sidelines of the Special Competitive Studies Project’s AI+Expo in Washignton, D.C. During the conversation, Mulligan shared details about new work OpenAI is exploring with the U.S. national labs as well as how the company is navigating the complex federal business landscape.

The Department of the Interior is evaluating the use of artificial intelligence as a potential tool to alleviate the backlog of probate cases it manages in tribal communities, per comments from Secretary Doug Burgum and an agency spokesperson. An Interior spokeswoman told FedScoop: “AI technology is being explored to further streamline the probate workflow especially in the realm of data entry and the ability to search multiple databases to find individuals. This is an ongoing internal process.”

Michael Boyce, the inaugural leader of the Department of Homeland Security’s AI Corps, has left the position and joined U.S. Digital Response, a nonprofit that works with government agencies on technical projects on a pro-bono basis. Boyce, who stepped down from DHS in April, said in an interview with FedScoop that he’ll be an AI lead and generative AI technologist in residence at USDR focused on helping state and local governments deploy artificial intelligence, drawing on lessons learned from his time at DHS. Boyce’s exit comes amid an exodus of tech talent throughout the Trump administration, which has focused on reducing the workforce and pivoting from the top priorities of the Biden administration.

Also in this episode: Mia Jordan, Industry Advisor for Public Sector Transformation at Salesforce, joins SNG host Wyatt Kash in a sponsored podcast discussion about how unified platforms help agencies modernize constituent engagement. This segment was sponsored by Salesforce.

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Inside OpenAI’s growing business with the federal government

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is looking to hire a company to help it mine through data sources including social media, international trade data, blockchain information, property records, and the dark web — the latest example of the agency looking to beef up the tools and platforms it uses in its enforcement operations. In a government procurement posting published late last month, ICE said it was interested in deploying a service that can continuously monitor a million people or entities of interest — and analyze trends for the purpose of “identifying potentially criminal and fraudulent behavior before crime and fraud can materialize,” among other goals. In a request for information for “Data Analytics” shared by ICE’s investigations and operations support office in suburban Dallas, the government component outlined a range of requirements that it might seek from a contractor, like staff support, data analytics, and access to proprietary data.

As the General Services Administration looks to form direct relationships with IT manufacturers to bring better value to agencies through governmentwide deals under its OneGov strategy, it’s going to disrupt a staple of the federal IT acquisition ecosystem: value-added resellers. A significant portion of federal IT contracting traditionally goes through resellers that provide software services on behalf of original equipment manufacturers that often don’t have the experience navigating or selling to the federal government. Those resellers, like Carahsoft, CDW-G and Iron Bow, however, specialize in that and provide additional services like integration, customization and support for commercial IT products. Lawrence Hale, assistant commissioner of the Information Technology Category in GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, said Wednesday during a webinar hosted by George Mason University’s Baroni Center for Government Contracting that what GSA is trying to do by working directly with the manufacturers is flip that relationship. In going straight to OEMs for IT contracts — as GSA has done now with several vendors like Microsoft, Google, Adobe and Salesforce under its OneGov strategy announced in April — resellers won’t be eliminated. Instead, they can still serve as authorized partners or subcontractors to those IT manufacturers, Hale explained, whereas the opposite is often true today. 

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ICE seeks proprietary data, tech to monitor up to a million people; GSA plans to ‘flip’ the role of tech resellers with OneGov strategy

In this episode of the cybersecurity podcast, we explore a series of high-impact cyberattacks and digital threats disrupting industries worldwide. Microsoft’s cloud services and the UK’s Co-op supermarket chain have been hit by a "Category 2" systemic incident, one of the most severe cyber events the UK has ever faced. Nucor, the largest steel producer in the U.S., confirms a breach involving sensitive data, underlining the risks facing critical infrastructure. A major U.S. insurance provider reports a significant data breach affecting millions of policyholders, triggering regulatory concern and identity theft protection measures.

We also uncover a state-sponsored cyber espionage campaign by China-linked group Salt Typhoon, which infiltrated a Canadian telecom provider through Cisco equipment vulnerabilities. The NHS is under renewed cyber pressure following a second suspected ransomware attack that continues to impact patient care. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warns of rising threats from pro-Iranian hacker groups, while federal agencies brace for digital retaliation over Middle East tensions.

In one of the largest leaks ever, a massive database dubbed “RockYou2024” exposes over 16 billion login credentials, signaling a likely surge in credential-stuffing attacks. Finally, we examine the staggering global financial toll of cybercrime—now estimated in the trillions annually—and why cybersecurity must become a central focus for every organization.

Stay with us as we break down the details and discuss what these developments mean for digital resilience in an increasingly volatile cyber landscape.

Microsoft, Nucor, NHS, and More: Major Breaches Shake Global Enterprises and Infrastructure

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This week’s episode covers developments involving the Department of Homeland Security, and is hosted by Peter Eyre and Sharmi Das. Crowell & Moring's "Fastest 5 Minutes" is a biweekly podcast that provides a brief summary of significant government contracts legal and regulatory developments that no government contracts lawyer or executive should be without.

Fastest 5 Minutes: DHS Developments

The Homelessness Prevention Unit in the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, is seeing signs of success in reducing the homelessness in the county. Launched in 2021, the program uses a predictive model, developed by the California Policy Lab, to proactively reach people at the highest risk of becoming homeless and connect them to stabilizing services before they lose their housing. Dana Vanderford, Associate Director of the HPU, tells the Priorities Podcast that the program uses 580 data points from various agencies to identify individuals at risk of losing housing within the next 12 months.

This week’s top stories:

The Department of Homeland Security last week published the notice of funding opportunity for the fourth and final year of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. Among the details explaining the latest round of funding for the $1 billion program is a stipulation that grantees may not spend their funds on services provided by the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, a group that for more than 20 years has shared critical cybersecurity intelligence across state lines and provided software and other resources at free or heavily discounted rates.

As states conduct an additional round of bidding mandated by last month’s changes to the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, initial data shows that SpaceX’s Starlink and other low Earth orbit satellite internet service providers are bidding big for the funds on projects — and they could win millions over fiber providers.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed a bill into law banning the use of artificial intelligence from providing mental health services, aiming to protect residents from potentially harmful advice. Known as the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, the law prohibits AI systems from delivering therapeutic treatment or making clinical decisions.

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Inside LA County's homelessness prevention unit

In this week's update, we begin with news of thousands of US Marines deployed to the waters around Latin America and the Caribbean in a counter-cartel mission. We then shift to Washington, DC for a look at the federalization of the DC Metro Police Department and deployment of National Guard troops to the streets of the nation's capital. An expanded written version of this report can be found in our weekly Threat Journal email newsletter. You can subscribe for free by visiting https://www.ThreatJournal.com. A link to this issue will be sent to you immediately via email.

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Homeland Security Weekly Update - Aug 16, 2025

A podcast covering the latest news & trends facing top government leaders on topics such as technology, management & workforce. Hosted by Billy Mitchell on FedScoop and released Monday-Friday.

Each Wednesday, StateScoop’s Priorities Podcast explores the latest in state and local government technology news and analysis. Listen to in-depth conversations with government and industry’s top executives, and learn about trending stories affecting state and local IT leaders ranging from modernization and digital accessibility to the latest advances in generative artificial intelligence.

The Daily HEAL Security Dispatch Podcast is a leading source for up-to-the-minute news and deep insights in the realm of healthcare cybersecurity and threat intelligence. 

At the heart of HEAL Security's vision is the commitment to equipping organizations and individuals with rapid, contextually rich cybersecurity updates, establishing itself as a pivotal force in unifying practice and data against the ingenious tactics of criminal and malicious entities. HEAL Security is fervently devoted to constructing a robust resource and community that champions the defense of the healthcare sector against the growing cyber threats from organized crime groups and antagonistic nation-states. Our core focus encompasses the protection of vital IT infrastructures, the security of sensitive patient and clinical information, the safeguarding of critical healthcare systems, and the assurance of continuous, undisturbed patient care services.

Developed a Billionaire - "If Not For ™" formula to substantiate damages based on my current plight in Miami Florida related to an economic deprivation campaign (see case # 4:23-cv-01013 USDC Southern District of Texas Houston Division)

Crowell & Moring LLP is an international law firm with approximately 550 lawyers representing clients in high-stakes litigation and arbitration, regulatory, and transactional matters. The firm is internationally recognized for its representation of Fortune 500 and emerging companies as well as its ongoing commitment to pro bono service, diversity, value-based billing, and legal project management.

A weekly podcast from AlertsUSA, Inc expanding on SMS alerts sent as part of the National Threat and Incident Notification Service for Mobile Devices. Topics covered include terrorism, border security, nuclear and radiological emergencies, civil unrest, embassy warning messages, major public health threats such as epidemics and pandemics and more. Each weekly episode is a fast paced roundup of threats, developments and practical advice directly impacting your safety and security.

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