stroke, Snoop daughter, Cori Broadus, baby, death
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 10, 2026

Snoop Dogg’s Daughter Cori Broadus Has Heartbreaking Homegoing Service For Her ‘Baby Girl’

Broadus had recently welcomed her young child home after a months-long stint at the NICU.

Cori Broadus, daughter of Snoop Dogg, officially memorialized her 10-month-old daughter, who died in January after a long stay at the neonatal intensive care unit.

The pink-themed memorial took place Feb. 8, as Broadus and her loved ones, including her fiancé, Wayne “Deuce” Polk, the child’s father, lay Codi Dreax to rest. Broadus, 26, shared pictures from the heartbreaking occasion, even including an honorary children’s book, “Codi Dreaux Takes a Trip to Heaven.

“[P]art of me went with you, my girl for life,” wrote Broadus in the somber post.

In one of the clips shared to Instagram, Broadus released a snippet of her final words to her young child.

“I am devastated knowing I didn’t get enough time to teach you all the things I wanted to teach you…wanted to show you how to be kind in a hard world, how to be brave when life feels unfair, how to love yourself fiercely. I wanted you… wanted to watch you take your first step, celebrate your first birthday, walk into your first day of school,” she said in the speech.

To some laughs from the audience, she added, “I wanted to hear about your first crush and secretly hope you wouldn’t change them every week like I did.”

The infant spent her first months in the NICU following her premature birth in February 2025. Things looked up in January when doctors cleared Broadus to take her daughter home. Unfortunately, the family only got to spend a few weeks in their regular routine before health complications took over.

Now, she leans on her support system, who came together with matching “Codi’s Crew” outfits, to send her child home. The Neighborhood Talk also re-shared additional pictures from the memorial service, including the small casket adorned with flowers.

Broadus believes that her daughter rests in a better place. She now sees her baby girl as an angel looking after her, as she paves a new way forward of healing and acceptance.

“I wanted to be there for your wins, your heartbreaks, you’ll questions every moment in between,” continued Broadus at the memorial. “I don’t understand why this happened. I’m trusting God, but that doesn’t mean it makes sense to me. Some days I wonder if this world was just too cruel for someone as pure as me. Other days, I wonder how I’m supposed to live in a world without you in my arms, Cody, I find comfort knowing you have your angel wings now, knowing you are home, safe…”

RELATED CONTENT: Snoop Dogg and Wife Shante Broadus Dedicate Silk Scarf Line to Daughter’s Lupus Journey

mental health, workplace, personal change, generational change, managers, change, utilize systems, increase communication
by Black Enterprise

February 10, 2026

Designing A Life, And Not Just A Career, Is A Best Practice In Business

The future of leadership is not about endless grind

By Charlie Lewis

For most of my career, I did exactly what high performers are taught to do. I worked relentlessly. I chased the next deal, the next milestone, the next external marker of success. By all traditional standards, it worked. I built a thriving real estate career, closed hundreds of millions of dollars in sales, and earned recognition in a highly competitive industry.

But at a certain point, I realized something important. I had designed an impressive career, but I had not fully designed my life. That realization changed everything.

In business, we talk endlessly about strategy. We map growth plans, forecast revenue, optimize systems, and refine leadership styles. Yet many professionals treat their personal lives as an afterthought, something to address once the work is done. The problem is that the work is never done.

What I have learned is this: designing a life is not a luxury. It is a business advantage.

When leaders fail to design their lives with intention, the costs show up everywhere. Burnout. Short tempers. Poor decision-making. Shallow relationships. Reactive leadership. Over time, those personal fractures turn into professional ones. Teams feel it. Clients sense it. Organizations pay for it.

The opposite is also true.

When your life is designed with clarity, your career benefits immediately. You make better decisions because you are not operating from exhaustion or fear. You negotiate with confidence because your worth is not tied solely to the outcome of one deal. You lead with presence because you are not constantly running on empty.  

While in corporate, I learned this early on, particularly after leaving Marvel Entertainment and moving on to Bronner Slossberg Humphrey. I entered that new role with a clear understanding of what I needed and what I wanted to accomplish. My sister always guided me, reminding me to make sure I managed a budget, so I wouldn’t be easily expendable, and the importance of needing autonomy. 

I had the dream job of a lifetime, VP of Partnerships and Promotions for five incredible years. I led a team of eight and spent 250 days out of the office. Eventually, however, the constant travel took its toll on me, and my alignment shifted from wanting to be on the road to wanting to settle down and build community.

In real estate, I have seen firsthand how emotional clarity affects performance. The best negotiators are not the loudest or the most aggressive. They are the most grounded. They listen well. They stay calm under pressure. They know when to walk away and when to lean in. That skill does not come from hustle alone. It comes from self-awareness.

Designing a life means deciding what matters before the world decides for you. It means setting boundaries that protect your energy. It means defining success in a way that includes your health, your relationships, and your sense of purpose, not just your income. About eight months ago, I had a potential client who wanted me to list their property, but that came with numerous stipulations. They insisted on being present for every showing, refused to make necessary repairs, and did not want to remove or edit their personal effects. Additionally, their design aesthetic was outdated, yet they believed the home would sell quickly, even though it hadn’t been updated in more than 15 years. On top of that, the price they expected was far above what the current market would attract.

While this could have resulted in a lucrative commission, knowing myself, after 20 years in the business, I knew this was not the right client for me. The stress involved would have outweighed the reward. Ultimately, I chose my peace, and that decision was the right one.

This is not about working less or caring less about achievement. It is about working from alignment instead of obligation.

Many professionals stay in careers that no longer fit because their identity is wrapped entirely around what they do. They keep chasing goals they set 10 or 20 years ago, even when those goals no longer reflect who they are today. Over time, that misalignment becomes costly. Productivity drops. Creativity disappears. Joy evaporates.

The future of leadership is not about endless grind. It is about intentional design. That design starts with honest questions. What kind of life do I want this career to support? What am I no longer willing to sacrifice for success? What does enough actually look like? When you answer those questions, your career does not shrink. It sharpens. Design the life first. The career will follow.

RELATED CONTENT: What To Do When Your Job Is Restructuring In 2026

Bad Bunny, Super Bowl, Trump, MAGA
by Sharelle B. McNair

February 10, 2026

Trump May Have Been Silent On MAGA Halftime Show But Social Media Sure Wasn’t 

More than 135 million viewers tuned in to catch Bunny’s vivid message of togetherness and love.

Despite pressure from President Donald Trump and loyal MAGA followers to support rock star Kid Rock, who headlined Turning Point USA’s “All-American” halftime show, even he tuned into the 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance featuring Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny. Social media users made sure to keep “fans” updated on how things were going.

It has been reported that the show, designed to protest Bad Bunny’s performance, had roughly 6 million viewers during its live—or alleged — broadcast.

With headlining performances from country stars like Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett, one of the first things viewers accused the conservative organization of is not actually being live as promised. Social media fled to X, where the show was not played due to “licensing restrictions,” and accused the Detroit-born performer of lip-syncing, drawing comparison to a former musical group known for the practice. “After seeing the videos of Kid Rock blatantly lip synching his performance…because he can’t sing worth sh*t. Here he is with 2 way more talented artists than he is,” @tricky4477 wrote.

@allenanalysis called it “not authentic, just noise.”

“Not live. Not authentic. Just noise. That’s what the “alternative halftime show,” continued @tricky4477.

New data suggest broader public support for Bad Bunny, who recently made Grammy history when his album Debí Tirar Más Fotos became the first fully Spanish-language project to win album of the year. A YouGov America survey found that 35% of respondents preferred the “DTMF” singer as a performer, compared with 28% for Kid Rock, according to The Independent.

More than 135 million viewers tuned in to catch Bunny’s vivid message of togetherness and love, a homage to those who came before him. The message, “The only thing more powerful than hate is love,” shone on the jumbotrons of California’s Levi’s Stadium while Benito ended the show by saying “God Bless America” and then continued to share the love by shouting out more than 20 countries of the Americas.

Kid Rock went into the alternate halftime show with bad news. Just days before, it was announced his Rock the Country festival was cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

Social media tapped into Rock’s, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, days of pushing hateful rhetoric and pushing potential viewers to make the “right choice.” “What are y’all going to be watching during halftime of the Super Bowl: The pro-America Bad Bunny performance — or the pro-pedophilia, pro-Nazi hate rally with Kid Rock?” @maddenifico wrote with side-by-side pictures of the known act.

As the president labeled the dancers performing alongside Benito as “disgusting,” lyrics from Rock’s 2021 song, “Cool Daddy Cool,” have uplifted similar thoughts, highlighting thoughts of the song being about underage girls.

RELATED CONTENT: A Look At Black Historical Halftime Performances On Super Bowl Sunday

Abortion, Teacher, New Hampshire
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 10, 2026

Texas Medical Board Begins Training Doctors On Legal Abortion Care After Deaths, Complaints

Five years after enacting its strict abortion ban, the Texas Medical Board has begun training doctors on how to legally provide abortions to protect patients’ lives.

Nearly five years after Texas enacted its strict abortion ban, the Texas Medical Board will begin training doctors on how to legally provide abortions to protect patients’ lives.

The abortion ban was updated after Texas lawmakers passed the Life of the Mother Act last year, requiring the medical board to issue guidance for doctors by Jan. 1, Pro Publica reported. The move follows reports of rising sepsis rates among women experiencing pregnancy loss, increased ER visits requiring blood transfusions, and at least four deaths linked to delayed reproductive care, with more than 100 OB-GYNs blaming the state’s abortion restrictions.

Passed in 2021, Texas’ strict abortion ban imposed severe penalties on doctors, causing many to fear criminal consequences for intervening in life-threatening pregnancy emergencies. With the updated law now requiring training on when abortions are legally allowed, Texas becomes the first state with an abortion ban to mandate such guidance.

The new medical training clarifies that doctors can legally provide abortions even when a patient’s life is not imminently at risk and outlines nine scenarios, including preterm rupture of membranes and complications from an incomplete abortion. It also covers cases similar to past deaths, including the 2021 death of Josseli Barnica, who died from infection after doctors declined to intervene during an “inevitable” miscarriage while a fetal heartbeat remained. The new law indicates that abortion care would be legal in comparable circumstances.

While the training is now required, medical and legal experts say it covers only the most clear-cut scenarios. They cautioned that pregnancy complications are complex and wide-ranging, making them difficult to address in a brief presentation, with one attorney describing the training as “the bare minimum.”

“I could probably list 100 different situations that would cause people to pause and say, ‘Wow, does that fit into the law?’” said Dr. Tony Ogburn, an OB-GYN practicing in Texas. “They’re taking years and years of medical training and experience on how to manage these cases and summarizing it in 43 slides.”

Texas Medical Board President Dr. Sherif Zaafran said the training was reviewed by Attorney General Ken Paxton, Gov. Greg Abbott, and state Sen. Bryan Hughes, who authored the abortion ban. The governor-appointed board also consulted with the Texas Hospital Association and the Texas Medical Association.

“Most hospitals, most doctors, are getting this right. But this bill is to remove any excuse, remove any question, and also to make sure that doctors are trained,” Hughes said in March 2025, ahead of the Life of the Mother Act being passed.

Under the new rules, all doctors providing obstetric care, including ER and urgent care physicians, must complete a self-paced online course by 2027 to obtain or renew their medical licenses. Dr. Damla Karsan, a Houston-based OB-GYN, said she welcomes the training allowing physicians to rely on their medical judgment in emergencies.

“But having to defend your decision is still scary,” Karsan said.

RELATED CONTENT: Abortion Rights Face Crucial Votes in November As States Push For Reproductive Health Protections

trump administration
by Sharelle B. McNair

February 10, 2026

Victims’ Families Call U.S. Boat Strike A ‘Cold-Blooded Murder’ In Lawsuit Against Trump Administration 

The bombing happened Oct. 14 when U.S. military forces attacked the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean

The families of two Trinidadian men label the October 2025 airstrike bombing as a “cold-blooded murder” after issuing a wrongful death and extrajudicial killings lawsuit against the Trump Administration. 

Family members of Chad Joseph and Rishi Samaroo spoke out about President Donald Trump referring to victims as narcoterrorists without any proof. Joseph’s uncle, Columbia “Pops” Salvary, said that’s far from the truth. “He’s supposed to face murder charges because it’s a criminal offense. You cannot be bombing people’s boats here like that, you know, on international waters, saying narcotrafficking,” Salvary said, according to Democracy Now. 

“And where is your proof? You know? Where is your proof?”

The bombing happened Oct. 14 when U.S. military forces attacked the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean, where Joseph and Samaroo were just two of roughly 125 victims. Family members say the men, 26 and 41, were returning home from fishing and farming in Venezuela, which they often did, and were not smuggling drugs like Trump and other members of his administration, such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, has alleged.

Attorney Baher Azmy, who represents both families, agrees with them, calling the victims’ deaths “killings for sport and spectacle.” “It’s the latest example of the Trump administration’s total mockery of, contempt for the post-World War II human rights consensus, where nations are constrained by law and not mere might,” Azmy said. 

The litigation alleges violations of the Death on the High Seas Act and the Alien Tort Statute, allowing lawsuits against the U.S. to take place from foreign citizens if human rights violations occur overseas. ABC News reported Joseph was hesitant about traveling back and forth after catching wind of the boat bombings but was “determined to return to his wife and their children as soon as possible.”

Samaroo worked on the same farm as Joseph and planned to go back home in order to take care of his sick mother. The suit is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages.

The bombings have been labeled as controversial, causing high-ranking military leaders to resign after raising questions. Democratic leaders like Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia have questioned the authenticity of the attacks and called for files to be released. “I’d like to talk about the complete weakness of the legal rationale about the strikes on boats in international waters, but I can’t, because the administration has only shared it with members in a classified setting,” the senator said during the first public hearing to address U.S. involvement in Venezuela.

“I can’t tell you why the domestic rationale is hollow and the international rationale is hollow.”

RELATED CONTENT: Hakeem Jeffries Says It’s ‘F**K Donald Trump’ All Day Every Day

Nortth Carolina A&T, NCAA,
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 10, 2026

Lewis Walker Breaks Freshman Scoring Record At North Carolina A&T

He broke the record of 418 points when he scored 421 for the year

A North Carolina A&T men’s basketball freshman, Lewis Walker, just broke the scoring record for a first-year player, during the school’s latest loss, on Feb. 7.

After dropping 17 points in the 79-71 loss to the Campbell University Fighting Camels, Walker topped the record made in the 1980-81 season by Joe Binion. That season, Binion scored 418 in his first season; Walker’s point total surpassed that number while scoring 421 this season.

Binion also holds the school’s all-time scoring record.

“Any time you are mentioned with Joe Binion, someone who is high, high up in A&T lore, that’s pretty special,” said A&T head coach Monté Ross.

The team has now lost four straight games and is 9-14 overall. The team’s conference record (Coastal Athletic Association) stands at 2-10.

HBCU Gameday reported that Walker was named CAA Rookie of the Week twice. When he won recognition on Jan. 26, he averaged 20.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists that week. He shot 50% from the field, 61.5% from three-point range, and an almost perfect 94.7% from the free-throw line.

Walker recorded his first career double-double on Dec. 6, with 18 points and 14 rebounds, when the Aggies beat North Carolina Central 69-54 in a road win.

Walker’s name is in company with North Carolina A&T  basketball royalty. 

Binion played at the school from 1980 to 1984, leading the Aggies to three Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) championships, three NCAA tournament appearances, and one NIT appearance. Although the school has a losing record, Walker may help carry the team back to its former glory, when Binion was on the court.

The Aggies will play in Los Angeles as part of the NBA HBCU Classic, which takes place during NBA All-Star Week. The team will play Hampton University at the Kia Forum on Friday, Feb. 13, at 11 p.m. EST.

RELATED CONTENT: Trump Administration Begins Black History Museum Purge With Black Excellence Artifact Removals

J. Cole, North Carolina
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

February 9, 2026

J. Cole Promises To Sell Latest CD ‘The Fall Off’ From Out The Trunk ‘Trunk Sale Tour 26’

'I don’t know where we bout to drive to, but catch me outside! Cop a CD from me or just show love.'

J. Cole is going back to his early days as an up-and-coming recording artist, selling CDs out of his car after the release of his latest project, The Fall Off.

In a recent social media post, the Fayetteville, North Carolina, native thanked his followers and said he plans to get in his car and hit the road to sell physical copies of The Fall Off. There is a photo of his old Honda Civic showing the trunk open with boxes of product.

For those too young to remember, one way for artists to promote their music many years ago was by physically going out, with most, in their cars, and selling their art from out of the trunk. Artists such as Master P, Jay-Z, Uncle Luke, and several hundred others took that route to raise awareness of who they were and their music.

In his latest X post, he informed his followers that he has put his old Civic (with a brand-new engine) back on the road, a tour bus, and will be selling his CDs to anyone willing to purchase them.

“Today I got my old Civic (with the brand new engine), a tour bus, and some sprinters. In the trunk of my car is boxes of The Fall-Off CDs. As a teenager, I had copies of the Fayettenam Bommuh’s album that Nervous gave me to sell. I used to go up to the gas stations trying to sell the album to strangers, “Yo you like hip hop??” Was the beginning of the sales pitch.”

He states that it will be dubbed, “Trunk Sale Tour 26!!”

There are no publicly scheduled dates or locations, so he insists that, since he wants to return it to his younger years, he may as well go the same route.

“I don’t know where we bout to drive to, but catch me outside! Cop a CD from me or just show love. I truly appreciate all the love and the reaction to the music.”

Stay tuned!

RELATED CONTENT: The End Of An Era: How Dreamville Fest Became The Place Dreams Are Made And Live On

perfect man, woman, uk, study
by Jeroslyn JoVonn

February 9, 2026

U.K. Survey Reveals ‘Perfect’ Man And Woman By Generation, With Zero Blackness In The Results

A British survey identifies the 'perfect' man and woman among Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.

A new U.K. survey has identified the so-called “perfect” man and woman across generations from boomers to Gen Z, and the results appear notably lacking in diversity.

Experts at the CREO Clinic, a London-based plastic surgery clinic, surveyed 1,000 people in the U.K. about the physical traits they find most attractive, the Daily Mail reports. The results showed shifting ideals across generations, with preferences for the “perfect” woman evolving from light blonde among boomers to darker blonde among Gen X and brunette among millennials and Gen Z. For men, preferences shifted from blue to brown eyes, with wavier hair favored over the straight hair more often preferred for women.

“Overall, the research shows that preferences for attractiveness shift from lighter hair in Boomer women to darker hair and more athletic body types in Millennials and Gen Z,” the CREO Clinic explained. “Men are generally most attractive with inverted triangle or trapezoid-shaped builds, while the hourglass figure remains the preferred body type for women.”

CREO Clinic launched the study to explore how physical preferences evolve across different life stages. Participants were grouped into four generations—baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z—and asked about their ideal partner’s age, eye and hair color, facial features, height, body type, and skin tone.

“Using the most common answers from each generation, we created AI–generated images to show how these preferences might look in real life,” CREO Clinic explained.

Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, described the “perfect” man as having almond-shaped blue eyes, a button nose, full lips, and a rectangular face. Dark brown, wavy hair was preferred, while just 3% said the ideal man would have gray hair, despite many men beginning to gray in their 30s. For the “perfect” woman, respondents favored round blue eyes, a button nose, full lips, and a rounded or oval face. Light blonde, straight hair was preferred, while ideal height ranged from 5’7” to 5’9″, with an hourglass figure cited as the most desirable body type.

Among Gen X respondents (born 1965–1980), the ideal man was described as having almond-shaped brown eyes, a button nose, heart-shaped lips, dark brown hair in a short fade, and a trapezoid build, with a preferred height of 5’10” to 6’0″. For the ideal woman, Gen X favored almond-shaped brown eyes, a button nose, full lips, a round face, and straight, light blonde hair of medium length. The preferred height was 5’4” to 5’6″, with an hourglass figure ranking highest.

Preferences shifted among millennials, born between 1981 and 1996. The ideal man was described as having almond-shaped brown eyes, a button nose, full lips, an inverted triangle face, dark brown wavy hair in a short fade, an athletic build, and a height of 5’10” to 6’0″. For women, millennials favored rounded brown eyes, a button nose, full lips, and a rounded face, along with dark brown, wavy hair worn at a medium-to-long length. The preferred height was 5’4” to 5’6″, with the hourglass figure remaining the most desired body type.

Among Gen Z respondents (born 1997–2012), the ideal man was described as having almond-shaped brown eyes, a button nose, full lips, and an inverted triangle face. Dark brown, wavy hair in a short fade remained the top choice, with a preferred height of 5’7” to 5’9” and an athletic build. The ideal Gen Z woman was described as having almond-shaped brown eyes, a button nose, full lips, and a heart-shaped face. Long, straight black hair was favored—marking a shift from older generations—while the hourglass figure and a height of 5’7” to 5’9” ranked highest.

RELATED CONTENT: Tyra Banks Shares ‘Smize & Dream’ Through Global Pop-Ups, ‘I’m Not Crazy’

voter ID bill, Rep. Bryan Steil
by Sharelle B. McNair

February 9, 2026

Wisconsin GOP Rep. Bryan Steil Pushes Voter ID Bill, Drawing Pushback From Voting Rights Groups

The proposed bill, 'Make Elections Great Again Act' claims to 'improve voter confidence, bolster election integrity, and make it easy to vote, but hard to cheat.'

Wisconsin Republican Congressman Bryan Steil is drawing side-eye action from voting rights advocates after pushing legislation that would give voters without an ID one for free to vote. 

Steil was interviewed by Chris Stirewalt on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday” and compared requiring ID at voting booths to being carded for buying alcohol. The lawmaker says, “it makes sense.” “If we go and ask folks whether or not you should have photo identification to vote, it’s overwhelmingly popular because it makes sense. And it’s regular in their actual personal life,” he said.

“I go home and buy a six-pack of beer, I get asked for my ID. I want to board an airline, need an ID. Wanna open a bank account, need an ID. I think it’s common sense for the American people to recognize that if you wanna go and vote in an election in the United States of America, you should have a photo ID.” 

His proposed bill, “Make Elections Great Again Act,” claims to “improve voter confidence, bolster election integrity, and make it easy to vote, but hard to cheat.” According to the Wisconsin Examiner, the legislation would require voters in each state to show a photo ID for federal elections and require states to verify that registered voters are U.S. citizens. In addition, Steil wants paper ballots to be required in all federal elections.

The MEGA bill also places harsh restrictions on a person’s ability to collect ballots on behalf of others, banning universal voting by mail and ranked choice voting in federal elections. While Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Brian Schimming labeled the bill as “a crucial step toward restoring trust in our democratic process,” the executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Nick Ramos, says otherwise. 

“The MEGA Act is a seriously problematic piece of anti-voter legislation. It will disenfranchise millions of voters across the country,” he said. Samuel Liebert, the Wisconsin state director for All Voting Is Local, appears to agree. “This is a sweeping federal takeover of election administration,” Liebert said. 

Wisconsin already passed legislation at the state level similar to Steil’s proposal. In 2011, The Hill reports that the Wisconsin state Legislature passed legislation requiring photo IDs to vote. As a stipulation, the bill outlined how state residents can obtain a free ID from the state’s Department of Transportation to vote. 

The push comes just as House lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which proposes proof of citizenship to register to vote and valid identification to cast a ballot, and it seems voters agree.

A 2025 study conducted by the Pew Research Center found over 80% of Americans, including 71% on the Democratic side, support legislation that would require individuals to show government-issued photo ID to vote, adding to Steil’s narrative that “Our legislation is built on commonsense principles that the American people support.”

RELATED CONTENT: Voter ID Proponents are Ready to Battle

TSA, precheck, ICE, tsa agent
by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 9, 2026

Minnesota Protestor Says Her TSA PreCheck Was Revoked After ICE Mobile App Scanned Face

The woman says she did not break any laws.

A Minnesota protestor says her TSA PreCheck was revoked after an ICE Mobile app scanned her face.

Ars Technica first reported the news of the Minneapolis resident and ICE observer getting her air travel status revoked. The woman, identified as Nicole Cleland, says she had her Global Entry and TSA PreCheck privileges stripped from her after she observed the actions of ICE agents in the city.

Cleland lives in the Richfield, a northern suburb city of Minneapolis. Since the ICE raids began, she has volunteered with an organization dedicated to observing immigration agent activity in her neighborhood.

While performing these volunteered duties to protect her community, Cleland began following a white Dodge Ram she believed ICE agents were driving in.

Cleland and a fellow volunteer began driving separate vehicles to follow the ICE agents from a safe distance. But other ICE agent-driven vehicles came along, blocking Cleland and the other volunteer from driving forward.

Cleland filed a formal declaration about the incident with the U.S. District Court in Minnesota on Jan. 21. In it, the 56-year-old recalled how the facial recognition occurred.

“An [ICE] agent exited the vehicle and approached my vehicle. I remained in my vehicle. The agent addressed me by my name and informed me that they had ‘facial recognition’ and that his body cam was recording. The agent stated that he worked for border patrol. He wore full camouflage fatigues. The agent stated that I was impeding their work. He indicated he was giving me a verbal warning and if I was found to be impeding again, I would be arrested,” Cleland wrote.

Here filing was part of a greater lawsuit by Minneapolis residents against the ICE raids and Department of Homeland Security officials.

She asserted that days later she received an email regarding her cancelled Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. However, she says the notification did not list a reason for the revoked status.

“…The only one that makes sense was ‘The applicant has been found in violation of any customs, immigration, or agriculture regulations, procedures, or laws in any country.’ I was not detained, I was not arrested so [it is] difficult to understand how I was ‘found in violation.'”

Cleland aid she believes the revocation directly stemmed from her encounter with the ICE agent. She referred to the matter as an act of “intimidation and retaliation,” despite behaving in accordance with Legal Observer laws.

“I am concerned that border patrol and other federal enforcement agencies now have my license plate and personal information, and that I may be detained or arrested again in the future,” she wrote. “I am concerned about further actions that could be taken against me or my family…I have instructed my family to be cautious and return inside if they see unfamiliar vehicles outside of our home.”

According to the New York Times, Cleland is one of several other U.S. citizens whose faces underwent facial recognition, all without their consent. The app completes this facial recognition through the help of Clearview AI. The tech company also told Ars Technica that it initially helped the DHS’ “child exploitation and cyber crimes investigations.”

But a contract renewal reveals that ICE also uses the tech to investigate “assaults against law enforcement officers.”

RELATED CONTENT: Steve Bannon Says ‘Damn Right’ ICE Will ‘Surround the Polls’ 


×