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Welcome and Happy Monday! Follow our cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech team, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@millsrodrigo) and Rebecca Klar (@rebeccaklar_), for more coverage. 

The Biden administration, along with a coalition of allied nations, took a major coordinated step in calling out China for its behavior in cyberspace, formally attributing the Microsoft Exchange Server attack to Chinese-linked hackers. The move is likely to increase tensions between the two nations, which have been high under both the Trump and now Biden administrations.

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Meanwhile, President BidenJoe BidenAides who clashed with Giuliani intentionally gave him wrong time for Trump debate prep: book Biden says Eid al-Adha carries ‘special meaning’ amid pandemic Manchin to back nominee for public lands chief MORE also took steps Monday to walk back his criticism of Facebook last week for allegedly “killing people” with COVID-19 misinformation, and a new poll showed that Republican confidence in big business and technology has dropped.

 

CALLING OUT CHINA: The United States and several allied countries on Monday publicly blamed hackers affiliated with the Chinese government for the Microsoft Exchange Server hack that left tens of thousands of organizations vulnerable to compromise earlier this year.

The move to publicly identify the hackers as linked to China is part of a broader effort by the U.S. and its allies to publicly call out Beijing’s government for malicious behavior in cyberspace.

The U.S., European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan and NATO on Monday criticized China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) for using criminal contract hackers to conduct cyber-enabled extortion, “crypto-jacking” and other schemes.

The U.S. government has with “high confidence” formally attributed the exploitation of vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s Exchange Server application to malicious cyber actors affiliated with China’s MSS. Other nations also attributed the cyberattack to Chinese government-linked hackers.

Read more here. 

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TENSION MOUNTS: The decision by the Biden administration to call out China for its involvement in the Microsoft Exchange Server hacking incident is putting new pressure on China.

The public rebuke of China promises to further escalate tensions between the U.S. and China, which have not eased with the transition from the Trump administration to the Biden administration.

“We’ve crossed the line on what can be tolerated anymore, China is more aggressive when it comes to espionage,” James Lewis, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The Hill. “This is to make sure that the Chinese don’t think we forgot about them and they had an open door.”

Read more about the fallout here.

 

BIDEN WALKS IT BACK: President Biden on Monday softened his criticism that platforms like Facebook are “killing people” with misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, saying he wishes the company would do more to stop the spread of inaccurate information.

“Facebook isn’t killing people, these 12 people are out there giving misinformation. Anyone listening to it is getting hurt by it. It’s killing people. It’s bad information,” Biden told reporters after giving remarks about the economy, referencing a study that showed a dozen accounts on Facebook are responsible for the majority of misinformation about the coronavirus vaccine seen on the platform.

“My hope is that Facebook, instead of taking it personally, that somehow I’m saying Facebook is killing people, that they would do something about the misinformation, the outrageous misinformation about the vaccine,” Biden added. “That’s what I meant.”

Read more about the president’s comments. 

 

NOT TECH’S BIGGEST FAN: Confidence in big business and big tech among Republicans has fallen somewhat according to a new survey released by Gallup on Monday.

According to the survey, 61 percent of respondents that identified as Republicans said they had a “great deal” or “some” confidence in big business, indicating a drop of 20 percentage points from when the same poll was conducted last year.

The drop was even steeper when it came to big tech, with just 52 percent of Republicans expressing confidence in this sector, showing a drop of 25 percentage points.

Read more about the poll. 

 

QUICK BUY: Zoom reached an agreement Sunday night to acquire the cloud contact center Five9 for $14.7 billion.

The all-stock transaction is subject to approval by stockholders and is expected to close early next year.

The deal will expand the offerings that Zoom, which saw its video communications platform explode in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic, can offer its customers.

“Enterprises communicate with their customers primarily through the contact center, and we believe this acquisition creates a leading customer engagement platform that will help redefine how companies of all sizes connect with their customers,” Zoom founder and CEO Eric Yuan said in a statement.

Read more.

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What we’re watching this week:

-The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing Tuesday on the threat of ransomware attacks.

-The House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on strengthening the cybersecurity of small businesses.

-The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday to examine cybersecurity vulnerabilities impacting critical infrastructure. 

 

An op-ed to chew on: NASA should be aware of Critical Race Theory 

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Lighter click: Political debate is alive and well

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB: 

This online marketplace for people of color is making wellness more accessible (Protocol / Megan Rose Dickey)

How Washington power brokers gained from NSO’s spyware ambitions (The Washington Post / Drew Harwell)

Job-Hunters, Have You Posted Your Résumé on TikTok? (New York Times / Taylor Lorenz)

Indiana University’s vaccine requirement for students and employees will remain in place after a federal judge declined to issue a preliminary injunction against the policy.

Judge Damon Leichty of the Northern District of Indiana on Sunday denied the injunction request, following a lawsuit from eight students who argued the policy violated their constitutional rights and state law.

The decision means the school’s vaccine mandate will remain in place while the case is decided.

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The lawsuit comes as vaccination rates have stagnated in many Republican-leaning states and counties, leading to new surges of coronavirus infections. 

Indiana’s flagship public university announced in May that it would require its more than 100,000 students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. 

There are religious and medical exemptions, but students who do not get vaccinated face additional restrictions like mask requirements, frequent COVID-19 testing and physical distancing rules. The requirements are only in effect for the fall 2021 semester. 

State Attorney General Todd RokitaTheodore (Todd) Edward RokitaFederal judge will not block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate IU parents protest school’s vaccine mandates Indiana University backtracks on requirement for proof of COVID-19 vaccine in fall MORE (R) in May slammed the requirement, and issued a nonbinding opinion that the school’s initial policies ran afoul of state law, because the school required students to submit proof of vaccination.

But he also noted at the time that there was no law prohibiting the school from requiring vaccinations.

The university also backtracked on its requirement to show proof once state lawmakers passed the ban on “vaccine passports.”

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It’s not uncommon for colleges to require immunizations, and in his ruling that spans just over 100 pages, Leichty noted Indiana requires all public university students to receive vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and meningococcal disease.

Leichty said the students did not appear to have a reasonable chance of success on the merits.

“The Fourteenth Amendment permits Indiana University to pursue a reasonable and due process of vaccination in the legitimate interest of public health for its students, faculty, and staff,” he wrote.

He added that despite the students’ claims, the school’s policy is not coercive. 

“The court isn’t saying a student doesn’t have the right to choose,” he wrote. “Of course every individual does — subject to the state’s reasonable measures designed to pursue legitimate ends of disease control or eradication.”

In addition, there’s no constitutional right to a college education. While the students may be deprived of attending the university if they refuse vaccination and do not qualify for an exemption, Leichty noted that they have options.

“Taking the vaccine, applying for a religious exemption, applying for a medical exemption, applying for a medical deferral, taking a semester off, or attending another university or online,” Leichty wrote.

In a statement, a university spokesman said the school appreciates “the quick and thorough ruling which allows us to focus on a full and safe return.  We look forward to welcoming everyone to our campuses for the fall semester.”

-Updated at 2:47 p.m.

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Anthony FauciAnthony FauciJuan Williams: The GOP is criminally reckless on COVID US likely undercounting new COVID-19 cases fueled by delta variant, Gottlieb says Fauci: Smallpox wouldn’t have been eradicated with today’s ‘false information’ MORE on Tuesday addressed conflicting coronavirus pandemic masks guidance for children returning to school across the country this fall, saying parents should do what is “locally asked for.”  

Speaking on “CBS This Morning,” Fauci was asked about the American Academy for Pediatrics’ (AAP) recommendation that all students older than 2 years old wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

The guidance contradicts that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which said earlier this month that fully vaccinated students and teachers do not need to wear masks, and that even unvaccinated people don’t need to wear masks outside during gym or recess.

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“I think they should do what is locally asked for. Mainly if the local schools, [the] Academy of Pediatrics makes that recommendation that children should be wearing masks from 2 years old onward,” Fauci said.

Fauci added that the reason the AAP issued its guidance is because of the “high degree of infection dynamics.”

“If you look at the map of the country right now, there’s an uptick in cases in virtually all the states in the United States, and for that reason they want to go the extra mile to make sure that the children are protected in school,” he continued.

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Case counts have been spiking as vaccination rates slow and the high contagious delta variant of the virus takes further hold.

Both the AAP and the CDC recommend in-person learning this fall despite conflicting masks mandates. At least six states are requiring students wear masks regardless of vaccination status, according to CNN.

Adolescents young as 12 years old are currently eligible to get vaccinated. A COVID-19 vaccine could reportedly be authorized for children under 12 as soon as this winter.

Fauci said he “would not be surprised” if grade schools wind up mandating coronavirus vaccines.

“That’s not a policy right now, don’t anyone get confused by what I’m saying,” he said. “But I am saying that I would not be surprised that in the future this is something that would be seriously considered depending on how we handle the outbreak.”

The Biden administration plans to send the first group of Afghans being evacuated amid threats to their lives for helping U.S. troops during the war to a military base in Virginia, a congressional aide notified about the plans confirmed Monday.

Spokespeople for the State and Defense departments later also announced the plans to send the first group of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants to Fort Lee, Va.

“These are brave Afghans and their families, as we have said, whose service to the United States has been certified by the embassy in Kabul, and who have completed thorough SIV security vetting processes,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said at a news briefing. “They will be provided temporary housing and services as they complete the final steps in the special immigrant process.”

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Up to 2,500 Afghans who are in the “very final stages” of applying for SIVs are expected to be sent to Fort Lee while they wait for “final medical screenings and final administrative requirements,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said at separate briefing. That includes 700 SIV applicants, while the rest are their family members.

Because they are near the end of the process, the Afghans are likely to only stay at the base for “several days or so,” Kirby added.

Some of the 2,500 may also be sent to other military bases inside the United States in addition to Fort Lee as the Pentagon continues to look at options to house SIV applicants, Kirby said.

The news, which was first reported by Reuters, comes after the Biden administration last week formally announced “Operation Allies Refuge,” which officials said would start evacuations at the end of July.

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Sending the Afghans to Fort Lee represents a shift from the administration’s initial statements on looking to send them to third countries or U.S. facilities outside the continental United States.

But the Pentagon last week did say it also started looking at facilities within the continental United States in order to give the State Department, which is leading the operation, as many options as possible.

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The Pentagon is continuing to look into overseas facilities to house Afghans who are less further along in the visa process than the group coming to Virginia and so need “additional security vetting,” Kirby said Monday.

Plans are underway to relocate about 4,000 applicants and their family members outside the United States, Price said.

This group has passed the “chief of mission screening” process, Price said, but has yet to complete the more vigorous security clearance vetting process to come to the United States, which can take several months. 

For those coming to Fort Lee, the Pentagon will provide food and water, “appropriate medical care” if needed and “as much comfort as we can provide,” such as providing access to religious facilities, Kirby said. The department will not need to build new housing for them on the base, he added.

Asked why Fort Lee was chosen as the initial site to house the Afghan, Kirby said the base “just made a lot of sense for a lot of different reasons.”

Kirby declined to say when the first group would arrive at Fort Lee, citing security concerns.

The Biden administration has faced increasing pressure from lawmakers and advocates to evacuate Afghans who served as interpreters or otherwise helped the U.S. military during the war as the United States nears its final exit from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years.

The pullout from America’s longest war is about 95 percent done, with President BidenJoe BidenAides who clashed with Giuliani intentionally gave him wrong time for Trump debate prep: book Biden says Eid al-Adha carries ‘special meaning’ amid pandemic Manchin to back nominee for public lands chief MORE setting an official deadline of Aug. 31 for the end of the withdrawal.

Amid fears the Taliban could overrun the country and hunt down Afghan allies to the United States, lawmakers and others have been sounding the alarm about delays in the SIV program, which Congress created to allow Afghans who helped the U.S. come to the United States.

An estimated 18,000 applicants are already awaiting visas, with an estimated 53,000 family members seeking to accompany them. The application process can take as long as 800 days.

Lawmakers who have been pushing for more details about the Biden administration’s plans for SIV applicants praised Monday’s announcement.

“For two decades, thousands of Afghans have put their own lives and safety in danger in order to work with U.S. and allied personnel to fight Al Qaeda, the Haqqani Network, ISIS and other terrorist groups,”Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerSchumer sets up Wednesday infrastructure showdown Biden opens new cyber fight with China Afghan evacuees to be housed at Virginia base MORE (D-Va.) said in a statement. “Their efforts contributed to the decimation of Al Qaeda and its ability to attack the U.S. homeland. I applaud the president and his administration for acting to help bring these individuals to safety, and encourage further swift action to help the thousands of other Afghans and their family members who remain at risk because of their support for the U.S. mission in Afghanistan.”

Still, other lawmakers continued to press for more details on plans for the thousands of other Afghans awaiting visas.

“While this announcement is a positive step towards getting some SIV applicants to safety, the lack of a plan for the remaining SIV applicants still waiting to complete the vetting process is deeply concerning,” Rep. Michael McCaulMichael Thomas McCaulAfghan evacuees to be housed at Virginia base Passport backlog threatens to upend travel plans for millions of Americans US lawmakers express shock at Haitian president’s assassination MORE (R-Texas), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement. “President Biden needs to answer for what will happen to the remaining applicants if agreements are not secured with third countries by the end of the U.S. military mission on August 31 – instead he so far seems content to say he did what he could for these 2,500 people while thousands more may be left behind.” 

Laura Kelly contributed to this report, which was updated at 5:29 p.m.

Apple is pushing back its return to office date for employees as coronavirus cases go up in the U.S. due to the delta variant. 

People familiar with the issue told Bloomberg that Apple is now planning to mandate employees come back to the office at least part-time by October when the original deadline was September. 

The company will let employees know a month in advance when a final decision is made on when the offices will reopen, the sources told Bloomberg.

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The move comes after there was some criticism of Apple’s announced September deadline with employees saying it was too soon to return amid the pandemic.

CEO Tim Cook said at the time the availability of vaccines and declining coronavirus cases was a signal to get people back to the office, but the delta variant has recently caused a surge of cases among unvaccinated individuals.

Many companies are slowly going back to the office as cases among vaccinated individuals are not even close to the rates seen by the unvaccinated.

Health officials are working to reach those who might be hesitant about the vaccine as the White House blames misinformation on social media for the declining vaccination numbers. 

A number of companies, including Apple, are looking at continuing remote work in some capacity as many seemed to enjoy conducting business from their households, according to Bloomberg.

The Hill has reached out to Apple for comment.

TGIF! Welcome to Overnight Energy, your source for the day’s energy and environment news. 

Please send tips and comments to Rachel Frazin at rfrazin@thehill.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin. Reach Zack Budryk at zbudryk@thehill.com or follow him at @BudrykZack.

Today we’re looking at a move to reverse a Trump-era rule on showerheads, the latest opposition to Tracy Stone-Manning, and Greenland putting an end to oil drilling.

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SHOWER CORRUPTS: Biden moves to drop Trump showerhead rule

The Biden administration is moving forward with a plan to drop a Trump-era rule that sought to loosen restrictions on showerhead water flow — something the former president was known to complain about.

The Energy Department announced on Friday that it is taking a step toward reversing the Trump administration’s move in order to tighten showerhead efficiency regulations.

Officials said they will propose a rule reinstating the 2013 definition of “showerhead,” which the Trump administration changed. The Trump rule from late last year sought to bypass a requirement allowing no more than 2.5 gallons to flow through a showerhead per minute.

The story so far: In products containing multiple showerheads, each is considered separately under the Trump-era rule, while the Biden proposal would once again classify them all as the same showerhead to restrict the amount of water flow.

The department also said it didn’t expect its action to have a significant impact on the current marketplace, saying it has not found any new showerheads that have been introduced to the market under the Trump-era definition.

When that rule was put forward, environmental and consumer groups objected because such showerheads were expected to require the use of more energy and water.

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Read more about the decision here.

LAND DISPUTE: McConnell calls for withdrawal of Biden public lands nominee

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellWhere is ‘President Andrew Shepherd’ when we need him? Can we please have an authoritative definition of RINO? OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Biden moves to drop Trump showerhead rule | McConnell calls for withdrawal of Biden public lands nominee | Greenland suspends oil exploration MORE (R-Ky.) is joining a chorus of Republicans calling on the White House to withdraw President BidenJoe BidenBiden calls on Congress to pass voting rights bills on anniversary of John Lewis’s death Afghan, Taliban officials meet in Qatar amid US troop withdrawal Biden administration investigating cases of ‘Havana syndrome’ in Austria MORE’s pick to lead the Bureau of Land Management over a decades-old tree spiking incident. 

Tracy Stone-Manning’s nomination has drawn GOP scrutiny because of a letter she sent in 1989 threatening tree spiking. She has denied further involvement. 

“We now know that President Biden’s nominee to run the Bureau of Land Management lied to the Senate about her alleged participation in eco-terrorism,” McConnell said in a statement to The Hill, apparently referring to a Senate questionnaire in which she said she did not believe she was ever the target of a law enforcement investigation. 

“The White House should immediately withdraw her nomination,” he added.

What’s the issue?: In the 1990s, Stone-Manning testified in court that she retyped and sent the tree-spiking letter after an activist told her to do so. 

She said at the time that she was unaware that the tree-spiking had occurred before she was handed the letter that she retyped, and that she ultimately decided to send it because she didn’t want anyone to be injured. 

“This letter is being sent to notify you that the Post Office Sale has been spiked heavily. The reasoning for this action is that this piece of land is very special to the earth,” the message in question said. “You bastards go in there anyway and a lot of people could get hurt.”

Read more about McConnell’s opposition here.

GOING GREEN: Greenland suspends oil exploration, says it takes ‘climate change seriously’

Greenland’s government announced on Thursday that it would stop issuing licenses for oil and gas exploration, saying the autonomous Danish territory takes “climate change seriously.”

“The Greenlandic government believes that the price of oil extraction is too high. This is based upon economic calculations, but considerations of the impact on climate and the environment also play a central role in the decision,” the government said in a news release.

“Against this background, Naalakkersuisut has decided to cease issuing new licenses for oil and gas exploration in Greenland. This step has been taken for the sake of our nature, for the sake of our fisheries, for the sake of our tourism industry, and to focus our business on sustainable potentials,” the government continued.

According to The Associated Press, the decision was made on June 24 but publicized Thursday.

Greenland’s history with drilling: Since the 1970s, companies such as ExxonMobil and Shell have tried to drill for oil in Greenland but mostly failed in their efforts, Reuters reported. However, the government said that a recent Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland study said there may be 18 billion derisked barrels on the island’s west coast.

Some officials were hopeful that Greenland would find oil so that the revenue generated could provide some economic independence from Denmark, the AP reported.

Read more about the announcement here.

WHAT WE’RE READING:

Climate wreckage along Chesapeake fuels courtroom reckoning, E&E News reports

Biden, Merkel fail to resolve differences about Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, Reuters reports

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Could the World’s Largest Green Energy Hub Redefine How Companies Work With Indigenous People?, TIME reports

Pennsylvania fines Energy Transfer $1 million for 2018 natural gas pipe blast, Reuters reports

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New Zealand farmers stage huge protest over environmental rules, The Guardian reports 

ON TAP NEXT WEEK:

On Tuesday:

–   The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee will hold hearings to examine 21st century communities focusing on climate change, resilience and reinsurance

–   The House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on Indigenous Peoples of the United States will hold a legislative hearing on H.R. 442, the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium Land Transfer Act, and H.R. 3496, the Urban Indian Health Providers Facilities Improvement Act

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–   The House Committee on Natural Resources’ Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands will hold a hearing examining the potential for a Civilian Climate Corps

On Wednesday:

–   The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on cybersecurity threats to infrastructure

–   The House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing on the role of the Small Business Administration in climate solutions

–   The House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing on environmental justice

–   The House Science, Space & Technology will hold a hearing on extreme heat in the U.S.

–   The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Proposal for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

On Thursday:

–   The Senate Environment & Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on issues adversely affecting environmental justice populations

ICYMI: Stories from Friday (and Thursday night)…

McConnell calls for withdrawal of Biden public lands nominee

Greenland suspends oil exploration, says it takes ‘climate change seriously’

Biden moves to drop Trump showerhead rule

At least 69 dead amid flooding in Western Europe

US and Germany launch climate partnership

2,000 people displaced in southern Oregon as wildfires ravage West

OFF-BEAT AND OFFBEAT: Trash bear summer

President BidenJoe BidenJ.D. Scholten: Democratic Party is ‘getting blown out of the water’ by not connecting to voters Children under 12 could be able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by winter: report Georgia secretary of state calls for Fulton County elections officials to be fired MORE’s nominee to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appeared before senators Thursday, striking a more moderate tone as he pledged to retain a program allowing local police departments to assist with immigration enforcement.

Biden has nominated Ed Gonzalez — sheriff of Harris County, Texas, which includes the Houston metro area and is one of the largest sheriff offices in the country — to lead the sprawling agency responsible for pursuing those who violate immigration laws.

If confirmed by the Senate, Gonzalez would end the more than four-year period in which ICE has gone without a Senate-confirmed leader, something Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Gary PetersGary PetersBiden ICE nominee pledges to uphold agreements with local law enforcement Cybersecurity bills gain new urgency after rash of attacks Top House Democrat presses Senate to take up watchdog bill MORE (D-Mich.) said “has made it even more difficult for ICE to effectively carry out its mission.”

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He would also take control of the department at a critical time, both as numbers swell at the border and as the Biden administration has sought to push officers to target only those with serious criminal histories and given the department’s lawyers more discretion to drop low-priority cases.

“We can be firm on crimes, we can be firm on enforcement, but we don’t have to lose our compassion and humanity as well,” Gonzalez said during the hearing. 

The sheriff has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration policy and in 2017 terminated his county’s 287(g) agreement with ICE, ending the practice of allowing local officers to carry out some immigration enforcement.

He also declined to participate in a 2019 ICE raid, according to reporting by the Houston Chronicle, arguing it would “drive undocumented families further into the shadows.”

“It silences witnesses & victims & [would] further worsen the challenges law enforcement officials face,” Gonzalez tweeted.

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But when asked if he would terminate the program nationwide, Gonzalez said “that would not be my intent.”

Still, that did little to assuage Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanBiden ICE nominee pledges to uphold agreements with local law enforcement Trouble: IRS funding snags bipartisan infrastructure deal GOP fumes over Schumer hardball strategy MORE (R-Ohio), who read a number of previous critical comments from Gonzalez.

“I am concerned, as you know from our conversation, about whether it would be appropriate for you to lead an agency that you’ve been so critical of,” Portman said, adding that his previous criticism could have an effect on morale at ICE.

But Gonzalez defended his remarks, saying they were in reference to a Texas effort to force agreements with ICE, something he thought should be a matter of local control. 

​​”I made a thoughtful decision,” he said, noting the department was facing a budget hole.

“I had to consider obviously the local realities as well and the importance of local law enforcement also working with a diverse immigrant community. I also wanted to make sure that we continued to remain focused on having the avenues necessary to arrest serious offenders in our community that impact our public safety,” he added. “So ICE has always maintained a presence to this date inside our facility. We work in a coordinated manner when it comes to that. There’s never been any issues. I’ve never declined a detainer.”

Gonzalez did, however, seem to satisfy Sen. Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyBiden ICE nominee pledges to uphold agreements with local law enforcement Navy secretary nominee pledges to be ‘exclusively focused on the China threat’ Made for Vegas: Trump’s rallies now a ‘nostalgia act’ MORE (R-Mo.), who had numerous questions about the ICE’s current enforcement priorities, which pushes officers to focus on serious criminals.

“In evaluating whether an individual poses a threat to public safety, officers and agents are to consider the extensiveness, seriousness, and recency of any criminal activity, as well as mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, personal and family circumstances, health and medical factors, ties to the community, and evidence of rehabilitation,” ICE wrote when the policy was unveiled in February.

Still, some Republicans have argued the memo is too vague, leaving the door open for some with drug offenses or other crimes to remain low priorities for ICE.

Hawley asked Gonzalez if he would push to deport those convicted of assault and sex and drug crimes.

“Yes, to me those are serious crimes,” Gonzalez said, pledging to work in accordance with the law. “Public safety is always my North Star.”

But Gonzalez strongly pushed back against Sen. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold JohnsonBiden ICE nominee pledges to uphold agreements with local law enforcement GOP senators invite Yellen to brief them on debt ceiling expiration, inflation GOP vaccine resistance poses growing challenge in pandemic fight MORE (R-Wis.), who alleged teens crossing the border were likely to be involved in gangs.

“I’m always mindful of not profiling and developing any stereotypes in my work, so I try to look at the facts,” he said. “I’m saying at the end of the day, they’re still teenagers.”

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