U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers searched the cell phones of nearly 25,000 travelers entering or leaving the U.S. in 2016, including phones belonging to naturalized citizens and people born and raised in America. "[The travelers] traveled by plane and by car at different times through different states," NBC News writes. "Businessmen, couples, senior citizens, and families with young kids, questioned, searched, and detained for hours when they tried to enter or leave the U.S. None were on terror watchlists. One had a speeding ticket. Some were asked about their religion and their ethnic origins, and had the validity of their U.S. citizenship questioned."
In February 2017 alone, agents searched 5,000 phones; CBP agents searched fewer than 5,000 phones in all of 2015. "That [increase] was clearly a conscious strategy, that's not happenstance," said Mary Ellen Callahan, the former chief privacy officer of the Department of Homeland Security, calling the skyrocketing searches "shocking."
NBC's investigation found that most of the people being stopped were Muslim. Senior intelligence officials revealed that the uptick of searches follows domestic events in 2015 and 2016, when American citizens conducted attacks on U.S. soil, but others say that talk of Muslim registries and bans has loosened the reins on federal agents to act more aggressively.
"This really puts at risk both the security and liberty of the American people," said Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). "Law-abiding Americans are being caught up in this digital dragnet." Jeva Lange
Ric Ocasek, the lead singer of the new wave band The Cars, died Sunday in New York City. He was 75.
Ocasek was found unconscious and unresponsive in his Manhattan home late Sunday afternoon, and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. He appears to have died of natural causes, people with knowledge of the situation told Page Six, and was discovered by his estranged wife, model Paulina Porizkova.
The Cars, known for their hits "Drive," "Just What I Needed," and "It's All I Can Do," were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Ocasek was also a successful producer, working with everyone from Weezer to No Doubt to Bad Brains. Catherine Garcia
After The New York Times reported on Sunday that a sexual misconduct allegation against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was not investigated ahead of his confirmation hearings last year, multiple Democratic presidential candidates said they believe Kavanaugh should be impeached.
"These newest revelations are disturbing," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tweeted. "Like the man who appointed him, Kavanaugh should be impeached." Her sentiments were echoed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), who said Kavanaugh "was put on the court through a sham process and his place on the court is an insult to the pursuit of truth and justice. He must be impeached." President Trump is defending him, tweeting that Kavanaugh is "an innocent man who has been treated HORRIBLY."
The Times reports that one of Kavanaugh's classmates at Yale, Max Stier, told senators and the FBI that when Kavanaugh was a freshman, he saw him at a party with his pants down, and some of his friends pushed his penis into a female student's hands. Stier will not discuss the alleged incident publicly, but two unnamed officials who spoke with Stier confirmed to the Times he came forward with this accusation. Several sexual misconduct allegations were made against Kavanaugh during his confirmation process. Catherine Garcia
Jojo Rabbit just earned a key victory in the 2020 Oscars race.
The dramedy from director Taika Waititi won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, the prize that in the past has typically gone to movies that went on to become Best Picture nominees or winners at the Academy Awards.
In fact, since 2009, the TIFF People's Choice Award winner has ultimately been nominated for Best Picture nine out of 10 times, and won Best Picture three times.
One of those instances was last year, when Green Book picked up the TIFF People's Choice Award in what was, in retrospect, the first major sign of its eventual Best Picture triumph. Best Picture winners 12 Years a Slave and The King's Speech also previously won the TIFF award, which is voted on by audiences at the festival.
Jojo Rabbit wasn't as well received by critics as other TIFF films like Ford v Ferrari and Marriage Story, though. Dubbed an "anti-hate satire," the movie features Waititi playing an imaginary version of Adolf Hitler, and it currently holds a 75 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus noting its "blend of irreverent humor and serious ideas definitely won't be to everyone's taste."
The runners up for the TIFF People's Choice Award were Marriage Story and Parasite, both of which are strong contenders to become Best Picture nominees, although runners up for the audience award don't always score nominations. Of last year's runners up, one, Roma, was nominated for Best Picture, while the other, If Beale Street Could Talk, was not.
Jojo Rabbit, which also stars Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, and Alfie Allen, hits theaters on Oct. 18. Brendan Morrow
After shaking off the Week 1 cobwebs, the NFL season is in full swing. Here are four Week 2 games to watch Sunday:
Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots, 1 p.m. ET on CBS — This game will likely be ugly, seeing as it pits the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots against the Dolphins, who are in full rebuild mode. But it is also expected to be Antonio Brown's first game in the New England uniform. While Brown is one of the league's most exciting players on the field, he's also one of its most controversial — after a tumultuous offseason, the wide receiver is now facing sexual assault allegations.
Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m. ET on CBS — The Titans were one of the league's most impressive teams in Week 1, after demolishing the trendy Cleveland Browns, 43-13. This divisional showdown should shed some more light on just how good Tennessee really is. The Colts, meanwhile, are coming off a close loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, but it seems like they should remain competitive even without recently-retired quarterback Andrew Luck.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Arizona Cardinals, 1 p.m. ET on Fox — This one is all about the quarterbacks. Baltimore's Lamar Jackson was dominant against a paltry Miami defense last week — five touchdowns and a perfect passer rating are impressive no matter who the opponent is. Kyler Murray, the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, will be under center for Arizona. Murray struggled early in his debut against the Detroit Lions, but he went on to lead a comeback that ended in a tie.
Los Angeles Rams vs. New Orleans Saints, 4:25 p.m. ET on Fox — New Orleans fans have been waiting for this one. The two teams met in last year's NFC championship game where it looked like New Orleans was going to the Super Bowl. But a bizarre no-call on a play that most agree should have been defensive pass interference on the Rams allowed Los Angeles enough time to force overtime and, eventually, win. Tim O'Donnell
The United Auto Workers said its roughly 49,000 members who work at General Motors plants across the country will strike beginning at 11:59 p.m. Sunday evening.
A four-year contract between GM and the union expired Saturday and the two sides failed to reach a new agreement as talks broke down. GM said Sunday the auto company's offer to the union includes more than $7 billion in investments, more than 5,400 jobs, higher pay, and improved benefits.
"We have negotiated in good faith and with a sense of urgency," the automaker said in a statement. "Our goal remains to build a strong future for our employees and our business."
But union leaders said the sides are far apart on economic issues, despite some progress being made in the negotiation. "We are standing up for job security for our members and their families," Terry Dittes, director of the UAW GM department, said. He added that the the strike "represents great sacrifice and great courage on the part of our members."
The last time a national strike was called was in 2007, which lasted 17 hours. Read more at The Associated Press and The Detroit News. Tim O'Donnell