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Border Patrol clocking 1,000 'known gotaways' per day, over 23K people in October, CBP sources say

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Border Patrol clocking 1,000 'known gotaways' per day, over 23K people in October, CBP sources say


U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) sources confirmed to Fox News that there have been more than 23,000 “known gotaways” since the new fiscal year began on Oct. 1.

That means more than 1,000 individuals were seen or detected by Border Patrol agents but not apprehended per day this month. 

Sources say figures like these representing the rate at which people are crossing illegally and disappearing into the interior are keeping border officials up at night because American authorities have no idea who these estimated 1,000 individuals coming over each day are, where they are from or why they are coming here illegally.

Meanwhile, a new monthly update released Saturday by the CBP showed border officials arrested 18 people on the FBI’s terror watchlist in September, making fiscal year 2023 a record year for such encounters at the southern border.

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VENEZUELANS TOP MEXICANS IN US ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS FOR 1ST TIME ON RECORD IN SEPTEMBER

Migrants cross the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border in Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, on Oct. 6, 2023. (Alejandro Cegarra/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

According to CBP statistics, 169 people on the FBI terror watchlist were encountered between ports of entry at the southern border in the past 12 months, a number that exceeds not only the previous fiscal year’s record-setting total (98) but the last six fiscal years combined.

Texas Highway Patrol officers monitor the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Oct. 6, 2023. (Alejandro Cegarra/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

HIGH MIGRANT NUMBERS BREAK MULTIPLE RECORDS IN NEW BLOW TO BIDEN BORDER STRATEGY

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In September, the U.S. Border Patrol recorded 218,763 encounters between ports of entry along the southwest border, according to the report. 

“In response to high rates of encounters across the southwest border in September, CBP surged resources and personnel. We are continually engaging with domestic and foreign partners to address historic hemispheric migration, including large migrant groups traveling on freight trains, and to enforce consequences including by preparing for direct repatriations to Venezuela,” Troy A. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner, said in a statement. 

Members of the Mexican Army stand guard near the Union Pacific International Railroad Bridge at the U.S.-Mexico border in Piedras Negras, Coahuila state, Mexico, on Oct. 7, 2023. (Alejandro Cegarra/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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“CBP will continue to remain vigilant, making operational adjustments as necessary and enforcing consequences under U.S. immigration law,” Miller said. “The supplemental funding request announced yesterday would provide critically needed additional resources including additional CBP agents and officers to support our essential missions: from border and migration management, to countering fentanyl and keeping dangerous drugs out of our communities.”

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Florida

As Brightline train deaths hit 200+, company rolling out safety plan

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As Brightline train deaths hit 200+, company rolling out safety plan



The number of fatalities because of Brightline train collisions since 2017 unofficially stands at about 214, including 17 in 2026. The company says that is down 30% compared to 2025.

Nearly halfway through 2026, high-speed Brightline trains in Florida have now been involved in over 200 deaths since 2017, even as the company stresses its ongoing safety improvements.

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The number of fatalities because of Brightline train collisions since 2017 unofficially stands at about 214, including 17 in 2026 according to media reports, law firms and third-party observers. The company says incidents, which include any contact a train has with another object, have dropped 30% compared with the same time last year.

The company also said it is in the midst of implementing a series of safety improvements using a $45 million federal grant, plus $10 million from Brightline itself. These include fencing, warning and suicide prevention signs and other installations at 327 crossings from Miami to Cocoa.

“These enhancements to the corridor, combined with our education and enforcement efforts, reflect our commitment to continually prioritizing safety and preventing avoidable incidents,” said Brightline Florida CEO Patrick Goddard in a news release.

It’s been well-established that privately owned Brightline, which runs from Miami to Orlando, has the highest death rate per mile traveled of any railroad in the U.S. As of 2025, that figure was 25 deaths per million miles, or about one person every 13 days.

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In comparison, that per-mile number is three times higher than Tri-Rail (8.12 deaths per millions miles) and SunRail (8.04) and nearly six times higher than Amtrak (4.20), according to the Florida-based Meldon Law firm.

Where do most Brightline accidents happen in Florida?

In densely populated South Florida, the trains run at speeds of 79 mph or above, with a top speed of about 125 mph in open areas. The vast majority of fatalities occur in the stretch between Miami and West Palm Beach.

Some are suicides. Some are people in vehicles or on bicycles trying to beat the trains or stuck at a crossing. Others are people simply walking on the tracks, apparently unaware a speeding train approaches.

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In two recent incidents, a 68-year-old bicyclist was killed May 26 after he was struck by a Brightline train in Stuart. On May 24, two people died when their car was hit by a train in West Palm Beach even though the crossing gate arms were down.

In urban Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties the trains run at grade level, meaning no elevation above the ground. There are also numerous “quiet zones” along the route where the trains do not sound their horns to avoid disturbing residents and businesses.

Where are the least amount of fatal Brightline train accidents in Florida?

The route from Cocoa to Orlando goes through a more rural area, with fewer crossings and 6-foot fencing along the tracks. In 27 months since that section opened, no fatal accidents have been recorded, according to an Orlando Sentinel analysis.

In the long term, Brightline hopes to connect Orlando with the Tampa Bay area. The timing for that proposed extension is uncertain.

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What is Brightline’s financial situation?

As deaths continue to mount, so does debt.

The rail line lost more than $233 million in 2025 despite higher revenues than 2024, according to its annual financial statement, prepared by consulting firm Ernst & Young and released April 30.

“Substantial doubt exists about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern,” the firm wrote. Brightline acknowledged it lacks the money to pay off more than $5 billion in debt and interest on schedule.

At the same time, Brightline passengers’ average fares fell during first three months of this year compared to the first quarter of 2025, another company report shows, and its trains carried a quarterly record of more than 900,000 passengers.

Credit-rating agencies have said the company needs either much higher fares or ridership to stay solvent.

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The Miami-to-Orlando train company made $214 million in 2025, an increase from about $188 million in 2024, the audit shows.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Chris Persaud contributed to this report.

Curt Anderson is the Policy and Politics Reporter for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY at https://tallahassee.com/newsletters.



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Georgia

Army sergeant gets life sentence for shootings that wounded 5 at Georgia base

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Army sergeant gets life sentence for shootings that wounded 5 at Georgia base


FORT STEWART, Ga. – An Army sergeant was sentenced to life in a military prison Tuesday for shootings last summer that wounded five people at a base in Georgia.

A military judge at Fort Stewart sentenced Sgt. Quornelius Radford to life with a possibility of parole, local news outlets reported, after a court-martial last week in which the soldier was convicted of attempted murder.

Army prosecutors accused Radford, 29, of targeting leaders of his supply unit when he opened fire with a personal handgun last August. He wounded four fellow soldiers and his then-fiance, Raekwon Smith, who testified he was shot after following Radford onto Fort Stewart fearing the soldier was suicidal.

Radford admitted to carrying out the shootings in March when he pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and domestic violence. But he insisted he never intended to kill anyone as Army prosecutors pressed ahead with trying Radford on charges of attempted murder.

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Trial witnesses described how Radford, a supply sergeant in the 3rd Infantry Division’s 2nd Armored Brigade, walked to two offices and a conference room as he shot four soldiers. He was apprehended by military police after being restrained and disarmed by fellow soldiers.

Radford’s sentence also included a dishonorable discharged and a reduction in rank to private.

Army prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Radford to life without parole. The soldier’s defense attorneys sought a lighter sentence, arguing that the shootings occurred while Radford was having a mental health crisis and that he has accepted responsibility for his actions.

One of the defense lawyers read a statement from Radford in which he apologized to each of the victims, said he was grateful they survived and asked forgiveness.

During Radford’s trial, a doctor from the Army hospital on Fort Stewart testified that one of the injured soldiers was shot in the face and another in the chest, while bullets stuck other victims in the back and abdomen.

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Victims testified during Radford’s sentencing hearing that they’re still recovering, physically and emotionally. Two of them have left the Army.

Radford opted for his trial to be decided by a military judge rather than a jury of soldiers.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.



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Kentucky

Kentucky’s schematic changes on defense in 2026

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Kentucky’s schematic changes on defense in 2026


The Kentucky Wildcats are getting ready to start a new era of their football program. In his 13 seasons as head coach, we have all become accustomed to seeing Mark Stoops teams at Kentucky play a certain way. This has been both on defense and on offense, the Wildcats have had a similar blueprint of winning games and finding success. Now, both sides of the ball will look a lot different in terms of scheme, so we will start on the defensive side and what differences you will see in 2026 under new coach Will Stein.

Old: Conservative 3-4

Mark Stoops and defensive coordinator Brad White had a lot of success in their 3-4 defense with a conservative play style, but it had plenty of weaknesses as well. With a nose tackle head up on the center and two defensive lineman playing on the inside shoulder of each offensive tackle, the defense would create pressure but couldn’t consistently finish to make them sacks. This defense required a guy like Joshua Hines-Allen to win one-on-one blocks on the edge in a dominant fashion to thrive as a defense. Since 2020, Kentucky finished top five in total sacks in the SEC just once, in 2023; every other team finished ninth or less in the conference in team sacks.

This conservative 3-4 defense allowed Kentucky to stay in similar personnel throughout the game. The conservative nature had a bend-don’t-break philosophy of keeping everything in front and making tackles. Kentucky rarely switched things up and rolled the dice with blitzes or had pre and post snap coverage rotations on the back end. It was cover 3 and cover 4 heavy, while not disguising coverages and typically sending four pass rushers at the quarterback.

New: Aggressive 4-2-5

The new scheme under defensive coordinator Jay Bateman will be the entire opposite of the old regime. This scheme will be primarily out of an even front, and we have highlighted current players on the team that will benefit from a change in technique. Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace will switch to a traditional edge rusher lining up outside of the offensive tackle, whereas Tavion Gadson will move to a true three technique on the outside shoulder of the offensive guard and both of these players played in the same technique in the previous scheme. Both Humphrey-Grace and Gadson should have more production moving to techniques they more accurately fit.

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Kentucky’s defense will utilize five defensive backs for a majority of snaps, which is beneficial with most offenses living in 11 personnel with three wide receivers on the field. This scheme’s success in year one will heavily rely upon the experienced safety duo of Ty Bryant and Jordan Castell. Coach Bateman will have a lot more safety rotations in this scheme and switch up coverages a lot, disguising a particular coverage pre-snap before switching it post-snap. This defense will have a ton of eye candy to try and keep offenses off balance.

This aggressive scheme will not only roll the dice more on passing downs, playing more man coverage. However, it will also be more aggressive in terms of blitzing the quarterback or sending simulated pressures. Simulated pressures are shown as four defensive lineman rushing, but one will drop into coverage with a back seven player blitzing, still sending four at the quarterback while finding creative ways to do so. This amount of disguise and blitzing can create more havoc in the passing game, but it can also allow players to get out of position in the run game.

This schematic change will greatly benefit Kentucky against pass heavy teams, but it remains to be seen how that will be a benefit or a detriment to the run defense. In theory, this scheme should be able to create more havoc plays like sacks and tackles for loss, which can also provide more turnovers. Will Stein mentioned in a press conference, as an offensive minded coach, he wants to steal possessions on defense to get the ball back for his offense. This aggressive style is built towards a common theme of the new regime, which is they will try to win football games on offense rather than on defense.



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