Wall Street Journal

Federal Agencies Use Cellphone Location Data for Immigration Enforcement

Apparently, the Trump administration has bought access to a commercial database that maps the movements of millions of cellphones in America and is using it for immigration and border enforcement. The location data is drawn from ordinary cellphone apps, including those for games, weather and e-commerce, for which the user has granted permission to log the phone’s location. The Department of Homeland Security has used the information to detect undocumented immigrants and others who may be entering the US unlawfully, apparently.

US Pushing Effort to Develop 5G Alternative to Huawei

Seeking to blunt the dominance by China’s Huawei, the White House is working with US technology companies to create advanced software for next-generation 5G telecommunications networks. The plan would build on efforts by some US telecom and technology companies to agree on common engineering standards that would allow 5G software developers to run code atop machines that come from nearly any hardware manufacturer. That would reduce, if not eliminate, reliance on Huawei equipment. Microsoft, Dell, and AT&T are part of the effort, White House Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow said.

California Regulators a Potential Obstacle to T-Mobile, Sprint Merger

T-Mobile and Sprint are waiting for a federal judge to rule on whether they can merge, but the companies face another hurdle even if they overcome that legal challenge: the California Public Utilities Commission. The state utilities overseer is the only such body that hasn’t yet blessed the $26 billion deal, and its continuing review threatens to further delay—or even derail—a merger that has dragged on for nearly two years. The state body has until July to vote but might extend that timeline further.

Pentagon Blocks Clampdown on Huawei Sales

The Commerce Department’s efforts to tighten the noose on Huawei is facing a formidable obstacle: the Pentagon. Apparently, Commerce Dept officials have withdrawn proposed regulations making it harder for US companies to sell to Huawei from their overseas facilities following objections from the Defense Department as well as the Treasury Department.