29 DEC 25 SITREP

1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Arrests Focused on Criminal Offenders

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested approximately 595,000 individuals unlawfully present in the United States between January 20, 2025 and December 11, 2025 under expanded enforcement actions ordered by President Trump.
• Approximately 416,000 of those arrested, about 70 percent, had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges within the United States judicial system.
• Federal officials stated the figures do not include individuals wanted for violent crimes in foreign countries, subjects of International Criminal Police Organization notices, terrorists, gang members, or human rights abusers, including Antonio Israel Lazo Quintanilla who is wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide, extortion, and drug offenses.
• National Guard assistance was authorized for enforcement operations in Washington, District of Columbia; Los Angeles, California; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Chicago, Illinois, though a Supreme Court ruling blocked deployment in Illinois.

2. Stranger Things Season Five Episode Sparks Backlash Over Gay "Coming Out" Scene

• The episode titled "Chapter Seven: The Bridge" from season five of Stranger Things received a 5.7 rating on the Internet Movie Database based on approximately 50,000 user reviews, making it the lowest rated episode in the history of the series.
• Viewer backlash focused on a gay coming out scene involving the character Will Byers that occurs while the storyline depicts an imminent end of the world threatening the town of Hawkins.
• Audiences argued that this disclosure was unnecessary and disrupted narrative urgency, weakened dramatic tension, and shifted focus away from the central apocalyptic conflict.
• Additional criticism cited slow pacing, writing inconsistencies, and continuity problems during a critical stage of the final season.

3. Russia Accuses Ukraine of Drone Attack Near Putin Residence

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of launching a long range drone attack near the Dolgiye Borody presidential residence in the Novgorod region, claiming air defenses intercepted and destroyed 91 drones without injuries or damage.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied the accusation, stating it was false and intended to undermine diplomatic efforts and justify potential Russian retaliation.
• The claim coincided with intensified Russian military operations in southern Ukraine, with forces advancing to within 15 kilometers of Zaporizhzhia while guided aerial bombs struck Sloviansk, killing one civilian and injuring three, following earlier missile and drone attacks on Kyiv.
• Diplomatic activity continued alongside combat, including meetings at Mar a Lago between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, a phone call between Trump and Vladimir Putin, and follow up discussions with European leaders over ceasefire terms and territorial control.

FINAL WORD

These developments reflect simultaneous pressure across domestic enforcement, cultural conflict, and international security. Public reaction and strategic risk increased as timing and judgment were questioned in multiple arenas. The outcome will depend on whether leadership recalibrates decisions or accepts continued escalation.