Even in the world’s most excavated ancient sites like the Pyramids and Angkor Wat, discoveries are made all the time. Take this story from Cambodia for example, where at the Angkor Archaeological Park, a nearly complete Dvarapala sculpture, or “door guard” in South Asian mythology, was found buried under the Banteay Prei temple. Carved of […] The post Door Guardian Sculpture Discovered at Angkor Archaeological Park appeared first on Good News Network.

DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—The National Park Service has doled out about $250,000 in taxpayer-funded grants to add LGBT landmarks to the National Register of Historic Places even as it faces a multibillion-dollar backlog maintaining the public land it oversees. Through the National Park Service’s so-called Underrepresented Communities Grant Program, which was designed to diversify America’s historical landmarks to include more racial and sexual minorities, the government agency is paying several other agencies and nonprofits to seek out “historic” LGBT locations and submit applications for them to the National Register of Historic Places, government spending records show. While the Park Service focused on ensuring that the gay community is represented equitably among designated historical locations, however, it faced an estimated $23.3 billion maintenance backlog during fiscal year 2023, which ended Sept. 30, according to a July report from the Congressional Research Service. One such grant paid out by the Park Service went to the State Historical Society of Colorado, a nonprofit, to survey at least 25 different LGBTQ historic sites in the state and submit at least three nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, federal spending records show. The grant, disbursed in April, is worth nearly $60,000. When the Park Service approves a landmark to be placed on the historic register, its owner becomes entitled to special tax breaks as well as access to many state and local grant programs. The National Park Service also awarded Washington state’s Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation $75,000 in April to identify an “outstanding representation of queer history” and nominate it for the register, records show. Additionally, the agency paid the state to “research and develop the first historic context statement to identify significant LGBTQIA2S themes in Washington.” As NPS spends on LGBTQ inclusion for national landmarks, it was roughly $7.4 billion behind on road maintenance, $6.2 billion behind on maintaining its buildings, roughly $1.6 billion behind on keeping its water systems functional, and nearly $1 billion deep in a backlog on trail maintenance as of fiscal year 2023, according to the Congressional Research Service. Many parks administered by NPS in Washington, D.C., for instance, are covered in trash. Until recently, some were occupied by large homeless encampments. Michael Shepperd, who owns an outdoors store in East Tennessee, voiced concerns in a December 2017 essay that decaying roads and bridges near Great Smoky Mountains National Park could lead to fewer visitors and fewer customers for local businesses. The National Park Service also issued $50,000 in grants between April 2023 and April 2024 to amend National Register of Historic Places applications for locations in New York City with links to the LGBT community, according to federal records. The agency doled out $25,000 to help the Hotel Chelsea in Manhattan resubmit its application, this time highlighting its significance to LGBT culture, and another $25,000 to the Jaffe Art Theatre in the East Village to resubmit its application to the register by emphasizing its importance to LGBT history. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, whose agency oversees the National Park Service, appeared at the Stonewall National Monument in New York City in October 2023 to celebrate National LGBTQ History Month. “Tell me, in your own words, why places like this, like Stonewall, are so important to telling America’s story,” Haaland asked drag queen Pattie Gonia, a self-described “professional homosexual” and “queer environmentalist” who appeared with the Interior secretary for a social media post. “I think it’s because queer rights are more under attack than ever, and I think if we don’t acknowledge the past, we are bound to repeat it,” the drag queen said. “So, at a place like Stonewall, it’s a beautiful place, it’s a place where so much discrimination and hatred occurred against the queer community, but it’s also a place where resistance and queer joy and queer liberation happened.” The Stonewall National Monument includes a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn that was the site of a series of violent riots where homosexuals clashed with police officers in 1969. The National Park Service paid out another $50,000 to a nonprofit in Provincetown, Massachusetts, to amend the National Register of Historic Places application of the city’s historic district to recognize its significance to gay history, according to spending records. The agency has spent $7.5 million on its Underrepresented Communities Grant Program since 2014, with Congress apportioning $1.25 million for the 2024 iteration of the program, according to the agency. The National Park Service didn’t respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s multiple requests for comment. Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation The post Biden-Harris Admin Spends $250K Looking for LGBT Landmarks as National Parks Fall Into Disrepair appeared first on The Daily Signal.

European populations varied greatly over 40,000 years according to conditions, and when things got coldest people barely survived in some places, and didn’t elsewhere.

Over the summer, a vast stretch of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean experienced an unexpected and rapid cooling, setting new records. Now, that unusually cold patch is slowly returning to normal temperatures, but the cause of the sudden chill remains a mystery to scientists. Researchers are working to understand the reasons behind this abrupt cooling of the tropical Atlantic, yet they have found few clues. “Everyone is puzzled, trying to figure out what happened,” says Franz Tuchen, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Miami. The cold anomaly appeared as a band of ocean extending a few degrees north and south of the equator in early June, following a record-breaking ocean heatwave that lasted 40 years. Although the region naturally oscillates between cold and warm phases every few years, the speed of the transition from record highs to record lows was “unprecedented,” according to Tuchen. Michael McFadden, a senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who monitors real-time data from buoys in the region, suggests the anomaly might be a temporary phenomenon. However, he acknowledges that it likely arose from processes that researchers do not yet fully understand. Scientists are studying a fairly large swath of the equatorial Atlantic that has cooled sharply since early June. Photo: NOAA Observations indicate that surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Atlantic reached a record 30 degrees Celsius in February and March. However, by June, temperatures had plummeted, hitting a low of 25 degrees Celsius in late July. Researchers speculate that this cooling could be a precursor to the development of an Atlantic Niña, a regional climate pattern that typically brings increased rainfall to West Africa and decreased rainfall to northeastern Brazil and the Gulf of Guinea. However, the Atlantic Niña is generally weaker than its Pacific counterpart, La Niña, and hasn’t been observed since 2013. For it to be officially declared, below-average temperatures would need to persist for at least three months, which hasn’t occurred—temperatures have been gradually warming in recent weeks, according to Tuchen. Despite the absence of an official Atlantic Niña, scientists remain uncertain about what triggered the sharp cooling in the tropical Atlantic. They have modeled several potential climate processes to explain the phenomenon, and while initial findings suggest it may not be directly linked to human-caused climate change, they are not yet ready to completely rule out this possibility. The post Something has suddenly cooled a large patch of the Atlantic Ocean appeared first on Anomalien.com.

We are no stranger to our cats’ odors. From litter boxes to cleaning up piles of regurgitated kibble, we’ve experienced it all along with the smelliness that comes with it! While owning a cat is a fabulous deal most of the time, we have to be prepared to tackle those smelly problems when they arise. When you look on the market, often you see chemical-filled products that are certainly not good for your cat or anyone else. To help you navigate around that, we have chosen 10 fantastic cat deodorizing sprays that can help you out in your household. Here are our reviews! A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024 Rating Image Product Details Best Overall Hepper Pet Cologne Spray No harmful ingredients Eliminates stains and odors Safe for all pets CHECK PRICE Budget Buy Thornell A.O.E. Animal Odor Eliminator Spray  Removes odors on contact Affordable Trusted by professionals CHECK PRICE Zero Odor Pet Odor Eliminator Biodegradable formula Big bang for the buck pH-balanced CHECK PRICE Oxyfresh All-Purpose Dog & Cat Deodorizer Neutralizes odors in 60 seconds No artificial ingredients Safe and gentle enough for kittens CHECK PRICE Pet MD Deodorizing Japanese Cherry Blossom Cat and Dog Body Spray Specially for the coat Subtle but lovely aroma Great for hard-to-reach areas CHECK PRICE The 10 Best Cat Deodorizing Sprays 1. Hepper Pet Cologne Spray – Best Overall Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Hepper Amount: 8 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Natural ingredients, cucumber and aloe fragrance We are huge fans of Hepper! That’s why we have to recommend Hepper Pet Cologne Spray for all your deodorizing needs. Not only is this product impeccable for making your cat smell fresh with a cucumber and aloe scent, but it’s also made with natural ingredients. There are no added chemicals or fragrances, so you can rest easy knowing you have a suitable product for your pet. It’s also free of sulfates, parabens, alcohol, and silicone, and is cruelty-free. This particular spray can leave your cat’s coat looking shiny and smooth, with no oily residue left behind. If you have a long-haired cat, it can also help detangle their coat for easy brushing. However, it may not work for super stinky cats. We think you will be pleased with this product and it’s definitely the best overall cat deodorizing spray in our opinion. Disclaimer: PangoVet, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company! Pros No harmful ingredients Eliminates stains and odors Safe for all pets Cons May not work for super smelly cats 2. Thornell A.O.E. Animal Odor Eliminator Spray – Budget Buy Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 8 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Non-enzymatic formula Do you need an excellent product for a fabulous price? We have to recommend Thornell A.O.E. Animal Odor Eliminator Spray in this case. It is the best cat deodorizing spray for the money—and we think you may agree! This is a liquid solution that is trusted by clinics, shelters, groomers, and kennels everywhere! Instead of using enzymes, this particular formula uses a non-enzymatic approach to get to the root of odors and eliminate them on contact. This is a completely non-toxic formula that is completely safe to use on carpets, fabrics, and other surfaces of the home. It's also great for litter box areas to clear up those tough odors left behind. What we really enjoy about this formula is that it’s also completely safe to use on the animal themselves. So, if you're trying to give your cat a quick spruce up, it is perfectly safe to use on their coat. Pros Removes odors on contact Affordable Trusted by professionals Cons Not designed for stain removal 3. Zero Odor Pet Odor Eliminator Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 128 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Stabilized hydrated active complex The Zero Odor Pet Odor Eliminator is an excellent product to have on hand. It is a little more expensive than certain other selections on our list, but that's because you get a ton more for your money! This particular product works great on any surface of the home or even your laundry! It has a biodegradable odor-eliminating formula that uses complete organic chemistry for total smell reduction. Not only is this product great on surfaces, but you can also use it as an air freshener. It is completely free of fragrances, perfumes, and other toxic chemicals that can irritate your cat or someone else in the home. This gallon is actually a refill for the original product in a spray bottle. However, you can get any old spray bottle and refill as desired, and you already have enough to last you for months to come! We think it's quite a deal. However, it doesn’t say that it’s safe to use directly on cats. Pros Biodegradable formula Big bang for the buck pH-balanced Cons Not for use directly on animal 4. Oxyfresh All-Purpose Dog & Cat Deodorizer – Best for Kittens Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 16 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Stabilized chlorine dioxide (Oxygene) If you have a tiny little tyke on your hands, you will obviously want to use a deodorizing spray that's going to be completely safe for your kitten. We take pet safety very seriously, which is why we have to recommend Oxyfresh All Purpose Dog and Cat Spray. This product is an exclusive Oxygene oxidizing formula that is designed to break down odors to rebalance neutralization. This product contains no fragrance, parabens, dyes, alcohol, or other toxic ingredients. As advertised, it eliminates odor on contact within 60 seconds. We love that you can use this product anywhere in your home, including on your pet! It is safe for all life stages, large and small, so you can use it on multiple different animals in the home. We love the overall safety and versatility of this product. We highly recommend it if you have a growing kitty, but it can work for any situation! Pros Neutralizes odors in 60 seconds No artificial ingredients Safe and gentle enough for kittens Cons Slight smell 5. Pet MD Deodorizing Japanese Cherry Blossom Cat and Dog Body Spray Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 24 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Aloe vera juice, fragrance Do you have a smelly cat on your hands? Maybe try Pet MD Deodorizing Japanese Cherry Blossom Cat and Dog Body Spray. It has a lovely scent that lasts for days—and it really helps eliminate odor on contact. This is a powerful, long lasting deodorizing agent that is designed for cats, dogs, smaller pets, and horses, as long as they're 12 weeks of age and older. This spray is designed to get in hard-to-reach areas, such as skin folds and underbellies. It also reduces static in the coat, so it can help with grooming! Plus, did we mention it has a mild cleansing agent to keep your cat clean? Keep in mind that this product is designed for your pet’s coat and isn’t necessarily intended for fabrics and other surfaces of the home. So, if you were looking for a product that covers both bases, you may want to look elsewhere on the list. It also contains chemical ingredients, which may irritate sensitive cats. Pros Specially for the coat Subtle but lovely aroma Great for hard-to-reach areas Cons Not for other surfaces Contains chemical ingredients 6. TropiClean Berry Breeze Deodorizing & Odor Eliminating Cat Spray Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 8 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Odor neutralizer, fragrance TropiClean is a real master in creating pet-safe, beautifully scented products that suit the needs of our house pets. For all your cat’s smelly coat needs, we have TropiClean Berry Breeze Deodorizing & Odor Eliminating Cat Spray. This particular deodorizing spray freshens the coat with a luscious scent of berry and coconut. This product is also available in other scents such as baby powder, kiwi blossom, lime and coconut, papaya mist, and pure plum. Not only does it help to eliminate any existing odors on the skin, but it is also derived from all-natural ingredients that truly improve the overall quality of the skin. This product is great for any dog or cat over 12 weeks of age. It has ingredients like mixed berries, vitamin E, and oatmeal to soothe any hot spots and prevent irritation. Keep in mind that this particular product does contain fragrance, as well as “odor neutralizer” which is an ambiguous ingredient. However, it is cruelty-free, and plant-based. Some, ultimately it would work well for any healthy kitty. Pros Smells amazing Contains vitamin E and oatmeal Comes in several different scents Cons Contains ambiguous ingredients May not work for super smelly cats 7. Pet Head Felin’ Good Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 1 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Lemon seed oil, strawberry seed oil Pet Head Felin’ Good is an exceptional product with a very easy-to-spray bottle. This particular scent is Lemon Berry, which we found fresh and not overwhelming. This product is considered a dry clean spray that is designed for a cat's fur and skin. This formula contains strawberry and lemon seed oil for deodorizing and nourishing power. The safflower oil is what is responsible for keeping the coat shiny and healthy. It is completely pH-balanced to keep a cat skin feeling its best. The aloe vera and vegetable protein also offer soothing properties. This product is vegan and cruelty-free, meaning no animals were harmed whatsoever in the making. It is also free of potentially irritating additives like parabens, dyes, surfactants, and artificial chemicals. While this is perfectly suitable for a cat’s coat, it isn’t so much for surfaces of the home. So, if you were looking for something more specific or all-purpose, this might not be the best option for you. It also may not work for super-smelly cats. Pros Delightful scent Easy to spray bottle pH balanced Cons Not for surfaces May not work for super smelly cats 8. Skout’s Honor Probiotic Honeysuckle Daily Use Cat Deodorizer Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 8 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Fragrance If your cat could use a little extra kick of something special, try out Skout’s Honor Probiotic Honeysuckle Daily Use Cat Deodorizer. Not only is this an affordable option, but it is loaded with probiotics. What probiotics, you ask? These are live, colony-forming topical beneficial bacteria that aid in soothing the skin, eliminating itching. It is crafted to be almost entirely natural, but it does contain some chemicals and preservatives. This formula also contains avocado oil, omega 3s, and a bounty of other nutrients that keep the fur soft and supple. Did we mention that it has a very subtle, but delightful honeysuckle aroma? What is not to love? We highly recommend this product for cats that have itchy skin. Keep in mind that this is a body deodorizer and not meant for surfaces. Pros Contains live topical probiotics Subtle scent Nourishes and softens soft and skin Cons Not for surfaces Contains some chemicals 9. Prime Paws Body Spray Check Latest Price Amount: 8 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Sweet pea and vanilla scent infusion If you want a coat-only product, we really liked Prime Paws Body Spray. This particular formula was crafted with our long-haired cuties in mind. It penetrates deep in the coat, leaving behind a subtle floral scent with notes of sweet pea and vanilla—delightful! Keep in mind that this product contains alcohol, which may dry out some kitties. This product is ideal between baths. We feel that it is much more of a masker than an odor eliminator, so do with that information what you will! Pros Great for long-haired cats Great for between bath use Cons Does not eliminate odors Contains fragrance and chemicals 10. Nature’s Miracle Just Cats 3-in-1 Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Amount: 24 fl. oz. Deodorizing Ingredients: Essential oils If you’re looking for a multi-purpose spray, check out Nature’s Miracle Just Cats 3-in-1. The particular bottle we selected is scented with lavender. but that's not all! This particular formula is riddled with essential oils to not only refresh, but also eliminate odors in the air. It can also be used on fabrics, carpets, hardwood floors, litter boxes, or virtually any surface in the home! Unfortunately, you can't use it directly on your pet since it contains chemicals and essential oils. However, it can spritz up anything else in the home, getting rid of the worst odors on surfaces or in the air. Pros Safe for all in the home Multiple scents 3-in-1 Cons Not for use on cats directly Contains chemicals and essential oils Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for in Cat Deodorizing Spray If you are unfamiliar with a certain type of product, you're probably the kind of person who wants to do all the research they can. After all, we worked hard for our money, and we want to make sure the products that we purchase are worth it. When you are buying a deodorizing spray that is designed for cats, we need a product that is going to tackle even the worst of the worst. After all, our cats can be quite stinky sometimes, especially if they are not spayed or neutered, and they're spraying all around your house! Below are some categories we think are very important when you are making your final decision. Keep in mind that certain products work for some cats and odors don't necessarily work for others, so essentially it can be a trial and error. With this information, we aim to make sure you buy the right product first, avoiding any need for returns or multiple purchases. Safety Obviously, the first and most important part of getting a cat deodorizing spray is safety. If it is a product you're going to use in your home or directly on your cat, you're going to want to make sure that it doesn't cause any harm. We highly recommend buying suitable products with natural ingredients free of potentially irritating additives. Some things just steer clear of include: Parabens Dyes Sulfates Fragrance Always do your research and try to choose natural, organic, plant-based, or pH-balanced products designed for cat and human safety. Deodorizer vs. Odor Eliminator Deodorizer can mask or get rid of odors, depending on the active ingredients. Odor eliminators use active ingredients to break down odors. So, ultimately, it will depend on the reason you need it. For example, if you want to spruce up their coat, you can choose one solely for the coat. Or you can get a multi-purpose spray that works for all surfaces, such as their bedding, litter box—even your cat! Potency If you purchase a cat spray designed to eliminate odors, you will want to make sure that it works for the intended purpose. Make sure to read the reviews before you purchase so you can get real accounts from users, making sure that it truly takes care of odors as advertised. Image Credit: Vaillery, Shutterstock Purpose As you can tell from the products we mentioned in these reviews, some of these products are designed strictly for surfaces, but most of them are completely safe to use on your cat. If you have a specific purpose in mind, it is important to read the product description to ensure you're getting exactly what you intend to buy. Even if a product mentions that it is completely safe to use on a cat's fur, it is important to do a quick sweep of the ingredients to make sure there is nothing irritating in the formula. Price If you purchase a product, obviously you will want it to be in your budget! We highly suggest not sacrificing quality for price, but luckily there are several different products on the market that are price-friendly and extremely efficient at the task. Image Credit: Karolina Grabowska, Pexels Reviews There is no better way to judge a product than to check with real-life users. They are quick to give you the good, bad, and the ugly. So, often, it can be the make-or-break factor in purchasing a new formula. We recommend buying products rated four stars and up on sites like Chewy and Amazon. Conclusion How did you enjoy the reviews? As a takeaway, remember that our favorite product is Hepper Pet Cologne Spray. It gets the job done with an enzymatic formula and we think the price is unbeatable. However, if you are looking for savings first, Thornell A.O.E. Animal Odor Eliminator Spray Is an excellent option. You can use it for any pet in the home. Instead of using enzymes, it eliminates odor on contact with non-toxic, biodegradable ingredients. Regardless of which cat deodorizing spray you prefer, we certainly hope that this article led you to your latest purchase. Featured Image Credit: Vaillery, Shutterstock The post 10 Best Cat Deodorizing Sprays in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks appeared first on PangoVet.

Super Bowl-winning football brothers Jason and Travis Kelce signed a new distribution deal with Amazon's premium podcast network that eclipses either sibling's football earnings.The weekly podcast "New Heights," which has 2.4 million YouTube subscribers, will be exclusively distributed by Amazon's Wondery platform, which will also handle ad sales.The $100 million, three-year deal marks a new milestone for the duo, who have now found more success off the field than on it.'We love this show and the fan base that has grown with us over the last two seasons.'Travis, while raking in millions in endorsements, has become a target for right-leaning NFL fans for his work with Bud Light and Pfizer. Even NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers referred to Travis as Mr. Pfizer after the vaccine commercial aired.On the other side, he was also accused of bigotry by liberals who didn't care for his appreciation of former ESPN host Sage Steele. Kelce was criticized for simply liking a photo of Steele, Donald Trump, and others at a UFC event.Jason (now retired) is the less controversial brother, making headlines for speaking positively about loving fathers and losing his Super Bowl ring in a giant bowl of chili.At $33.33 million in average yearly earnings for the podcast, Amazon will be paying the brothers more than they've ever been paid for football. Jason's highest salary was $14.25 million for the 2022 season, when he was a fist-team All-NFL center. Travis recently signed a contract extension and will make a career-high $17.25 million in 2025. "We couldn't be more excited to team up with Wondery for the next phase of 'New Heights,'" the Kelce brothers said, according to Variety. "We love this show and the fan base that has grown with us over the last two seasons," they added.The Kelce deal is just one of Wondery's bigger recent moves, as the platform looks to gather more notable names for its catalogue. Amazon recently dished out $80 million for actor Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast, Deadline reported.The Kelce brothers are also both taking a shot at television broadcasting. Travis is hosting 20 episodes of "Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?" on Amazon Prime Video, and Jason has signed as a commentator for ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" pregame show.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The millions of illegal immigrants who have entered the country over the past several years by submitting asylum claims are, generally speaking, not authorized to work in the United States. Despite that, some of those more than 11 million illegal aliens are successfully finding work opportunities.Individuals across the globe have flocked to the U.S. under the Biden-Harris administration's leadership in hopes of finding better economic opportunities in America, gaining entry into the country under the guise of seeking asylum to flee persecution. Laws prohibiting employers from hiring illegal immigrants have not turned off America's economic magnet but only prompt some employers to find ways to work around the system to hire unlawfully and exploit cheap labor. How businesses circumvent the law Under federal law, businesses are forbidden from employing individuals they know do not have a legal right to work in the U.S. Nonetheless, the Biden-Harris administration has failed to crack down on companies and staffing agencies that have been caught hiring illegal aliens, including underage children. While its Department of Labor and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have taken some recourse to prevent these unlawful practices, the administration has not done enough to make a significant impact. According to Pew Research, the number of illegal immigrants in the workforce increased from 7.4 million in 2020 to 8.3 million in 2022, matching the all-time record, set in 2008 and 2011. ’In almost all of these cases, the employer has outsourced the hiring process to a labor contractor.’Evidence of the administration's failure to shut down the border and implement effective consequences for illegal labor violators can be seen in the DOL's own reporting, which states there has been an 88% increase in child labor violation investigations from fiscal year 2019 to 2023. Often, the children being illegally employed at various establishments are foreign nationals who have obtained fraudulent paperwork that falsifies their age and work authorization. As one example, in March, the DOL went after the Tuff Torq factory in Morristown, Tennessee, which it claimed was caught illegally employing children in dangerous conditions and requiring them to work long hours. An NBC News report discovered that some of the children working unlawfully at the establishment were illegal immigrants. The manufacturer's legal representation claimed that the children were temporary hires who were indirectly employed through a staffing agency. Despite its defense, the DOL announced that the manufacturer faced nearly $2 million in fines. The DOL told Blaze News, "Tuff Torq contracted the services of staffing agencies. The consent judgement from March, 2024 now requires Tuff Torq to require any new staffing agencies and subcontractors to disclose child labor violations and provide information regarding hiring protocols designed to prevent child labor. The consent judgment also prohibits Tuff Torq from entering into any new contracts with staffing agencies or subcontractors that the company knows has violated child labor laws." This is just one of the many instances where a business has been busted for illegal hiring — in this case, underage children — while using a third-party staffing agency to recruit its workers. Using a labor contractor allows companies to hide behind these layered hiring practices, deflecting blame by claiming it was unaware that the employees were unauthorized to work. Jessica Vaughan, the director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, told Blaze News, "When we find out about instances of labor trafficking that involve numerous people who have entered [the U.S.] on a visa or who may have been hired illegally, in almost all of these cases, the employer has outsourced the hiring process to a labor contractor." Vaughan explained that businesses are incentivized to use third-party staffing agencies because it not only makes hiring easier and more efficient — especially amid a worker shortage — but also sometimes "gives them what they think is the ability to look the other way at the hiring practices." Vaughan described that in some instances, the employers know the staffing agency's hiring practices violate the law. However, because the third-party company is "doing the dirty work," businesses "believe that they are insulated from liability for either hiring illegal workers, or for abusing workers, or harboring labor trafficking, or benefiting from labor trafficking." The DOL's investigation into Tuff Torq sparked a separate inquiry into the labor contractor it used to employ the illegal immigrant children. Yet, the agency faced minimal consequences for hiring minors and referring them to "dangerous" positions. Earlier this month, the department ordered Luttrell Staffing in Kingsport, Tennessee, to pay $121,572 in civil penalties and demanded the agency "comply with federal child labor regulations." The recruiting group, founded in 1993, has a network of 40 offices across six states, generating more than $150 million in yearly gross revenue, according to its website. The DOL's regional solicitor Tremelle Howard called the recourse against Luttrell Staffing part of the agency's "relentless pursuit" to ensure children's safety. ‘The system of work visas is run by these third-party labor contractors.’Luttrell Staffing Group President and CEO Mary Wagner told Staffing Industry Analysts that the children "misrepresented that they were 18 or older during the hiring and onboarding process by providing fraudulent documentation of their identity and age." "Luttrell Staffing Group would never knowingly violate child labor laws, particularly by placing a minor in a hazardous position," she stated. Wagner claimed that the underage workers passed the E-Verify system by providing “fraudulent documentation of someone else's identity.” E-Verify warns that this is a problem, and employees must be aware that illegal immigrants may provide fraudulent documents of another individual’s identity to get past the verification system. "The issue of fraud is growing, particularly concerning identity theft for employment purposes," Wagner stated. "Luttrell Staffing Group is taking this matter very seriously and enhancing our current processes to confirm the authenticity of documentation and ensure that workers can legally perform their assigned work.” Staffing companies exploit workers Vaughan told Blaze News that many of the staffing agencies are "fly by night" businesses that, after they get busted by law enforcement, reappear under a different name or in a different location and continue operations because it is "pretty lucrative." In fact, last year, two labor brokers tied to a string of staffing agencies faced prison time and a nearly $8.5 million penalty for hiring roughly 100 illegal aliens who were contracted out to hospitality businesses in Key West, Florida. One of those individuals, Eka Samadashvili, who pleaded guilty, admitted that the staffing agencies entered into contracts with hotels, bars, and restaurants in the area that "helped" the businesses "attempt to disclaim responsibility for ensuring that workers were legally authorized to work in the United States and that federal employment taxes were withheld and paid over to the IRS." According to Samadashvili, "many" of her "customers knew or had reason to believe" that the employees were unauthorized to work. Despite their sometimes questionable operations, staffing agencies have the ability to apply for work visas on behalf of their contracted-out employees. By law, these staffing companies are expected to cover the costs of the visas, as well as any training or tools required for the job. However, some staffing agencies make unlawful side deals with workers to cover these expenses. Vaughan told Blaze News that in these situations, the staffing companies are cheating and exploiting the workers. "[The employees] end up with very little take-home pay, stuck in a compound that they can't leave, forced to buy food at a very expensive convenience store that, coincidentally, is run by the staffing company. This becomes a very exploitative situation, and it often crosses a line into forced labor trafficking because they have misled the workers," she explained. "There are instances where it does cross the line into very abusive and violent behavior toward the workers," Vaughan continued. "I've seen cases where you've got a bunch of workers who come in to work on a pine straw farm or some other kind of agricultural enterprise, and they'll pick out the women to be subject to sexual abuse." "The system of work visas is run by these third-party labor contractors," she added. "I think the federal government ought to give serious consideration to barring third party labor contractors from the ability to obtain visas for workers they've recruited." A health care staffing company based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, was previously accused of running an operation that exploited its workers. Health Carousel recruited employees from the Philippines to work in hospitals in the U.S. Some of those workers lodged a lawsuit against the staffing company in 2020, seeking class-action status and claiming the agency violated federal and state human-trafficking laws. A December court filing accused the company's "employment" of being "essentially indentured servitude." Novie Dale Carmen, a former contractor from the Philippines, stated that the company placed her in a nursing position in Pennsylvania. She claimed that the agency demanded $20,000 from her to quit the job, requiring her to work 6,240 hours to fulfill her contract obligations. However, according to Carmen, the company did not count many of the hours she dedicated to the job, including her first three months of employment and overtime. Additionally, Carmen stated that she was paid $25.50 per hour while Health Carousel received $52 or more per hour for her work. Other plaintiffs that joined the lawsuit had similar grievances, with one worker stating she earned $45.56 per patient visit while those directly hired through the facility earned up to $105 per visit. Health Carousel filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in January, stating, "Despite the invaluable service Health Carousel and its employees provide in helping address staffing shortages (especially during this time of national crisis), this lawsuit demonizes Health Carousel as a 'human trafficker' and a 'racketeer.'" The agency ultimately agreed to a $6 million settlement over the nurses' lawsuit. "While Health Carousel acted lawfully and in good faith, we decided that agreeing to this settlement is in the best interest of our company and our healthcare professionals," said John Sebastian, Health Carousel's chief executive officer. The staffing company was also the subject of a civil and criminal investigation over allegations that it submitted fraudulent visa applications and caused false statements to be made to government officials regarding recruiting. The investigation did not result in criminal charges being filed. However, Health Carousel agreed to settle in March for more than $9 million. Sebastian stated, "Health Carousel is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and is proud of the work we do to improve patient access to qualified healthcare professionals. In 2018, we became aware of problematic conduct in our visa process and started making immediate corrections." "Health Carousel has cooperated with the Department of Justice, accepts responsibility for its prior conduct, and is pleased that this resolution brings this matter to a close. This global resolution allows us to continue focusing on our mission to bring highly trained healthcare professionals to the United States to help address nationwide staffing shortages," Sebastian said. How some states are picking up the slack for the federal gov't States hoping to fight back against the Biden-Harris administration's open border chaos have implemented laws to crack down on unlawful hiring. Since most of the illegal immigrants entering the U.S. are interested in finding better work opportunities, turning off a state's potential economic magnet can act as an effective deterrent. While businesses hiring illegal aliens typically fall within the federal government's jurisdiction to investigate and dole out consequences, Vaughan told Blaze News that states could find other ways to hold companies accountable, such as requiring citizenship verification systems like E-Verify, which are voluntary on a nationwide-basis. Vaughan told Blaze News, "States are limited in imposing penalties on employers who hire illegal workers." "There are criminal penalties for that, but they have to be brought federally," she explained. However, Vaughan noted that states incorporating specific language such as "willful blindness" or "reckless disregard" into bills regarding hiring practices could impose "some accountability on the main employer, rather than the contractor." ‘They need to have some fear of consequences.’Vaughan told Blaze News that instead of solely relying on the DOL to push forward with consequences for employers who violate these laws, state prosecutors should "think about having a partnership" where they try "to work together to bring criminal cases." "I think the big problem is either [the states] lack this language that would hold the employer accountable, or they're lacking the experience to go after these cases," Vaughan continued. "And sometimes they're discovered by Labor Department officials who do not have criminal investigative authority. They can only impose civil penalties like fines or deal with their licensing." "Not enough states have tried to approach this in the context of criminal law violations, and those are the penalties that are more severe and that are going to be more than a cost of doing business to an employer," she said, noting that the cost savings of utilizing cheap illegal labor can sometimes cover the fines imposed as a result of getting caught for such unlawful actions. Vaughan told Blaze News that when states see a staffing company involved in a business's hiring, they should ramp up their monitoring efforts. "They should be inspecting the premises and looking into the finances and payrolls of these companies because there is such a track record of fraud and abuse," she stated. "They need to have some fear of consequences and be denied the opportunity to profit off of this exploited labor." Florida is one such state that has attempted to implement more consequences for employers trying to skirt the hiring laws. Last year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed what his administration called the "strongest anti-illegal immigration legislation in the country," Senate Bill 1718, which was created in response to the Biden-Harris administration's unprecedented unlawful immigration crisis. The legislation made it mandatory for employers with 25 workers or more to implement the E-Verify system to check on the eligibility of employees. Businesses failing to use the verification system could face a $1,000 daily fine. Additionally, employers knowingly hiring individuals ineligible to work could lose their licenses. "This legislation creates a third-degree felony for an unauthorized alien to knowingly use a false ID document to gain employment and prohibits a county or municipality from providing funds to any person or organization for the purpose of issuing IDs or other documents to an illegal alien," DeSantis' office announced at the time. A Pew Research report found that in 2022, Florida had the third largest population of illegal immigrants, with an estimated 1.2 million. However, a May report from NBC News claimed that SB 1718, which went into effect last July, has pushed "many undocumented workers ... to move out of Florida."

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