U.S. Won't Prosecute Hostages' Families Who Pay Ransom:  Families of Americans held hostage by terror groups will not face prosecution if they communicate with or pay ransom to captors, outlined in a broad review of U.S. hostage guidelines released Wednesday.  The AP reports that there will be no formal change to the law, but the Obama administration has clarified that the Justice Department will not prosecute anyone for paying ransom.  The government is still banned from directly paying ransom or facilitating payments for families.  Four Americans have been killed by the Islamic State terror group since last summer, and two other American hostages have been killed in recent months.

DHS to Release More Illegal Immigrant Families:  Even though a recent report revealed that 84 percent of Central American families who illegally entered the U.S. last year seeking asylum failed to appear in court, the Obama administration proceeded to further reduce family detention.  Caroline May of Breitbart reports that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Security Sec. Jeh Johnson has approved a new plan which allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to offer release on monetary bond to illegal immigrant families who state a credible fear of persecution in their home countries.  Family detention will continue for those who are not seeking relief.

NY Prison Worker Hid Tools in Meat:  The prison tailor accused of assisting murdererss David Sweat and Richard Matt in the escape from a New York prison reportedly smuggled tools in hamburger that made it through the main gate.  Shimon Prokupecz, Steve Almasy and Jethro Muller of CNN report that Joyce Mitchell admitted to putting hacksaw blades and drill bits into hamburger, placed it in a freezer in the tailor shop after getting it through the main gate, and passed it off to corrections officer Gene Palmer to bring to the inmates' cell area.  Palmer did not put the package containing the meat through the metal detector - a violation of prison policy - though prosecutors don't believe he had any knowledge of what was concealed in the meat.  Convicted murderers Sweat and Matt are still on the run after 19 days.