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California and States Sue Trump Administration Over Expanded Green Card Denial Rules

California and States Sue Trump Administration Over Expanded Green Card Denial Rules

California, alongside 21 other states, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration to challenge a new rule that broadens the criteria for denying green cards. The rule, set to take effect soon, expands the definition of a 'public charge' to include individuals who have used or may use public benefits such such as food or healthcare assistance. Previously, the 'public charge' assessment was limited to the use of cash welfare and long-term institutional care. The updated guidance allows immigration officers to deny green cards for 'any and all benefits,' potentially including free school lunches or state-provided health insurance for applicants or their dependents, even U.S. citizen children. This is not the first time the Trump administration has attempted such a policy; a similar rule in 2019 was struck down by courts and later reversed under President Joe Biden. California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated this is the 92nd lawsuit California has filed against the federal government since ...

US judge blocks Trump limits on duration of visas for foreign students and journalists

US judge blocks Trump limits on duration of visas for foreign students and journalists

By Nate Raymond BOSTON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Monday blocked U.S. President Donald Trump's administration from implementing a new rule that would limit how long foreign students and journalists can remain in the U.S. without applying for extensions. U.S. District Judge F.

Wrongfully Deported Honduran Man José Martinez-Andino Set to Return to North Carolina

Wrongfully Deported Honduran Man José Martinez-Andino Set to Return to North Carolina

José Eliezer Martinez-Andino, a 20-year-old Honduran man with Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, who was wrongfully deported earlier this year, has been released from a Texas detention center and is set to return to Raleigh, North Carolina, to reunite with his family. Martinez-Andino was detained and swiftly deported by federal immigration officials after being encountered during a cross-country trip. U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in June to facilitate his return to the U.S. After being flown to Texas, he was held for over a month by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Port Isabel Detention Center. His legal team eventually reached a settlement with DHS for his release, dismissing the litigation. Martinez-Andino's case highlights the complexities and challenges faced by individuals with legal protections within the U.S. immigration system.

Nicaraguan Journalist Luis Galeano Detained by ICE in Florida, Asylum Case Pending

Nicaraguan Journalist Luis Galeano Detained by ICE in Florida, Asylum Case Pending

Nicaraguan journalist Luis Galeano, director of 'Café con Voz,' was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Orlando, Florida. Galeano, who is exiled from Nicaragua, was apprehended while driving for Uber. His wife, Deykel Santamaría, confirmed the detention and was instructed by Galeano to contact his lawyer and inform journalists. Galeano has an active and pending asylum process in the United States, supported by extensive documentation of persecution he faced as an independent journalist under the Ortega-Murillo regime in Nicaragua. Figures from the Nicaraguan opposition and journalism community, including Juan Sebastián Chamorro and Félix Maradiaga, have expressed solidarity and are advocating for his release, emphasizing the extreme risk to his life if he were deported back to Nicaragua.

Arizona Republic

Phoenix woman returns to Cuba and finds misery during US oil blockade | Exclusive

Phoenix woman returns to Cuba and finds misery during US oil blockade | Exclusive

A Phoenix resident visited Cuba for two months and found people living without electricity, running water and transportation during a U.S. oil blockade. She spoke with The Republic in an exclusive interview.

Congresswoman Jayapal Condemns DHS Detention Conditions as 'Torture' Following Inspector General Report

Congresswoman Jayapal Condemns DHS Detention Conditions as 'Torture' Following Inspector General Report

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) has strongly criticized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) following a new report from the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) detailing inhumane conditions at the now-shuttered Florida Soft-Sided Facility (FSSF), also known as 'Alligator Alcatraz.' The OIG report confirmed that detainees were confined in small metal enclosures, some as small as 18 square feet, for periods ranging from minutes to nearly two hours. These detainees were subjected to high temperatures and mosquito swarms while shackled. The report also found that the facility failed to meet standards for living space, medical care, food service, personal hygiene, and recreation, with detainees having significantly less space than the DHS benchmark and limited access to clean water and showers. Jayapal stated on social media that these conditions were 'nothing short of torture' and called for DHS to be dismantled and held accountable.

U.S. District Court Blocks DHS Rule Ending Duration of Status Policy for International Students Nationwide

U.S. District Court Blocks DHS Rule Ending Duration of Status Policy for International Students Nationwide

U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV has granted nationwide preliminary relief, blocking a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) final rule that sought to end the Duration of Status (D/S) policy for international students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign media. This ruling prevents DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from implementing the rule while the lawsuit continues. Consequently, the long-standing Duration of Status framework will remain in effect across the United States. The lawsuit was filed by several organizations, including NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, the American Federation Of Teachers (AFT), and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW). These groups argued that the rule would cause significant harm to international students, higher education institutions, and the U.S. economy.

Rhode Island Delegation Seeks Answers on Alleged Political Retribution in Denied Disaster Aid

Rhode Island Delegation Seeks Answers on Alleged Political Retribution in Denied Disaster Aid

Rhode Island's congressional delegation is demanding answers from federal agencies regarding the denial of $19 million in federal disaster aid following a February 2026 blizzard. U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with U.S. Reps. Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, all Democrats, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). They are requesting the preservation of all records and communications related to Rhode Island's request for a major disaster declaration. The lawmakers allege that the denial may have been politically motivated, citing reports that President Trump overrode his own agencies' recommendations to deny disaster requests from four Democratic states. Despite damage estimates exceeding FEMA's thresholds for assistance, the state's request was rejected. The delegation highlighted that the storm dropped up to 37.9 inches of snow and caused significant power outages, two fatalities, and hundreds of emergency room visits, wi...

U.S. District Judge Blocks DHS Rule Ending Duration of Status for International Students Nationwide

U.S. District Judge Blocks DHS Rule Ending Duration of Status for International Students Nationwide

U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV has granted nationwide preliminary relief, effectively blocking a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) final rule that sought to end the Duration of Status (D/S) policy for international students, exchange visitors, and representatives of foreign media. The court's decision prevents DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from implementing the rule while the lawsuit challenging it proceeds. This means the long-standing Duration of Status framework will remain in place across the United States. The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of plaintiffs, including the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and others, arguing that the rule would cause serious and irreparable harm.

Trump Administration's Silence on Salvadoran TPS Protections Elicits Relief and Uncertainty

Trump Administration's Silence on Salvadoran TPS Protections Elicits Relief and Uncertainty

The Trump administration has remained silent on the future of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 170,000 immigrants from El Salvador, allowing a deadline to pass without a public announcement. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated it would make an announcement "at an appropriate time" and that TPS for El Salvador would remain in effect until then. This lack of a decision has been met with relief by some, including Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3) of Northern Virginia, who expressed gratitude that protections and work eligibility are holding fast. However, it also creates uncertainty for TPS holders, their families, and employers. Critics, like Ben Johnson of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, argue that the administration is leaving these individuals in limbo. TPS was initially granted to El Salvador due to the aftermath of a civil war and natural disasters in 2001. While El Salvador has become significantly safer under President Nayib Bukele's crackdown on gangs, rights activists crit...

Representative Gwen Moore Visits ICE Facility, Sparks Debate Over 'Constituents' Term

Representative Gwen Moore Visits ICE Facility, Sparks Debate Over 'Constituents' Term

Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Representative Gwen Moore recently visited the Midwest Regional Reception Center, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Leavenworth, Kansas. During her visit, Moore spent over two hours touring the facility and met with two detained women from Milwaukee, which is part of her congressional district. She referred to these individuals as her 'constituents,' a term that subsequently drew significant criticism online. Moore stated that the detainees reported being treated well but questioned their continued custody, describing them as asylum seekers and mothers with no criminal records. She also highlighted ongoing construction at the facility, suggesting an expansion of capacity, which she linked to President Trump's immigration policies and financial incentives for ICE detention. Moore's office noted that the Leavenworth facility was recently sold to the Department of Homeland Security for $238 million, with CoreCivic continuing its operation.

DHS Faces Backlash Over Deleted AI Image Depicting Sikh Man in 'Racist' Campaign

DHS Faces Backlash Over Deleted AI Image Depicting Sikh Man in 'Racist' Campaign

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently faced significant criticism for posting and subsequently deleting an AI-generated image on its official X account. The image, styled as a movie poster, featured a bearded Sikh man wearing a bandanna opposite a character resembling Optimus Prime from 'Transformers.' The poster included text stating, 'America for Americans' and 'Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh.' This post was widely condemned as 'racist propaganda' and 'completely unacceptable' by Sikh Americans, elected officials, and civil rights organizations. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) were among those who denounced the image, with Valadao emphasizing that 'No American should be targeted because of their faith or their name.' The Sikh Coalition highlighted that the incident occurred as the country marked the 25th anniversary of 9/11, a period during which Sikhs were subjected to hate crimes. Hasbro, the owner of the 'Transformers' franchise, iss...