Tag: struggle for the border

Mexico

Mexico: AMLO-Trump populist convergence?

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador—known by his initials AMLO—will be Mexico's next president, following his victory in the July 1 election. This marks the first time a Mexican presidential candidate of the left has had his victory honored. An obvious question is how AMLO will deal with Donald Trump—who attained office by demonizing Mexicans and pledging to build a wall on the border (and make Mexico pay for it). Last year, AMLO actually filed a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against Trump's proposed wall. But he also hired Trump's current crony Rudolph Giuliani as anti-crime czar when he was mayor of Mexico City in 2002. As populists and opponents of free-trade economics, there may be unlikely common ground between the two men. (Photo: El Txoro)

North America

Trump order lays ground for indefinite detention

Trump’s executive order officially calling for an end to separating migrant families on the border actually contains provisions laying the groundwork for the indefinite detention of intercepted migrants. Entitled “Temporary Detention Policy for Families Entering this Country Illegally,” it instructs the Secretary of Defense to provide “any existing facilities available for the housing and care of alien families” to Homeland Security—a clear reference to placing detained migrants in military bases. It also charges the Defense Department with responsibility to “construct such facilities if necessary…” (Photo: BBC World Service via Flickr)

North America

UN to US: halt migrant child separation policy

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the US to halt its recently mandated practice of detaining undocumented migrants and separating them from their children. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced last month a “zero tolerance” policy on illegal border crossings, with prosecution of all apprehended. “The practice of separating families amounts to arbitrary and unlawful interference in family life, and is a serious violation of the rights of the child,” the UN statement said. “Children should never be detained for reasons related to their own or their parents’ migration status. Detention is never in the best interests of the child and always constitutes a child rights violation.” (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

North America

Judge dismisses challenge to Trump’s border wall

US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego granted summary judgment for the Trump administration, allowing construction of a border wall between the US and Mexico to proceed. Plaintiffs, including several environmental groups and the state of California, were challenging waivers to public oversight issued by the Department of Homeland Security that designated San Diego and El Centro as "high areas of illegal entry" in need of replaced border fences. This new San Diego border fence would of course be but the first leg of Trump's proposed border wall.  (Photo: BBC World Service via Flickr)

North America
Otay Mesa

Trump’s vision for USA: shithole of racism

With his "shithole" comment, Trump makes clear he would bring the United States back nearly a century to the 1920s, when immigration "quotas" were imposed for countries whose inhabitants were deemed undersirable, essentially cutting off immigration of Jews, Italians and Slavs. But deepening the insult, today Haitians and Salvadorans are being driven from their homelands by poverty and instability which is itself the bitter fruit of "free trade" policies foisted upon their governments by pressure from Washington. (Photo: Homeland Security's Otay Mesa Detention Center, BBC World Service via Flickr)

North America

Federal judge halts Texas anti-sanctuary law

A federal judge in San Antonio issued a preliminary injunction against most of SB4, the anti-Sanctuary Cities law that would have effectively forced every police agency in Texas to allow its officers to question the immigration status of anyone stopped for any reason. It would have also have forced agencies to send information on undocumented detainees to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Mexico

Sinaloa kingpin captured at Calexico

A man believed to be the godson of Mexican narco lord "Chapo" Guzmán was indicted in a San Diego federal court after turning himself in to US border agents at Calexico. Authorities say Damaso López Serrano AKA "Mini Lic" surrendered under pressure of a bloody power struggle over control of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Mexico

Mexicans mobilize against Trump border wall

Andres Manuel López Obrador, Mexico's left-populist presidential front-runner, has filed a complaint with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission against Trump's proposed wall.

North America

Trump admin issues new immigration measures

Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly issued two memoranda directing the department to implement Trump's harsh executive orders on immigration enforcement.

Mexico

Trump threatens to invade Mexico: reports

Amid deteriorating relations between the US and Mexico, reports emerge that President Trump threatened military intervention in a phone call with his counterpart Peña Nieto.

Mexico

Trump risking war with Mexico for useless wall?

Trump's threat to make Mexico pay for the wall with a 20% tariff on all goods coming in from across the border portends—at least—a trade war with the third biggest US trading partner.

North America

Trump issues executive orders on immigration

President Trump signed two executive orders on immigration—withholding funds from "sanctuary cities" and directing construction of a wall along the Mexican border.