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.

North America

Trump: drug war general to Homeland Security

Gen. John Kelly, Trump's choice for Homeland Security secretary, is ex-chief of the Pentagon's Southern Command who clashed with Obama over his hardline views.

North America

Sheriff Joe Arpaio charged with criminal contempt

A federal judge  ordered Arizona's Sheriff Joe Arpaio to be tried for criminal contempt over continuing his immigration patrols in defiance of court orders in a civil rights suit.

North America

National protests against immigration raids

As Immigration and Customs Enforcement launched a new wave of deportations of Central American migrants, protests against the raids were carried out across the country.