UN investigates 875 Palestinian deaths near Gaza aid hubs
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CBS News
29 minutes ago
- CBS News
Millions of travelers to the U.S. could be charged a new $250 "visa integrity fee"
Many travelers to the U.S. are now subject to a new $250 "visa integrity fee," part of the tax cuts and spending law signed by President Trump on July 4. The fee is effective in the current federal fiscal year, which began on Oct. 1, 2024, and ends on Sept. 30, 2025, according to the text of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For subsequent years, the amount will be adjusted for inflation, the law states. The fee applies to visitors who come to the U.S. on nonimmigrant visas, such as foreign students attending American universities or workers who receive temporary work visas such as the H-1B, which is often used by tech companies to hire foreign engineers or other skilled workers. In 2023, the U.S. issued more than 10 million nonimmigrant visas, according to data from the U.S. State Department. Visa holders subjected to the fee may later be reimbursed as long as they comply with their visa's restrictions, such as leaving the U.S. within five days of the visa's expiration, according to the new law. However, the law doesn't specify how visa holders may apply for reimbursement of the fee, nor how the fee will be collected. "The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation," a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told CBS MoneyWatch in an email. "President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation's immigration system," it added. Given that fee isn't yet set up to be collected, it's unclear whether the visa integrity fee will be retroactive. The Department of Homeland Security didn't immediately respond to a question about whether the fee would be collected retroactively. The new fee will add to the hurdles facing immigrants, according to the American Immigration Council, a nonpartisan think tank focused on immigration issues. It noted the new bill also includes additional new charges, including a new $100 fee for people applying for asylum. "These fees, many of which are authorized to be layered on top of existing fees, are largely mandatory, effectively putting legal pathways out of reach for thousands of people," the group said in a July 14 statement. For instance, student visa applicants already must pay an $185 application fee and a $350 fee for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The additional $250 fee will bring their total cost to $785. People seeking asylum in the U.S., who previously could apply for that designation for free, could face total filing fees of more than $1,150 under the new law, according to the American Immigration Council. Many tourists to the U.S. don't require visas due to the Visa Waiver Program, which allows residents of more than 40 nations — ranging from Australia to the U.K. — to enter the U.S. for fewer than 90 days without a visa.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Netanyahu calls Pope Leo after deadly Israeli strike on Gazan church
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Pope Leo XIV on Friday after Israel's deadly attack on the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza that killed three people and wounded 10 others, according to the Vatican. "During the meeting, the Holy Father renewed his appeals for renewed impetus to negotiations and for a ceasefire and an end to the war. He reiterated his concern for the dramatic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose excruciating price is being paid especially by children, the elderly, and the sick," the Vatican said in a statement to ABC News. "The Holy Father reiterated the urgency of protecting places of worship and above all the faithful and all people in Palestine and Israel," the Vatican said. In a statement Thursday, Israel said it "deeply regrets" the strike on the only Catholic church in Gaza, attributing it to a "stray ammunition." "Israel deeply regrets that a stray ammunition hit Gaza's Holy Family Church. Every innocent life lost is a tragedy. We share the grief of the families and the faithful," the Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement. "Israel is investigating the incident and remains committed to protecting civilians and holy sites." Of the 10 wounded, one was in critical condition and two were in serious condition, according to a statement from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem on Thursday. "His holiness Pope Leo XIV was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the military attack on the Holy Family Church in Gaza," the Vatican press office said in a statement Thursday. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch in Jerusalem -- the representative of Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Cyprus -- arrived in the war-torn Gaza Strip on Friday morning as part of an ecclesiastical delegation in the aftermath of the Israeli strike on the Holy Family Church. MORE: 10 Palestinians killed in IDF airstrike near water distribution point in Nuseirat Camp: Medical officials "During their stay, the delegation will meet with members of the local Christian community, offer condolences and solidarity, and stand alongside those affected by the recent events," according to a press release from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. "His Beatitude Cardinal Pizzaballa will personally assess the humanitarian and pastoral needs of the community, to help guide the Church's continued presence and response." In coordination with humanitarian partners, the parish said access was secured to provide "essential assistance" to the Christian community and to "as many families as possible" in Gaza. "This includes hundreds of tons of food supplies as well as first aid kits and urgently needed medical equipment," the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said. "In addition, the Patriarchate ensured the evacuation of individuals injured in the attack to medical institutions outside Gaza where they will receive care.
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
House committee alleges Biden admin used funds to back anti-government protests in Israel
The Biden-Harris administration is accused of misusing taxpayer dollars to fund protests in Israel against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prior to Oct. 7. The House Judiciary Committee recently released a memo outlining the allegations and showing a possible money trail. "The Committee's oversight has revealed that the Biden-Harris Administration provided grant funds to groups that contributed directly and indirectly to the judicial reform protests that sought to undermine the Israeli government," the committee wrote in the memo. Netanyahu Explains How His Partnership With Trump Is 'Different' Than Past Presidents Netanyahu shared one of the charts from the memo on his X account and decried the "massive foreign intervention in an attempt to replace the right-wing government in Israel." "An official document published by the U.S. Congress reveals astonishing information that confirms what many have long suspected: the previous U.S. administration transferred nearly a billion dollars to left-wing NGOs in Israel, with the aim of undermining the rule of the government," Netanyahu wrote in Hebrew. Read On The Fox News App App Users Click Here To Read The Memo In March, the House Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Foreign Affairs sent letters to six American and Israeli NGOs asking for "documents related to any grants, cooperative agreements, or other awards received from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) or State Department." According to the Judiciary Committee's memo, the organizations have produced a total of 380 documents so far. The six NGOs were Blue White Future (BWF), Movement for Quality Government in Israel (MQG), PEF Israel Endowment Funds, Jewish Communal Fund (JCF), Middle East Peace Dialogue Network (MEPDN) and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. Officials In Biden Admin Worked To Undermine Netanyahu After Ceasefire Talks Collapsed, Former Aide Says Before Hamas' attacks on Oct. 7, Israel was embroiled in an internal battle over judicial reform measures. This sparked a heated debate and widespread protests throughout the country. The House Judiciary Committee noted that then-President Joe Biden condemned the reform measures and appeared to express support for the protests. "Like many strong supporters of Israel, I'm very concerned. I'm concerned that they get this straight. They cannot continue down this road. I've sort of made that clear," Biden told reporters in March 2023, according to CNN. Part of the quote also appears in the memo. The committee claims BWF received funds from NGOs, including some U.S. grant recipients, and funded the coalition headquarters for the protests. Additionally, the committee alleges the Biden-Harris administration gave $42,000 to MQG to conduct activism training in Israeli high schools. Israeli Minister Pushes Back Against Us, International Criticism Over Judicial Overhaul PEF Israel Endowment Funds is accused in the memo of providing over $884M to groups involved in anti-democracy protests. Similarly, the committee said the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors "likely provided portions of its $20 million in federal grants" to groups funding the protests. Additionally, the committee questions whether MEPDN violated its 501(c)(3) status "by funding anti-democracy protest." When it comes to JCF, the committee claims the organization gave over $42.8M to the protest headquarters and the two main funders of the protests. The committee noted in the memo that the investigation is ongoing and that more American and Israeli NGOs will be added. Fox News Digital reached out to the six NGOs mentioned in the memo and did not receive responses in time for article source: House committee alleges Biden admin used funds to back anti-government protests in Israel
