Latest news with #America'sVoice
CBS News
16-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Maryland Congressman, legal experts, explain takeaways in Kilmar Abrego Garcia's case
Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and two legal experts Wednesday explained the concerning implications they see in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia -- the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador. It happened the same day Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador to try and bring Abrego Garcia home. Meanwhile, the Trump administration continues to stand its ground in not bringing Abrego Garcia back to the country. The biggest concern Raskin and two legal experts shared in this case is the lack of due process. The Trump administration has branded Abrego Garcia as an MS-13 gang member, but he has no criminal record. Raskin is concerned how the lack of due process could extend to U.S. citizens and other legal residents, especially with President Trump expressing interest in deporting U.S. citizens and jail them abroad. "Without due process, anything can happen to anybody under a government that is willing to act in arbitrary, political and subversive ways," Raskin said. "If the rights of noncitizens are not secure, the rights of citizens are not secure." An immigration judge granted Abrego Garcia withholding of removal in 2019. Although he did enter the country illegally, this mean the U.S. government couldn't deport him to El Salvador. David Leopold, legal advisor for America's Voice and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said this is only granted after a thorough vetting process. "They go through background, they go through criminal history, they go through a whole array of checks to make sure the individual they are allowing to stay in the United State is acceptable," Leopold said. Despite c ourt orders to facilitate his return , U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stressed Wednesday the plan is to keep Abrego Garcia in El Salvador. Leopold said the Trump administration could be held in contempt down the line -- but even if that doesn't happen, he said misconduct violations could be cited. "Attorneys who walk into courtrooms and make representations to courts about facts in the case are duty-bound to have done their due diligence," he said. "The bottom line is they gotta do their homework and they can't walk in there and speak untruths." Besides pressure from the courts, Raskin and Van Hollen hinted Wednesday there could be added pressure from other members of Congress: not ruling out more visits to El Salvador. "I'm hopeful that these initial visits bring him back. If not, I'm very open to what we need to do in the future to bring him back," Raskin said. So far, Van Hollen has met with Vice President Félix Ulloa, and he's been denied a meeting or phone call with Abrego Garcia. Maryland Rep. Andy Harris, the state's sole Republican Congressman, described Van Hollen's efforts to bring Abrego Garcia back to Maryland as shameful on social media.
Boston Globe
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘Mission South Africa': How Trump is offering white Afrikaners refugee status
Under Phase One of the program, the United States has deployed multiple teams to convert commercial office space in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, into ad hoc refugee centers, according to the documents. The teams are studying more than 8,200 requests expressing interest in resettling to the United States and have already identified 100 Afrikaners who could be approved for refugee status. The government officials have been directed to focus particularly on screening white Afrikaner farmers. The administration has also provided security escorts to officials conducting the interviews of potential refugees. Advertisement By mid-April, US officials on the ground in South Africa will 'propose long-term solutions, to ensure the successful implementation of the president's vision for the dignified resettlement of eligible Afrikaner applicants,' according to one memo sent from the embassy in Pretoria to the State Department in Washington this month. The administration's focus on white Afrikaners comes as it effectively bans the entry of other refugees — including about 20,000 people from countries such as Afghanistan, Congo, and Syria who were ready to travel to the United States before Trump took office. In court filings about those other refugees, the administration has argued that core functions of the refugee program had been 'terminated' after the president's ban, so it did not have the resources to take in any more people. 'There's no subtext and nothing subtle about the way this administration's immigration and refugee policy has obvious racial and racist overtones,' said Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America's Voice. 'While they seek to single out Afrikaners for special treatment, they simultaneously want us to think mostly Black and brown vetted newcomers are dangerous despite their background checks and all evidence to the contrary.' Advertisement The program also inserts the United States into a charged debate inside South Africa, where some members of the white Afrikaner minority have begun a campaign to suggest that they are the true victims in post-apartheid South Africa. Under apartheid, a white minority government discriminated against South Africans of color, and brutality and violence flourished, leading to torture, disappearances, and murder. There have been murders of white farmers, the focus of the Afrikaner grievances, but police statistics show they are not any more vulnerable to violent crime than others in the country. In South Africa, more than 90 percent of the population comes from racial groups persecuted by the racist apartheid regime. In a statement, the State Department said it was focused on resettling Afrikaners who have been 'victims of unjust racial discrimination.' The agency confirmed that it had begun interviewing applicants and said they would need to pass 'stringent background and security checks.' The decision to unleash resources for Afrikaners just starting the refugee process, while stonewalling court demands to process those fleeing other countries who have already been cleared for travel, risks upending an American refugee program that has been the foundation of the United States' role for the vulnerable, according to resettlement officials. 'The government clearly has the ability to process applications when it wants to,' said Melissa Keaney, a senior supervising attorney for the International Refugee Assistance Project, the group representing plaintiffs trying to restart refugee processing. Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee admissions on his first day in office, arguing that welcoming refugees could compromise resources for Americans. He added that future versions of the program should prioritize 'only those refugees who can fully and appropriately assimilate into the United States.' Advertisement A federal judge in Seattle later temporarily blocked that executive order and instructed the administration to restore the refugee program. But the Trump administration still cut contracts with organizations that assist those applying for refugee status overseas, reducing the infrastructure needed to support people seeking refuge in the United States. An appeals court ruled last week that the administration must admit those thousands of people who were granted refugee status before Trump entered office, but also declined to stop him from halting the admission of new refugees. The Justice Department has for weeks deflected demands from refugee advocates accusing the administration of sidestepping the court order and delaying the process of almost every refugee previously granted a ticket to come to the United States. The Trump administration has said it has allowed a limited number of refugees who were vetted to enter the country, although the State Department declined to provide a number. Lawyers for the Justice Department have argued both that the administration now lacks resources to help thousands of refugees and that in restarting the program the government reserves the right to 'do so in a manner that reflects administration priorities.' This article originally appeared in
New York Times
30-03-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
‘Mission South Africa': How Trump Is Offering White Afrikaners Refugee Status
Almost immediately after taking office, President Trump began shutting down refugee resettlement programs, slashing billions of dollars in funding and making it all but impossible for people from scores of countries to seek haven in the United States. With one exception. The Trump administration has thrown open the doors to white Afrikaners from South Africa, establishing a program called 'Mission South Africa' to help them come to the United States as refugees, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. Under Phase One of the program, the United States has deployed multiple teams to convert commercial office space in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, into ad hoc refugee centers, according to the documents. The teams are studying more than 8,200 requests expressing interest in resettling to the United States and have already identified 100 Afrikaners who could be approved for refugee status. The government officials have been directed to focus particularly on screening white Afrikaner farmers. The administration has also provided security escorts to officials conducting the interviews of potential refugees. By mid-April, U.S. officials on the ground in South Africa will 'propose long-term solutions, to ensure the successful implementation of the president's vision for the dignified resettlement of eligible Afrikaner applicants,' according to one memo sent from the embassy in Pretoria to the State Department in Washington this month. The administration's focus on white Afrikaners comes as it effectively bans the entry of other refugees — including about 20,000 people from countries like Afghanistan, Congo and Syria who were approved before Mr. Trump took office. In court filings about those other refugees, the administration has argued that core functions of the refugee program had been 'terminated' after the president's ban, so it did not have the resources to take in any more people. 'There's no subtext and nothing subtle about the way this administration's immigration and refugee policy has obvious racial and racist overtones,' said Vanessa Cárdenas, the executive director of America's Voice. 'While they seek to single out Afrikaners for special treatment, they simultaneously want us to think mostly Black and brown vetted newcomers are dangerous despite their background checks and all evidence to the contrary.' The program also inserts the United States into a charged debate inside South Africa, where some members of the white Afrikaner minority have begun a campaign to suggest that they are the true victims in post-apartheid South Africa. Under apartheid, a white minority government discriminated against South Africans of color, and brutality and violence flourished, leading to torture, disappearances and murder. There have been murders of white farmers, the focus of the Afrikaner grievances, but police statistics show they are not any more vulnerable to violent crime than others in the country. In South Africa, more than 90 percent of the population comes from racial groups persecuted by the racist, apartheid regime. In a statement, the State Department said it was focused on resettling Afrikaners who have been 'victims of unjust racial discrimination.' The agency confirmed that it had begun interviewing applicants and said they would need to pass 'stringent background and security checks.' The decision to unleash resources for Afrikaners just starting the refugee process, while stonewalling court demands to process those fleeing other countries who have already been cleared for travel, risks upending an American refugee program that has been the foundation of the United States' role for the vulnerable, according to resettlement officials. 'The government clearly has the ability to process applications when it wants to,' said Melissa Keaney, a senior supervising attorney for the International Refugee Assistance Project, the group representing plaintiffs trying to restart refugee processing. Mr. Trump signed an executive order suspending refugee admissions on his first day in office, arguing that welcoming refugees could compromise resources for Americans. He added that future versions of the program should prioritize 'only those refugees who can fully and appropriately assimilate into the United States.' A federal judge in Seattle later temporarily blocked that executive order and instructed the administration to restore the refugee program. But the Trump administration still cut contracts with organizations that assist those applying for refugee status overseas, reducing the infrastructure needed to support people seeking refuge in the United States. An appeals court ruled last week that the administration must admit those thousands of people who were granted refugee status before Mr. Trump entered office, but also declined to stop him from halting the admission of new refugees. The Justice Department has for weeks deflected demands from refugee advocates accusing the administration of sidestepping the court order and delaying the process of almost every refugee previously granted a ticket to come to the United States. The Trump administration has said it has allowed a limited number of refugees who were vetted to enter the country, although the State Department declined to provide a number. Lawyers for the Justice Department have argued both that the administration now lacks resources to help thousands of refugees and that in restarting the program the government reserves the right to 'do so in a manner that reflects administration priorities.' Mr. Trump has made clear what those priorities were when he created a refugee carve-out for white Afrikaners. Mr. Trump at the time accused the South African government of confiscating the land of white Afrikaners, backing a long-held conspiracy theory about the mistreatment of white South Africans in the post-apartheid era. Mr. Trump was referring to a recent policy signed into law by the South African government, known as the Expropriation Act. It repeals an apartheid-era law and allows the government in certain instances to acquire privately held land in the public interest, without paying compensation, only after a justification process subject to judicial review. Mr. Trump and his allies have for years echoed the grievances of Afrikaners. During his first term, Mr. Trump directed the State Department to investigate land seizures and 'the large-scale killing of farmers.' Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa but is not of Afrikaner descent, has also falsely claimed that white farmers in South Africa were being killed every day. Despite the claims, white people own half of South Africa's land while making up just 7 percent of the country's population. Police statistics do not show that they are any more vulnerable to violent crime than other people in the nation. Ernst Roets, the former executive director of the Afrikaner Foundation, which lobbies for international support of the interests of Afrikaners, said many of his peers felt seen by Mr. Trump. But he said the creation of the new refugee program had elicited debate among Afrikaners. Many do not want to leave their home, Mr. Roets said, but want the United States to back their efforts to claim 'self-governance' in South Africa. 'I don't know anyone — no one I'm aware of — that plans to move to America,' Mr. Roets said. 'People who want to come to America, we would support that. If people want to relocate to America, the farmers or Afrikaners, we think they would make good Americans.' 'There's a good fit,' he added. Zumbe Baruti, a Congolese refugee living in South Carolina, said he spent decades in a refugee camp in Africa waiting for his turn to be accepted. 'Those white Africans are allowed to enter the United States, but Black Africans are denied entry to the United States,' Mr. Baruti, 29, said in Swahili. He said the pivot away from refugees who have waited in camps for years and to Afrikaners was a form of 'discrimination.' Mr. Baruti, a member of the Bembe people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, fled ethnic violence in the nation when he was a child. He was granted refugee status in 2023, but his wife and three children — the oldest 6 years old and the youngest just 2 — had yet to clear security vetting. He entered the United States two years ago, focused on getting a job, saving money and immediately applying for his family to join him. When he entered, he said he was told by advisers helping him with his application that his family would most likely join him in two years. He said that seemed unlikely as Mr. Trump turned his focus elsewhere. 'Regarding my family,' Mr. Baruti said, 'hope has diminished.'
Los Angeles Times
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
What Trump's order making English the official language in the U.S. could mean
As President Trump is expected to sign an executive order designating English as the official language of the U.S., activists and advocacy groups are alarmed by what that will mean for non-English speakers when it comes to immigration, voter access and other issues. The order, which was announced Friday, will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English, according to a fact sheet. The move rescinds a mandate from former President Clinton that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers. Designating English as the national language 'promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement,' according to the White House. But some activists and organizations think the move is just another way for the president to stoke division and fear. 'This isn't just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of U.S. citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information,' said Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America's Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, in an email. According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an official language is what is used by the government to conduct official, day-to-day business. Having one or more official languages can help define a nation's character and the cultural identity of those who live in it. Prioritizing one language may place certain people in a position of power and exclude others whose language is not recognized, according to the institute. U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States, believes having an official language provides a common means of communication, encourages immigrants to learn English to use government services and 'defines a much-needed common sense language policy.' Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic. People in the U.S. also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others. Anabel Mendoza, the communications director for United We Dream, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization, said limiting the language of federal communication will make it harder for people to become citizens if they are denied the ability to speak their native tongue throughout the process. Currently, people of a certain age and residency requirements can qualify for a waiver to do the citizenship test and interview in their native language. 'Trump is trying to send the message that if you're not white, rich and speak English, you don't belong here,' Mendoza said. 'Let me be clear: Immigrants are here to stay. No matter how hard Trump tries, he can't erase us.' The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced Friday that Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.), caucus chair, will deliver, on behalf of Democrats, the official Spanish-language response to Trump's upcoming joint address to Congress. George Carrillo, co-founder and chief executive of the Hispanic Construction Council, said it seems like a step backward in a country that has championed its diversity. He is also concerned how limiting governmental communication might affect U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, where the predominant language is Spanish. 'This executive order, while framed as promoting unity, risks dismantling critical supports like ESL programs and multilingual resources that help immigrants adapt and contribute,' Carrillo said. 'Imagine families navigating healthcare or legal systems without materials in a language they understand; it's a barrier, not a bridge.' APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, also expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who aren't English-proficient. 'It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical healthcare, economic and education resources,' the group said in a statement. Furthermore, the organization says this action could make anyone who speaks another language a target. 'The exclusionary nature of this policy will only fuel xenophobia and discrimination at a time when anti-Asian hate and hate against other minority and immigrant groups are rising.' More than 30 states, from California to New Hampshire, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian. For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language, but those efforts failed. The most recent effort was in 2023, when Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and JD Vance (R-Ohio) introduced the English Language Unity Act. Vance is now vice president. It is estimated that more than 170 countries have an official language, with some having more than one language. Mexico does not have an official language. In Canada the official languages are English and French. According to Canada's Official Languages Act of 1969, the purpose of designating two languages ensures 'the equality of status' and protecting linguistic minorities 'while taking into account the fact that they have different needs.' Figueroa writes for the Associated Press. Figueroa reported from Austin, Texas. AP writers Michelle L. Price in New York and Terry Tang in Phoenix contributed to this report.
The Independent
01-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Donald Trump to order English as official US language – here's what that could mean
President Donald Trump's expected executive order designating English as the official language of the United States has sparked concern among activists and advocacy groups over its potential impact on non- English speakers. The order, announced Friday, grants government agencies and federally funded organizations the option to discontinue offering documents and services in languages other than English. This effectively reverses a mandate from the Clinton administration requiring language assistance for non-English speakers. While the White House argues that this move "promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement," critics view it as a divisive tactic fueling fear and potentially hindering access to essential services and democratic participation. The shift in policy raises questions about the future of language accessibility in vital areas such as immigration, voter registration, and healthcare for those who primarily speak languages other than English. 'This isn't just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of US citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information," Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America's Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, said in an email. What does it mean to have an official language? According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an official language is what is used by the government to conduct official, day-to-day business. Having one or more official languages can help define a nation's character and the cultural identity of those who live in it. Prioritizing one language may place certain people in position of power and exclude others whose language is not recognized, according to the institute. US English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States, believes having an official language provides a common means of communication, encourages immigrants to learn English to use government services and 'defines a much-needed common sense language policy.' Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to US Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic. People in the US also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others. Potential impact on citizenship and voting Anabel Mendoza, the communications director for United We Dream, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization, said limiting the language of federal communication will make it harder for people to become citizens if they are denied the ability to speak their native tongue throughout the process. Currently, people of certain age and residency requirements can qualify for a waiver to do the citizenship test and interview in their native language. 'Trump is trying to send the message that if you're not white, rich and speak English you don't belong here,' Mendoza said. 'Let me be clear: Immigrants are here to stay. No matter how hard Trump tries, he can't erase us.' The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced Friday that New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat, caucus chair, will deliver, on behalf of Democrats, the official Spanish-language response to Trump's upcoming joint address to Congress. George Carrillo, co-founder & CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, said it seems like a step backwards in a country that has championed its diversity. He is also concerned how limiting governmental communication might affect US territories such as Puerto Rico where the predominant language is Spanish. 'This executive order, while framed as promoting unity, risks dismantling critical supports like ESL programs and multilingual resources that help immigrants adapt and contribute,' Carrillo said. 'Imagine families navigating healthcare or legal systems without materials in a language they understand, it's a barrier, not a bridge.' APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, also expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who aren't English-proficient. 'It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical healthcare, economic and education resources,' the group said in a statement. Furthermore, the organization says this action could make anyone who speaks another language a target. 'The exclusionary nature of this policy will only fuel xenophobia and discrimination at a time when anti-Asian hate and hate against other minority and immigrant groups are rising.' States that have English as the official language More than 30 states, from California to New Hampshire, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to US English. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian. For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language, but those efforts failed. The most recent effort was in 2023, when Senators Kevin Cramer, and JD Vance, introduced the English Language Unity Act. Vance is now vice president. How many countries have official languages? It is estimated that over 170 countries have an official language, with some having more than one language. Mexico does not have an official language. In Canada the official languages are English and French. According to Canada's Official Languages Act of 1969, the purpose of designating two languages ensures 'the equality of status' and protecting linguistic minorities "while taking into account the fact that they have different needs.'
