Latest news with #CarlosFlores
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Deporting Fewer Mexican Citizens Than Joe Biden—Official
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States is deporting fewer people back to Mexico than at the same time in 2024, it was reported Thursday. The director of Baja California's Migrant Affairs Office in Mexico said that 32,537 Mexican nationals were returned during the first three months of the year, compared to 47,659 during the same time last year, per Border Report. "The numbers predicted by President Donald Trump are well below what we are seeing in terms of deportations," Adriana Minerva Espinoza Nolazco told reporters this week. Newsweek reached out to the Baja California state government and Mexico's National Institute of Migration for comment via email Friday morning. A senior U.S. Department of Homeland Security official told Newsweek that the 142,000 deportations carried out since January 20 were "just the beginning." Carlos Flores, of Honduras, who was deported from the United States, rubs his face as he looks at his phone at a migrant shelter where he lives with his wife and two daughters, on May... Carlos Flores, of Honduras, who was deported from the United States, rubs his face as he looks at his phone at a migrant shelter where he lives with his wife and two daughters, on May 1, 2025, in the border city of Tijuana, Mexico. More AP Photo/Gregory Bull Why It Matters President Donald Trump promised mass deportations of illegal immigrants as part of his 2024 campaign, but the program has faced logistical and legal challenges. Reports have indicated a slight rise in deportations overall, but not a rapidly rising number. What To Know According to Border Report, Espinoza Nolazco said that about 4,200 people had been taken to a shelter meant for deportees since it opened on January 27. It was designed to temporarily house 500 people per day. The shelter was set up to offer a place to sleep, along with food and basic services to aid migrants on their journey back home from the U.S., but only about 37 people per day have arrived. There has also been an ease in the flow of migrants trying to reach the U.S., Espinoza Nolazco said, with between 50 percent and 60 percent fewer new arrivals in Tijuana. The border city had been one of the main stopping points for immigrants awaiting appointments with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during the Biden administration, but the majority of immigrants are now barred from making such bids for entry. After Trump's first 100 days in office in April, the White House said that more than 100,000 people had been deported, but as Newsweek previously reported, accessing public data on removals has become difficult since former President Joe Biden left office. Illegal border crossings from Mexico into the U.S. have dropped significantly, but leaders south of the border are remaining prepared for another influx, from the south or north. What People Are Saying Adriana Minerva Espinoza Nolazco, director of Baja California's Migrant Affairs Office in Mexico, told reporters this week: "We have to remain ready for an influx that could happen at any moment, we can't afford to rest and be caught unprepared." A senior DHS official, in a statement to Newsweek: "President Trump and Secretary Noem have jumpstarted an agency that was vilified and barred from doings its job for the last four years. In the face of a historic number of injunctions from activist judges, ICE, CBP, and the U.S. Coast Guard have made historic progress to carryout President Trump's promise of arresting and deporting aliens who have invaded our country. "Additionally, illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now or face the consequence. Thousands are using the CBP Home App to self-deport. Migrants are now even turning back before they reach our borders—migration through Panama's Darien Gap is down 99.99%." Migration Policy Institute, in a brief on the U.S.-Mexico relationship this month: "No country is more critical for U.S. migration management than Mexico. The former administrations of U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador worked together toward a system in which migrants who reach their countries' shared border would do so through lawful means. "Their efforts led to dramatic and sustained downturns in unauthorized crossings of the U.S.-Mexico border in 2024. The future of U.S.-Mexico migration cooperation, and to some extent broader regional efforts, now rests on negotiations between the Trump administration and the administration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum." What Happens Next Mexico appears ready to welcome more deportees from the U.S., while Trump's budget, currently sitting in Congress, is designed to empower ICE to increase removals.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Yahoo
Olivia Flores' parents continue to seek justice for their daughter one year after fatal crash
May 10—ROCHESTER — Olivia Flores has been gone for nearly a year, but she still takes control of the music playing in her parents' car. Carlos and Stephanie Flores, the parents of the 18-year-old who died in a car crash last May , say their daughter is still "on aux," occasionally playing songs from Harry Styles' discography or show tunes from musicals including "Wicked" or "The Greatest Showman." Olivia Flores died from injuries sustained in a car crash on May 18, 2024. She was 20 days away from her high school graduation. Carlos Flores said their daughter continues to do her "cosmic part" to remind her friends and family that she's still with them — through the grieving process to dealing with legal matters. "It's Olivia making it easier for us because she would want justice," Carlos Flores said, "and she would want this to never happen to another person who was just going to Red Lobster for her friend's birthday." The crash occurred around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the intersection of Memorial Parkway and 12th Street Southwest, near Apache Mall. Flores sat in the back seat of her friend's Ford Focus when the car was struck by a Minnesota State Patrol squad car, driven by former trooper Shane Roper. Roper, 33, is facing charges in Olmsted County District Court, including one count of second-degree manslaughter, one count of criminal vehicular homicide and three counts of criminal vehicular operation, all felonies. He is also facing two gross misdemeanor counts of criminal vehicular operation, one count of gross misdemeanor reckless driving and one count of misdemeanor careless driving. "It's not like this was some freak thing," Carlos said. "It could have been prevented." The fatal crash was not the first instance where Roper violated Minnesota State Patrol's policies. Disciplinary records filed against Roper beginning in 2021 revealed four prior on-duty crashes. One occurred when he failed to yield to a motorist at a stop sign. Other crashes occurred when he struck a state unit car, hit a deer and ran into a cable median barrier. Minnesota State Patrol declined to comment on the matter due to ongoing civil and criminal proceedings. "We're always taught to hold those in public service to a higher standard," Carlos said. "So why aren't they being held to a higher standard?" In December 2024, five months after Roper was criminally charged, Stephanie and Carlos filed a federal lawsuit against him, claiming that the former trooper violated Flores' constitutional rights and wrongfully caused her death. The civil case is stayed, or paused, until the criminal case concludes. Stephanie and Carlos often talk about advocating for the creation of a law to ensure law enforcement officers with similar driving histories to Roper's are stopped before they are involved in a fatal crash. Law enforcement officers command respect and honor, Carlos said. They taught their kids that when there's trouble, officers will protect them. Yet, Carlos said, Roper made the choice to risk speeding through the intersection without his lights or sirens activated. "There has to be something put into place so that other people don't go through this," Stephanie said. "We will do whatever we can do to make sure no other parent has to go through this." Whether they need to speak in front of the Minnesota Legislature or find new ways to continue sharing their daughter's story, the two are ready to advocate for what they coined "Liv's Law." "Liv fought for justice for people," Carlos said. "She hated injustice. She'd be the loudest person if this happened to someone. She'd be marching, she'd be holding rallies. ... She was fearless and fierce and loud and she knew how to lead people." Justice for their daughter would look like "time behind bars for the person who did it," Stephanie said, but it would also look like protecting other people. "There's no reason why there should not have been a more permanent end to his career at some point," she said. "Somebody did not have to die for this." As intermission for their friend's dance recital concluded on May 18, 2024, Carlos and Stephanie Flores were heading back into the auditorium at Owatonna High School when their phones started buzzing. Carlos saw notifications from Life360, an app that records driving behaviors and can alert designated emergency contacts of possible crashes. "I tried calling her and calling her and calling her," he said. But their daughter never answered the calls or texts. Stephanie and Carlos left the recital and headed to Rochester. One of Olivia's friends told them that their daughter was unconscious. Olivia died in the hospital on May 19, 2024, as a result of her injuries. "We're just stuck in a cycle — it's a new normal. It's an upside down, unbelievable reality," Stephanie said. "Nothing feels real still." Stephanie said when she reads court documents and news articles, she reads it as though it's about someone else. Carlos said there are days when he's working at Kohl's, sees something his daughter would wear and goes to text her. "I still forget," he said. However, they said the "overwhelming" support from the Owatonna and Rochester communities has provided them with a sense of comfort in knowing they are not alone. "Thank you is not enough, and I have no other words for it," Stephanie said. "Everything that people have given us in any way, shape or form, there aren't enough words for it." Over the last year, Olivia has traveled everywhere — from Texas to Japan to the Steele County Fair. Carlos and Stephanie Flores have encouraged friends and family who are traveling to pull up a photo of Olivia on their phones and take a photo of her with them on their travels. Olivia had planned after graduating from Owatonna High School on taking a gap year to work and save money for traveling. Although she was not able to travel in person, her parents set up a public Facebook group called "Look Where Liv Is" so anyone who travels can take a picture with her and post in the group. Photos of Olivia have traveled to more than 90 places around the world. Contributing to the Facebook group is just one way the community has kept Olivia's spirit alive, her parents said. Days after the crash, T-shirts that said "Liv Strong" were made. The Owatonna baseball team placed heart decals with her name inside on their helmets. Her cheerleading uniform was retired. Some have gotten tattoos in her memory. "The entire town has wrapped us in this bubble," Carlos said. "The community and the support, it's been overwhelming in the best possible way." Knowing the impact Olivia had on the community and seeing how loved she is, her parents said, remind them to be present and to "Live like Liv."
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2025 Fort Worth City Council Election results
The Brief The Fort Worth City Council will have a few new members next month. 8 of the 10 City Council seats were contested in Saturday's election. Mayor Mattie Parker also won re-election. FORT WORTH, Texas - Councilmember Carlos Flores won with 73% of the vote. He was first elected to represent District 2 residents in a run-off election on May 10, 2017. He is a third-generation Fort Worth native with deep roots in the community. Incumbent Michael D. Crain was elected to represent the residents of District 3 on May 1, 2021. He won re-election with 71% of the vote. Charlie Lauersdorf was first elected to represent the residents of District 4 on May 6, 2023. He won re-election with 74% of the vote. Deborah Peoples faced five challengers for the open District 5 seat. She emerged as the clear winner with 54% of the vote. She is a retired AT&T executive and the former chair of the Tarrant County Democratic Party. She's replacing Councilmember Gyna Bivens, who has held the seat since 2013 but did not seek re-election. There were no outright winners in Place 6, which was vacated by Councilmember Jared Williams. Mia Hall took the lead in the race of four with 46% of the vote, followed by Daryl R. Davis II with 28% of the vote. The two will face off in a runoff on June 7. Incumbent Macy Hill ran uncontested for the District 7 seat. She's held the seat since May 6, 2023. Pastor Chris Nettles is a lifelong resident of Fort Worth and believes in devoting his time to his family, business, and community. He has served as the Councilmember for Council District 8 in Fort Worth since June 2021. He had a commanding lead despite a recent heated confrontation with Payton Jackson during a candidate forum. Elizabeth M. Beck won with 65% of the vote. She was sworn in as a member of the City Council on June 15, 2021. Elizabeth is a mother, veteran, lawyer, and life-long resident of Fort Worth. Incumbent Alan Blaylock ran uncontested for the District 10 seat. He's held the since May 6, 2023 and previously represented the residents of District 4 from May 2022 to May 2023. Jeanette Martinez was first elected to represent the residents of District 11 on June 10, 2023. She won re-election with 77% of the vote. The Secretary of State has designated Saturday, June 7, 2025 as the election date for all runoff elections resulting from elections held by local political subdivisions on the May 3, 2025 Uniform Election Date. In a runoff election, the person with the majority of the votes will win the seat. The last day to register to vote or make a change of address for the June 7 runoff election will be Thursday, May 8. Early voting will be Tuesday, May 27, 2025 through Tuesday, June 3. On June 7, polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Source Information in this article is provided by and Dallas, Tarrant, Collin and Denton County election officials.
