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Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘We're not ready to give up': Central Texas mom fights for daughter's citizenship
Under President Donald Trump's renewed administration, Texas has emerged as a key frontline in the push for aggressive immigration enforcement and widespread deportations. Texas residents – regardless of immigration status – feel the ripple effects in the economy, schools, healthcare systems, courts and public safety services. To better understand these challenges, KXAN spent the first 100 days of Trump's second term producing 'Undocumented,' a comprehensive project diving into the real-life consequences of related policies and proposals. LISTEN: In the months after President Trump resumed office, immigration advocates say they have worried about fear and anxiety in the immigrant community – including those working to stay in the country legally. KXAN Investigative Intern Talisa Treviño takes a closer look at how this issue is playing out for some living in Texas. AUSTIN (KXAN) – In August 2023, Tina packed everything she and her daughter owned into their car and left Canada for the United States. They started their journey south to Michigan and stayed with family until November. Then they rented a 20-foot truck, hitched their car to the back, and made their way to their next stop – Texas. 'I had never driven a truck in my life, so it was for four days on the road and I was really kind of freaking out,' she recalled. 'I kind of went into a downward spiral, but I said, 'We got to get there.' Tina was heading home, but said it would be a fresh start for her 18-year-old daughter. Nearly two years after they moved, the mother now fears her daughter, who was born and raised in Canada, will be deported. 'If they should deport her, I will go with her because I'm not going to let her do this on her own,' Tina said anxiously. KXAN is not using Tina's full name and not naming her daughter because they're concerned their case could be impacted for speaking out. Texas lawmakers debate bills to curb illegal immigration Tina said since her daughter's birth, she had tried to get her U.S. citizenship. The family needed to sign the Consular Report of Birth Abroad form, which gives U.S. citizenship to a child born outside the country to a parent who is a U.S. citizen. Both parents must sign it before the child's 18th birthday. Tina said her now-former husband refused to sign the form, so she could never start the process for her daughter. Instead, before they moved to the U.S., Tina submitted USCIS form I-130, a petition for a non-citizen relative. Their application was approved in June 2024 and sent to the National Visitor Center. The process is long, she said, but also expensive: it has cost her over $2,000 since they began the legal path for her daughter's citizenship, including submitting fingerprints and undergoing a physical examination and bloodwork. Tina said since President Donald Trump took office again, communication from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, has slowed down. She said most of the communication has been through an automated phone call system, and she explained the process is taking longer than anticipated. 'If there was one person – an actual person I could talk to on the phone and say, 'hey, we did all these things, what am I missing?' Then I could get on to it and get it done,' Tina said. 'But there's nobody to talk to, so you keep on sending in forms and you keep on paying them and you don't know if that's actually a form you need, but you're still giving the government money and you don't know if it's helping you or not.' She explained they are facing other hurdles. She said her daughter has no form of U.S. identification, keeping her from driving and working, and she has no Social Security number, leaving her without access to Tina's health insurance. For now, all Tina and her daughter can do is wait. 'I thought, me being American, that I would be able to, you know, do the usual, follow the path, do all the things I need to do. And it would just happen,' Tina said. 'But it doesn't happen — there's a lot of little things in between you got to do.' From January to the end of September 2024, the USCIS public database reported more than 981,000 applications of the form Tina filled out. While nearly 712,000 applications were approved last year, over 2.2 million cases are pending due to a backlog. Tina's is one of those. Managing Attorney of the Texas Immigration Law Council Robert Painter said there are many reasons someone could not get citizenship, and it gets complicated based on the individual case. Painter explained there are different paths to citizenship, mostly broken up into three categories: employment, family and humanitarian. Both the employment and family routes start with someone undocumented applying for their lawful permanent resident card, more commonly known as a green card. But there are several different ways to obtain one. The most common way is through the family route, which is when a U.S. citizen family member sponsors a person by filing the form on the non-citizen's behalf. Family includes a relative who is 21 or older, or a fiancé who is a U.S. citizen. A U.S. employer can also sponsor someone. The humanitarian route is for people who enter the country through the asylum-seeking process by applying through form I-589 and demonstrating a fear of persecution in their home country. After a year, asylees or refugees can apply for a green card. Once someone has a green card, that person can apply for naturalization to become a U.S. citizen. Filling out form N-40 Being at least 18 years of age Holding a Green Card for five years or three years for marriage Having no criminal record Taking the English proficiency test Taking the U.S. history and government test Taking the Oath of Allegiance in front of a government official 'There's so many steps that make it hard for people. I think one of the biggest problems we have is such an incredible backlog in the immigration system with the courts and the asylum process,' said Rebecca Lightsey, co-director of American Gateways. The organization provides legal counsel, educational resources and advocacy for low-income immigrants and asylum seekers from San Antonio to Waco. Lightsey added that once a person applies for asylum, they should receive an interview within six months to a year. Right now, she said, because of the immigration courts' backlog, she sees people wait for years for their asylum interviews. 'Many of our new arrivals are seeking asylum, and to qualify for asylum, you have to meet very, very specific categories [like] fear of persecution in their home country,' Lightsey said. 'Citizenship is kind of at the other end — so people who have been in this country for a long time. Once you get your green card after a certain period, then you can become a citizen.' 'Are you a US Citizen?' TX hospital patients questioned, state says millions spent on undocumented After President Trump initiated his plans for mass deportations in early January, Lightsey said many people have come forward asking for legal assistance, especially those still with pending applications. 'We are just completely overwhelmed. It's really heartbreaking. What we are seeing is such a fear and anxiety in the immigrant community, and we can't tell them that they shouldn't be scared,' Lightsey said. Painter also mentioned the increase in expedited removals with the new presidential administration. According to the American Immigration Council, expedited removals allow immigration officers to remove noncitizens who come to the country at a port of entry and present documents that are either fraudulent or misrepresentative, or lack the documents needed to enter the country. Any noncitizen who has lived in the U.S. for two years and did not check in with officials when immigrating to the U.S. can also face expedited removal. 'Expedited removals as a mechanism have existed since the '90s, but one of the things that we've seen under the Trump administration is they've expanded its use to the maximum limits allowed by law,' Painter said. He said ICE detention can be temporary until it proceeds with an expedited removal, which means for certain individuals in the country for less than two years, ICE is authorized to try to deport them without any judicial review of that deportation. Painter said that, for years, the organization has worked statewide, serving as a resource hub to support organizations and other nonprofits working in the immigration space and supplying them with educational materials for legal support. However, with all the recent changes and developments to immigration, Painter said the organization is focusing more on outreach to small immigration service providers to help provide more services to more people. 'We certainly have really robust coalitions and community partners in places like Houston, Central Texas or San Antonio. But one of our core tenets of our mission is to provide services in underserved communities,' Painter said. 'So a lot of our emphasis has been down in Laredo, or out in the panhandle, where there aren't a lot of service providers.' Texas students worry 'no one is going to be home for me' amid deportation push Painter said they have seen more demand from schools and churches requesting resource information to make sure everyone in their local communities is aware of their rights. 'One of the things we really want to emphasize is that these resources are for everyone, because the constitutional rights apply not just to the undocumented community, but to U.S. citizens and permanent residents and anyone in this country. It's useful information to have, even if they were born here,' Painter said. The Texas Immigration Law Council offers resources for those working in immigration by providing public fact sheets and immigration data on its website to help educate people about immigration rights and what many of the new executive orders mean. American Gateways offers similar support. The organization hosts legal clinics in San Antonio and Austin twice a year, where volunteer lawyers help immigrants apply for citizenship and other legal pathways. 'Someone might want to give someone else the power of attorney over their financial affairs, they may want to do a care in custody agreement, so that if something happens to them and they have children, that their children are taken care of, to really plan ahead,' Lightsey said. Tina and her daughter plan to attempt to get all of the checklist items they need before their interview appointment with immigration officials. 'We do everything and then wait another how many months,' Tina said. 'Because we don't know.' American Gateways Austin Region – Justice for our Neighbors Catholic Charities – Central Texas Equal Justice Center RAICES Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid University of Texas School of Law Immigration Clinic Bernardo Kohler Center If someone is in immigration detention, people can locate them on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Online Detainee Locator Portal. KXAN Investigative Reporter Arezow Doost, Graphic Artist Wendy Gonzalez, Director of Investigations & Innovation Josh Hinkle, Investigative Photojournalist Chris Nelson, Digital Special Projects Developer Robert Sims and Digital Director Kate Winkle contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
What is required for REAL ID in Pennsylvania?
(WHTM) – The REAL ID deadline is fast approaching, potentially limiting access to flights and certain government buildings. If you do not have your REAL ID ahead of the May 7 deadline, here's what you need to know to get one in Pennsylvania. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, there are four things you must provide when applying for a REAL ID: One document proving identity and lawful status U.S. birth certificate with a raised seal, issued by a government agency, Office of Vital Statistics and Records (not a hospital or souvenir certificate) Valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (Form N-560 or N-561) Consular Report of Birth Abroad (Form FS-240, DS-1350, or FS-545) Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570) Unexpired Employment Authorization Card (Form I-766 or I-688B) Valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Green Card) (Form I-551) Unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94 form showing permanent residence One document proving your Social Security number with a current legal name and all nine Social Security numbers Social Security card W-2 form SSA-1099 form Non-SSA-1099 form Pay stub with full Social Security number Two physical documents proving your Pennsylvania residency. Current PA driver's license or photo ID PA vehicle registration card Auto insurance card Utility bill with your name and address W-2 form Tax records Lease agreement or mortgage document Any mail that has moved through the US postal service If you have changed your legal name at any point, you must bring proof of your legal name change. This can be a marriage certificate, a court order approving a name or date of birth change, or an amended birth certificate. PennDOT says if you were married more than once, you should provide marriage certificates showing each name change. Divorce papers are only needed if you have returned to using a maiden name. PennDOT also says that if your gender designation has changed, you must provide a completed DL-32 form. PennDOT has a checklist of documents that can be used that may assist with you obtaining a REAL ID. fs-ridcDownload PennDOT locations are hosting REAL ID days ahead of the deadline to help those looking to obtain their REAL ID. If you received your first Pennsylvania driver's license, learner's permit, or photo ID card after September 2003, PennDOT may have your documents on file, and you may be able to apply for one online. Holding a passport while standing in a long line to get a Real ID? You're doing it wrong After May 7, you will need a REAL ID to board a commercial flight and enter certain federal facilities. You do not need a REAL ID to vote, drive, access federal courts or post offices, or apply for federal benefits. You can also still receive a REAL ID after May 7. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
24-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
DA in Colorado urges crime reporting amid community concern over immigration policy
Don't be afraid to report crimes or ask for help. That is the message from District Attorney George Brauchler to the Douglas County immigrant community, but some community members say they still distrust local leaders who have vocally supported former President Donald Trump's immigration policies. "I'm worried for our kids. I'm worried for our family as a whole," said Chad Cox. The Castle Rock father knows his family doesn't look like everyone else in Douglas County. "Challenges are just, you know, the stares and the remarks that you hear behind your back. Unfortunately, we've had neighbors in the past that have not been kind to us," Cox said. He and his husband have five children. They had their two youngest, Allorah and Octavio, through a surrogate in Mexico. "Both ethnically and citizenship-wise, they are dual citizens of Mexico and the United States," Cox said. He says they chose this surrogacy program because it was a fraction of the cost of surrogacy in the US, and provided "about two years worth of working wages" to the surrogate. The children's surrogate and their egg donor are both Mexican citizens. Both children have a "Consular Report of Birth Abroad," which states they are American citizens born in Mexico. "I don't want to have concerns if we are asked for documentation or paperwork that they don't accept the CRBA because it looks differently than what a state-issued birth certificate would look like," Cox said. Cox worries his children may be impacted by Trump's immigration policies and rhetoric. "It scares me for my children in school. She goes to preschool, and what does that mean with, you know, if ICE were to show up at her school and want to see her because of, quite frankly, her skin color," Cox said. Colorado law limits the cooperation of local law enforcement with ICE. "Our law now makes it clear sheriffs can't hold people for ICE detainers. They have to have a warrant to come get them," said 23rd Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler. Douglas County has challenged the law in court, and local leaders have expressed support for a bill that would remove those barriers. The bill, SB25-047, is sponsored by Republican Rep. Max Brooks, a former Castle Rock town council member. Cox ran against Brooks in the race for his seat in the state legislature. "When you start talking about, quote, 'show me your papers,' really, what are you basing it off of? You're basing it off of somebody's skin color. And we don't need any more prejudice in this community. We don't need any more prejudice in our nation. We have plenty," Cox said. "When you fear monger, all it does is scare both sides of the fence. It scares people who think that migrants are here to cause crime and damage to our communities, and it causes our immigrants to not feel like they're a part of the community. They hide, they can't come out, they can't report crimes. If they have an emergency, they're scared to call 911." "I've never seen someone go, 'Hey, thanks for calling 911 for help. Now we're going to try to deport you.' In fact, it would work contrary to our goal. Our goal is to get the bad guys," Brauchler said. Brauchler says that even if state law is changed, victims and witnesses should not be afraid to come forward. "What I don't want to see is there become such a fervor and zealousness for 'let's just kick them all out.' We're just here to kick them all out, that all of a sudden we've created a less safe environment because people will not come forward and cooperate," Brauchler said. "I don't care where you're from. I don't care whether you're supposed to be here. If you are the victim of a crime, I will treat you the same as anybody else." Brauchler says there is no way to track how many undocumented immigrants are in his district. Brauchler says his priority is public safety. He would like to see an increase in the availability of U visas, which provide temporary legal status to crime victims who cooperate with law enforcement. "I don't enforce immigration law. That's not my job. I don't work with ICE in that way. I'm here to enforce the state criminal code, and so if someone's a victim of a crime, even if they're here illegally, you have my full attention and you have my full resources to try to bring you some kind of justice," Brauchler said. "That's going to happen. The other things that take place after that, I don't control, but to the extent that a U visa might help keep them on board with us to go do the right thing and get some justice for them, I will go pursue one. And I have done it before." The assurance does little to soothe Cox's worries for his children and the immigrant community. "There's already a distrust in Douglas County with local leaders and law enforcement, especially for people of color, and so I can't say that that relaxes their fears for them. It doesn't for me," Cox said. "I would really just wish they would focus on the needs, the actual needs, of our community and stop the fear-mongering. It does nothing to bring us together as a community. It does nothing to build the community. All it does is build up hate, it builds up distrust. It further divides the community that we have here."
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Passports with 'X' sex markers will be valid until they expire or are renewed, State Department says
The State Department issued new guidance on passports with 'X' sex markers and applications that request to change a passport sex marker, according to a memo reviewed by NBC News. The new guidance comes after the State Department suspended all applications for passports and CRBAs, which are birth records for U.S. citizens born abroad, that request an 'X' sex marker or a sex marker change, following a memo last month from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The policy change resulted in widespread confusion, particularly among the transgender community, about whether passports with an 'X' sex marker would be valid for international travel or even confiscated. According to the new memo, passports and Consular Report of Birth Abroad records that have already been issued with an 'X' sex marker are valid until replaced or expired. Travelers who were issued passports with 'X' markers within the last year can request to replace them at no cost for passports with a binary 'F' or 'M' sex marker by submitting a correction form. The guidance applies to all in-progress passport applications and any future applications received as of last Friday, the memo states. Under the new guidance, in-process applications requesting an 'X' sex marker will be changed to male or female using a review of all available evidence establishing sex assigned at birth, such as a birth certificate, government-issued ID or prior passport record, according to the memo. If the evidence submitted with the application doesn't sufficiently establish the applicant's sex assigned at birth — because, for example, their documentation does not show their birth sex, shows conflicting information regarding their birth sex, only lists an 'X' marker or includes a designation like intersex — the application must be suspended, the memo states. In those cases, the State Department will send a form requesting more information to determine the applicant's sex assigned at birth. If the applicant still can't establish their birth sex after providing more information, their application would continue to be suspended. The memo directs employees reviewing applications to carefully review conflicting information and closely consider issuance dates of vital records and any amendments to them. The State Department will use a similar process for passports and CRBAs requesting a sex marker change to 'M' or 'F,' using a prior passport record or documentation issued closest to an applicant's birth to establish their sex assigned at birth, according to the memo. In those cases, applicants would receive a notice to inform them of a change in the biographical data on their new passport, the memo states. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Friday against the State Department's passport policy on behalf of seven people who are trans or intersex, meaning they were born with physical traits that don't fit typical definitions for male or female categories. The suit argues that the policy discriminates against the plaintiffs based on sex and violates their constitutional rights to privacy, free speech and travel. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment. The changes to passport policies came as a result of an executive order President Donald Trump signed on the first day of his presidency declaring that the U.S. government will recognize only two sexes, male and female, and that 'these sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.' The executive order regarding sex is among those Trump signed that seek to restrict transgender rights. Trump also signed executive orders that aim to prohibit trans people from enlisting and serving openly in the military, restrict access to transition-related care for minors and bar trans women from competing on women's sports teams. This article was originally published on
NBC News
10-02-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Passports with 'X' sex markers will be valid until they expire or are renewed, State Department says
The State Department issued new guidance on passports with 'X' sex markers and applications that request to change a passport sex marker, according to a memo reviewed by NBC News. The new guidance comes after the State Department suspended all applications for passports and CRBAs, which are birth records for U.S. citizens born abroad, that request an 'X' sex marker or a sex marker change, following a memo last month from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The policy change resulted in widespread confusion, particularly among the transgender community, about whether passports with an 'X' sex marker would be valid for international travel or even confiscated. According to the new memo, passports and Consular Report of Birth Abroad records that have already been issued with an 'X' sex marker are valid until replaced or expired. Travelers who were issued passports with 'X' markers within the last year can request to replace them at no cost for passports with a binary 'F' or 'M' sex marker by submitting a correction form. The guidance applies to all in-progress passport applications and any future applications received as of last Friday, the memo states. Under the new guidance, in-process applications requesting an 'X' sex marker will be changed to male or female using a review of all available evidence establishing sex assigned at birth, such as a birth certificate, government-issued ID or prior passport record, according to the memo. If the evidence submitted with the application doesn't sufficiently establish the applicant's sex assigned at birth — because, for example, their documentation does not show their birth sex, shows conflicting information regarding their birth sex, only lists an 'X' marker or includes a designation like intersex — the application must be suspended, the memo states. In those cases, the State Department will send a form requesting more information to determine the applicant's sex assigned at birth. If the applicant still can't establish their birth sex after providing more information, their application would continue to be suspended. The memo directs employees reviewing applications to carefully review conflicting information and closely consider issuance dates of vital records and any amendments to them. The State Department will use a similar process for passports and CRBAs requesting a sex marker change to 'M' or 'F,' using a prior passport record or documentation issued closest to an applicant's birth to establish their sex assigned at birth, according to the memo. In those cases, applicants would receive a notice to inform them of a change in the biographical data on their new passport, the memo states. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Friday against the State Department's passport policy on behalf of seven people who are trans or intersex, meaning they were born with physical traits that don't fit typical definitions for male or female categories. The suit argues that the policy discriminates against the plaintiffs based on sex and violates their constitutional rights to privacy, free speech and travel. The State Department did not immediately return a request for additional comment. The changes to passport policies came as a result of an executive order President Donald Trump signed on the first day of his presidency declaring that the U.S. government will recognize only two sexes, male and female, and that 'these sexes are not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.' The executive order regarding sex is among those Trump signed that seek to restrict transgender rights. Trump also signed executive orders that aim to prohibit trans people from enlisting and serving openly in the military, restrict access to transition-related care for minors and bar trans women from competing on women's sports teams.
