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Belfast Telegraph
a day ago
- Belfast Telegraph
‘It was truly traumatic': Belfast hairdresser detained by immigration officers in US returns home
A Belfast man has described his experience in an ICE detention centre in the USA as 'truly traumatic', after a GoFundMe was set up by his family in a bid to help get his 'life back on track'. Setting up the fundraiser earlier this month, Lee Stinton's mother Elaine said she was asking the public's help in order to cover legal fees and to help her son who is 'starting over with nothing' after returning home. So far over £5,000 has been raised for the man originally from Belfast, after the 46-year-old hairdresser had been detained by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) on June 12. 'He is home with only the clothes he had on the day ICE took him' Working as a hair stylist in Key West, Florida, for six years, Lee was stopped on his e-bike by police while on his way to work. His father, Edward told Good Morning Ulster last month that he was on a working visa at the time of his arrest, and was on his way to get a Green Card. His father recounted how the family were initially unsure as to how his son was stopped by police. 'He was going to work as normal on Thursday on his e-bike and he went through, or didn't go through – we're not sure of that yet - a stop sign', he told the programme. Not having his immigration papers to hand, he was then taken to Krome Detention Centre. Giving supporters an update on the fundraising page earlier this week, Lee explained he is 'so thankful for everyone's support and help'. "We are just over halfway to our goal if you guys could continue to share on social media it would be greatly appreciated,' he wrote. "Reaching this goal will help me not only get the help and funds I need to pay legal fees and start life over, but also help me get reunited with my little dog, although the costs are high to sort everything out like veterinary stuff, pet passport, pet travel etc, it will go a long way to helping me recover and heal from this truly traumatic experience. "Again thank you if you donated already. "Every donation big or small helps so much.' The former British Hairdresser of The Year left his home for Florida over six years ago after marrying his US-born husband. Setting up the campaign, his mum said he has been left 'starting over with nothing' following his return from the USA. 'Your continued support and help is more important than ever. post release. He is home with only the clothes he had on the day ICE took him,' she wrote. 'He is now having to have a lot of medical attention physical and mentally he is extremely unstable and extremely underweight it will take a long time for him to heal. 'We as a family are struggling financially to meet the raising costs. Everything we are doing for our son Lee costs an astronomical amount of money. 'Any help we can receive would still be greatly appreciated. To help him get his life back on track.' The 46-year-old is a 'valued member' of the Key West community, according to a petition set up by locals to campaign for Lee's release. The petition said he has been 'earning the trust and respect of colleagues, customers, and supervisors and has been a tax-paying member of the community since 2019'. It adds that Lee's detention has 'caused significant hardship to his family, friends, and our community. As residents of Key West, we rely on each other for support, and the absence of Lee has left a noticeable gap in our daily lives. Lee poses no danger to our community and has no criminal history.' Lee is one of tens of thousands detained by immigration authorities following Donald Trump's vow to deport millions of undocumented migrants from the US. Among those detained have been New York City's mayoral candidate Brad Lander and one of the world's biggest TikTok stars, Khaby Lame.
Miami Herald
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
List of Cities Canceling 4th of July Events Expands: What to Know
Several cities across the United States have canceled their Fourth of July celebrations just before the holiday. These cities are citing several reasons for canceling or postponing their celebrations, including fears that Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers might use the event to arrest people, as well as concerns about overcrowding. Independence Day is typically celebrated with large gatherings and fireworks displays, but current events and city budgets are affecting how people spend the holiday in 2025. These cancellations also come as the FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have said they are working together to ensure there are no terrorism incidents over the holiday weekend, amid fears of a lone-wolf attack similar to the New Year's Eve attack in New Orleans. The cities that have canceled their celebrations or limited their festivities as of July 3 are: County of Los Angeles: East LA Rockin' 4th of July The Los Angeles Parks and Recreation Department has canceled East LA's Rockin' 4th of July celebration, among other community events, "out of caution, and in response to recent ICE enforcement activity impacting our communities." Bell Gardens, CA: All events The city of Bell Gardens has canceled all Independence Day events due to concerns about ICE. The predominantly Hispanic city has been hosting several events over the past few months aimed at educating immigrants on their rights regarding ICE arrests. Esparto Area, CA: Five Fireworks Displays Displays in Lodi Lake, El Dorado, Chico, Cloverdale, and St Helena have all been canceled following an explosion at the warehouse containing fireworks for these events. Seven people are still unaccounted for following the blast, causing the displays to be canceled out of respect for those affected. Whittier, CA: 4th of July Freedom Walk The city of Whittier has canceled its 4th of July Freedom Walk following community concerns about the event. Although city officials did not reference ICE in the announcement, Whittier has seen an increase in ICE activity over the past months. Mayor Joe Vinatieri cited "recent feedback we've received from some community members" as the reason for canceling the event. Whittier is still hosting a fireworks display at York Field. SeaTac, WA: Fireworks/Drone Display The city of SeaTac has canceled its fireworks display, citing concerns over crowd control and safety. David Inman, the city's communications director, said Angle Lake Park, where the display takes place, has a capacity of 3,200 people, but 10,000 people came last year with only 10 police officers on duty. A statement from the city said: "We simply cannot ensure a safe environment for large nighttime events at this time." Inman has said this decision is not related to last year's drone disaster, when the city shifted away from fireworks and spent $40,000 on a drone display, only for 55 of the 200 drones to fall into the lake. Itasca, IL: Fireworks Display The village of Itasca is known for hosting the largest Fourth of July fireworks display in Illinois, but has had to cancel the famous event this year. Village administrator Carrie Ergo said it was an "extremely difficult decision to make." The display has been canceled due to construction around Hamilton Lakes Business Park. The building works led to limited space for the holiday crowd. This is in addition to existing concerns about crowd control, as the event has become a lot more popular since the COVID-19 pandemic, and has led to community issues, including drunk and disorderly behavior and trespassing. The village was faced with a dilemma of either significantly increasing its budget to accommodate the changes or canceling the event this year. Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatierisaid in a press release: "While celebrating our nation's founding is very important to me and to Whittier residents, my colleagues and I also want to be sensitive to the recent feedback we've received from some community members asking that we pause this year's Freedom Walk event." Itasca Village Administrator Carrie Ergo said in a press release: "This was an extremely difficult decision to make. Itasca takes great pride in hosting the biggest and best fireworks show in Northern Illinois. Our first priority is always protecting the safety and security of Itasca residents, businesses, and visitors. Given the unique challenges presented this year, we cannot confidently recommend hosting fireworks in 2025." Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation said on social media: "It is with deep respect and a heavy heart that the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation cancellation of this year's East Los Angeles Rockin 4th of July celebration. Out of caution, and in response to recent ICE enforcement activity impacting our communities, we are prioritizing safety and well-being of our residents, visitors, and staff." The vast majority of Fourth of July events will still take place across the country. There are also mass protests against the Trump administration planned for the holiday weekend. Organized by the Women's March, the "Free America Weekend" protests will take place in cities across 34 states, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Montgomery, Houston, and Seattle. Related Articles Costco Will Close All Stores for One Day This Month: Here's WhyIs Trump's America Living up to Its Founding Ideals? Newsweek Contributors DebateList of Companies Being Boycotted in JulyAmerica's Most - And Least - Independent States 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Indian Express
How desperation for a better life abroad is fuelling immigration scams in India
On May 29, 2025, Shreya Bedi, a postgraduate student at Indiana University Bloomington, received a call from someone claiming to be a United States immigration officer. They alleged that she had violated visa rules and directed her to a fake badge verification page on the Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) website. A second caller, posing as a police officer, told her she was under surveillance. Over the course of three hours, they pressured her into buying $5,000 (about Rs 4.3 lakh) worth of Apple and Target gift cards as 'bond money' to avoid arrest. No one came to collect the cards. Shaken, she later launched a GoFundMe to recover losses and raise awareness. This isn't an isolated case. While Bedi was targeted in the US, immigration scams are rampant back home. According to Tushar Sharma, cyber expert and co-founder of The Organisation For Enlightenment and Education (TOFEE), the first case of immigration scam was reported in the early 90s in Punjab. 'The agents from illegal immigration and human trafficking networks activated and started luring people from Punjab with fake promises of work or permanent residency in Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries,' Sharma said, adding that victims were charged excessive fees and sent fake visas and documents. These victims were later detained at foreign airports. 'In the late 90s and early 2000s, these scams evolved into more sophisticated frauds involving visa lotteries, fake marriages, study abroad, fake universities, fake job offers,' Sharma said. 'We have seen a significant increase in online immigration-related scams, particularly targeting student visa applicants. The most common forms include fake agents promising guaranteed admissions or visas, fraudulent job offers linked to visa sponsorships, and counterfeit websites that mimic official government portals or educational institutions,' said Dheeraj Gandhi, founder and CEO of The Immigration Gurus. Gandhi also said, 'Many scams are easy to spot if you look closely: no clear business name, poor communication, pressure to pay upfront without proper paperwork, and fake promises like guaranteed visas.' Tushar said scammers use social, economic, and psychological tricks to exploit people aspiring to go study or work abroad. They find their targets via: 🎯Social media profiling: Scammers scrape platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to find people posting about studying or settling abroad. They then use targeted ads to lure aspirants, posing as successful migrants offering fake help. 🎯Regional networks: In migration hotspots like Punjab, scammers often win trust by using local networks and word of mouth, sometimes even through unassuming friends or relatives. 🎯Fake job or university listings: Scammers lure young aspirants by posting fake listings and even creating fake universities. 🎯Cold calls and phishing emails: Cold calling and unsolicited emails, such as phishing emails and job and visa alerts, are the most common tricks. 🎯Psychological manipulation: Scammers exploit people's hopes, emergencies, and vulnerabilities, especially those already abroad on temporary visas, by promising quick fixes to their immigration status. Professor Triveni Singh, former IPS officer and cybercrime expert, listed different types of immigration scams: 🎯Fake job offers: Scammers lure victims by promising overseas jobs along with immigration, collecting separate fees for each. These jobs rarely exist. Victims pay lakhs, only to be ghosted. 🎯Identity theft and document fraud: Fake identities are created by manipulating biometric data or using someone else's details to issue new Aadhaar cards and passports. 🎯KYC fraud: Fraudulent Know Your Customer (KYC) documents are used to secure visas. 🎯Airport loopholes: Although facial biometrics are captured at airports, there's no real-time cross-check with Aadhaar's UIDAI system. This lets people pass through immigration using genuine passports but with altered photos or fake identities. 🎯Easy entry to false documents: In rural areas, even a village head's stamp or a family register is enough to secure an Aadhaar card, leading to a full set of forged identity papers. 🎯Human trafficking and forced labour: Some victims are tricked into believing they are going abroad for work but are instead sent to illegal labour camps or sold into slavery. 🎯Trapped in crime: Others are lured abroad under the pretense of legitimate employment, only to be forced into drug trafficking, theft, or cybercrime. 🎯Marriage scams: Here, individuals are promised long-term visas, but only if they first reach the destination country. Once there, they are coerced into fake court marriages and made to sign fabricated documents. Many end up exploited or abandoned. 🎯Smuggling: In some cases, victims are smuggled abroad under false identities and later used as carriers for illegal goods. 🎯Fake notices and emails: Victims receive emails or phone calls that mimic real immigration notices, sometimes even impersonating agencies like the FBI or US Secret Service. These threats often cite deportation or visa issues to scare people into paying money. Sharma and Professor Singh recommend staying alert to these warning signs: 🎯Unrealistic promises: If someone guarantees a visa, citizenship, or legal status quickly, it's likely a scam. No legitimate immigration process can promise guaranteed approval. 🎯Pressure tactics and urgency: Scammers often try to rush you, saying 'you'll miss the opportunity' or 'act now or lose everything.' Legitimate professionals don't pressure you into decisions or threaten consequences. 🎯Pretending to be officials: Fraudsters may pose as immigration officers or lawyers without showing proper ID or credentials. Ask for ID and verify it independently before trusting them. 🎯Shady payment requests: If someone asks for payments via gift cards, cryptocurrency, UPI to personal accounts, or cash, it's a red flag. Real agencies use traceable methods like credit/debit cards, bank transfers, or cheques. 🎯Offers that feel 'too perfect': If someone offers a job abroad without interviews, or a visa without paperwork, pause and verify. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. 🎯Visit in person: If you are dealing with an agent or consultant, go to their physical office and see how they operate. 🎯Reach out to official sources: Before making any payment or travel plans, contact: – Indian Embassy in the destination country – India's Immigration Department – Ministry of External Affairs: Most embassies respond quickly via email or phone. 🎯Stop communication when in doubt: If you notice any of the above red flags, end the conversation immediately. Report and verify the matter through government websites or helplines. 🎯What to do if you are scammed Victims or their families usually approach the police or Indian embassies after they've been defrauded or trafficked. In many rescue cases, Indian police work with foreign embassies to help bring victims back home. – Contact your bank and freeze accounts to stop unauthorised transactions. – File a police complaint immediately. – Reach out to Indian embassies abroad: They coordinate with local authorities for victim rescue. – Consult a licensed immigration lawyer: Legal guidance is critical in damage control. – Use other reporting options, like the Ministry of External Affairs Complaint Portal: – Report scam messages or calls within 30 days on the Chakshu portal – Verify the authenticity of agents or offers on the National Portal of India: Taking quick, informed steps can protect your finances, your identity, and your chance at justice. Immigration dreams are powerful, but scammers know that too. Staying informed is the first step in staying safe. The Safe Side: As the world evolves, the digital landscape does too, bringing new opportunities—and new risks. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, exploiting vulnerabilities to their advantage. In our special feature series, we delve into the latest cybercrime trends and provide practical tips to help you stay informed, secure, and vigilant online.
Fox News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Protesters hauled away as anti-ICE protests continue in Los Angeles despite mayor's curfew order
Anti-ICE protests in Los Angeles continued even after LA Mayor Karen Bass issued a curfew from 8 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Friday, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations continue in Southern California. Late Thursday evening, the LAPD took a bus load of more than 20 protesters away as they continued to chant "peaceful protest." The protests in LA exploded over the weekend, causing the Los Angeles Police Department to declare an "unlawful assembly" Sunday night. "Agitators have splintered into and through out the Downtown Area," the LAPD's Central Division wrote on X. "Residents, businesses and visitors to the Downtown Area should be alert and report any criminal activity. Officers are responding to several different locations to disperse crowds." Bass announced she would be extending the curfew on Thursday during a news conference and stated that it seemed to be helping to lessen confrontations between law enforcement and protesters. "We have had to have a curfew in the city because we want to make sure that the downtown neighborhood and all the other neighborhoods are safe," she said. "But let me be very clear, we want peace to come to our city. The peace that we need to have happen needs to begin in Washington, and we need to stop the raids." Over the last couple of days what started out as a peaceful protest has continued to escalate with rioters burning flags in the streets, defacing police vehicles and destroying property. "An UNLAWFUL ASSEMBLY has been declared for the Downtown Los Angeles area," LAPD stated. Since then, more than 2,000 National Guardsmen have been stationed in L.A., to combat protests that are expected to continue through the weekend. Los Angeles residents may also begin to see Marines in the area as soon, with protection operations in coordination with the National Guard set to begin Friday.
The Hill
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Stefanik lights into Hochul on migrant crime in New York during fiery exchange
Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), in a contentious exchange during a House Oversight Committee hearing Thursday, slammed New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) over recent crimes committed by undocumented migrants in the state. Stefanik invoked an executive order immigration signed by Hochul, along with a number of recent crimes committed by those who were in the country without authorization, including the burning of a woman on the New York City subway last year. 'This is Kathy Hochul's New York. It's one of the many reasons why you're hemorrhaging support from hardworking New York families,' Stefanik said. 'They're horrific crimes that are committed on your watch. You signed this executive order on your first day in office. You signed it again and again this January.' 'We deserved a governor who stands up for New Yorkers, who doesn't put illegals first but actually puts New Yorkers first,' she continued. The exchange took place at the Oversight Committee hearing on sanctuary states on Thursday, featuring Hochul, along with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D). Stefanik several times spoke over Hochul during the fiery back-and-forth as the New York governor struggled to recall specifics of the cases but repeatedly told Stefanik she condemns the 'horrific' crimes Stefanik cited. She said New York cooperates with Immigration Customs Enforcement. 'Rather than you going after the viral moment, I suggest you look at the facts,' Hochul responded.'No, no, no. I'm standing up for New Yorkers.' Most scientific research on the connection between immigration and crime has found that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than their U.S.-born peers. Stefanik, who is not on the Oversight Committee but appeared on the dais at the hearing as a member of House GOP leadership, is considering a run for New York governor. Hochul is facing a potentially tough reelection bid in New York next year, four years after she won election in the blue state by single digits. A Siena College poll released last month showed 55 percent of New York voters said they want 'someone else' in next year's gubernatorial race, while 36 percent said they prefer Hochul, marking a shift of negative 10 points since the same poll last month.
