Latest news with #ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement
Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Immigration arrest outside Oregon preschool rattles parents
BEAVERTON, Ore. — Parents at a preschool in a Portland suburb are reeling after immigration officers arrested a father in front of the school during morning drop-off hours, breaking his car window to detain him in front of children, families and staffers. 'I feel like a day care, which is where young children are taken care of, should be a safe place,' Natalie Berning said after dropping off her daughter at the Montessori in Beaverton on Friday morning. 'Not only is it traumatizing for the family, it's traumatizing for all the other children as well.' Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, a 38-year-old chiropractor and citizen of Iran, was initially pulled over by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers while driving his child to the school Tuesday. After asking whether he could drop off the child first, he continued driving and called his wife to tell her what happened, according to his wife, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of privacy concerns for her and her child. His wife rushed to the school, took their child from his car and brought him inside. Khanbabazadeh stayed in the vehicle in the parking lot and asked whether he could move somewhere not on school grounds out of consideration for the children and families, his wife said. He pulled out of the lot and onto the street and began to open the car door to step out when agents broke the window and took him into custody, according to his wife. Kellie Burns, who has two children attending the preschool, said her husband was there and heard the glass shatter. 'More than anything we want to express how unnecessarily violent and inhumane this was,' she said. 'Everyone felt helpless. Everyone was scared.' ICE said it detained Khanbabazadeh because he overstayed his visa, which his wife disputes. 'Officers attempted to arrest Khanbabazadeh during a traffic stop when he requested permission to drop his child off at daycare,' ICE said in a statement. 'Officers allowed him to proceed to the daycare parking lot where he stopped cooperating, resisted arrest and refused to exit his vehicle, resulting in ICE officers making entry by breaking one of the windows to complete the arrest.' Immigration officials have dramatically ramped up arrests across the country since May. Shortly after President Trump took office in January, his administration lifted restrictions on making immigration arrests at schools, healthcare facilities and places of worship, stirring fears about going to places once considered safe spaces. After U.S. military strikes on Iran in June, officials trumpeted immigration arrests of Iranians, some of whom settled in the United States long ago. Khanbabazadeh's wife said he has always maintained lawful status. After he arrived on a valid student visa and they subsequently married, she said, they submitted all required paperwork to adjust his status and were waiting for a final decision following their green card interview months ago. Khanbabazadeh is being held at the ICE detention facility in Tacoma, Wash., she said. Guidepost Global Education, which oversees the Montessori school, called the incident 'deeply upsetting.' 'We understand that this incident raises broader questions about how law enforcement actions intersect with school environments,' Chief Executive Maris Mendes said in a statement. 'It is not lost on us how frightening and confusing this experience may have been for those involved — especially for the young children who may have witnessed it while arriving at school with their parents.' Parents said they want to support the family and teachers. 'We know it's happening across the country, of course, but no one is prepared for their preschool ... to deal with it,' Burns said. 'It's really been a nightmare.' Rush writes for the Associated Press.
The Hill
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Homan slams ‘buffoon' Nadler over comments on ICE agent attacks
Border czar Tom Homan slammed Rep. Jerry Nadler (D) on Saturday over a comment the New York congressman made about assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. 'What attacks on ICE agents?' Nadler asked in a clip that aired on Fox News. 'This buffoon knows exactly what attacks — his party is the one encouraging them,' Homan responded on X. 'ICE agents are facing an 830% increase in assaults because of smears from the left. Their words have consequences. We won't let them pretend they don't.' ICE enforcement actions have been met by protesters in several high-profile incidents, most recently in Camarillo, Calif., where 200 people without legal status in the U.S. were arrested in a raid at a marijuana farm. Agents used tear gas to disperse protesters, and one person died after falling from a roof during the raid. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials have also targeted Democratic lawmakers on the basis of claims they have attacked immigration officers. Rep. LaMonica Iver (D-N.J.), for example, pleaded not guilty to an assault charge stemming from an incident where her elbows appeared to come into contact with an officer during a crowded scene. In his response to Nadler, Homan cited a DHS statistic released last week, claiming assaults against ICE agents are at an 830 percent increase, more than double the 413 percent increase it claimed in May. The agency claims that Democratic officials and media reports have encouraged assaults against agents.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trump's ‘One Big Beautiful Bill' a blow to Indian students in US? $170 billion funds allocated for ICE; 1% remittance tax adds to burden
AI-generated image The recently enacted Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' is potentially turning out to another blow to Indian students in the United States by allocating approximately $170 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for expanding deportation operations. This legislation strengthens enforcement agencies' authority to monitor local communities and track visa violations, according to study abroad platform executives. Students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) face heightened risks, as even minimal delays in securing employment or exceeding visa duration could result in severe penalties. Additionally, the legislation's new 1% remittance tax is anticipated to impact students who transfer funds to their home country for family support or loan repayments. "Even a small tax can affect low-income students — every dollar counts when supporting tuition or families back home," said Adarsh Khandelwal, cofounder of Collegify, quoted by Economic Times. This taxation applies to international transfers by F-1 student visa holders, H-1B workers, and green card holders using traditional payment methods. A $10 tax would apply to a $1,000 transfer to India. Students paying full fees without scholarships will not be subject to this tax, which becomes effective after January 1, 2026. Education consultants view this tax as a minor inconvenience rather than a significant barrier. "A 1% rate is annoying, not prohibitive," said Nikhil Jain, founder of ForeignAdmits, as quoted by ET. "Students are resourceful; they'll adapt by consolidating transfers, exploring digital wallets, or simply factoring it into their budget," he added. The tax represents an additional concern for Indian students in the US. Since January, increased scrutiny of non-immigrant visa holders and deportation of unauthorised residents has heightened anxiety. Recent intensification of visa procedures and social media monitoring has caused unease. "Students are becoming hypervigilant about everything – their social media presence, their financial transactions, their visa status," Jain of ForeignAdmits said. "This tax is just adding to the paranoia." Experts report that students and visa applicants are removing previous social media content and exercising increased caution regarding their online activities. The legislation also reduces federal support, including Medicaid and SNAP benefits for state colleges, which previously assisted numerous students. This reduction might increase institutions' reliance on international students paying full fees, who are exempt from the new remittance tax. Nevertheless, only a small proportion of Indian students attend prestigious US universities at full cost, with most relying on financial assistance or attending mid-tier institutions. Education experts suggest that prospective Indian students might now consider alternative study destinations. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Toronto Star
19 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Family of Canadian woman detained by ICE says it's a ‘nightmare'
Paula CallejasWASHINGTON, D. C. - Paula Callejas was trying to expand her swimsuit business in Florida after taking time off to take care of her ailing father in Canada before his death. Instead of celebrating the fashion line, the Canadian was taken into United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention. The 45-year-old's family said their finances are being stretched as they try to navigate the confusing and difficult legal and immigration systems in the United States.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Venezuela releases jailed Americans in deal that frees migrants deported to El Salvador by US
The Venezuelans had been held in a mega-prison known as the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, which was built to hold alleged gang members in Bukele's war on the country's gangs. Human rights groups have documented hundreds of deaths as well as cases of torture inside its walls. Lawyers have little access to those in the prison, which is heavily guarded, and information has been locked tight, other than heavily produced state propaganda videos showing tattooed men packed behind bars. Photos and videos released by El Salvador's government on Friday showed shackled Venezuelans sitting in a fleet of buses and boarding planes surrounded by officers in riot gear. One man looked up and pointed toward the sky as he climbed aboard a plane, while another made an obscene gesture toward police. After arriving in Venezuela, some of the migrants crossed themselves, cried and hugged one another. They wore face masks and street clothes. Maduro alleged that some of them were subjected to various forms of abuse at the Salvadoran prison, and one of them even lost a kidney 'due to the beatings he received.' Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told reporters the men would undergo medical tests and background checks before they can go home. One of the men is reportedly Andry Hernández Romero, a makeup artist who fled Venezuela last year and was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at a border crossing in San Diego before eventually being flown to El Salvador. Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., posted on social media Friday night: 'We have been in touch with Andry Hernández Romero's legal team and they have confirmed he is out of CECOT and back in Venezuela. We are grateful he is alive and are engaged with both the State Department and his team.' In April, Bukele proposed exchanging the Venezuelans for the same number of what he called 'political prisoners' held by Maduro. The suggestion provoked a harsh response from Venezuelan authorities, who called his comments 'cynical' and referred to Bukele as a 'neofascist." Families say the Americans released are innocent The State Department office responsible for negotiating the release of American detainees posted a photo Friday evening of the newly released prisoners smiling for the camera inside an airplane bringing them home, some clutching an unfurled American flag. A plane carrying the freed Americans arrived late Friday evening at Joint Base San Antonio, with some waving flags and rushing to embrace welcomers after they landed. Among those released was 37-year-old Lucas Hunter, whose family says he was kidnapped in January by Venezuelan border guards from inside Colombia, where he was vacationing. 'We cannot wait to see him in person and help him recover from the ordeal,' his younger sister Sophie Hunter said. Venezuelan authorities detained nearly a dozen U.S. citizens in the second half of 2024 and linked them to alleged plots to destabilize the country.
