Latest news with #ImmigrationandNaturalizationAct
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas troopers on standby for protests, ahead of nationwide anti-Trump demonstrations
Kansans rally at the Statehouse in Topeka as part of the 50501 national day of action on May 1, 2025. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — State troopers are on standby in Kansas as demonstrations against federal immigration raids crop up around the country following an increased military presence in response to protests in Los Angeles. The Kansas Highway Patrol is aware of Kansas City-area protests this week, said April McCollum, a spokeswoman for the agency. Protests in LA began Friday, mostly in downtown and central parts of the city, in opposition to targeted, sweeping raids from federal immigration officials that result in the arrest and detention of immigrants lacking permanent legal status. The demonstrations escalated once President Donald Trump ordered thousands of members of the California National Guard to the city's streets, against the wishes of state leaders. Protesters in dozens of other cities joined their LA counterparts Tuesday. Col. Erik Smith, superintendent of the state highway patrol, told legislators Tuesday that a protest similar to those in LA was planned in the Johnson County area, but the agency did not disclose specifics when asked. The only report of a protest in the area Tuesday occurred in Kansas City, Missouri's downtown and Westside, drawing hundreds of attendees, according to reporting from The Kansas City Star. A slate of more than 1,800 protests are scheduled across the nation for Saturday. More than a dozen of them are set to occur in Kansas cities, from Garden City to Hiawatha to Arkansas City to the Kansas City area. 'We encourage those involved to maintain civility while exercising their First Amendment rights,' McCollum said. The agency's mobile field force is prepared to assist local law enforcement during all incidents of 'civil unrest,' Smith said. The force is 'a specially trained and equipped unit composed of Troopers from across the state that can be deployed to support local law enforcement agencies in the event of civil disorder, natural disasters, and other public safety emergencies,' McCollum said. Kansas Bureau of Investigation director Tony Mattivi told lawmakers Tuesday at a Senate Committee on Government Efficiency hearing that state agents are not currently trained to assist U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials with raids and arrests in Kansas. Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican, asked Mattivi during the hearing why federal agents aren't responsive to one-off local arrests. 'ICE, right now, is just overwhelmed,' Mattivi said. 'They're focused on busloads at a time.' State and local officials don't have the authority to investigate federal immigration violations, but Kansas, was the second state in the country to agree with the Trump administration to exercise 287(g) authority, which refers to section 287(g) of the federal Immigration and Naturalization Act. Once agents are trained, they will be able to make those one-off arrests and fill the gaps federal immigration officials leave behind. Eventually, Mattivi said, he would like to examine the 48,000 people who are listed as a sex offender, drug offender or violent offender in Kansas and determine whether any of those people are in the country without permanent legal status. As chair of the Democratic Governors Association, Gov. Laura Kelly, along with most of the rest of the country's Democratic governors, condemned Trump's decision to deploy a state's National Guard as 'an alarming abuse of power' and 'ineffective and dangerous.' 'Further, threatening to send the U.S. Marines into American neighborhoods undermines the mission of our service members, erodes public trust, and shows the Trump administration does not trust local law enforcement,' the governors said Sunday in a joint statement. The Trump administration deployed around 700 active-duty U.S. Marines to L.A. from a nearby base to 'restore order,' defense secretary Pete Hegseth said in a social media post. Trump called for California Gov. Gavin Newsom's arrest after Newsom expressed his disapproval of Trump's actions. Newsom sued the Trump administration, alleging the president's takeover of the state's National Guard was illegal. Governors typically hold the power to deploy the guard. The Democratic governors said they stand with Newsom, 'who has made it clear that violence is unacceptable and that local authorities should be able to do their jobs without the chaos of this federal interference and intimidation.' Kansas Republicans rebutted Democrats' remarks with condemnations of their own. In a series of social media posts, Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, who is also a Republican candidate for state insurance commissioner, applauded Trump's actions. He said he was shocked by the Democratic governors' statement. 'It's indefensible that Governor Kelly and other Democrat Governors would seemingly side with the rioters over law and order. Their Trump Derangement Syndrome truly knows no bounds,' Hawkins wrote. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, who is widely expected to run for governor, criticized Kelly in a statement. 'Laura Kelly is slow to condemn attacks on law enforcement, but quick to side with Gavin Newsom and rioters waving foreign flags as they try to burn down an American community. It is shameful,' he said. Conservatives in opposition to the protests have frequently used rhetoric that depicts L.A. in flames or in complete disarray. The protests have been confined to a few areas of the city, mostly around local and federal government buildings. Misinformation and doctored or fabricated photos have circulated. Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, who is a 2026 Republican candidate for governor, wrote on the social media platform X in response to the statement from the Democratic governors: 'This is wrong.' In a separate post, Schwab said protesters in California were 'endangering' law enforcement 'because they embrace disorder and crime over civility.' He added: 'Our founders are rolling in their graves.' Protests in 15 cities in Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, fall under the banner of No Kings Day, a collection of anti-Trump protests. Saturday is also Flag Day. Ahead of the protest in Topeka at the Statehouse, organizers with the Kansas chapter of 50501 emphasized in a statement its desire for a peaceful demonstration. 'We are committed to the safety of every protester and are exploring unforeseen and uncontrollable challenges and how to respond to them,' the statement said. 'We are continuing to plan for a safe gathering.' Activists are chartering buses and establishing carpools to Topeka from Abilene, Junction City, Manhattan, Franklin County, Lawrence and the Kansas City, Kansas, area. Ahead of Wichita's rally, organizers with Defend Democracy ICT said the protest date is symbolic, 'aligning with Flag Day, President Trump's birthday, and a controversial military parade in Washington, D.C.' 'This is a stand against authoritarianism and the growing disregard for democratic norms,' organizers said in a statement. 'We are here to remind our leaders that power belongs with the people — not kings, not billionaires, not dictators.' Protests are scheduled to take place in the following cities, according to the No Kings online tracker: Arkansas City, Emporia, Garden City, Great Bend, Hiawatha, Hutchinson, Lawrence, Lenexa, Manhattan, Ottawa, Overland Park, Pittsburg, Salina, Topeka, Wichita and Kansas City, Missouri.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Columbus federal judge blocks transfer of Venezuelan detainee amid Alien Enemy Designation concerns
COLUMBUS, Ga. () – In a significant ruling on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Clay D. Land of the Middle District of Georgia granted a preliminary injunction preventing the transfer of a Venezuelan from the Stewart Detention Center to a terrorism confinement facility in El Salvador. The decision stems from a habeas corpus petition filed by the detainee, who fears being labeled an 'alien enemy' under the Alien Enemies Act and subjected to expedited removal from the United States without due process. The case, Y.A.P.A. v. Donald J. Trump, et al., comes as the national debate over immigration policy continues. Land was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2001. The Stewart Detention Facility is located in Lumpkin, Ga., in Land's judicial district. Land's order was strongly worded. 'The public interest, while not always vocalized the loudest, requires that we remember that that these constitutional protections do not exist only for those attending lunch at the local Rotary Club, enjoying war stories at the VFW hall or having a beer at the Moose Club lodge,' the judge wrote. 'These rights are not rationed based upon political views, and they do not belong solely to those who may be subjectively determined to be great Americans. They extend to those whom many may consider to be the most repugnant among us.' Land did not stop there. 'This foundational principle is part of what has made, and will continue to make, America great,' he concluded. 'Consistent with the rule of law, it is the Court's job to make sure, without fear or favor, that we adhere to these principles. serves the public interest.' The petitioner, detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for allegedly being in the country illegally, is currently facing removal proceedings under the Immigration and Naturalization Act. However, he sought emergency relief to prevent his potential designation as an 'alien enemy' and transfer to the Center for Terrorism Confinement in El Salvador. The controversy centers on a recent presidential proclamation declaring the Tren de Aragua gang a 'Foreign Terrorist Organization.' ICE has claimed the petitioner is a known associate of TdA, based on his tattoos and social media activity, though he denies any affiliation. The Alien Enemies Act allows the president broad authority to detain and remove noncitizens deemed 'alien enemies,' a process that is significantly faster than standard immigration proceedings. A recent Supreme Court ruling in Trump v. J.G.G. mandates that detainees must receive notice and a meaningful opportunity for judicial review through habeas corpus before removal. Land's order found that ICE's current procedures, which allow as little as 12 hours to express intent to file a habeas petition and 24 hours to file it, do not meet constitutional due process requirements outlined by the Supreme Court in A.A.R.P. v. Trump. The court ruled that transferring the petitioner to El Salvador without an adequate opportunity to challenge an alien enemy designation would cause irreparable harm, violating his constitutional rights. The injunction prohibits ICE from removing the petitioner as an alien enemy until the government submits a revised removal process compliant with Supreme Court guidelines and the court issues further orders ensuring due process. Land emphasized that the ruling does not interfere with the government's ability to pursue removal under other legal authorities, such as the Immigration and Naturalization Act. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Appeals court orders Tufts student Rumeysa Ozturk transferred to Vermont
May 7 (UPI) -- An appeals court on Wednesday ordered the federal government to comply with a lower court ruling to transfer Tufts University Ph.D. student Rumeysa Ozturk from a Louisiana detention facility to Vermont. The decision by the 2nd Circuit's three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration's request for emergency relief in the challenge to Ozturk's detention and arrived after it heard arguments on Tuesday on the Justice Department's bid to pause a judicial order requiring Ozturk, a 30-year-old doctoral student, to be transferred to ICE custody in Vermont. The three-judge 2nd circuit said the Trump administration has until May 14 to comply with the transfer order. Ozturk was taken into custody by force by the armed agents near her Somerville, Mass., home on March 25, then sent to a Louisiana detention facility despite not being accused of a crime. In early April, Tufts University officials demanded her release "without delay." According to court documents, Ozturk was not notified beforehand. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration Customs Enforcement claim she "had been involved in associations that 'may undermine U.S. foreign policy by creating a hostile environment for Jewish students and indicating support for a designated terrorist organization.'" Ozturk, a Turkish national, co-wrote an op-ed critical of the university's administration and in support of three Tufts Senate resolutions demanding the university acknowledge "the Palestinian genocide" and divest from Israel. The university said her op-ed didn't violate any policies, saying it did not "constitute a violation of the University's understanding of the Immigration and Naturalization Act." Ozturk is currently being held at a Basile, Lou., immigration facility with a bail hearing scheduled Friday in a Vermont federal court in front of U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge orders detained Tufts student Rumeysa Öztürk to be transferred back to Vermont
A federal judge on Friday ordered that the Tufts University student who wrote an essay about Israel and the war in Gaza and is now fighting deportation must be transferred back to Vermont. Judge William K. Sessions III stayed his order for four days to give the government a chance to appeal. Rumeysa Öztürk, a 30-year-old Turkish national in the United States on a visa, is being held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Louisiana. In Friday's ruling, the judge refused efforts by the government to dismiss her habeas petition. He found that Öztürk 'has raised significant constitutional concerns with her arrest and detention.' The Tufts doctoral student was arrested March 25 in Somerville, Massachusetts, and the Department of Homeland Security has accused her of engaging 'in activities in support of Hamas.' She co-wrote an opinion essay in 2024 for the student newspaper that called on Tufts to 'acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,' which the undergraduate student government had demanded in a resolution. The essay criticized university leadership for its response to the student government's resolutions that it 'disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.' 'A university op-ed advocating for human rights and freedom for the Palestinian people should not lead to imprisonment,' one of her attorneys, Mahsa Khanbabai, said Friday. 'Our immigration laws should not be manipulated to rip people away from their homes and their loved ones.' Öztürk's attorneys called Friday's ruling a victory, and said that the federal government was trying to manipulate where her case would be heard so that it could try for its preferred outcome. Friday's ruling allows Öztürk to remain in ICE custody in Vermont while her habeas petition, which challenges her detainment, proceeds in federal court, as well as her removal case in immigration court in Louisiana. The Department of Justice declined to comment Friday. Öztürk is one of a number of international students in the U.S. on visas who the Trump administration is trying to deport for their actions protesting the conduct of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza, which it launched after the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Tufts University has defended Öztürk and has petitioned that she be released from custody. The university said the opinion essay did not violate its policies and was in accordance with its position on free speech. "The University has no further information suggesting that she has acted in a manner that would constitute a violation of the University's understanding of the Immigration and Naturalization Act," the university leadership said in a declaration earlier this article was originally published on
NBC News
19-04-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Judge orders detained Tufts student Rumeysa Öztürk to be transferred back to Vermont
A federal judge on Friday ordered that the Tufts University student who wrote an essay about Israel and the war in Gaza and is now fighting deportation must be transferred back to Vermont. Judge William K. Sessions III stayed his order for four days to give the government a chance to appeal. Rumeysa Öztürk, a 30-year-old Turkish national in the United States on a visa, is being held at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Louisiana. In Friday's ruling, the judge refused efforts by the government to dismiss her habeas petition. He found that Öztürk 'has raised significant constitutional concerns with her arrest and detention.' The Tufts doctoral student was arrested March 25 in Somerville, Massachusetts, and the Department of Homeland Security has accused her of engaging 'in activities in support of Hamas.' She co-wr ote an opinion essay in 2024 for the student newspaper that called on Tufts to 'acknowledge the Palestinian genocide,' which the undergraduate student government had demanded in a resolution. The essay criticized university leadership for its response to the student government's resolutions that it 'disclose its investments and divest from companies with direct or indirect ties to Israel.' 'A university op-ed advocating for human rights and freedom for the Palestinian people should not lead to imprisonment,' one of her attorneys, Mahsa Khanbabai, said Friday. 'Our immigration laws should not be manipulated to rip people away from their homes and their loved ones.' Öztürk's attorneys called Friday's ruling a victory, and said that the federal government was trying to manipulate where her case would be heard so that it could try for its preferred outcome. Friday's ruling allows Öztürk to remain in ICE custody in Vermont while her habeas petition, which challenges her detainment, proceeds in federal court, as well as her removal case in immigration court in Louisiana. The Department of Justice declined to comment Friday. Öztürk is one of a number of international students in the U.S. on visas who the Trump administration is trying to deport for their actions protesting the conduct of Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza, which it launched after the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Tufts University has defended Öztürk and has petitioned that she be released from custody. The university said the opinion essay did not violate its policies and was in accordance with its position on free speech. "The University has no further information suggesting that she has acted in a manner that would constitute a violation of the University's understanding of the Immigration and Naturalization Act," the university leadership said in a declaration earlier this month.
