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Gulf Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Gulf Today
These immigrants fled violence, now harsh reality calls
Carolyn Komatsoulis, Kevin Fixler, Tribune News Service Gregory Bastos remembers being kidnapped along with a friend and beaten by Venezuelan forces for his political activism, not knowing whether he would die. The experience was traumatising, he said, sitting at a cafe in downtown Boise with his wife, Oriana Bastos. The Venezuelan-born couple, both 27, didn't wait long before they crossed the border to Colombia, took a bus to the capital, Bogotá, and flew to Mexico. The two turned themselves in at the US border to request asylum and were detained briefly. Since then, they've been waiting four years for an asylum court date. When a hearing was set for April 10, the two Idaho residents felt like there was an end in sight, finally. But their slot was cancelled a week beforehand because of a judge reassignment, they said, plunging them back into uncertainty. It's been a long road, starting from nothing. Away in the US, Oriana missed the death of her grandmother back home, she said, choking up. Oriana and her husband were both attorneys in South America, but have worked in restaurants and at a hospital locally. She said they've struggled in a different culture, with a different language and with people who aren't always welcoming. And since President Donald Trump retook office, the couple has been dealing with his rhetoric and the ever-changing news cycle. 'He doesn't have any idea what it means to be an immigrant,' Oriana said, in Spanish. 'It's life or death.' Asylum is an internationally recognised protection for people who face persecution in their home countries. The process has long been time consuming. But with the Trump administration's hardening attitude toward immigrants, local lawyers said asylum-seekers are struggling with a more hostile bureaucracy and a chaotic environment. Trump and other members of his administration have said they are trying to make America safer by deporting people and improving security at the US-Mexico border. Gregory and Oriana aren't alone in dealing with the judge's reassignment. Idaho cases are heard in Portland, according to local immigration lawyers, but a Washington state immigration judge used to hear Idaho cases remotely. Then scheduled hearings for Idaho cases started getting cancelled this spring, said Neal Dougherty, a Nampa-based immigration attorney with Ramirez-Smith Law. No official explanation was given. Department of Justice spokesperson Kathryn Mattingly did not answer questions about why those cases were cancelled. Dougherty said, after the reassignment, court dates are now scheduled as far out as 2030. In the past, his clients would wait just two or three years, he said. Some people, like Gregory and Oriana, are still waiting to be rescheduled, he said. Such legal challenges to local asylum-seekers affect more than just Latino communities. People from many other nationalities who are trying to establish legal residency or US citizenship are in the same dilemma. Eddie Hamdard, 30, a native of Afghanistan, received a path to US citizenship through a special immigration visa programme after he assisted the American military during its 20-year war in his home country. He arrived to the US in 2015 and became naturalised in 2020. But he has witnessed past US pledges to grant legal status to his immediate family members stall, and grown more and more frustrated by evolving policies, including sudden changes once Trump re-entered the White House in January. Hamdard, who lives in Boise, has been able to navigate a patchwork of US immigration systems to find routes for his mother, sister and older brother to join him in Idaho. But the status of those applications long remained in flux. And Hamdard has remained unable to find a successful path for his sister's husband. The lack of stability and reliable help and information over the years has severely impacted his and his family's mental health, he told the Statesman. 'My brother feels abandoned by the system he once trusted, while my brother-in-law faces life-threatening risks daily in Afghanistan,' Hamdard said last month. 'Many Afghans perceive US immigration policies as humiliating and dismissive of their sacrifices during US military operations, amplifying feelings of betrayal within our community.' Gregory and Oriana's home state of Táchira, in western Venezuela on the Colombian border, is well-known for its longtime opposition to the country's regime. Both of them protested against the government as part of the political party Acción Democrática. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro took office in 2013 and has presided over the largest economic decline outside of wartime in decades. His critics say he stole an election last year and has imprisoned, tortured and kidnapped people. Millions of Venezuelans have already left in the years since his ascension. Recently, several members of his opposition fled to the US, and the top opposition leader remains in hiding. Inside Venezuela, Gregory and Oriana said they met as law students at a local university. They got married in the US in 2022. 'I believe that us Venezuelans, we don't lose faith,' Oriana said, tearing up. 'That one day it will change and we can go back once again.' Now to be lawyers again, they'd have to save up to attend law school in the US. It's very expensive, they said, especially amid all of their other expenses, including taxes, vehicle costs and sending money home. A dangerous country alone isn't enough for people to qualify for asylum, said J.J. Despain, managing attorney for the Wilner & O'Reilly Boise office. People have to show specific and credible fears to receive protection in the US. Immigrants can either apply on their own or raise asylum as a defense to deportation. For many hoping to stay in the country, asylum is their only legal option, driving up the number of applications, Despain said. The US has just under 2 million open asylum cases, according to the Transaction Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Asylum is under the purview of Congress, not the executive branch. But that didn't stop Trump from issuing orders with immediate impacts on asylum-seekers. In his first days, Trump signed an executive order prohibiting people from seeking asylum through the border with Mexico. His administration also shut down a mobile app called CBP One, which had allowed asylum-seekers to schedule appointments. The administration then cancelled the legal status of around 1 million people who had previously entered the country using the app, including some who had pending asylum applications. A recent memo laid out a plan for judges to dismiss asylum cases without a hearing. 'All that matters is if you're an immigrant, you're an enemy,' Oriana said. Trump campaigned on mass deportations and stopping the flow of immigrants into the country. In recent years, public opinion in the US has shifted to a more anti-immigration stance, according to recent Gallup national polling. That changing public opinion is part of what Gregory, Oriana and Hamdard said they find so discouraging about the current political climate. 'The systemic delays and anti-immigration policies have left my family in chaos — struggling to navigate complex legal processes while facing employment barriers and emotional distress,' Hamdard said.
Politico
5 days ago
- Business
- Politico
DOJ moves to end Boeing felony case
With help from Oriana Pawlyk QUICK FIX — The Justice Department announced a non-prosecution agreement with Boeing in an ongoing fraud conspiracy case tied to deadly crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. — The Army wrapped up an internal review after an early May incident in which a Black Hawk helicopter near the Pentagon caused go-arounds for two commercial jets. — It's a big day in court for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's lawsuit over the Trump administration's attempt to end congestion pricing in Manhattan. IT'S TUESDAY: You're reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We're glad you're here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Sam at sogozalek@ Chris at cmarquette@ and Oriana at opawlyk@ and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_ and @Oriana0214. 'Out on the street, the traffic starts jumpin'/ With folks like me on the job from nine to five.' Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Driving the day BIG CHANGE: The Justice Department said Friday it had reached an agreement to end its felony case against Boeing for the company's role in the 2018 and 2019 MAX 8 disasters in Indonesia and Ethiopia, which killed 346 people. Oriana and Sam have the story. Under the deal, the plane-maker must spend more than $1.1 billion on fines, safety improvements and compensation for the relatives of those who died. Democratic lawmakers last week assailed the DOJ's shift. WHAT MUST THE COMPANY 'ADMIT' TO? Under the agreement, the Justice Department will ask a federal judge to dismiss the case — but Boeing will have to 'admit to conspiracy to obstruct and impede' federal regulators. The company declined to comment. DOJ in a statement said: 'Nothing will diminish the victims' losses, but this resolution holds Boeing financially accountable, provides finality and compensation for the families and makes an impact for the safety of future air travelers.' AWAITING WORD: Judge Reed O'Connor, of the Northern District of Texas, could dismiss the case ahead of a scheduled trial next month. Victims' families filed a petition with the court Friday to oppose that. Aviation SERVICE SAYS IT'S OK: An internal Army review found 'no deviations from approved flight paths and no risk of intersecting air traffic' when on May 1 a Black Hawk helicopter flying in Washington airspace forced two commercial jets inbound for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to perform go-around maneuvers, the military branch said in a statement Friday. (The Army suspended such flights after a wave of concern from lawmakers.) — The service said the Black Hawk was landing at the Pentagon at the time and carried no passengers, and its location was broadcast via ADS-B Out. The go-arounds, directed by air traffic controllers at Reagan National, were 'out of an apparent abundance of caution,' the Army said. The first of these occurred before the helicopter reached the Pentagon helipad and 'was the result of an issue with sequencing of air traffic' by the airport's tower, according to the Army. The second came during the Black Hawk's 'subsequent traffic pattern and was based on conflicting positional data from legacy tracking systems.' MORE SPECIFIC: Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, the Army's aviation chief, in an interview with the AP said that military air traffic controllers lost contact with the Black Hawk for about 20 seconds as it approached the Pentagon 'because a temporary control tower antenna was not set up in a location where it would be able to maintain contact,' the wire service reports. Reagan National controllers aborted the first plane landing as the Black Hawk flew toward the Pentagon because 'both aircraft would be nearing the [building] around the same time, Braman said.' Then, because of the loss of contact, 'the Pentagon's tower did not clear the Black Hawk to land, so the helicopter circled the Pentagon a second time. That's when [Reagan National] controllers ... decided to abort the landing of a second jet' because 'they did not have a confident fix on the Black Hawk's location,' according to the AP, which cited Braman. GETTING SOME CLARITY: In a call with reporters Friday, United Airlines offered a breakdown of how the FAA's interim order temporarily capping hourly arrival and departure rates at Newark Liberty International Airport compares to current flight operations. The key difference? The airport normally is scheduled to have 77 arrivals and departures per hour, but instead has regularly operated around 83 to 84 per hour (including both domestic and international travel). Many airlines reduced their schedules due to ongoing runway construction that goes until June 15 at Newark. Then, after the radar and communications outages began late last month, United further lowered its number of flights. — Now, under the FAA's order, both arrivals and departures can't exceed 28 per hour (56 total) until mid-June and on Saturdays from Sept. 1 until the end of the year. They also can't go above 34 per hour (68 total) through Oct. 25, after the daily runway construction wraps up next month. (The lower cap will still apply on Saturdays during this timeframe.) Automobiles TAKING IT TO COURT: A federal judge in New York City at 10 a.m. today will hold a hearing on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's pending request for a preliminary injunction that would block DOT from terminating the congestion pricing tolls in Manhattan while a lawsuit continues. (Others are seeking an injunction, as well: the New York DOT, New York City DOT and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority.) Electric Vehicles DISMISSIVE: A day after the Government Accountability Office concluded that DOT had violated federal impoundment law by refusing to spend appropriated funds on electric vehicle charging infrastructure, White House budget director Russell Vought on Friday mocked the watchdog's opinion in an X post. 'These are non-events with no consequence. Rearview mirror stuff,' he wrote, after noting that he expects similar GAO findings in the future. ALL IN THIS TOGETHER? The governors of Colorado, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington said Friday they are joining California to form an 'Affordable Clean Cars Coalition' — but avoided any policy commitments, Camille von Kaenel reports. The announcement came after the Senate voted last week to overturn a Biden-era EPA waiver for California's EV mandate, which these states had signed on to. (Some had recently taken steps to roll back their commitments.) At the Agencies ICYMI: Democrats on the House Oversight Committee in an X post Friday, referencing a recent Reuters report that a DOGE team has been assigned to review operations at the NTSB, said: 'This is a blatant conflict of interest. Oversight Dems will not allow Musk to weaken the agency that keeps our roads safe and give his company a free pass.' (The independent safety board has probed Tesla crashes.) The Autobahn — 'Runway lights not working before fatal San Diego plane crash, NTSB says.' Washington Post. — 'SpaceX Pushes to Get Starship Rocket Ready for Mars by Next Year.' Wall Street Journal. — 'Tariffs Add Fuel to Hot Used-Car Sales.' Wall Street Journal. — 'Daddy's home: Andy Byford to make NYC return for Penn Station remake, White House says.' Gothamist. — 'Inside United's Command Center at Newark Airport.' New York Times.
Politico
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
A spending bill brawl or early recess?
Presented by American Public Transportation Association With help from Oriana Pawlyk Quick Fix — A possible government shutdown looms this week. Here's what House Republicans' funding patch would mean for DHS. — The agency said it will cancel the collective bargaining agreement that covers baggage screeners at the Transportation Security Administration. Prepare for a legal battle. — Marc Molinaro, the nominee to lead the Federal Transit Administration, pledged to stop consulting for Cornell University and a New York City private equity firm if he makes it through the Senate. IT'S MONDAY: You're reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We're glad you're here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Sam at sogozalek@ Chris at cmarquette@ and Oriana at opawlyk@ and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_ and @Oriana0214. 'Passed Alger Brook Road, I'm over the bridge/ A minute from home but I feel so far from it.' Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Driving the Week IT'S A SHOWDOWN: House Republicans dropped their spending stopgap over the weekend as a potential government shutdown inches closer. With a deadline of midnight Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson wants to hold a floor vote on the continuing resolution Tuesday evening. If he can muscle it through the chamber, GOP leaders are likely to cancel any further House votes this week and send members home early for the upcoming recess, which would pressure the Senate to not amend the bill, Meredith Lee Hill reports. President Donald Trump on Saturday endorsed the nearly seven-month funding patch, which would run through the end of fiscal 2025. WHAT'S IN THE CR? The stopgap would boost defense spending by about $6 billion, while non-defense funding would drop by roughly $13 billion. (Earmarks would be stripped in the package.) Meredith and Jennifer Scholtes have the story. Your MT host noticed these tidbits in the legislation: — The bill would extend existing counter-drone authorities for the Justice Department and DHS until late September. — The Transportation Security Administration would see a rescission of about $15.8 million for operations and support. Aviation COURT FIGHT LIKELY: DHS announced Friday that it plans to terminate the collective bargaining agreement that covers about 45,000 workers at TSA, including baggage scanners, Nick Niedzwiadek and Oriana report. The move is expected to draw a lawsuit. — The agency confirmed that it will immediately stop using its payroll system to collect union dues, and in a statement argued that the decision will 'strengthen workforce agility.' The American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing screeners, said the action disregards workers' rights and in a statement called it 'clearly retaliatory' for the organization's recent lawsuits against the Trump administration. SEEKING DETAILS: A group of almost 50 House Democrats, including Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Transportation Committee, wrote to acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau on Friday seeking clarity on whether the agency plans to cancel a $2.4 billion Verizon contract to upgrade an air traffic control communications system and award the work to Elon Musk's Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX. They asked for a response no later than Friday. (SpaceX has denied reports that Starlink could fully take over the contract.) CANTWELL DRILLS DOWN: Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Commerce Committee, sent a letter Friday to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting information on how many military helicopters in the Washington region operate without ADS-B Out transmitting. (The technology broadcasts various details about an aircraft.) As MT readers will know, this has become a key issue for lawmakers in the wake of the regional jet-Black Hawk crash above the Potomac River. MAKING THE ROUNDS: Duffy will be in Seattle on Thursday to tour Boeing and learn more about the company's processes and engineering, according to a DOT spokesperson. Reminder: Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg will appear before lawmakers in early April for a Commerce Committee hearing on what the planemaker has been doing to address safety and production issues. NEW REVIEW: The FAA said Friday it will launch a safety-risk analysis of 'close encounters' between pilots flying visually and those under air traffic control. The action follows a meeting last week involving more than two dozen agency, industry and labor leaders. The FAA also plans to boost outreach about radio communication phrases and Notice to Airmen alerts around busy airports. And the agency said it will explore 'additional tools for pilots to assess operational risk and their own performance.' Ethics STEPPING ASIDE: Marc Molinaro, Trump's pick to head the Federal Transit Administration, says he will stop consulting for Cornell University and a New York City private equity firm focused on the aerospace and maritime industries, among other sectors, if he makes it through the Senate, according to his ethics agreement released Friday. Molinaro also pledges to not participate 'personally and substantially' in any matters involving the college or the firm, J.F. Lehman & Company LLC, in the year after he resigns from his roles — unless he first gets government authorization to do so. — Molinaro in his financial disclosure, which was also published Friday, reported $75,000 and $4,000 in consulting fees from the company and the university, respectively. Cornell didn't respond to a request for clarification on what his work entailed. Molinaro, a former House Republican from New York who came up short in his reelection bid last year, also says he would stop consulting for other entities, too, such as Red Maverick Media, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, political consulting firm that touts its work as Sen. Susan Collins' (R-Maine) 2020 campaign mail vendor. On The Hill NOT AT THE FOREFRONT: Your MT host caught up with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Shelley Moore Capito ( who chair the Commerce Committee and Environment and Public Works Committee, respectively, to ask if they want to overturn any DOT regulations via a Congressional Review Act resolution: — Cruz: 'None that come to mind immediately,' he said. 'We're systematically assessing rules from every agency and seeing which ones are appropriate for the CRA.' — Capito: 'I mean, we are looking at it, but ... nothing comes to mind,' she said. HEADED TO THE FLOOR: The Senate appears poised to consider a motion Tuesday to invoke cloture on Steven Bradbury's nomination to be deputy DOT secretary — and his full floor vote is expected to come about two hours later. Bradbury, the agency's former general counsel and a distinguished fellow at the Heritage Foundation, who contributed to Project 2025, is likely to be confirmed along party lines. BATTER UP: Molinaro, the FTA administrator nominee, may appear before the Senate Banking Committee the week of March 24 (after the upcoming recess), a person close to the process told Chris on Friday. Trucking TAKING CHARGE: DOT said Friday that Adrienne Camire, who was FHWA's chief counsel during the first Trump term, will be the FMCSA's acting administrator. Duffy in a statement praised Camire and said he has 'no doubt' that the agency will 'continue to make our roads safer and keep America moving under her leadership.' Chris has the details. At the Agencies DRESS FOR SUCCESS: Chris obtained a recent memo from DOT to employees outlining a new dress code pilot that applies to those working out of the agency's headquarters in Navy Yard. It's called 'Dress for Your Day.' (Workers like inspectors, who wear uniforms outside of the office, must have attire that aligns with safety regulations.) Your MT team wants to hear from you! What are your thoughts on the policy? Reach Chris via Signal at: (202) 417-4999. — The announcement follows remarks that Duffy made at a virtual town hall last month, during which he said he was exploring a 'more casual environment' when it comes to the dress code at headquarters. 'I like to wear a suit when I have to wear a suit, but I like to dress down when I can dress down,' he said. SO WHAT, EXACTLY, IS THE PILOT?: The policy is intended to give employees flexibility in how they dress based on their work activities. A few highlights that illustrate the idea: — Business casual: This is for office work outside of a formal meeting. Expect shirts, blouses, trousers, skirts and professional footwear. (At the town hall, Duffy said no to shorts or flip flops.) — Smart casual: I.e., 'less formal Fridays' — like when office hours change due to bad weather. In this case, you're free to rock dark or colored denim, polos, sweaters and casual (but still sleek) footwear. The Autobahn — 'The FAA's Troubles Are More Serious Than You Know.' Atlantic. — 'Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk.' New York Times. — 'Trump's Tariffs Could Help Tesla, by Hurting Its Rivals More.' New York Times. — 'Rage Against Elon Musk Turns Tesla Into a Target.' New York Times. — 'Teen with gun on plane disarmed and tackled by passengers.' Washington Post. — 'Wi-Fi From Musk's Starlink Is Now Coming to a United Airlines Airplane Near You.' Bloomberg. — 'Volkswagen to recall over 177,000 SUVs over loose engine cover, NHTSA says.' Reuters. — 'Nissan board to discuss potential CEO successors at March 11 meeting, sources say.' Reuters. — 'Pulitzer winner Gates retiring from Seattle Times.' Talking Biz News. — ''I don't trust a word of it': Federal workers deeply skeptical that Trump will rein in Musk.' POLITICO Pro. — 'Trucking, construction companies sue over California's diesel emissions rule.' POLITICO Pro.
