Latest news with #migrant
Bloomberg
29-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Spain Bets on 1 Million Migrants to Keep Its Economy Growing
Abdou Gueye was so determined to get to Spain that he made the dangerous boat journey from his native Senegal to the Canary archipelago twice. The first time, 25 years ago, authorities sent him back. The second time they more or less turned a blind eye. So he stayed, in legal limbo, and for the past five years has been eking out a living as a cleaner, a cook and a farmhand. The 60-year-old wasn't able to get a residency permit all that time, but saw an opportunity when last week a rumor spread among the migrant community on the island of Tenerife: The government wanted to roll out a 'mass regularization' of undocumented laborers, including from Africa. The rumor turned out to be true. Gueye is now rushing to collect documents that prove he's been living in Spain, and has never committed a crime. While details are still being negotiated among political parties, he hopes he'll qualify and access full civil and social benefits once he retires.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Fleeing US deportations, it took this family of asylum seekers three tries to enter Canada
The Rainbow Bridge, which crosses the Niagara River between the United States and Canada, has for decades been a symbol of peace connecting two for Araceli, a Salvadorian immigrant, and her family, the bridge represented a seemingly insurmountable with her partner and two daughters, aged four and 14, the family first attempted to cross the bridge on 17 had arrived with a suitcase and documents that they believed assured them they would soon be reunited with Araceli's siblings on Canadian soil and escape the threat of US President Donald Trump's mass the plan failed. Not just once, but a third attempt proved successful, immigration experts and official statistics point to a rise of asylum seekers at the border fleeing not just their homelands, but President Trump's immigration policies. The exception to the rule Araceli and her family had been living illegally in the US for more than a decade – only her youngest daughter, who was born in New Jersey, has a US the US, Araceli built a life for herself and tried to initiate an asylum application process, but was unsuccessful."They charged me money and told me I would get a work permit. I paid that to a lawyer, but they never gave me an answer as to whether it was approved or not," she told BBC Mundo from a migrant shelter near the US-Canada has 12 siblings, and like her, several left El Salvador due to safety concerns in the rural community where they grew up. Two of them managed to start from scratch in President Trump's inauguration, amid reports of mass raids and deportations, Araceli began to fear for her and her family's safety – especially after the administration began sending illegal migrants to a notorious Salvadorian because both Canada and the US have signed onto the "safe third country agreement," migrants, like Araceli, who have been denied refuge in one country are not supposed to be granted asylum in the other. The agreement states that asylum seekers must apply for asylum in the first country where they land. There are exceptions. One of them is if the asylum seeker arriving from the US can prove they have a close relative in Canada who meets certain requirements, they can enter the country and begin their refugee claim Araceli and her family said goodbye to the life they had built in the US to join her two brothers in crossing the Rainbow Bridge, they arrived at the border check point to make their asylum claim. She said she had all the original documents proving her relationship to her brother."They took everything, even our backpack, and we were left with nothing,"They spent the entire night in a waiting room, occasionally answering questions, until an agent found a problem with the application."They found a small detail: on my [birth] certificate, my father only had one last name, and on my brother's, he had two."And although the document had a clarification explaining that such inaccuracies are common in El Salvador, the agent denied them entry to Canada. A second attempt The family returned, resigned and anguished, having to face their greatest fear: being separated and the US checkpoint, they were put in a room with no windows."The four of us spent 14 days in that cell," Araceli said, clarifying that they could go out to use the bathroom, but were barely allowed brother reached out to an organisation that works with migrants, who helped them hire an attorney, Heather she was preparing their documentation, and without any explanation, the family was given an apparent second chance."Two agents arrived at the cell and said: 'Congratulations, you're going to Canada'," Araceli their hopes were short-lived."We've been too generous in welcoming you back here," she recalled the agent saying after the family applied for asylum in Canada a second time. "The United States will see what it does with you."A spokesperson declined to comment on Araceli's case in particular, citing the country's privacy laws. 'It's not fair': Other refugees in limbo as US welcomes white South AfricansWhat is the 1798 law that Trump used to deport migrants?What is habeas corpus and why might Donald Trump want to suspend it? One thing's for sure - more families like Araceli's are seeking exceptions to come to the number of people attempting to cross into the United States from Canada has decreased significantly, the number of asylum seekers being denied entry into Canada from the US has to official figures from the United States government,13,547 apprehensions were reported along the entire northern border as of March 2025 – a 70% decrease compared to the number recorded in the first quarter of the number of migrants seeking asylum in Canada and being returned to the US has increased this year, according to data from Canada Border Services April of this year, 359 people, including adults and children, were found ineligible for asylum in Canada, compared to 180 people in April Neufeld believes the increase in the number of people turned away is due to "stricter" border policy at the Canadian side. In December 2024, Canada announced an investment of C$1.3bn ($950m; £705m) to "strengthen border security and strengthen the immigration system".The move was largely seen as an attempt to placate Trump, who has justified widespread tariffs against Canada by blaming the country for illegal immigration into the February, amid a brewing trade war, the Canadian government announced it would further expand this CBSA has also committed to increasing the number of removals from 16,000 to 20,000 (a 25% increase) for fiscal years a spokesperson for CBSA told BBC Mundo that they have not changed how they do things: "We have made no changes to policies or processes". Immigration Confusion Denied entry to Canada for the second time, Araceli and her family had to cross the border back into the US, which scared them."In this day and age, it's not just about being sent to the United States. There's an immediate risk of detention and deportation," Ms Neufeld problem now was that this second trip to Canada was counted as a reconsideration of the case, the only one the family is entitled to under that country's Neufeld said that Canadian border agents made a mistake."They didn't act like they had in the past with other clients, nor did they agree to an interview with the brother when they normally do," she to Ms Neufeld, the family didn't return to Canada of their own free will, but because the US authorities told them to, and so their second attempt should not have been considered an official get a third opportunity to cross the border and make an asylum claim, Araceli would need a Canadian court to they returned to America, her partner was sent to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center, while Araceli was made to wear an ankle monitor and she and her children went to a migrant shelter."They came to tell us they were giving us three minutes to say goodbye because my husband was going to be taken to a detention center," Araceli recalls, her voice breaking. Many more like this A week later, following complex negotiations between the lawyers, a Canadian federal court agreed to allow the family to return to the border to be 5 May - seven weeks after the first attempt - Araceli crossed the bridge once again. This time, she had her lawyer with 12 hours, a border agent opened the doors and said "welcome to Canada and good luck with your new life", she recalled."I felt immense joy, it's indescribable," Araceli told Canadian public broadcaster CBC earlier in May, adding: "My daughters gave me so much strength."But it was a bittersweet celebration, as her partner remained in the US for two more weeks, caught up in ongoing legal proceedings. The family hired a lawyer to take on his case."They managed to get him out on bail, and that's something not all detention centers allow. The whole family had to make a huge effort; they had to sell things to be able to pay for it," Ms Neufeld to her, this family's case reflects the changes that have recently occurred on the northern border."There are many more Aracelis, but we can't know where they are or what situation they are facing. Most people lack the capacity to fight to have their rights respected."
CNN
21-05-2025
- CNN
A 24-year-old Venezuelan man posed as a teenage homeless migrant and forged documents to enroll at an Ohio high school, officials say
A 24-year-old man was arrested Monday for allegedly forging documents to enroll in an Ohio high school, where he studied for over a year before the identity fraud was discovered, authorities said. Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra enrolled at Perrysburg High School in January 2024 with a Venezuelan birth certificate showing he was 16 years old, claiming he was a homeless migrant who had been trafficked into the country, according to a Perrysburg Police Division incident report. Labrador Sierra started at the school and was eventually placed with a local family who had previously hosted exchange students, according to the police report. The host family was granted temporary and later permanent guardianship of Labrador Sierra in 2024, and they helped him with obtaining a social security number and driver's license while he was in their custody, according to the police report. He also used forged documents to obtain federal Temporary Protective Status (TPS) from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Perrysburg Schools said in a statement. Migrants under TPS humanitarian relief are protected from being removed from the country or detained based on their immigration status, and may obtain legal employment, according to the USCIS website. Labrador Sierra's identity first came into question on May 14, when a woman contacted the guardian family and told them he was actually a 24-year-old man and the father of her child, police said. She sent them several photos: a driver's license and social security card with Labrador Sierra's name and a March 27, 2001, birth date; and several from Facebook showing her and Labrador Sierra, along with Labrador Sierra with a child. The guardians contacted the school district that evening, according to Perrysburg Schools. Administrators met with Labrador Sierra the following day and 'he denied the allegation and asserted that the birth certificate submitted during enrollment - which indicates he is currently 17 years old - was accurate,' the school's statement says. CNN has reached out to an attorney for Labrador Sierra for comment. 'Given the seriousness of the claim, Perrysburg Schools immediately directed the guardians to keep Labrador off school property while the matter was investigated further,' the school district said. During the course of the investigation, the district said it 'found social media posts by others, including those claiming to be Labrador Sierra's family.' Police said those posts include several from a Zulay Sierra, whom they believe to be Labrador Sierra's mother based on the birth certificate he provided to the school district. One of the posts she shared shows Labrador Sierra wearing a Perrysburg soccer uniform with the caption 'Happy birthday son,' according to police. It was dated March 27 – matching the birth date on the picture of the driver's license that the woman had sent the guardians, according to the police report. Police reached out to US Customs and Border Patrol and were told Labrador Sierra 'had an expired work visa and that he was considered an overstay in this country,' according to the police report. CBP told police his visa had expired in 2023, the year he reached out to enroll in high school, police said. The Perrysburg Township Police arrested Labrador Monday during a traffic stop on a forgery warrant. He was riding in the passenger seat of the car driven by the woman who had exposed his identity to his guardian family, according to the police report. CNN has reached out to the guardian family and the woman who contacted them for comment. Labrador Sierra was arraigned Tuesday, court records show. He pleaded not guilty to a forgery charge, a fifth-degree felony. His bond was set at $50,000, and his next court date is scheduled for May 29. He may soon be facing federal charges as well, according to US Customs and Border Protection. 'Labrador is an illegal alien who overstayed his visa and has no legal status. US Border Patrol placed an immigration detainer on him with the local police department,' a CBP spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. 'Federal charges are being pursued.' Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement confirming Labrador Sierra is from Venezuela and calling his actions 'disturbing.' McLaughlin said US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, also lodged a detainer against him. The school district called the situation 'highly unusual,' but added that it 'is confident proper legal channels were followed to provide support for an individual presenting themselves as an unaccompanied minor…' CNN's Hanna Park contributed to this report.
CNN
21-05-2025
- CNN
A 24-year-old Venezuelan man posed as a teenage homeless migrant and forged documents to enroll at an Ohio high school, officials say
A 24-year-old man was arrested Monday for allegedly forging documents to enroll in an Ohio high school, where he studied for over a year before the identity fraud was discovered, authorities said. Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra enrolled at Perrysburg High School in January 2024 with a Venezuelan birth certificate showing he was 16 years old, claiming he was a homeless migrant who had been trafficked into the country, according to a Perrysburg Police Division incident report. Labrador Sierra started at the school and was eventually placed with a local family who had previously hosted exchange students, according to the police report. The host family was granted temporary and later permanent guardianship of Labrador Sierra in 2024, and they helped him with obtaining a social security number and driver's license while he was in their custody, according to the police report. He also used forged documents to obtain federal Temporary Protective Status (TPS) from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Perrysburg Schools said in a statement. Migrants under TPS humanitarian relief are protected from being removed from the country or detained based on their immigration status, and may obtain legal employment, according to the USCIS website. Labrador Sierra's identity first came into question on May 14, when a woman contacted the guardian family and told them he was actually a 24-year-old man and the father of her child, police said. She sent them several photos: a driver's license and social security card with Labrador Sierra's name and a March 27, 2001, birth date; and several from Facebook showing her and Labrador Sierra, along with Labrador Sierra with a child. The guardians contacted the school district that evening, according to Perrysburg Schools. Administrators met with Labrador Sierra the following day and 'he denied the allegation and asserted that the birth certificate submitted during enrollment - which indicates he is currently 17 years old - was accurate,' the school's statement says. CNN has reached out to an attorney for Labrador Sierra for comment. 'Given the seriousness of the claim, Perrysburg Schools immediately directed the guardians to keep Labrador off school property while the matter was investigated further,' the school district said. During the course of the investigation, the district said it 'found social media posts by others, including those claiming to be Labrador Sierra's family.' Police said those posts include several from a Zulay Sierra, whom they believe to be Labrador Sierra's mother based on the birth certificate he provided to the school district. One of the posts she shared shows Labrador Sierra wearing a Perrysburg soccer uniform with the caption 'Happy birthday son,' according to police. It was dated March 27 – matching the birth date on the picture of the driver's license that the woman had sent the guardians, according to the police report. Police reached out to US Customs and Border Patrol and were told Labrador Sierra 'had an expired work visa and that he was considered an overstay in this country,' according to the police report. CBP told police his visa had expired in 2023, the year he reached out to enroll in high school, police said. The Perrysburg Township Police arrested Labrador Monday during a traffic stop on a forgery warrant. He was riding in the passenger seat of the car driven by the woman who had exposed his identity to his guardian family, according to the police report. CNN has reached out to the guardian family and the woman who contacted them for comment. Labrador Sierra was arraigned Tuesday, court records show. He pleaded not guilty to a forgery charge, a fifth-degree felony. His bond was set at $50,000, and his next court date is scheduled for May 29. He may soon be facing federal charges as well, according to US Customs and Border Protection. 'Labrador is an illegal alien who overstayed his visa and has no legal status. US Border Patrol placed an immigration detainer on him with the local police department,' a CBP spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. 'Federal charges are being pursued.' Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement confirming Labrador Sierra is from Venezuela and calling his actions 'disturbing.' McLaughlin said US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, also lodged a detainer against him. The school district called the situation 'highly unusual,' but added that it 'is confident proper legal channels were followed to provide support for an individual presenting themselves as an unaccompanied minor…' CNN's Hanna Park contributed to this report.
Fox News
21-05-2025
- General
- Fox News
WATCH LIVE: ICE holds briefing on deported migrant flight to South Sudan
All times eastern FOX News Radio Live Channel Coverage WATCH LIVE: ICE holds briefs on deported migrant flight to South Sudan
