Immigration
Arrest of Palestinian protester shows escalation in Trump deportation efforts
The move is an escalation in Trump's effort to increase deportations from the U.S. and strip protections from those who violate the new administration's priorities.
President Trump brings back practice of detaining families together
President Trump also detained families during his first term in an effort to deter migration through the southern border.
Immigration bills make headway in Montgomery
Immigration is one of the major issues of the moment at the national level. Alabama lawmakers are not far behind by taking up several bills intended to fight illegal immigration. We hear about some of those measures plus other action this week in Montgomery from Todd Stacy, host of Capitol Journal on Alabama Public Television.
As Trump shrinks other parts of government, immigration task forces grow
The Trump administration is tapping several other agencies to help deport and arrest those without legal status — a novel step that is prompting some pushback.
In child care centers and on farms, businesses are bracing for more immigration raids
The Trump administration's immigration positions — including mass deportation — have put businesses that employ people without legal status on notice.
NBC settles defamation lawsuit with doctor falsely labeled “uterus collector”
MSNBC had aired stories falsely claiming the doctor performed mass hysterectomies on female detainees at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Georgia.
Q&A: What immigrants should know about their Constitutional rights during an ICE visit
Anxiety has reigned at some schools, churches and hospitals after moves by the Trump administration rolled back protections that had previously shielded them from visits from U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The moves have sparked conversations, including some worry and public pushback, in the South.
Trump aims to cut benefits for those without legal status. Most already don’t qualify
A new executive order aims to prevent taxpayer money from supporting people in the U.S. without legal status and targets federal funding for cities and states that support sanctuary policies.
Nearly 300 deportees from U.S. held in Panama hotel
The migrants hailed from 10 mostly Asian countries the U.S. has difficulty deporting migrants to directly. Panama is being used as a stopover.
Immigration poll shows growing support for restrictions, but deep divisions remain
A new NPR/Ipsos poll shows growing support for some restrictions on immigration. Still, many elements of President Trump's sweeping crackdown are unpopular with Democrats and independents.
27 religious groups sue administration over immigration enforcement policy
27 religious groups are suing the federal government in response to the Trump administration's policy giving immigration agents more leeway to make arrests at "sensitive locations" like churches.
Pope rebukes Trump over migrant deportations and refutes VP Vance’s theology
In a strongly-worded letter to Catholic bishops in the United States, Pope Francis is taking to task the Trump Administration's stance on migrants, and that he's following what he calls a "major crisis" with the initiation of mass deportation.
Three migrants win temporary block from potential transfer to Guantanamo
It is the first legal hurdle thrown up to the Trump administration as it seeks to send thousands of migrants to a detention facility on the naval base near Cuba.
Republicans target immigration in legislature’s opening week
Republicans hit the ground running as the Alabama legislative session started this week. Among their top priorities is a package of immigration bills, which advanced out of committee and onto the Senate. We talk about that and other action this week with Todd Stacey, host of Capital Journal and Alabama Public Television.
Guatemala gives U.S. another migrant deportation deal
The agreements potentially help the Trump administration address a key sticking point in immigration enforcement since not everyone in the U.S. illegally can be easily sent back home.
Homeland Security’s workforce might not be as big as Trump’s immigration goals
Changes to hiring and retention practices grew the department by 19,000 people in four years. But former officials warn that's still not enough for Trump's ambitious policy goals.
Fearing encounters with ICE, tribal leaders offer guidance to their members
Tribal leaders are advising members on what to do if they're approached by federal law enforcement. The guidance follows what tribal leaders call concerning encounters with immigration officials.
Trump wants to end birthright citizenship. That’s easier said than done
One of Trump's executive orders moves to end birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the Constitution. Here's what you need to know about the legal principle and its possible future.
Congress clears GOP-led immigration enforcement bill, with Democrats on board
The House voted 263 to 156 to approve the Laken Riley act, sending the measure to Trump for his signature. The measure would make it easier for federal immigration officials to detain and deport those without legal status who are charged with specific crimes.
Trump orders end of humanitarian parole for migrants of four countries
Under the Biden administration, migrants from embattled countries could apply for entry due for humanitarian reasons, without having to attempt to cross into the U.S. illegally.
Trump promised dozens of actions on immigration on Day 1. Here’s what we know
Trump campaigned on border security promises, and he and his allies argue that his electoral win is an endorsement of his upcoming actions on the issue.
For small cities across Alabama with Haitian populations, Springfield is a cautionary tale
Amid mounting tension, a bipartisan group of local religious leaders, law enforcement officials and residents across Alabama sees the fallout in Springfield as a cautionary tale. They've been taking steps to help integrate the state's Haitian population in the small cities where they live.
Britt used decades-old example of rapes in Mexico as Republican attack on Biden border policy
An independent journalist revealed in a TikTok video Friday that the sex trafficking of the victim mentioned by Britt on Thursday did not happen during the Biden administration or in the United States.
WATCH: A conversation on the experiences of Cameroonians in immigration detention with the Gulf States Newsroom
Watch a replay of the Gulf States Newsroom's virtual listening session for Bobbi-Jeanne Misick's series on the experiences of Cameroonian asylum seekers.
The imbalanced scales of immigration justice: A listening session and conversation
The Gulf States Newsroom and Type Investigations will host a listening session and conversation on Bobbi-Jeanne Misick’s three-part audio series.
New complaint alleges sex assault, medical neglect, abuse of detainee at Louisiana ICE facility
The attorneys and advocates who filed the complaint on Daniel Cortes De La Valle’s behalf are asking ICE to release him immediately.
Spurred by slow deportation wait times, Louisiana ICE detainees attempted a hunger strike
A man held at the ICE facility in Jena said detainees are being held in some cases up to three months after receiving their final deportation notices.
A small team works to aid immigrants in Louisiana: ‘Do the best you can with the time you have’
Three women detail the grueling, personal work behind regular visits to Louisiana’s detention centers to help immigrants make it through the asylum process.
‘White Lies’ sheds light on a prison takeover in Talladega that led to today’s immigration system
Many don’t realize a notable moment that shaped our current immigration system happened in Talladega, Alabama, when Cuban detainees took over a federal prison there.
Advocacy group helps Mexican families in Alabama reunite after decades apart
Some Mexican immigrants living in the U.S. hadn't seen their parents for decades. An advocacy group in Alabama is working with Mexican officials to reunite dozens of families in time for the holidays.
Organización ayuda a familias mexicanas reunirse después de décadas separadas
Algunos inmigrantes mexicanos que viven en los Estados Unidos no han visto a sus padres por décadas. Una ONG en Alabama trabaja con las autoridades mexicanas para reunir a decenas de estas familias.
Denial, detention and deportation threats: The uphill battle for Cameroonian asylum seekers in Louisiana and Mississippi
A Gulf States Newsroom investigation digs into the Deep South’s thorny regional immigration system and the obstacles and steep odds at every turn.
