US faith groups claim legal victories on refugees, ICE raids at houses of worship
RNS Religious groups challenging President Donald Trump won a pair of legal victories this week, blocking the administration’s efforts to dismantle the refugee program and reinstating sensitive-location protections from immigration enforcement in some houses of worship. On Tuesday, a federal judge in Washington state sided with the plaintiffs – which included Church World Service, HIAS […]
Biden imposes sweeping asylum ban at US-Mexico border
Washington DC, US Reuters US President Joe Biden on Tuesday instituted a broad asylum ban on migrants caught illegally crossing the US-Mexico border, a major enforcement move in the run-up to November elections that will decide control of the White House. Migrants caught crossing illegally could be quickly deported or turned back to Mexico under […]
Biden signs executive order on abortion, declares Supreme Court “out of control”
Washington DC, US Reuters US President Joe Biden said the Supreme Court decision overturning the right to an abortion was an exercise in “raw political power” and signed an executive order on Friday to ease access to services to terminate pregnancies. Biden, a Democrat, has been under pressure from his own party to take action […]
US refugee cap: Biden reverses course after faith groups express outrage
JACK JENKINS and EMILY MCFARLAN MILLER, writing for Religion News Service, report on the Biden administration indicated it would lift a cap on refugee resettlement numbers after an outcry from faith groups over what one leader described as a “breath-taking betrayal”…
With new executive order in US, this immigrant is leaving church sanctuary after 3.5 years
Durham, North Carolina, US RNS Jose Chicas, a native of El Salvador who has been living in church sanctuary for more than three years, will move out Friday after President Joe Biden signed an executive order temporarily halting the deportation of undocumented immigrants. Chicas, 55, has been living in an old clapboard house next door […]
Essay: US punishes International Criminal Court for investigating potential war crimes in Afghanistan
International human rights lawyer SUSAN M AKRAM – in an article first published on The Conversation, looks at this week’s announcement that the US would apply sanctions against members of the International Criminal Court…
Trump move could scrap or weaken law that protects social media companies
Washington DC, US Reuters President Donald Trump said he will introduce legislation that may scrap or weaken a law that has protected internet companies, including Twitter and Facebook, in an extraordinary attempt to regulate social media platforms where he has been criticised. The proposed legislation is part of an executive order Trump signed on Thursday […]
Trump declares anti-human trafficking push but some stay away
Mexico City, MexicoThomson Reuters Foundation US President Donald Trump on Friday vowed to boost measures to fight human trafficking, but several anti-trafficking groups skipped the White House event amid criticism that his immigration policies enable modern slavery. In next year’s government budget will be a request for $US70 million to fight trafficking, and an anti-trafficking […]
New Trump rule would target legal immigrants who get public assistance
Reuters US President Donald Trump’s administration unveiled a sweeping rule on Monday that would limit legal immigration by denying visas and permanent residency to hundreds of thousands of people for being too poor. The long-anticipated rule, pushed by Trump’s leading aide on immigration Stephen Miller, takes effect on 15th October and would reject applicants for […]
Trump marks National Day of Prayer with new faith initiative
RNS US President Donald Trump marked his second National Day of Prayer at the White House by signing an executive order he said would protect the liberty of religious groups and give them fair access to government funds. The new White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative will foster policies that acknowledge the “vital role of […]