North American immigrant issues
Trump threatens to use military to fund border wall
By Kevin Martinez, 12 December 2018
The president’s threat was followed by a tense meeting in the Oval Office with Democratic leaders where he threatened a government shutdown over funding for the wall.
San Diego workers and youth speak out in defense of refugees at US-Mexico border
By our reporters, 4 December 2018
American and Mexican citizens alike defended the migrant caravan and condemned the tear gas fired by the Border Patrol.
Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated as new president of Mexico
By Alex González and Don Knowland, 3 December 2018
Popular illusions in promises by the new president to end decades of poverty and oppression in Mexico will crash against his limited, bourgeois program.
Central American migrants facing horror on US border
By Bill Van Auken, 1 December 2018
The deliberate confinement of thousands of refugees—men, women and children—under desperate conditions is a crime against humanity.
Three killed, eight injured in high speed US Border Patrol chase in southern California
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 1 December 2018
This latest tragedy must be viewed in the context of the Trump administration’s fascistic attack on immigrants.
Transgender asylum seeker beaten in US custody before her death, according to autopsy
By Kevin Martinez, 29 November 2018
Roxsana Hernandez Rodriguez died weeks after turning herself in at the San Ysidro port of entry in California seeking asylum from the discrimination and abuse she faced in Honduras.
After Trump fires tear gas at immigrant children
Sanders declares caravan members lack a “credible” claim to asylum
By Barry Grey, 29 November 2018
Asked whether he believed that immigrants fleeing poverty and violence in Central America “all have a credible claim for asylum,” the senator declared, “No, I don’t.”
The military-police assault at San Ysidro
Defend immigrant workers from state violence!
By Eric London, 27 November 2018
The Socialist Equality Party (US) condemns the US government’s military operation at the US-Mexico border Sunday as a horrific crime against humanity.
US immigrants go hungry for fear using food stamps will lead to deportation
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 27 November 2018
Household food insecurity among immigrant families in the US for less than five years increased from 9.9 percent in 2007 to 17.8 percent in the first half of 2018.
Hundreds rally in San Diego in defense of migrant caravan
By our reporters, 26 November 2018
Over 200 people attended a rally just hours before the US Customs and Border Protection shut down the crossing and fired tear gas at immigrants seeking to enter the US.
US military, border police attack asylum seekers at US-Mexico border
By Eric London, 26 November 2018
With the border under effective martial law, US forces deployed tear gas, rubber bullets and flash bang grenades against impoverished Central American workers and their families.
In Thanksgiving teleconference, Trump appeals to military against courts, political opponents
By Joseph Kishore, 24 November 2018
In a call with representatives of the five branches of the US Armed Forces, Trump denounced judges for “telling our incredible military and law enforcement what to do.”
US and Mexican officials stoke up nationalist backlash against immigrants
By Norisa Diaz, 22 November 2018
Following an anti-caravan demonstration on Sunday in Tijuana, Border Patrol closed down the San Ysidro Port of Entry Monday morning, leaving tens of thousands in panic, in an effort to stoke up anger and confusion.
Migrant caravan reaches US border as Latin American governments discuss austerity and repression
By Andrea Lobo, 17 November 2018
As the first caravan of mostly Honduran migrants begins to arrive at the US border, local elites met at the Ibero-American Summit, vowing deeper social austerity and militarized repression.
DSA-backed “progressive Democrats” drop phony opposition to Trump’s attacks on immigrants
By Will Morrow, 17 November 2018
The Democrats “progressive” caucus, including DSA member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is calling for a more “humane” and “effective” American immigration Gestapo.
Pentagon chief heads to border as first refugees from caravan arrive
By Bill Van Auken, 15 November 2018
General Mattis defended the deployment of thousands of active duty troops to confront refugee men, women and children as a “moral and ethical mission.”
Kidnapping, rape and murder by US border patrol agents
By Norisa Diaz and Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 15 November 2018
Numerous migrants, mostly women and girls, have been victims of murder, attempted murder, kidnapping or rape at the hands of US Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents.
Albanian immigrant worker, forced to hide in Detroit church for 10 months, fights deportation
By Will Morrow, 13 November 2018
Ded Rranxburgaj, the sole caregiver and provider for his wheelchair-bound wife and two sons, is seeking to prevent his deportation.
“Someone is getting paid millions to provoke racism and hatred”
US autoworkers oppose anti-immigrant campaign
By WSWS Autoworker Newsletter, 13 November 2018
Autoworkers in the Detroit area contacted by the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter spoke forcefully against the attempts by the Trump administration to whip up anti-immigrant hysteria.
Asylum ban: Trump eliminates right to asylum for immigrants crossing without documentation
By Eric London, 9 November 2018
The decision is the most significant restriction on immigration in decades. It will cause hundreds of thousands of deportations, and send countless immigrants to their deaths.
Canada to dramatically hike, expedite deportations to “secure” borders
By Roger Jordan, 7 November 2018
The Trudeau Liberal government’s anti-refugee policy is emboldening reaction, including outright fascist forces.
Democratic candidates praise Trump’s attacks on immigrants as troops arrive at the border
By Eric London, 5 November 2018
The Democrats are either silent or supportive of police state measures that are putting the lives of immigrants in imminent danger and preparing the way for violent attacks on all workers.
Immigrant tent cities and right-wing terror: The new normal in America
By Eric London, 3 November 2018
Halting the growth of political violence and the moves toward dictatorship requires a break with the Democratic Party and the mobilization of the immense power of the American and international working class.
Trump calls for “massive cities of tents” and indefinite detention of immigrants
By Eric London, 2 November 2018
The right-wing demagogue described a hellish vision of concentration camps to imprison helpless men, women, and children, and urged the thousands of troops being rushed to America’s southern border to open fire on unarmed crowds.
All men are not created equal
The American oligarchy’s attack on birthright citizenship
By Eric London, 1 November 2018
All factions of the ruling class view basic democratic rights as obstacles in their drive for wealth and world domination.
Child detainees speak out: “I just wanted a hug from someone”
The view from inside America’s child immigrant detention shelters
By our reporters, 1 November 2018
The World Socialist Web Site spoke with several immigrant children recently released from child detention shelters about conditions in the facilities.
Trump deploys military to confront “immigrant invasion”
By Eric London, 30 October 2018
The White House, deploying thousands of troops to the border, is seeking to to whip up a climate of right-wing chauvinist hysteria on the eve of the November 6 midterm elections.
Mexican police shoot and kill 26-year-old immigrant as repression intensifies along Mexico-Guatemala border
By Andrea Lobo, 30 October 2018
Despite the US threats and the militarized operations by the Guatemalan and Mexican governments, thousands of Central American migrants continue to leave.
US armed forces deployed to Mexico border in preparation for expected closure
By Norisa Diaz, 29 October 2018
A violent clash is being prepared on the US-Mexico border as Washington readies emergency powers to close the border.
Defend immigrant workers against Trump’s military crackdown
By Bill Van Auken, 27 October 2018
American workers must come to the defense of immigrants and refugees as the Trump administration threatens to close the border and turn armed troops against working class men, women and children.
Trump to deploy hundreds of troops to the border against Central American migrants
By Andrea Lobo, 26 October 2018
The domestic deployment of the military against immigrants is a warning to the entire working class.
Interview with photographer Tom Kiefer: “This work is part of the historical documentation of our country’s response to migration”
El Sueño Americano: Exhibition of migrants’ items seized and discarded by US border patrol
By Norisa Diaz, 26 October 2018
Kiefer worked as a part-time janitor at a US Customs and Border Patrol facility in Arizona for 12 years, collecting items thrown out by officials.
Oppose Trump’s attacks on immigrants! Defend the migrant caravan!
By Niles Niemuth, 25 October 2018
Workers in the US must unite with workers in Mexico and Central America to ensure the safe passage into the country of the several thousand workers making their way towards the US-Mexico border.
As refugee caravan heads north
Trump administration prepares draconian new anti-immigrant measures
By Bill Van Auken, 24 October 2018
Amid Trump’s demagogy about deploying the army to the border and cutting all aid to Central America, US immigration officials are preparing new repressive measures against refugees.
“Migrants are not criminals, we are international workers!”
The migrant caravan and the fight to unite the international working class
By Eric London, 23 October 2018
The caravan is proving that the division of the world into nation states under capitalism is incompatible with the aspirations and material needs of billions of workers.
Central American caravan reaches Mexico chanting “We are international workers!”
By Andrea Lobo, 22 October 2018
The caravan is becoming a symbol of working class internationalism and is being denounced by every government in North and Central America.
Pompeo meets with Mexican government as its police attack Honduran migrants
By Eric London, 20 October 2018
Hundreds of women and children were injured in the crackdown on a narrow bridge over the river separating Mexico and Guatemala.
Trump threatens to deploy military to close US-Mexico border
By Eric London, 19 October 2018
Trump, with the complicity of the Democrats, has invoked the phony “threat” of the immigrant caravan to whip up xenophobia before the midterm elections.
US, Mexican and Guatemalan governments harass caravan of Honduran refugees
By Andrea Lobo, 18 October 2018
Thousands of refugees are fleeing rampant violence and poverty imposed by the economic plundering and political meddling of US imperialism.
Amnesty International: Immigrants separated from family members for alleged “fraud”
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan and Norisa Diaz, 17 October 2018
Amnesty International reveals thousands of children have been separated from relatives for supposed fraud and defines separation as a form of torture under US and international law.
Trump considers reinstating family separations at the border
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 15 October 2018
The proposal to force parents to choose between separation and deportation to war-torn Central America is a form of emotional torture.
US government may put separated immigrant children up for adoption
By Eric London, 11 October 2018
In one case, AP reports, “It took 28 minutes for a judge in a rural courthouse” to transfer guardianship of a toddler, without even notifying her mother.
Federal judge issues injunction against Trump administration refugee order
By Matthew Taylor, 6 October 2018
The four countries cited in the lawsuit represent nearly 300,000 of the 437,000 refugees who are currently receiving TPS in the United States.
Horrors at ICE prison in California: nooses found hanging in majority of cells
By Norisa Diaz, 4 October 2018
An unexpected visit from DHS inspectors found three quarters of the cells had nooses hanging from overhead pipes at a California immigrant detention center.
Child concentration camps in America
By Eric London, 2 October 2018
Immigration officials are rounding up hundreds of children at night and transporting them to a tent city in Texas.
Protests hit mass detention of immigrant children in Texas tent camp
By Bill Van Auken, 1 October 2018
The barren tent camp in the desert on the Mexican border is built to house up to 3,800 children.
US announces new barrier to citizenship for low-income immigrants
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 29 September 2018
The Trump administration has announced a new rule requiring immigrants applying for permanent legal status or citizenship to report their credit scores and histories.
Eighty-three abducted by ICE across Wisconsin in four days
By Jacob Crosse, 27 September 2018
Relishing in the chaos and uncertainty it had caused, ICE remained silent over the weekend as armed agents conducted “targeted raids” in over 14 counties.
“Keep out your tired, your poor, your huddled masses…”
Trump administration moves to impose class-based restrictions on immigration
By Eric London, 26 September 2018
The explicit formalization of a class-based immigration system marks a turning point that will substantially alter the state of social relations in favor of the rich.
ICE conducts anti-immigrant raids throughout Wisconsin
By Jacob Crosse, 24 September 2018
The families of the workers seized by federal agents have been given little information as to why they were detained or where they are being held.
Trump administration takes aim at immigrants who receive federal benefits
By Harvey Simpkins, 24 September 2018
Even current green card holders could be subject to the new rule and lose their status as lawful permanent residents if, in certain circumstances, they leave the country and try to return.
Notes on Trump’s war against immigrants
Department of Health and Human Services lost track of another 1,500 immigrant children
By our reporters, 21 September 2018
In addition to the “lost” children, funds are being diverted from AIDS and cancer research to jail immigrant children and ICE held nearly 1,500 US citizens as “aliens.”
Trump administration announces record low cap on refugees allowed into the US
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 20 September 2018
The Trump administration has announced that the number of refugees allowed into the US in the coming year will be capped at 30,000—a record low for the 43-year old refugee resettlement program.
12,800 immigrant children detained in American internment camps
By Eric London, 14 September 2018
While the Trump administration is preparing for a massive expansion of immigrant internment camps, the Democratic Party has abandoned the issue.
Trump administration to abandon court settlement prohibiting indefinite detention of immigrant children
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 7 September 2018
The decision is a major escalation in the administration’s attack on immigrants.
Canada: Ex-Conservative leadership candidate to found new right-wing party
By Félix Gauthier, 5 September 2018
A growing section of the Canadian establishment is turning to the anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant chauvinism that Maxime Bernier articulates explicitly.
Father of Mollie Tibbetts tells Trump administration: Stop using my daughter’s death in racist attack on immigrants
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 3 September 2018
There have been numerous studies by academics and think tanks in recent years that have clearly shown that there is no correlation between immigration and crime.
The assault on immigrants becomes the assault on citizens
US citizens along southern border denied passports, accused of fraudulent birth certificates
By Renae Cassimeda, 1 September 2018
American citizens born in the Southwestern border regions are being accused of having fraudulent birth certificates and denied passports.
Immigrant mother sues for $40 million after child dies following ICE detainment
By Kevin Martinez, 31 August 2018
The death of Mariee Juarez is one more casualty in the Trump administration’s brutal war on immigrants.
“We are watching and we are coming”
ICE raids North Texas factory, arrests 160 immigrant workers
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 30 August 2018
In one of the biggest workplace raids in the past decade, ICE arrested 160 migrant workers at a factory north of Dallas.
Trump, Republicans exploit murder of Molly Tibbetts to stoke anti-immigrant racism
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 24 August 2018
The killing of a young Iowa woman has become a pretext for the Trump administration and its supporters to intensify attacks on immigrants.
Hundreds of detained immigrants join US national prison strike
By Trévon Austin, 23 August 2018
Detained immigrants have linked their struggle with prisoners to protest inhumane living conditions.
US continues to terrorize immigrants: Over 500 children still not reunited with parents
By Trévon Austin, 22 August 2018
The parents of 366 children who were separated have already been deported back to their home countries without their children, including six minors under the age of 5.
Canadian ruling elite whips up anti-refugee hysteria to shift politics sharply right
By Laurent Lafrance and Roger Jordan, 22 August 2018
While posturing as a friend of refugees, the Trudeau government has deported thousands of desperate asylum-seekers trying to flee Trump’s vicious crackdown on immigrants.
Virginia’s Democratic governor seeks to whitewash abuse of immigrant youth at state detention facility
By Nick Barrickman, 21 August 2018
A report issued last week by the office of Governor Ralph Northam seeks to whitewash the criminal abuse of unaccompanied immigrant children detained in the state from 2014 through 2017.
The brutality of borders
Mass grave revealed at Arizona Air Force bombing range
By Norisa Diaz, 18 August 2018
The treacherous deserts along the Southwest have taken the lives of tens of thousands of migrants coming to the US.
US: The “public charge” rule’s effects on legal immigrant families
By Jill Lux, 13 August 2018
Every legal immigrant using a social program is in danger of being labeled a “public charge,” and therefore ineligible for citizenship.
Federal judge blocks Trump administration attempt to deport mother and child during court hearing
By Eric London, 10 August 2018
The government sought to remove the immigrants from the US while their lawyers were preoccupied arguing the case in court.
Trump administration plans to limit citizenship for 20 million legal immigrants
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 8 August 2018
The move is an attack on the working class as a whole and presages intensified efforts to slash funding for social programs upon which millions rely.
ICE tears apart immigrant families in Wisconsin
By Jacob Crosse, 7 August 2018
Ricardo Fierro, a resident of Racine, Wisconsin for over 20 years, was kidnapped outside his home and imprisoned by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
US immigration nightmare continues amid media blackout
By Eric London, 4 August 2018
Since the beginning of August, the New York Times opinion page has published eight opinion pieces or editorial board statements relating to allegations of Trump’s ties to Russia or the #MeToo hysteria, but none about the conditions facing immigrants.
Separated: Children at the Border highlights the horrific human costs of the bipartisan war on immigrants
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 3 August 2018
The latest PBS Frontline documentary shows the effect of family separations and traces the roots of Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy.
Immigration police launch political attack on Portland mayor for backing anti-ICE protests
By Kayla Costa, 2 August 2018
Based on the absurd claim that anti-ICE protesters threatened the lives of federal immigration agents, ICE employees sent a cease and desist letter to the mayor.
Ontario government repudiates resettlement agreement, scapegoats refugees
By Laurent Lafrance, 28 July 2018
The Conservatives' xenophobic campaign is aimed at diverting attention away from their big business agenda and whipping up racism and chauvinism to divide the working class.
Hundreds of immigrant children remain separated from parents as court deadline passes
By Patrick Martin, 27 July 2018
The forcible separation of parents and children by the Trump administration is an act of mass kidnapping and a crime against humanity.
Military-style immigration raids: Coming to a workplace near you
By Eric London, 26 July 2018
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced plans Tuesday for mass workplace raids and the surveillance of tens of thousands of workplaces.
Trump administration deported up to 463 immigrant parents without their children
By Tom Hall, 25 July 2018
The admission by government lawyers raises the prospect that hundreds of parents separated under Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy might never see their children again.
Mounting outrage in US over conditions facing detained immigrants
By Patrick Martin, 24 July 2018
Hunger strikes and lawsuits have exposed the barbaric treatment of refugees and immigrants at detention facilities in the US.
Media, #MeToo silent on widespread sexual assault of detained immigrants
By Eric London, 21 July 2018
A July 17 report revealed 1,310 reports by immigrants of rape and sexual assault at detention centers from 2013 to 2017.
Democrats abstain on House resolution praising ICE thugs
By Andy Thompson, 20 July 2018
The Republican resolution in support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement passed with only 38 Democrats opposing.
Amid silence from Democrats on attacks on immigrants
Trump moves to restrict asylum
By Alec Andersen, 19 July 2018
While the Democrats and the media are obsessing over Trump’s supposed pro-Russian “treason,” the administration is escalating its assault on the right to asylum.
Democrats vow to vote against their own bill to abolish ICE
By Isaac Finn, 16 July 2018
The Democrats never had any intention of abolishing ICE, even though their so-called “abolition” would amount to little more than rebranding the agency.
Only 57 of 3,000 immigrant children have been reunited with parents
By Trévon Austin, 14 July 2018
Children and parents were scattered nationwide including Maryland, Texas, New York, Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona and Illinois.
Iraq war contractor ran US detention centre for immigrant children
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 12 July 2018
MVM, a private contractor that supplied guards for CIA prisons in Iraq, ran a secret detention site for immigrant children in Phoenix, Arizona.
Trump administration defends missing court deadline to reunite immigrant families
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 11 July 2018
In a calculated and cruel political maneuver, the administration stated that it could not release children because it could not locate or vet their parents.
Trump administration misses deadline to reunite immigrant children with parents
By Alec Andersen, 10 July 2018
The administration failed to meet a court-imposed deadline to reunite all undocumented immigrant children under the age of five with their parents, with more than half remaining in detention Tuesday.
Federal judge denies Trump administration request for extension to reunite migrant families
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 9 July 2018
The corporate media has effectively dropped coverage of the 3,000 children languishing in immigration detention facilities across the country.
Hundreds more immigrant children detained than previously reported
By Eric London, 7 July 2018
The parents of 19 children under the age of 5 have already been deported. Many will never see their children again.
US war on immigrants continues
Trump using separated children to force “voluntary” deportations
By Alec Andersen, 5 July 2018
The Trump administration has responded to a court-ordered “family reunification” process by forcing immigrant parents with separated children into signing a document agreeing to deportation back to their country of origin.
Trump administration rescinds right of detained immigrants to in-person court appearances in New York City
By Guillaume Garnier, 5 July 2018
ICE has stopped allowing detained immigrants in its Manhattan facility to appear in person at court hearings.
Sponsors of migrant children battle financial costs and bureaucratic red tape
By Meenakshi Jagadeesan, 5 July 2018
The steep financial costs of trying to obtain the release of migrant children held by the government puts a further burden on poor immigrant families.
Private prison companies thrive as thousands of immigrants detained
By Shelley Connor, 4 July 2018
The Trump administration’s detention of hundreds of thousands of migrants has been a windfall for private prison companies.
Voices of the June 30 protests: Stop Trump’s persecution of immigrants!
By a reporting team, 3 July 2018
Hundreds of thousands turned out Saturday in demonstrations across the United States to defend the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers. Below we publish interviews with protesters from Chicago, Boston, Pittsburgh and other cities.
Hundreds of thousands march against Trump’s persecution of immigrants
By Patrick Martin, 2 July 2018
There were protests in more than 700 locations, with the largest in Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington and New York City.
“This is like the 1930s. We have to come together and oppose it”
Protesting workers and youth defend immigrants
By our reporters, 2 July 2018
Demonstrators in many cities gave their views to the World Socialist Web Site. Below we publish interviews from Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and New York City.
“I want a political organization that acknowledges that capitalism is not working”
SEP, IYSSE campaign for congressional candidate Niles Niemuth at pro-immigrant protest in Ann Arbor, Michigan
By our reporters, 2 July 2018
A team of SEP and IYSSE members intervened in Saturday’s “Families Belong Together” rally, collecting over 500 signatures to put Niles on the ballot in November.
Opposition mounts to Trump administration’s persecution of immigrants
By E.P. Milligan and Patrick Martin, 30 June 2018
The Trump “solution” to the cruelty of family separation is the provocation of family imprisonment, jailing teenagers, younger children, even babies along with their parents.
Unaccompanied immigrant children sent to New York are “disappeared” by ICE
By Steve Light, 29 June 2018
As refugee children were separated from parents at the southern border while seeking asylum in the United States, some were transferred almost 2,000 miles to New York City.
Mobilize the working class against the bipartisan attack on immigrants!
Statement of the Socialist Equality Party
29 June 2018
Growing opposition to the attack on immigrants and democratic rights requires a clear political focus and policy.
US assault on immigrants continues as Democrats denounce protests against Trump officials
By Alec Andersen, 28 June 2018
While Trump is escalating his fascistic attacks on immigrants, the Democrats are seeking to contain public opposition to his immigration policies.
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