Latest news with #Avila
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
58-Year U.S. Green Card Holder Faces Deportation After Airport Detention
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Victor Avila, a 66-year-old U.S. green card holder, was detained last month at a Bay Area airport by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after returning home from visiting his son stationed at a U.S. Air Force base in Japan. Avila legally immigrated to the United States from Mexico with his family as a teenager in 1967 and has held a green card ever since, his daughter told KGTV San Diego. Newsweek reached out to ICE and to Kiwan & Chambers, the law firm Avila works for, for comment. Why It Matters President Donald Trump campaigned on a hard-line immigration stance and pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. The Trump administration said it deported around 100,000 illegal immigrants in the initial months of the presidency, and many individuals have been deported following Trump's invoking the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798, something which has been criticized and blocked by judges. ICE has been conducting raids around the country. Some of the subsequent arrests have been viewed as heavy-handed, while others have wrongly targeted people suspected of having no legal status in the U.S. What To Know Avila is a resident of San Diego, California, who has worked for over a decade as a legal assistant for the Kiwan & Chambers law firm, representing injured workers. He is a father and a grandfather. His daughter, Carina Mejia, told KGTV San Diego that in 2009, Avila had been pulled over and arrested for a DUI and drug possession, and he ultimately served a few months in jail. "Two misdemeanors. Served all his time, paid all he had to pay," Meija said. "Since then, he's been a good man, a hard worker. Hasn't gotten into trouble, not one time. He's dedicated himself to his family." Meija said that immigration authorities renewed her father's green card twice since that arrest. A GoFundMe started for Avila said that he has now been transferred to an ICE detention center outside of Bakersfield. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted June 11–12, which surveyed 1,136 Americans nationwide, found that 52 percent of respondents (including one in five Democrats and nine in 10 Republicans) supported deportations of people in the country illegally. Forty-nine percent of people in the poll said that Trump had gone too far with his arrests of immigrants, as opposed to 40 percent who said he had not. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Caleb Vitello joins ICE officers in New York City on January 28, 2025. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Caleb Vitello joins ICE officers in New York City on January 28, 2025. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement via Getty Images What People Are Saying A message on the GoFundMe for Victor Avila reads: "We are confident Victor has a strong case but it will be long road home." Victor Avila's daughter, Carina Mejia, told KGTV San Diego: "I've visited him several times. There are days he's hopeful, optimistic. Then there's days he mentally prepares himself for the worst...I want my dad back. I want my dad home." What Happens Next Avila's deportation hearing has been scheduled for July 15 at an ICE facility in the Bakersfield area, with his family and legal team preparing a defense.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
ICE Detains Green Card-Holder Returning from Visit to Son in US Air Force
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Victor Avila, a 66-year-old green card holder who has lived in the United States since he was a teenager, was detained in May by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at San Francisco International Airport after returning from a trip to visit his son, a U.S. Air Force servicemember stationed in Japan, according to local reports and a GoFundMe page. Newsweek has reached out to ICE, CBP, and USCIS for comment via email on Wednesday. Why It Matters Avila's detention comes amid an immigration crackdown under the Trump administration. In addition to people residing in the country illegally, immigrants with valid documentation—including green cards and visas—have been detained and face legal jeopardy. President Donald Trump has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, and in the initial months of his second term, his administration has deported more than 100,000 people. Many migrants have been deported as a result of Trump's invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which grants the president authority to deport noncitizens without appearing before a judge, among other wartime authorities. What To Know Avila was detained May 7 at San Francisco International Airport after returning from Japan. The 66-year-old has been a legal permanent resident since 1967, when he immigrated to the United States from Mexico. He was returning from the trip with his wife, who had not been detained. According to a GoFundMe page, his wife, four children and six grandchildren are all U.S. citizens, including his son, who serves in the U.S. Air Force. (L): Federal agents move in to re-open the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Portland, Ore., on June 28, 2018. (R): Victor Avila from the GoFundMe page. (L): Federal agents move in to re-open the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Portland, Ore., on June 28, 2018. (R): Victor Avila from the GoFundMe page. Alex Milan Tracy/Sipa USA/AP Images A longtime resident of San Diego, Avila has worked as a legal assistant at the workers' compensation law firm Kiwan & Chambers APC for over a decade. Colleagues from the firm organized the fundraiser. Newsweek reached out to Avila's employer, Kiwan & Chambers APC, for comment via email on Wednesday. Avila's daughter, Carina Mejia, told local outlet ABC 10 News that her father was pulled over in 2009 and arrested for a DUI and drug possession misdemeanor. He served his time and paid the fines for the misdemeanors. She said he has been able to renew his green card two times since that arrest. In a Tuesday update, the organizers noted that Avila has been transferred to an ICE detention center outside of Bakersfield, California. The GoFundMe has raised over $20,000 for legal fees. What People Are Saying Carina Mejia, Avila's daughter, told local ABC 10 News: "He's a productive member of society. It was a nonviolent offense. He's paid his dues. Detaining him is very unjust...I want my dad back. I want my dad home." The GoFundMe states: "He is being held by ICE for a past nonviolent offense that occurred in 2009. Victor successfully completed his sentence, and that offense was deemed a misdemeanor. Now, many years later, he is caught in a legal nightmare which has resulted in detainment by ICE with no release in sight." What Happens Next Avila is scheduled to appear for a deportation hearing July 15 at a detention facility near Bakersfield.
AsiaOne
7 days ago
- Politics
- AsiaOne
US pushes Mexico to prosecute politicians with ties to drug cartels, World News
MEXICO CITY - The Trump administration is pressuring Mexico to investigate and prosecute politicians with suspected links to organised crime, and to extradite them to the United States if there are criminal charges to answer there, according to sources familiar with the matter. The requests - raised at least three times by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his team in bilateral meetings and conversations with Mexican officials - seek to push President Claudia Sheinbaum's government to investigate current elected officials and launch an unprecedented crackdown on narco corruption, four people familiar with the matter said. In their discussions, the US officials have called for action against several politicians from Sheinbaum's own Morena party and threatened to levy further tariffs if Mexico did not take action, two of the sources said. The conversations between US and Mexican officials have not been previously reported. Mexico's foreign ministry did not respond to Reuters' questions before this story was published. After its publication, the foreign ministry denied in a post on social media that the US had requested that any official be investigated. In a daily press conference, Sheinbaum then said it was "false" that the US had asked Mexico to give names of Mexican politicians. The US State Department, in a comment also sent after the story published, did not dispute that requests had been made that politicians with cartel links be investigated, but said no "tariff relief" has been offered in exchange. "It is in the interest of both the United States and Mexico to work together to combat the cartels and the corrupt actors that enable them," the statement said. A Reuters spokesperson said: "We stand by our reporting." Baja California Governor Reuters could not determine if the US provided Mexico with a list of politicians suspected of links to organised crime, or evidence against them. Nor was Reuters able to independently confirm if any individuals flagged by the US had engaged in any wrongdoing. Two sources said five current Morena officials and one former senator were mentioned - including Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Avila. In a statement to Reuters on Wednesday (June 11), Avila said her government had fought organised crime and had managed to reduce homicide rates. "I affirm categorically that it is totally false any information that seeks to link me to any organised crime group," Avila said. The Mexican presidency, Attorney General's Office, Security Ministry and Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the talks. The White House, State Department, Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security also did not reply to Reuters questions prior to publication. Political risk President Donald Trump's administration has justified its declarations of tariffs on Mexico on the growing influence of the cartels over the government. A crackdown - potentially targeting high-ranking elected officials while they are in office - would mark a dramatic escalation of Mexico's efforts against drug corruption. But it carries political risks for Sheinbaum, as some of the allegations involve members of her own party, a member of her security cabinet told Reuters. The US first raised the request at a meeting in Washington on Feb 27 led by Rubio and Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente, the four people familiar with the matter said. US Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials from the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice as well as Treasury attended the meeting, the four people said. Mexico's Attorney General Alejandro Gertz and Secretary of Security Omar Garcia Harfuch were also at the meeting. Mexico sent 29 cartel figures to the US in late February - the largest such handover in years - following Trump's threats to impose across-the-board tariffs on Mexican goods. The possibility of expediting the capture and/or deportation of priority DEA and FBI targets was also discussed, two of the sources said. As part of the discussions, two of the people familiar with the matter said, US officials floated the idea of appointing a US fentanyl czar to liaise directly with Sheinbaum on progress to combat the deadly synthetic opioid. Washington also pressed Mexico for more thorough inspections of US-bound cargo for drugs and travellers at the US-Mexico border. Although Mexico's federal prosecutor's office is independent of Sheinbaum's administration under the country's constitution, Washington has long accused Mexico of protecting politicians alleged to have links to the cartels. Serving state governors and federal lawmakers are immune from prosecution for most crimes and can only be prosecuted for serious federal crimes like drug trafficking or racketeering if authorised by Mexico's Congress. [[nid:718510]]
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What happened to the Madleen Gaza boat activists detained by Israel?
On June 9, Israeli forces seized the Madleen ship in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea as it attempted to break the suffocating siege on Gaza. The 12 activists on board – who belong to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition – were abducted in international waters and taken to Israel. One day after their capture, four of them were swiftly deported after waiving their right to see an Israeli judge and signing a deportation order that claimed they had 'illegally' entered Israel. Well-known Swedish climate and human rights activist, Greta Thunberg, was among those deported. The other eight refused to sign and remained in detention. On Thursday, six of them were deported, including Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament. Another two French nationals remain in Israeli custody awaiting deportation on Friday, according to Adalah, a nonprofit legal association in Israel. This is everything you need to know about their treatment. On Tuesday, Israel deported Thunberg (Sweden), Sergio Toribio (Spain), Baptiste Andre (France) and Omar Faiad (France). Faiad is a reporter with Al Jazeera Mubasher. On Thursday, six more were deported, including Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European Parliament, Mark van Rennes (Netherlands), Suayb Ordu (Turkiye), Yasemin Acar (Germany), Thiago Avila (Brazil) and Reva Viard (France), according to Adalah, cited by Turkish news agency Anadolu. French nationals Pascal Maurieras and Yanis Mhamdi remain in detention and are expected to be released on Friday, according to Adalah. Mhamdi is a journalist for The Blast, a French left-wing outlet. In Givon prison in Ramla, a city between West Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Two of the activists, Hassan and Avila, were placed in solitary confinement, according to Adalah. Hassan was taken there after first writing 'Free Palestine' on the prison walls. Adalah later reported that Avila began a hunger and water strike to protest Israel's blockade of Gaza, which has led to widespread starvation. Hassan was later returned to Givon, said Adalah. After Thursday's release of Hassan and Avila, along with four others from the Madleen, Adalah released a statement saying that 'volunteers were subjected to mistreatment, punitive measures and aggressive treatment, and two volunteers were held for some period of time in solitary confinement'. According to Luigi Daniele, a legal scholar at the University of Molise, Italy, Israel has no right to intercept a boat in international waters or to deny aid to starving civilians in Gaza. On the contrary, Israel has an international legal obligation as an occupying power to facilitate aid into Gaza. He told a local Italian outlet that Israel, above all, has no legal right to use force or permanent aggression on occupied Palestinian territory, including against the activists who were sailing to Gaza on the Madleen. Adalah has also argued that the activists were not trying to enter Israel illegally, but were sailing to Gaza, which is occupied Palestinian land. Israeli courts dismissed the legal arguments made by Madleen activists are supposed to serve 72 hours in the Israeli prison before being deported back to their home countries, according to Israeli law. This indicates all activists should have been released at some point on June 12, yet it is unclear if the remaining detainees – Maurieras and Mhamdi – will face additional charges that could keep them longer in prison. Some have, while others have been curiously silent. France's foreign minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, said earlier this week that he expected the four French activists who were on board the Madleen to return to France on Thursday or Friday. As of Thursday, two remained in detention. Brazil had also demanded the release of Brazilian activist, Avila. When the activists were first abducted from international waters, Brazilian diplomats reportedly visited Givon prison to assist with legal proceedings. In addition, Turkiye called Israel a 'terrorist state' after the Madleen was intercepted. Germany and the Netherlands, however, did not issue public statements to demand the release of their nationals. The Madleen's captain, Mark van Reenes, deported on Thursday, is a Dutch national who filmed himself just before Israel seized the ship. In the video, he called on his country to urgently demand his release. UN special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory, Francesca Albanese, also posted on X that 'the silence of [European Union] institutions over the unlawful detention and punitive conditions imposed on EU citizens including [Hassan] speaks volumes to the deep roots of Israelism in European institutional culture'.
The National
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Israel to deport rest of Madleen crew arrested in international waters
The Madleen set sail for Gaza on June 1 with the aim of delivering much needed aid and breaking Israel's naval blockade on the enclave. Early on Monday morning, Israeli forces intercepted the Madleen while it was in international waters, seizing the ship and detaining the activists on board. The 12 crew members were then detained and were asked to sign orders consenting to their deportation. READ MORE: I helped the Madleen set sail for Gaza – let's not lose sight of why we did it Only four – Swedish climate and social justice campaigner Greta Thunberg, along with French physician Baptiste Andre, Spanish activist Sergio Toribio and French Al-Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad – agreed, and were deported soon after. The remaining eight activists refused and remained in detention, where they then appeared in front of an Israeli tribunal. Adalah, a local human rights group representing the activists, said six crew members are expected to be deported either later on Thursday or Friday morning, with the remaining two set to be deported on Friday. Those set to be released on Thursday include Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European parliament, along with Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, Dutch marine engineering student Mark van Rennes, Turkish activist Suayb Ordu, French activist Reva Viard and German activist Yasemin Acar. The two remaining crew members – French activist Pascal Maurieras and French journalist Yanis Mhamdi – are set to be deported on Friday, Adalah said. Both Adalah and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the humanitarian organisation which co-ordinated the Madleen, have said that the crew members were subjected to "mistreatment, punitive measures, and aggressive treatment". Two of the activists – Avila and Hassan – were also placed in solitary confinement, where they reported poor conditions, with a lack of light and ventilation. READ MORE: Convoy of 1500 arrives in Libya en route to Gaza to break Israel's blockade on aid The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said Hassan was placed in solitary confinement after writing "Free Palestine" on her cell wall. It is understood that she is no longer in solitary confinement, but it is not clear at the time of writing whether Avila has also been moved. Both individuals were also reported to have gone on hunger strike. Israel has declined to comment on the treatment of the activists, but claimed it treats detainees in a lawful manner and investigates any allegations of abuse. Israel's foreign ministry has attempted to depict the Madleen's journey as a "publicity stunt", branding the ship a "celebrity yacht" and claiming the crew were attempting to illegally enter Israel. The activists have rejected this and have said they were "kidnapped" and brought to Israel against their will.
