Latest news with #Zapotec
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who has been arrested by ICE under Trump?
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump was crystal clear: "On day one, I will launch the largest deportation programme of criminals in the history of America." That promise, opinion polls suggested, proved broadly popular with the American people, including with legal immigrants, who felt that too many people were coming into the country the "wrong way". Since taking office, the president has widened the scope of his mission, targeting not just criminals, but migrant workers, some student activists and even tourists with visa issues. For almost five months, these moves met little resistance. But now parts of Los Angeles have erupted in protests after immigrations officers intensified their raids at workplaces. But who are the migrants caught up in these raids? And who else has the administration targeted? Here's a look at some of the people who have already been targeted. Since assuming office, the president has touted plummeting numbers of border crossings and record arrests under his administration. About 51,000 undocumented migrants were in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention as of early June - the highest on record since September 2019. While accurate and up-to-date figures for the total number of immigration detentions since 20 January are not publicly available, White House officials have said they hope ICE can scale up to 3,000 arrests a day, from 660 or so during the first 100 days of Trump's presidency. Initially, US officials insisted that the operations were "targeted" at criminals and potential public safety threats. But a significant number of undocumented migrants detained by the Trump administration have otherwise clean records, according to one data tracker. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse - a project from Syracuse University that compiles immigration figures - estimates that of the 51,302 people in ICE detention facilities as of 1 June, about 44% had no criminal record aside from entering the US without permission. The unrest in Los Angeles was sparked by a series of immigration arrests that netted a total of 118 people, which the Department of Homeland Security said included five gang members. ICE has characterised those arrested in LA as "the worst of the worst". The agency identified a handful of people with criminal histories, including drug trafficking, assault, cruelty to children, domestic violence, robbery and alien smuggling. How many of the total have criminal histories, however, is unclear. The parents of a 23-year-old undocumented migrant, a member of Mexico's indigenous Zapotec community, told the Washington Post their son, who they said has no criminal history, was detained outside a clothing store. The BBC cannot independently confirm the details of this case. Border tsar Tom Homan has justified these arrests as "collateral" damage, arguing that agents cannot legally justify encountering undocumented immigrants and not detaining them. Marco Rubio says US revoked at least 300 foreign students' visas Trump revoking protections for Cubans, Haitians and other migrants US deports more alleged gang members to El Salvador There have been several instances of tourists being arrested and held in detention centres, including British, European and Canadian citizens. In April, for example, a 28-year-old Welsh tourist was held for 19 days in an ICE processing centre in Washington state after being denied entry to Canada over what she later termed a "visa mix-up". In another more recent incident in June, 25-year-old Italian citizen Khaby Lame - the world's most popular TikTok star with 162m followers - was detained at Las Vegas' airport for "immigration violations". ICE alleged that Mr Lame overstayed the terms of his visa after having entered the country on 30 April. Authorities later said he was granted "voluntary departure" and left the country. Additionally, in March, Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney was held for nearly two weeks after being detained at the San Ysidro border crossing, where she was attempting to renew her visa to enter the US. She later described the conditions of her detention as inhumane, and described being kept in a concrete cell with no blanket and limited access to a bathroom. She was later released without being charged with any crime. Her case caught the attention of British Columbia Premier David Eby, who said the incident further inflamed Canadian anxieties about travelling to the US. "The nature of our relationship is so fraught right now that this case makes us all wonder, what about our relatives who are working in the States?" he said in a statement to CBC. Others, like 34-year-old German national Fabian Schmidt, were held at airports. Schmidt, who had lived in the US since 2007, was detained on his way into the US from Luxembourg. In an interview with WGBH, a New Hampshire news outlet, Mr Schmidt said he was asked about a drug misdemeanour charge that was later dismissed and a later DUI that resulted in fines and probation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has largely avoided commenting on specific cases, but has repeatedly insisted it is operating lawfully. Some of the most striking images of the Trump administration's immigration overhaul have come from thousands of miles away, in the Central American nation of El Salvador. There, over 250 people who the government claims are members of the gang Tren de Aragua have been transferred to a mega-prison. Family members of some of those men, however, have disputed any gang ties, with some arguing that they were swept up as a result of innocent tattoos. Dubbed "alien enemies", they were removed under a 1798 act that gives authorities sweeping powers to order the detention and deportation of natives or citizens of an "enemy" nation. "It is really disheartening," Adalys Ferro, the executive director of the Venezuelan-American Caucus, an advocacy group, told the BBC. "All of these decisions are inhumane, cruel and also illegal." The most high-profile case is that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old from El Salvador and Maryland resident who was deported from the US in March. Various judges - including those on the US Supreme Court - have ruled that Mr Abrego Garcia was deported in error and that the government should "facilitate" his return to the US and his family. On 6 June, he was returned to the US to face federal criminal charges after being charged in an indictment alleging he illegally transported undocumented migrants while still in the US. Foreign nationals who participate in political protests have also found themselves in the administration's crosshairs, despite some having permanent residency or valid student visas in the US. Anthony Enriquez, who leads advocacy efforts at Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, a non-profit human rights organisation, told the BBC that there have been "more and more" green card holders detained since Trump returned to office. "Immigration authorities feel empowered to conduct arrests that they're legally not allowed to do," he said. Although the reasons for the decisions vary, over 1,600 international students have had their visas revoked, according to Nafsa, an organisation that focuses on international education. Many of the arrests follow the White House's crackdown on what it has classified as antisemitism on US campuses, including the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent figure during Gaza war protests at Columbia University last year. The 30-year-old green card holder has been fighting to stop his deportation in court. Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk also spent six weeks in custody before being released. The university later said that it had been told that Ms Ozturk - a doctorate candidate who participated in pro-Palestinian protests - had had her student visa revoked. She continues to fight her deportation in court. While these cases have been subject to fierce criticism, ICE has justified some of the arrests by saying that the students participated in activities "aligned" to Hamas. "A visa is a privilege not a right," US Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a post on X.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Families of ‘Kidnapped' L.A. Garment Workers Arrested in ICE Raids Plead for Justice
More than a dozen men from Mexico's Indigenous Zapotec community, aged between 24 and 56, were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during Friday's raid of Ambiance Apparel, a manufacturer, importer and wholesaler of women's and junior's clothing that was swept up in a wide-ranging workplace crackdown in Los Angeles that has fueled days of clashes between law enforcement and protestors, incited the deployment of both the National Guard and the Marines and raised questions about the limits of the Trump administration's authority in a so-called sanctuary state. Distraught family members gathered outside Ambiance Apparel's E. 15th St. office in the Fashion District on Monday to denounce what all of them described as the 'kidnappings' of their 14 fathers, sons, brothers and uncles, who in many cases were the breadwinners of their households. A representative from Ambiance Apparel, reached by phone, declined to clarify conflicting accounts of whether ICE agents had warrants that allowed them to search the premises. The Department of Homeland Security similarly acknowledged a request for comment but did not respond further. More from Sourcing Journal National Guard Arrives in Los Angeles Following Protests Over Immigration Raids Trump Doubles Duties on Metals, Judge Dismisses California's Tariff Lawsuit EXCLUSIVE: Arvind, Fashion for Good's 'Near-Carbon-Neutral' Factory Initiative Seeks to Break Industry Paralysis 'I say 'kidnapped' because they were taken by force without any warnings or permits, as well as being held without any contact to the families or lawyers, and that by definition, is kidnapping,' said Carlos Gonzalez, who watched as his brother, José Paulino, was chained up like 'he was some kind of dangerous animal.' 'José is human, just like you and I,' Gonzalez said. 'He's fun, he's full of life and he's really sweet. And the only crime that he committed was trying to live a better life and trying to get ahead and work. The whole process wasn't just inhumane, it was illegal. This state is about being the best. This whole country boasts about being the best. But how can we claim that if we can't uphold basic human rights and due process? Where is the sanctuary California promised us?' Montserrat Arrazola, a college student, said she watched as her father, Jorge, and others were dragged away by officials as their relatives cried and screamed, 'not knowing what to do, just like me.' She deplored ICE acting director Todd Lyons' characterization on Friday of the arrests of 'criminal illegal aliens' such as 'gang members, drug traffickers and those with a history of assault, cruelty to children, domestic violence, robbery and smuggling.' 'What happened that day was not right,' Arrazola said, her voice strangled with grief. 'It was not legal in this country. We all have the right to due process, and that right was denied to my father and many other workers. My father is part of this community. We demand the immediate release of all the workers detained that day. We demand that workplaces that collaborate with ICE be held accountable. We demand that the sanctuary status be respected throughout California, no matter where a person comes from or how they arrived in this country. We demand justice.' Tensions remain inflamed in Los Angeles, which seemingly overnight has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration's ramp-up of its immigration agenda. Demonstrations have been largely peaceful, although some protestors launched water bottles, rocks, electric scooters and fireworks at passing police vehicles or set driverless Waymo cars and dumpsters on fire. Clad in tactical gear and wielding riot shields and military-style rifles, federal agents lobbed non-lethal munitions, including rubber bullets, tear gas and flash-bang grenades, to disperse crowds. The events of the past few days have rattled the tens of thousands of people who make up the 'West Coast hub' of the American apparel industry, many of whom are undocumented immigrant women from Central and South America who toil long hours for extremely low wages. 'We need to go and talk to specific employees to find out how they are. It's going to take some time. It's only Monday,' one manufacturing staffer, who requested anonymity to be able to speak freely. 'How are we doing? Right now, we don't know where we are, who we are or how we are. If it's safe, we will go to work.' The owner of a large downtown L.A. apparel factory told Sourcing Journal that the raids and subsequent upheaval were causing disruptions to productivity, but said it was too early to assess the situation or comprehend its ramifications. Several other businesses, including Reformation, Mother Denim and Saitex, either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to do so. Others were more candid, including Alex Zar, CEO of Lalaland Production and Design, who told Sourcing Journal that the business is 'operating with caution and advising our staff to carry all necessary identification and documentation to prove their residency status in case they are approached by federal authorities.' 'Although our staff members are legally residing in Los Angeles, many still fear being profiled based on their appearance or country of origin,' Zar added. 'There's a concern that being mistakenly detained could seriously disrupt their daily lives.' The business owner, whose factory supplies major leather goods and footwear brands across the globe, said the recent ICE detention of the head of an L.A. janitorial union, as well as other labor leaders, 'has understandably created a sense of fear and distraction, not only for our team members but also for their families—especially those whose legal statuses may differ.' Sean Scott, CEO and co-founder of CommunityMade, a footwear producer that employs Fashion District natives and focuses on cultivating local talent, was disturbed and dismayed by the developments of the past 96 hours. When asked whether the factory was experiencing interruptions to its operations, he said, 'Our situation is that business is carrying on—but it is not business as usual.' Immigrants are essential to CommunityMade's business, 'so we're concerned,' he added. 'We have fantastic teammates from Guatemala, China, Spain, Mexico, Ukraine and they're all scared because ICE's detentions have been sweeping, not focused on criminals or illegals,' Scott said. 'Some are staying home. Families are scared, too.' On Monday, a 'big police presence' persisted in the area surrounding the company's shop and factory headquarters, though there were no signs of protests or violence on the 500 block of Mateo Ave. Local law enforcement appeared to position itself apart from the activities of ICE or the National Guard, which swept through the city on President Trump's orders on Sunday afternoon. 'This is our city; we're not going anywhere. But as far as working with ICE, we don't do that,' Officer Drake Madison of the L.A. Police Department's public information office told Sourcing Journal. 'Obviously, we're not going to ignore a help call or something that may come out, but we're not directly working with them [or] with the National Guard.' Madison said that as of Monday afternoon, businesses were permitted to carry on 'as usual,' noting that curfews had not been instated, as they had been in 2020 following widespread unrest across the city following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota. He recommended that business owners refrain from trying to intervene personally in the defacement of property and avoid putting themselves or their employees in harm's way. 'Run your business, but just also look at it from a human standpoint,' he added. One retailer in the fashion district, who asked not to be named, said foot traffic had fallen because customers are 'scared to come over because of the protests.' A sales associate at another store was told that 'if there's anything happening, it's O.K. to just close the store and leave.' While a spokesperson for the L.A. Sheriff's Department sought to emphasize that it 'does not participate in any civil immigration enforcement activities or mass deportation sweeps,' saying in a statement that that responsibility rests solely with federal law enforcement agencies, the city's garment workers are in a state of panic. 'There's definitely a lot of fear and anxiety about going to work,' said Daisy Gonzalez, campaign director at the Garment Worker Center, a nonprofit that has been holding immigration clinics to provide education and resources for workers. 'People are scared to take public transportation. There are a lot of unverified accounts of ICE throughout L.A. County. But, of course, people need to continue to put food on the table, pay their rent, keep a shelter over their heads.' She fears, however, that this is only the beginning and that more families will be broken up before long. 'We should all be applying pressure on the administration to end these racist raids, to ensure that due process is something that every person in this country has access to, and to ask this administration to stop creating fear and chaos in the community,' Gonzalez added. As the unrest continues to percolate on the street level, city and state officials have taken the fight to the Oval Office via the airwaves and social media, culminating in the second California lawsuit against the Trump administration in a matter of months. Governor Gavin Newsom traded barbs with the president throughout the weekend, pushing back on the deployment of military force absent the request or permission of state and local leaders. The scuffle culminated in an apparent threat from Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, to arrest both Newsom and Bass if they 'crossed the line.' Trump cosigned the threat, saying Newsom's arrest would be a 'great thing.' Newsom called the bluff, addressing Homan via a television interview. 'Arrest me, let's go,' he said. On Monday, Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration—the second since April, when they sued the White House for what they characterized as the illegal implementation of sweeping tariffs against trade allies. The new complaint alleged that Trump 'unlawfully bypassed' the governor in federalizing the state's National Guard, overstepping his jurisdiction when local authorities had the protests under control. 'We don't take lightly to the president abusing his authority and unlawfully mobilizing California National Guard troops,' he said in an announcement that also name-checked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. 'Trump and Hegseth jumped from 0 to 60. Bypassing law enforcement expertise and evaluation, they threw caution to the wind and sidelined strategy in an unnecessary and inflammatory escalation that only further spurred unrest.' The complaint alleged that Trump violated California's sovereignty through the 'unprecedented power grab.' 'One of the cornerstones of our Nation and our democracy is that our people are governed by civil, not military, rule. The Founders enshrined these principles in our Constitution—that a government should be accountable to its people, guided by the rule of law, and one of civil authority, not military rule,' Newsom posted on X on Monday. 'California will be standing up for those principles in court,' he added, addressing Trump directly. It's unclear, however, how much this would help the 14 men, whose bonds are expected to be set between $1,500 and $5,000 per person, according to a GoFundMe that hopes to raise $150,000 to cover their families' immediate needs, including rent, groceries, healthcare and childcare. At least one of the detainees, according to family members, have already been deported back to Mexico. Others have received no updates. 'I witnessed how they put my father in handcuffs and chained him from the waist and from his ankles,' said Yurien Contreras, whose youngest sibling is four and has autism, of Mario Romero. 'It was very traumatizing. We suffered and still suffer from this traumatizing experience emotionally, mentally and physically. My father had the right to speak to a lawyer. My family and I haven't had communication with my dad. We don't know nothing about him.' All 14 of the men who were detained were members of the Episcopalian Diocese of Los Angeles. They were taken on the Day of Pentecost, which is celebrated by Christians, 49 days after Easter, as a 'holy disruption [of] God breaking into the evil world with the spirit of justice, the spirit of liberation and love,' said Jaime Edwards-Acton, rector at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Today, the United States faces a moment that 'cries out for that same spirit,' he said. 'The ICE raids in Los Angeles are nothing less than a direct attack on a working class trying to make an honest living to make ends meet for their families to put food on,' Edwards-Acton said. 'The fact that ICE targeted this district, the garment district, is no coincidence. It has long been a place where imminent labor has not only the industry but the city itself—these workers, these mothers, these fathers, these brothers and sisters‚ they are all community, and yet they were treated like criminals for the simple act of working. This is not just about immigration. What we've been witnessing in our communities are signs of an escalating authoritarianism.' The broader fashion industry is paying attention and the implications that continuing raids may have on the vulnerable workforce that undergirds what remains of domestic apparel manufacturing. Kesi Foster, co-executive director of Partners for Dignity and Rights, a human rights advocacy group based in New York City, home to its own concentration of garment workers, called the raids ' acts of cruelty that serve no other purpose than to sow chaos and fear in an attempt to divide our communities.' 'Immigrant garment workers in the United States have long shouldered the weight of systemic exploitation, including low wages, wage theft and dangerous conditions,' he said. 'The administration's targeting of manufacturing workers through ICE raids is a cruel contradiction: while claiming to want to revive American manufacturing, it punishes the very workers who sustain it.' While Steve Lamar, CEO and executive director of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, said that the trade group abhors any violence, it also supports peaceful demonstrations in the United States and around the world as an 'exercise of free speech and of the importance of civic engagement.' 'Our industry has a rich history that is interwoven with diverse immigrant communities. For generations, immigrants from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America have powered our industry in manufacturing, design and retail,' he said. 'As we look to build a stronger, more resilient industry, we look to federal, state, county and city officials to work with local communities on a peaceful and sustainable path forward.' Additional reporting by Rosemary Feitelberg.
Washington Post
10-06-2025
- Washington Post
Some migrants detained in L.A. ICE raids have already been deported
LOS ANGELES — Less than 48 hours after Juan Fernando was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at his job at a clothing factory, he was transported back to the country he had left behind. The 23-year-old member of Mexico's Indigenous Zapotec community told his parents that he had been dropped off at an international bridge and told to cross back to Mexico, the family recounted in an interview with The Washington Post. He told them he thought he had signed a consent to a coronavirus test but may have inadvertently signed off on his deportation instead.
Straits Times
03-06-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Indigenous lawyer leads race to head Mexico's Supreme Court
Indigenous lawyer and Human Rights defender, Hugo Aguilar, delivers a speech during a rally in support of his candidacy as Justice of Mexico's Supreme Court of Justice (SCJN), ahead of the judicial and magistrate election, in San Agustin Tlacotepec, Oaxaca state, Mexico May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jorge Luis Plata MEXICO CITY - Indigenous rights defender Hugo Aguilar is leading in the race to head Mexico's highest court following the country's first popular election to appoint judges and magistrates, according to electoral authority data released on Tuesday. With 90% of votes counted from Sunday's election, Aguilar had some 5.15 million votes, or 5.22% of the total. Lenia Batres, a close ally of the ruling Morena party, was behind him at 4.89 million votes, or 4.96%. Most of the Supreme Court's nine positions are poised to be filled by people linked to Morena, electoral data showed. Over 3,000 candidates stood for judicial posts nationwide. President Claudia Sheinbaum celebrated Aguilar's lead, saying the court had not had an Indigenous leader since Benito Juarez, a Zapotec who led the court during the mid-19th century before becoming Mexico's first Indigenous president. "He is a very recognized lawyer, he has the credentials to join the court," Sheinbaum told a press conference. "This is the goal: equal access to justice for all Mexicans. How would this have happened under the previous process?" Asked about the success of candidates close to her party, she cited opposition boycotts of the vote. "How can they complain if they decided not to participate?" she said. Aguilar, a Mixtec lawyer from the southern state of Oaxaca, is currently lead rights coordinator for the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), having been appointed in 2018 by former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. He studied constitutional law and has worked in various government offices as a coordinator and adviser for Indigenous rights, as well as land and agrarian affairs. Voting on Sunday for some 2,600 judges and magistrates attracted an estimated 13% turnout. Critics denounced the process as too complex and said the vote could undermine the independence of the country's judicial system. Speaking at a campaign event in his hometown of San Agustin Tlacotepec late last month, Aguilar said although the reform was controversial, Indigenous groups saw it as a historic opportunity for representation. "The court has traditionally had private and financial sector jurists," Aguilar said. "We haven't had a labor lawyer who addresses workers' rights, an agrarian lawyer who addresses rural rights, or who understands this part of the population." "The rights of the most vulnerable sectors of this country should matter," he added. Aguilar, who said that if elected to the court he would wear Indigenous dress, has vowed to prioritize the collective decision-making rights of Indigenous communities. Indigenous groups are allowed to apply their own traditions within the bounds of Mexican law, but conflicts have arisen over issues such as child marriage and ancestral land rights that clash with mining or infrastructure projects. Some 23 million Mexicans - around 19% - consider themselves Indigenous, according to a 2020 census. However, they face disproportionate poverty and low political representation. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide wins Spain's Princess of Asturias Prize for the Arts
MADRID -- Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide was awarded Spain's 2025 Princess of Asturias Prize for the Arts for her images that for decades have captured "the social reality not only of Mexico, but also of many places,' prize organizers said Friday. Iturbide became famous internationally for her sparse, cinematic and mostly black-and-white photographs of Indigenous societies in Mexico, with a particular focus on the role of women in them. In 'Our Lady of the Iguanas,' one of Iturbide's best-known images published in 1979, an Indigenous Zapotec woman in southern Mexico carries live iguanas on her head that form the shape of a crown. The award's jury said that Iturbide's photographs have 'a documentary facet' that show 'a hypnotic world that seems to lie on the threshold between reality at its harshest and the grace of spontaneous magic.' Iturbide's work has been displayed in the world's leading art institutions, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and many more. Her work has been published in numerous books. The photographer, born in Mexico City in 1942, traveled throughout Latin America during her career, but also to India, Madagascar, Hungary, Germany, France the United States and elsewhere. The 50,000-euro ($57,000) Princess of Asturias Award is one of several annual prizes covering areas, including arts, literature, science and sports. The awards ceremony, presided over by Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and accompanied by Princess Leonor, takes place each fall in the northern Spanish city of Oviedo.
