International
Processing centers also to open in Costa Rica, but for limited group of migrants
June 13 |
The U.S. State Department announced that it reached an agreement with the Costa Rican government to establish migrant processing centers in the Central American country that began operating on Monday.
As in Colombia and Guatemala, the so-called “safe mobility offices” in Costa Rica will open in a six-month “exploratory phase” in which migrants will be referred to refugee resettlement programs and other legal pathways to the U.S., Canada or Spain.
However, the eligibility of those who can access services in Costa Rica will be more limited.
According to the State Department, during the exploratory phase, the offices’ services will be limited to Nicaraguan and Venezuelan nationals who “can demonstrate that they are physically present in Costa Rica as of the date of this announcement and are currently registered as asylum seekers”.
Those who enter Costa Rica after June 12 will not be eligible to access the processing centers.
In addition, in the first two months of the opening of the offices, only eligible persons will be contacted for an evaluation appointment to determine if they are qualified candidates for legal migration channels.
After the first two months, the aforementioned group of migrants will be able to make an appointment online at the movilidadsegura.org website. “Individuals will not be able to request an in-person appointment at the offices,” State determined.
“Individuals who enter Costa Rica irregularly after June 12 may be subject to return to their country of origin if they do not have a legal basis to remain in the country,” it added.
This is in addition to Title 8 measures in the U.S. which determine that those who attempt to cross the southwest border irregularly may face a five-year ban on admission and removal to the country of origin.
The White House also announced on Monday that it had reached an agreement with the Colombian government for the opening of the offices in that country on June 19. No details have been provided so far as to whether access will also be limited to specific nationalities.
In Guatemala, on the other hand, secure mobility offices opened on Monday in the Guatemalan Air Force, Petén, Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, Quiché and Huehuetenango.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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