International
DACA program celebrates 11 years in place amid legal turbulence
June 15 |
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, which was established by the Barack Obama administration, turns 11 years old Thursday amid calls for permanent protective action.
“Only Congress can provide permanent and lasting stability for these young people and their families. Congress must act to protect our Dreamers,” President Joe Biden, who was vice president of the country at the time the program was instituted, said in written communication.
Since 2012, DACA has provided protections from deportation to some 800,000 people known as “Dreamers,” who entered the U.S. irregularly as children. This program does not offer legal residency status or a path to citizenship, however, it does allow them to have a work permit, driver’s license and social security.
“Dreamers are Americans. Many have spent most of their lives in the United States. They are our doctors, our teachers, and our small business owners,” he said.
Biden noted in his message that “the first version” of a legislative measure to regulate DACA was presented to Congress more than 20 years ago, and since then, it has been championed by coalitions and organizations. However, Biden said, “Congress has failed to act.”
Under the Donald Trump administration, repeated attempts were made to dismantle DACA. In 2017, the then-president assured that “DACA is a very, very difficult issue for me” and in noted that “(the beneficiaries) are here illegally.”
During the presidential campaign in 2016, Trump promised that he would end “the two executive amnesties” implemented by Obama, in reference to DACA and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans.
On July 16, 2021, a U.S. court ruled that DACA was “unlawful” and issued an order prohibiting the government from continuing to grant applications for the program. However, the nullification order was temporarily stayed.
Under this ruling, it was established that the program would not receive new applications, however, those approved prior to July 16 would continue to be eligible to renew DACA and their work permits.
Finally, on October 5, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals issued a decision upholding the declaration of illegality of the policy. However, it upheld the partial stay and remanded the case back to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to consider a final rule on implementation.
With this, the program remains in “limbo” according to organizations such as the National Immigration Law Center, which asserts that “it is another clear and serious reminder of the urgency for Congress to act quickly to provide a permanent legislative solution.”
International
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
International
Three salvadorans in Florida sentenced in $146 million construction tax fraud scheme
Three Salvadoran residents living in Orlando, Florida, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit tax fraud and wire fraud involving a scheme exceeding $146 million in the construction industry, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The sentence was handed down by federal judge Timothy J. Corrigan on Tuesday, July 29.
Eduardo Aníbal Escobar (45) was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months in prison, Carlos Alberto Rodríguez (36) to 3 years and 4 months, and Adelmy Tejada (57) to 18 months in prison, followed by 6 months of house arrest. All three pled guilty on April 3, 2025.
In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered restitution payments totaling $36,957,616 to the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes, and $397,895 to two insurers for workers’ compensation claims related to the scheme.
Escobar and Rodríguez are permanent legal residents originally from El Salvador, while Tejada is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Salvadoran origin.
International
Kremlin hails preparedness after Kamchatka quakes leave no casualties
The Kremlin expressed relief that the earthquakes that struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula today —the first being the strongest since 1952— resulted in no casualties, and emphasized that the region is well prepared to face such natural disasters.
“Thank God, there were no victims,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov during his daily press briefing.
The presidential representative stated that “all alert systems were activated in time, and evacuations were organized for residents in areas requiring it in response to tsunami threats.”
“Overall, the seismic resilience of the buildings proved effective (…) Therefore, we can say that the technological preparedness demonstrated a high level,” Peskov added.
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Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
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