International
Trump’s Migration Measures: Comprehensive Deportations and Colossal Holding Facilities
Former U.S. President Donald Trump (2017-2021), a favorite to be the Republican candidate in the November elections, has made it clear that if he returns to the White House, his immigration policy will go beyond the famous border wall that propelled him to the presidency in 2016.
In his campaign rallies, he has adopted strong anti-immigrant rhetoric, going as far as to claim that foreigners “poison” the blood of the U.S. and proposing plans ranging from mass deportations to the construction of giant centers to detain undocumented migrants.
Mass Deportations, Trump’s Promise
Trump has repeatedly promised at his campaign events that, if he returns to the presidency, he will carry out the “largest deportation operation” in U.S. history.
To do so, the federal government would seek help from reservists of the National Guard, detailed Stephen Miller, the chief ideologue of Trump’s xenophobic proposals, just three days ago during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the major gathering of the American right.
According to Miller, Trump would deploy the military to the border to deny entry to those who need to apply for asylum and would automatically deport those who attempt to cross into Mexico.
Trump has cited as an example of this type of deportation the so-called ‘Operation Wetback’, executed in 1954 by then-President Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961), which resulted in the deportation of over a million people, mostly Mexicans.
According to historian Mae Ngai in her book ‘Impossible Subjects’, the deportations were brutal, with some Mexicans repatriated in what could easily have been an “18th-century slave ship,” while others died of sunstroke after being abandoned by U.S. authorities in the desert.
Giant Centers to Detain Migrants
To execute this apocalyptic operation, Trump’s campaign has hinted at its plans to build large centers to detain migrants and then expel them from the United States.
The idea would be to establish “large-scale” facilities where migrants would wait to be deported with scheduled expulsion flights continuously, explained Stephen Miller at the CPAC conference, who previously advised Trump during his presidency and could return to the White House.
However, the legality of these centers could be challenged in court, as happened with some of Trump’s more radical plans when he was in the White House.
Anticipating these legal challenges, Trump has promised to invoke a section of the immigration and sedition laws passed by Congress in 1789, which give the president greater power to deport and detain individuals who are not U.S. citizens in times of war.
This law was used during World War II by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) to establish internment camps where thousands of Japanese migrants and their U.S.-born descendants were detained.
Trump’s campaign has not specified how many migrants would be subject to these policies. However, it is estimated that there are currently 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.
Family Separation
Trump has also not ruled out the possibility of separating migrant families again, a policy he implemented during his time in the White House.
During an appearance on CNN last year, Trump admitted that the idea of separating families “sounds tough,” but then added: “When you tell families that if they come we’re going to separate them, they don’t come. And we can’t afford to have more.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for migration, has acknowledged that 4,227 children were separated from their families during the Trump administration.
Following the inauguration of President Joe Biden in January 2021, a task force was created to address this issue, and according to a DHS report from November 2023, 3,147 children have already been reunited with their parents.
Biden’s reelection campaign has sounded the alarm about Trump’s policies and has described his immigration plans as “racist, anti-American, and ineffective.”
“It’s just cheap politics,” said Maca Casado, the director of Hispanic media for the campaign.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
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