International
Mexico will return migrants affected by Trump’s restrictions to its countries
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum assured on Tuesday that her Government will return to their countries of origin to migrants stranded in Mexico affected by the new immigration restrictions of the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
“We would look for the mechanisms through the migration policy and the foreign policy of return to their countries of origin, for example, there is an agreement with Guatemala, with practically all Central American countries, in fact there was a meeting last Friday for it, there is an agreement with Cuba,” he warned at his press conference.
The president promised “humanitarian attention” to migrants from other nations, particularly from Latin America, who are in Mexico and who can no longer cross to the United States, but insisted that the new Trump Government must directly deport undocumented immigrants to their places of origin and not to Mexican territory.
The president did not clarify whether the Government of Mexico would pay for these repatriations or the United States would.
“It’s what we’re going to talk about (talk) with the United States Government,” he said.
In particular, Sheinbaum referred to the new decree of the Trump president that reinstates the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also called ‘Stay in Mexico’, which forces US asylum seekers to wait in Mexican territory.
The president argued that “more than receiving” these migrants “because the MPP is a decision of the United States”, Mexico would give them “humanitarian attention”.
“So the point is, if they are in Mexican territory those people we attend them for humanitarian reasons, but we seek within the framework of our migration policy, being foreigners, their return to their country of origin,” he argued.
Sheinbaum offered the same to the migrants who were stranded in Mexico after Trump’s cancellation of the ‘CBP One’ application of the Office of Customs and Border Protection to request US asylum from Mexican territory.
“Of course they are voluntary returns, but it is important to inform them that, as we have been doing since we arrived in October (at the Government) and that is why this integral humanitarian policy that we follow, that arriving at the border they will not be able to enter the United States,” he remarked.
The head of state reiterated that her government is ready for mass deportations, which would affect in particular Mexico, the origin of about half of the 11 million undocumented in the United States and whose remittances represent almost 4% of the Mexican gross domestic product (GDP).
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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