International
Immigrants in Denver are afraid to take their children to school because of the raids
Migrant parents in the Denver area, the capital of Colorado, fear sending their children to school in the face of the new massive raids, while their school district undertook the first judicial fight in the country against the Trump Government to remove immigration agents from the classrooms.
Since February 5, Pedro and María, a Colombian couple, stopped taking their children to school in Aurora, east of Denver.
“We find blocked streets, armed agents in our neighborhood and people screaming and crying. They didn’t let us get to school,” the migrants told EFE.
“Since then, my children have not returned because they fear separating from us,” says Pedro, who, although he is a legal resident in the United States, prefers not to reveal his full name.
About a hundred alleged members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua were arrested in the raid on April 5 in Aurora, a city east of Denver that was the epicenter of a national debate on security and immigration during the last presidential campaign.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on apartment complexes in the area intensified the sense of vulnerability among immigrants, including those with legal presence.
“Before we knew we had to take care of ourselves, but we never stopped taking children to school. Now it’s different. ICE can enter schools, and I don’t know if they’re going to stop me or my children. I’m afraid they’ll separate us,” Pedro confesses.
The fear of raids not only affects the mobility of immigrants, but also generates profound mental, emotional and economic consequences.
According to the American Council on Immigration (AIC), about 16.7 million people in the US live in families where at least one parent is undocumented, including six million child U.S. citizens. In the event of detention, these families can lose between 40% and 90% of their income within six months.
Last week, Denver Public Schools (DPS) sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in an attempt to curb the presence of immigration agents inside and outside educational centers.
“Parents enroll their children in public schools with the confidence that they will be educated without fear of migratory operations within those institutions,” says the lawsuit.
The DPS demands guarantees so that students can attend classes without fear, since uncertainty is affecting school attendance and, therefore, the financing of the districts.
“The fear of school rounding is generating irregular and unpredictable attendance, with a direct impact on funds and school resource planning,” the legal document warns.
For weeks, Pedro and María have stopped attending community events and religious services.
“News and social networks increase anxiety. They say there was a raid here or that they are going to cut food benefits. I don’t know what’s going to happen. One wants to get ahead, but now I’m not sure my children have a good future,” María laments.
According to a report by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), one in three Latino students in the US suffers from anxiety or depression due to the fear of immigration operations. Experts warn that this situation impacts the academic performance and emotional well-being of minors.
Meanwhile, Aurora Public Schools (APS) have implemented new security measures and expanded their communication system with parents, which could motivate Pedro and María to allow their children back to school.
However, the situation remains fragile. In some schools in the Denver metropolitan area, absenteeism has reached 80%, which could compromise school funds if students do not complete state exams.
“I don’t want my children to live in fear. I can’t give up. Like us, thousands of immigrants face uncertainty every day, but we continue to cling to the hope of a better future,” says Pedro.
International
FBI Says It Disrupted Alleged Plot Targeting White House During UFC Event
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Tuesday that it had disrupted an alleged plot to attack the White House during a major Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held in Washington over the weekend.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the threat was identified on June 10 through a joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. According to Patel, swift action by authorities led to the arrest of several suspects before the alleged plan could be carried out.
“On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat targeting UFC America 250 in Washington. Thanks to the rapid response of the FBI and our partners, multiple individuals are now in custody, and the alleged attack plans were stopped before they could be executed,” Patel said.
He emphasized that the operation demonstrated the ability of security agencies to detect and prevent potential threats at large public gatherings. Patel added that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional details will be released as court proceedings move forward.
According to reports from U.S. media outlets, five individuals have been arrested so far. The suspects were identified as Tycen Proper of Ohio, Daniel Eskridge of Missouri, Abraham Hermosillo Álvarez of Nebraska, and Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas, both from California. Authorities are also investigating the possible involvement of 18 additional individuals.
Investigators allege that the plot involved the use of drones equipped with explosives to target buildings near the sporting event. The plan reportedly sought to trigger a mass evacuation and direct attendees toward areas where snipers were allegedly positioned. Authorities further claim that a second phase of the operation included an attempted assault on the White House.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it worked closely with the FBI throughout the operation. Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that security teams conducted extensive efforts to identify those involved and eliminate any threat to attendees and protected facilities.
The investigation reportedly uncovered communications conducted through the messaging application Signal, where several suspects allegedly discussed details related to the planned attack. A forensic analysis of one of the seized mobile phones revealed at least 23 users participating in conversations connected to the alleged planning activities.
Court documents also indicate that some of the suspects allegedly intended to target U.S. political figures. Among the reported targets were members of Congress who had received contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Investigators further stated that one of the primary suspects had posted antisemitic messages and expressions of support for Adolf Hitler on social media, evidence that is now part of the ongoing judicial investigation.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
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