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Category: Immigration
January 15, 2025
William Upton
Immigration

Border Encounters Drop to Lowest Daily Average Since July 2020 Ahead of Trump’s Inauguration.

Daily encounters with illegal immigrants at the U.S. southern border in December hit their lowest average since July 2020. The decline is likely due to the impending inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has pledged to enact comprehensive security measures at the border and organize the mass deportation of illegal immigrants present in the United States.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the total number of unlawful immigrants crossing the border and encountered by federal immigration officials was 96,000 last month. Illegal immigration encounters can be seasonal, with peak crossings occurring in the spring and summer and declining as the weather cools. However, the Biden government insists the decline in encounters is due to border security measures enacted after the unchecked flow of illegal immigrants became a contentious presidential campaign issue.

“Our approach has been tough, humane, legal, and effective,” Biden DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas insisted during a recent press conference. Despite the drop, border encounters during much of outgoing President Joe Biden’s term in office hit all-time records. Between October 2023 and February 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) logged one million encounters with illegal immigrants. Late last year, border agents saw a concerning surge in Chinese illegal immigrants attempting to enter the country unlawfully.

Trump is pushing lawmakers on Capitol Hill to take up a budget reconciliation bill to help his incoming administration begin the removal of tens of millions of unlawful immigrants currently residing in the United States. However, there are some concerns that provisions from legislation expanding work visas and granting amnesty to many illegal immigrants could sneak into the reconciliation measure. Sponsored by Representative Maria Salazar (R-FL), the Dignity Act would drastically expand H-1B visa caps while making it more difficult to deport some illegals already in the United States.

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Daily encounters with illegal immigrants at the U.S. southern border in December hit their lowest average since July 2020. The decline is likely due to the impending inauguration of President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has pledged to enact comprehensive security measures at the border and organize the mass deportation of illegal immigrants present in the United States. show more
January 14, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Immigration
World

Leftist Theater on Brink of Bankruptcy After Hosting Hundreds of Illegals Who Refuse to Leave.

A leftist-run theater is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy after opening its doors to around 250 African migrants who have refused to leave the venue after staying there for five weeks. The Gaîté Lyrique theater in Paris, France, let in around 250 Africans on December 10, when it held a conference of pro-migrant academics and activists. When the conference ended, the migrants refused to leave, and the numbers are said to be steadily increasing, with over 300 now occupying the theater.

Since the theater can no longer operate and put on revenue-generating performances, the management has stated that the venue faces possible bankruptcy. Some have estimated that the theater has lost hundreds of thousands of euros in potential revenues.

“The sanitary conditions are deteriorating day after day, and the teams are facing this situation alone,” the management said. “Although this occupation is forced, it is unthinkable for the Gaîté Lyrique to throw these people out onto the street in the middle of winter,” they added.

Local businesses catering to theater-goers also say they have seen a massive fall in revenues, with one bistro claiming to have lost as much as 30,000 euros in business.

Far-left migrant advocacy groups have organized similar occupations in the past, but usually in public spaces like parks and squares.

France saw over 158,000 asylum applications last year as the country continues to struggle with large numbers of illegal arrivals. Many, however, do not remain in the country long, as their ultimate goal is to reach the United Kingdom by illegally crossing the English Channel.

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A leftist-run theater is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy after opening its doors to around 250 African migrants who have refused to leave the venue after staying there for five weeks. The Gaîté Lyrique theater in Paris, France, let in around 250 Africans on December 10, when it held a conference of pro-migrant academics and activists. When the conference ended, the migrants refused to leave, and the numbers are said to be steadily increasing, with over 300 now occupying the theater. show more
January 11, 2025
William Upton
Immigration
NatSec
World

Russian Wagner Mercenary Arrested Illegally Crossing U.S.-Mexico Border.

Timur Praliev, a mercenary with Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group, according to court records, was arrested while attempting to illegally cross the U.S. southern border on January 4. Found in Praliev’s possession were two passports, $4,000, and a drone.

The Russian mercenary was arrested shortly after he unlawfully crossed the Rio Grande River near Roma, Texas. Several weeks ago, Praliev was honored for his combat service by a Russian veterans organization established by President Vladimir Putin. Upon his apprehension by U.S. border patrol agents, Praliev informed them he was a citizen of Kazakhstan. Notably, one of the two foreign identifying documents he carried was a Kazakh passport.

Russia’s Wagner paramilitary group has been designated as a criminal organization by the United States Treasury Department and has been the subject of international sanctions. The mercenary organization’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was initially a key ally of Putin and was a pivotal figure during the initial stages of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

However, in the summer of 2023, Prigozhin turned his Wagner mercenaries on Russia and began a surprise march to Moscow. Despite quick gains inside Russia and meeting little resistance, the mercenary leader eventually halted his military campaign and surrendered to Russian authorities. Prigozhin was spared but later killed in a suspicious plane crash, along with most of Wagner’s leadership. President Putin alleges the passengers were drunk, on drugs, and playing with grenades, causing an explosion.

The apprehension of a decorated Wagner mercenary attempting to enter the U.S. illegally is concerning, as members of the paramilitary group have extensive training and combat experience across the globe. Wagner has played a critical role in Russia’s ongoing proxy war with France on the African continent.

Praliev was sentenced to time served on January 7. His current whereabouts are unknown.

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Timur Praliev, a mercenary with Russia's Wagner paramilitary group, according to court records, was arrested while attempting to illegally cross the U.S. southern border on January 4. Found in Praliev's possession were two passports, $4,000, and a drone. show more
Migrant Crime
January 9, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Five-Time Deportee Attempts Kidnapping at Alabama Store.

Yordy Noe Centeno-Melchor, who has been deported at least five times, was arrested on January 3 after allegedly attempting an abduction in Alabama. The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office charged Centeno-Melchor with second-degree attempted kidnapping after an incident on December 31 in Holtville, according to court records.

Law enforcement claims that Centeno-Melchor, aged 31, attempted to entice a 17-year-old girl into his vehicle at a Boy’s Store parking area by showing her something on his phone. Surveillance footage reportedly caught a bystander intervening, prompting Centeno-Melchor to abandon the alleged kidnapping attempt and leave the scene. The vehicle’s license plate was traced back to Centeno-Melchor, leading to his arrest when sheriff’s deputies stopped a 2017 black Mitsubishi in nearby Clanton for a traffic violation.

Centeno-Melchor was assigned a $100,000 cash bail during his initial court hearing. Sheriff Bill Franklin noted that Centeno-Melchor fitted the description of a man involved in a separate incident three days earlier at a Walmart in Prattville, where a teenage girl encountered a man in a women’s restroom.

Court documents reveal Centeno-Melchor’s prior encounters with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), having been deported from the United States on multiple occasions. Sheriff Franklin disclosed that officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding his past deportations.

ICE has placed a hold on Centeno-Melchor, expressing intent to deport him again. However, local authorities in Alabama are advocating for him to face state charges first. Prosecutors are concerned that federal custody could hinder their ability to prosecute him for the recent charges in Elmore County. The outcome may depend on negotiations between ICE and local legal systems regarding jurisdiction over Centeno-Melchor’s case.

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Yordy Noe Centeno-Melchor, who has been deported at least five times, was arrested on January 3 after allegedly attempting an abduction in Alabama. The Elmore County Sheriff’s Office charged Centeno-Melchor with second-degree attempted kidnapping after an incident on December 31 in Holtville, according to court records. show more
January 9, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime
Immigration
World

Syrian Who Sexually Assaulted 12-Year-Old Only Has to Pay $100 in Compensation.

A Syrian migrant who forced a 12-year-old girl to perform sex acts on him will not receive any prison time. A court in Vienna, Austria, only asked him to pay the family of his victim a paltry €100 (~$100) in compensation.

The court decided the Syrian, supposedly 15 at the time of the attack, may not have understood his pre-teen victim was not consenting. They conceded she may have said “no” but insisted that people sometimes say “no” and then “allow themselves to be persuaded by affection.”

The Syrian, now said to be 17, arrived claiming to be a refugee during the migrant crisis in 2016. He met the girl on the social media platform Snapchat, agreeing to meet at a park. The girl was later taken to a parking garage, where she was forced to perform sexual acts. Several others, including a 19-year-old, have been charged but still await trial over the incident.

A lawyer representing the victim and her family said the verdict showed “boundless contempt” for the victim and called the $100 payment a “mockery.” The acquittal is not final and may be appealed. The case is just the latest involving migrants sexually abusing an underage girl in Austria. In one case, a 13-year-old girl named Leonie was not only drugged and sexually abused but died at the hands of several Afghans, who were later convicted for her murder.

The populist, anti-mass migration Freedom Party placed first in the European Union country’s recent elections and is currently attempting to form a government.

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A Syrian migrant who forced a 12-year-old girl to perform sex acts on him will not receive any prison time. A court in Vienna, Austria, only asked him to pay the family of his victim a paltry €100 (~$100) in compensation. show more
January 8, 2025
Crime
Immigration
UK

British Lawmakers Reject Proposal for Muslim Rape Gangs Inquiry.

The British Parliament has shut down efforts to launch an inquiry into predominantly Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs preying on predominantly white working-class girls after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party voted against them. The Conservative Party’s reasoned amendment to Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill calling for an inquiry was decisively rejected, 364 votes to 111, with only Conservative and Reform Party lawmakers voting in favor.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued for the inquiry during Prime Minister’s Questions, warning of potential perceptions of a “cover-up” and accusing the government of avoiding scrutiny of Labour figures potentially involved. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer responded, misleadingly, that multiple inquiries into grooming gangs had already taken place—however, none of these were national in scope, and none have resulted in public officials who enabled or turned a blind eye to the abuse facing criminal sanctions.

The reasoned amendment would have stopped the progress of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, urging the Labour government to instead “develop new legislative proposals for children’s wellbeing at the same time as establishing a national statutory inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, focused on grooming gangs.”

Following reports that Labour’s Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, had refused to approve a local inquiry into grooming gang abuse in Oldham, England, tech billionaire Elon Musk began pressing the issue on his X platform, causing Britain’s right-leaning press and politicians to take up the issue.

Labour threatened to cut security ties with the United States this week unless President-elect Donald J. Trump distances himself from Musk’s views, given he is set to join the administration as a co-leader of the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Jack Montgomery contributed to this report.

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The British Parliament has shut down efforts to launch an inquiry into predominantly Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs preying on predominantly white working-class girls after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party voted against them. The Conservative Party's reasoned amendment to Labour's Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill calling for an inquiry was decisively rejected, 364 votes to 111, with only Conservative and Reform Party lawmakers voting in favor. show more
Trump Border Mass Deportations
January 8, 2025
Immigration

Mexico Prepares ‘Panic App’ for Nationals Facing Deportation Under Trump.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum‘s government is developing strategies to address potential mass deportations and tariffs threatened by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. One such measure is a “panic button” app for cell phones aimed at helping Mexican citizens in the United States signal the nearest consulate and family members in case of detention. The Sheinbaum government also plans to increase legal aid staff at over 50 consulates throughout the U.S., enhancing support for citizens facing deportation.

This response follows Trump’s campaign declarations, which have created widespread concern among Mexican officials, business leaders, and immigrants. Trump has not provided a detailed plan but has indicated a focus on deporting illegal immigrants with criminal records.

Recently, the U.S. House passed legislation entitled The Laken Riley Act targeting illegal immigrants accused of burglary, theft, and other so-called ‘nonviolent’ crimes for deportation. President Sheinbaum, who describes Mexican immigrants as “heroes,” has publicly opposed the deportation policy but has refrained from directly criticizing Trump.

With around 4.8 million illegal Mexicans in the U.S., the largest foreign national group, the Mexican government is emphasizing legal support, engaging over 300 advisors and seeking aid from various law firms.

Critics express skepticism about these initiatives, describing them as superficial. Additionally, doubts persist about the effectiveness of the panic button app and the practical capabilities of Mexican consulates amid budget cuts.

Mexican authorities are also working to support deportees who return to the border, although specific plans have yet to be detailed by Sheinbaum.

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Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum's government is developing strategies to address potential mass deportations and tariffs threatened by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. One such measure is a "panic button" app for cell phones aimed at helping Mexican citizens in the United States signal the nearest consulate and family members in case of detention. The Sheinbaum government also plans to increase legal aid staff at over 50 consulates throughout the U.S., enhancing support for citizens facing deportation. show more
January 8, 2025
William Upton
Immigration
NatSec
UK

Britain Threatens to Cut Security Ties With U.S. Unless Trump Dumps Musk.

Britain’s far-left Labour government is threatening to abandon its intelligence and national security relationships with the United States unless President-elect Donald J. Trump ends the influence of tech mogul Elon Musk in his incoming White House. According to the BBC, the demand comes from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer himself in response to Musk’s recent comments regarding Muslim grooming gangs in the country.

“There is absolute horror at the highest levels of the government at the incendiary language we have seen from Elon Musk,” BBC Newsnight reporter Nick Watt claims, adding: “And there’s going to be, as I understand it, a hard-headed assessment. Is this just the view of Elon Musk, or is it the view of the wider administration and the incoming President Donald Trump?”

Watt continues, suggesting if Musk’s view of Britain’s handling of the rape gangs is held more broadly, the Labour government could isolate from America’s broad and powerful security network. “[T]here may well be some very, very serious questions about the nature of our ongoing security partnership with the United States,” the BBC reporter said.

Musk’s recent comments regarding groomer rapists in Britain are not his first. The South African-American billionaire and space exploration innovator posed the question of whether groups of Muslim men were still preying on British girls in August on his X (formerly Twitter) social media platform. At least one victim of the gangs responded in the affirmative.

Meanwhile, in 2023—after purchasing X—Musk reinstated anti-grooming gang activist Tommy Robinson, who had been suspended by the social media platform’s prior owners.

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Britain's far-left Labour government is threatening to abandon its intelligence and national security relationships with the United States unless President-elect Donald J. Trump ends the influence of tech mogul Elon Musk in his incoming White House. According to the BBC, the demand comes from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer himself in response to Musk's recent comments regarding Muslim grooming gangs in the country. show more
January 7, 2025
Immigration
News

Now It’s ‘Hinduphobic’ to Oppose H-1B Visa Expansion!?

A Democrat in Michigan, originally from India, has accused America of being “racist” amid public debate over the controversial H-1B visa program that undercuts American workers. Michigan Representative Shri Thanedar, hailing from Belgaum, Karnataka, in India, asserts that the United States is experiencing significant “Hinduphobia” and has sponsored a congressional resolution to address the supposed issue.

On December 30, Thanedar took to X, stating, “Racism in America is still alive and well, and we must stand up to it together.” He claimed derogatory comments directed at Indian Americans in discussions about the H-1B program as evidence of this rhetoric. In response, he unveiled a bipartisan resolution condemning Hinduphobia.

Thanedar has also called for a major expansion of the H-1B program. He wrote on X advocating to “increase H1B tenfold and eliminate country quotas,” suggesting measures to streamline immigration checks and enhance the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) staffing to quicken legal immigration processes.

Indians are by far the nationality that benefits the most from H-1B visas, with 72 percent of all H-1B visas being given to Indian nationals in 2023. Tech giants make up the majority of companies that use the H-1B visa program, and tech billionaires like Elon Musk recently advocated for bringing in more migrants through the program.

Tesla, Musk’s electric vehicle company, laid off around 15,000 American workers in April last year and used H-1B visa migrants to fill many positions. President-elect Donald J. Trump has received pushback from supporters on the program as well, with some reporting they have lost jobs to Indian replacements on H-1B visas.

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A Democrat in Michigan, originally from India, has accused America of being "racist" amid public debate over the controversial H-1B visa program that undercuts American workers. Michigan Representative Shri Thanedar, hailing from Belgaum, Karnataka, in India, asserts that the United States is experiencing significant "Hinduphobia" and has sponsored a congressional resolution to address the supposed issue. show more
January 6, 2025
Crime
Immigration

Illegal Migrant Found With AR-15, $750K Drugs in Publicly Funded Hotel.

Massachusetts law enforcement officials have apprehended Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a 28-year-old Dominican national, at a taxpayer-supported shelter in Revere, Massachusetts. Andujar faces charges including firearm possession without legal authorization, possession of ammunition, possession of high-capacity magazines, and trafficking heroin. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office spokesman confirmed these charges.

The arrest occurred on December 27 after a search warrant was executed at the Quality Inn. During the search, authorities confiscated an AR-15 rifle, ammunition, and approximately five kilograms of illicit drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine. The drugs are estimated to have a street value of around $750,000. The arrest underscores ongoing issues related to unlawful migrants residing in state-funded shelters.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials revealed that Andujar had entered the United States illegally before his arrest. ICE has issued an immigration detainer in conjunction with Revere police, signifying intentions to take him into custody after local legal proceedings.

This case is part of a broader pattern involving illegal migrants in Massachusetts shelters. Earlier this year, another migrant, Cory Alvarez—a Haitian national—was arrested for raping a disabled child at another migrant hotel.

The influx of illegal migrants and inadmissible foreign nationals in Massachusetts is costing the state huge sums of money, projected to exceed $1 billion by fiscal year 2025.

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Massachusetts law enforcement officials have apprehended Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, a 28-year-old Dominican national, at a taxpayer-supported shelter in Revere, Massachusetts. Andujar faces charges including firearm possession without legal authorization, possession of ammunition, possession of high-capacity magazines, and trafficking heroin. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office spokesman confirmed these charges. show more