Monthly Archives: December 2018

Trump tweeted this morning (12/28/18) that he would shut down the border with Mexico if Democrats don’t fund his border wall. He can’t do that. The shutdown will delay many immigration hearings, and some, but not all, of the appeals … Continue reading →

When the government puts people in jail, the government is responsible for their medical care. The U.S. government is responsible for the deaths of 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin on December 8 and of 8-year-old Felipe Alonzo-Gomez on Christmas Day. The … Continue reading →

“Look to the helpers,” Mr. Rogers reminded us over and over again. So today: three stories of helpers, and ways you can help, too.

I wanted to tell good news stories on Christmas. And there are some, but the brutal realities of life and death on the border persist. The worst news today came with the report that another Guatemalan child died today in … Continue reading →

Keeping up with the rapidly changing news developments is tough. Here’s a brief summary of the last two days, with an emphasis on asylum, the wall, and the Trump government shutdown. 

Three big defeats for the Trump administration this week—and it’s only Wednesday.

Seven-year-old Jakelin Amei Rosmery Caal Maquin died at the border on December 6. It’s an old story now, yesterday’s news, though the debate over how it happened and who was to blame continues. Why did she come to the United … Continue reading →

NPR usually does a good job of reporting on immigration issues. This morning’s coverage of the Tornillo tent immigration jail was uncharacteristically incomplete, to the point of inaccuracy. Two of the problems are the characterization of the reasons for lengthy detention … Continue reading →

Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrants who have lived in the United States for decades are targets of Trump’s deportation policies. So are undocumented workers, family members trying to sponsor migrant children now held in detention centers, and undocumented immigrants showing up … Continue reading →

Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer met with President Donald Trump December 11 in a meeting characterized by “finger-pointing, arm-waving and raised voices” over Trump’s demand for $5 billion for a border wall that Pelosi called “immoral, ineffective and … Continue reading →