Page 2 - Migrants

Australian HC overturns law that forced migrants to wear tracking bracelets

Australia's highest court ruled Wednesday that migrants can't be forced by law to wear electronic tracking bracelets or to comply with curfews. The ruling is a blow to the government, whose lawyers have unsuccessfully argued that laws imposing curfews and tracking technology are justified to protect the community. Five of the seven High Court judges ruled that the tough restrictions placed on more than 100 migrants, usually because of their criminal records, were unconstitutional because the conditions amounted to punishment. The constitution states that punishment must be imposed by judges, not lawmakers. The restrictions were part of emergency laws hastily passed in December in response to another High Court ruling that non-citizens could no longer be detained indefinitely as an alternative to deportation. That ruling in the case of a stateless Rohingya man reversed a 28-year-old High Court precedent that allowed indefinite detention where there were security concerns. Wednesday'

Indian migrant dies trying to cross English Channel after boat deflates

An Indian man about 40 years old died on Sunday morning in northern France after the inflated boat he and other migrants had boarded to cross the English Channel deflated, French authorities said in a statement. This year is proving to be the deadliest for migrants' crossing attempts aboard small boats since numbers began surging in 2018, according to the maritime prefecture that oversees French waters in the channel. The man's death Sunday pushed this year's tally so far to 56. Around 5:30 a.m. local time, a group of migrants launched their small boat off the town of Tardinghen, some 15 miles (25 kilometers) west of Calais. The boat, which appeared to be in very poor condition," deflated immediately after departure, the statement said. Migrants ... returned to the beach swimming but not everyone was equipped with a life jacket. The Indian man had a cardiac arrest. Police gave him a cardiac massage on the beach, the statement said, but could not resuscitate him. A inquiry has been

Trump cites new data on migrants with criminal pasts: All you need to know

Republicans are pointing to newly released immigration enforcement data to bolster their argument that the Biden administration is letting migrants who have committed serious crimes go free in the US. But the numbers have been misconstrued without key context. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released data to Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales in response to a request he made for information about people under ICE supervision either convicted of crimes or facing criminal charges. Gonzales' Texas district includes an 800-mile stretch bordering Mexico. Gonzales posted the numbers online and they immediately became a flashpoint in the presidential campaign between former President Donald Trump, who has vowed to carry out mass deportations, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Immigration and the Biden administration's record on border security has become a key issue in the election. Here's a look at the data and what it does or doesn't show: What are the numbers? As of July 21, ICE sai

Chinese migrants flock to Mexico in search of jobs and taste of freedom

Despite her well-paying tech job, Li Daijing didn't hesitate when her cousin asked for help running a restaurant in Mexico City. She packed up and left China for the Mexican capital last year, with dreams of a new adventure. The 30-year-old woman from Chengdu, the Sichuan provincial capital, hopes one day to start an online business importing furniture from her home country. I want more, Li said. I want to be a strong woman. I want independence. Li is among a new wave of Chinese migrants who are leaving their country in search of opportunities, more freedom or better financial prospects at a time when China's economy has slowed, youth unemployment rates remain high and its relations with the U.S. and its allies have soured. While the U.S. border patrol arrested tens of thousands of Chinese at the U.S-Mexico border over the past year, thousands are making the Latin American country their final destination. Many have hopes to start businesses of their own, taking advantage of Mexico'

At least 13 dead after boat with migrants sinks in waters off north France

The mayor of a French coastal town being used in a rescue operation says 13 migrants are dead after their boat ripped apart Tuesday during an attempted crossing of the English Channel. Dozens of people plunged into the treacherous waters. Unfortunately, the bottom of the boat ripped open, said Olivier Barbarin, mayor of Le Portel near the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, where a first-aid post was set up to treat victims. It's a big drama.

Boat carrying migrants capsizes off Libyan coast, 1 dead, 22 missing

A boat carrying Europe-bound migrants capsized off the Libyan coast Tuesday, leaving one person dead and 22 missing, Libyan authorities said. The coast guard in the eastern Libyan town of Tobruk said the boat was carrying 32 migrants and that nine have been rescued. Survivors are being taken to a port in Tobruk, the coast guard said. The shipwreck was the latest sea tragedy off the North African nation which has in recent years emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East. Libya was plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. Human traffickers in recent years have benefited from the disorder, smuggling in migrants across Libya's extensive borders, which it shares with six nations. The migrants are crowded onto ill-equipped vessels, including rubber boats, and set off on risky sea voyages.

Ahead of elections J&K authorities set up helpdesk to reach out to migrants

As preparations for assembly elections gain momentum in Jammu and Kashmir, the relief and rehabilitation department has established a helpdesk to assist eligible voters from the displaced Kashmiri community residing across the country. This initiative aims to facilitate smooth polling at special polling stations and through postal ballots, according to officials. The department has intensified efforts to ensure free and fair elections for Kashmiri migrants, with the Election Commission (EC) setting up 24 special polling stations and a postal ballot scheme for displaced community voters in Jammu, Udhampur, and Delhi, they said. "A helpdesk has been established in our office and across various zones. Several employees have been deployed to ensure seamless facilitation of migrant polling," Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Dr Arvind Karwani told PTI. Karwani emphasised that the helpdesk is actively addressing issues faced by migrants, with the goal of enhancing voter facilities .

India leads as top origin country and destination for Hindu migrants: Pew

At 47%, Christians make up the largest share of migrant population across the world, according to Pew Research Centre's analysis of global migrant religious composition

Cruise ship saves 77 migrants on sailing boat near southwest of Greece

A cruise ship rescued 77 migrants found overnight in a sailboat in distress far off the southwestern coast of Greece and was transporting them to the nearest major port, Greek authorities said Tuesday. A passing Maltese-flagged cargo ship found the boat 112 nautical miles (129 miles, 207 kilometres) southwest of the town of Pylos in the early hours of Tuesday, the coast guard said. In an operation coordinated by Greece's search and rescue authority, all those on board were picked up by a cruise ship sailing in the area and were being transported to the southern Greek port town of Kalamata, authorities said. There were no reports of any people missing. No information was immediately available on the nationalities of those on the sailboat or where they had set out from. Greece lies on one of the most popular migration routes for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and seeking to enter the European Union. Many attempt to make the short crossing fro

Largest housing provider for migrant children engaged in sexual abuse: US

Employees of the largest housing provider for unaccompanied migrant children in the US repeatedly sexually abused and harassed children in their care for at least eight years, the Justice Department has said, alleging a shocking litany of offences that took place as the company amassed billions of dollars in government contracts. Southwest Key Programmes Inc employees, including supervisors, raped, touched or solicited sex and nude images of children beginning in 2015 and possibly earlier, the Justice Department said in a lawsuit filed this week. At least two employees have been indicted on criminal charges related to the allegations since 2020. It was not immediately clear Thursday how many children are currently in Southwest Key's vast network of shelters across three states, which have room for more than 6,300 children. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to emailed questions about whether it had recommended to federal officials that they remove children from the ..

Australian visa: Longer grace period for migrant workers to find new jobs

Visa holders now have up to 180 days at a time, or a maximum of 365 days in total during the visa grant period, to secure new sponsorship

US deports 116 Chinese migrants in first 'large' charter flight in 5 years

The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that it sent 116 Chinese migrants from the United States back home in the first large charter flight in five years. The flight, which happened over the weekend, comes as Chinese immigration has become the subject of intense political debate in the upcoming U.S. presidential election. "We will continue to enforce our immigration laws and remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. The department said it was working with China to reduce and deter irregular migration and to disrupt illicit human smuggling through expanded law enforcement efforts. It did not respond to questions about how long the migrants had been in the U.S. In recent years, the United States has had a difficult time returning Chinese nationals who do not have the right to stay in America because China has resisted taking them back. Last year, the United States saw a drasti

US signs deal to help Panama remove migrants who may be travelling north

The United States is going to pay for flights and offer other help to Panama to remove migrants under an agreement signed Monday, as the Central American country's new president has vowed to shut down the treacherous Darien Gap used by people travelling north to the United States. The memorandum of understanding was signed during an official visit headed by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to Panama for the inauguration Monday of Jos Ral Mulino, the country's new president. The deal is designed to jointly reduce the number of migrants being cruelly smuggled through the Darien, usually en route to the United States," National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement Monday. "Specifically, the United States will support Panama's efforts to begin the swift, safe and humane repatriation of migrants who do not have a legal basis to remain in Panama. The efforts to send some migrants back to their homelands will help deter irregular migration in the

Tyson Foods denies accusations of hiring migrants over US citizens

The letters say that Tyson employs 42,000 foreign workers, making up more than one-third of its US workforce, and is involved in programs to recruit more

Trump claims Chinese migrants building US army; migrants tell another story

It was 7 a.m. on a recent Friday when Wang Gang, a 36-year-old Chinese immigrant, jostled for a day job in New York City's Flushing neighbourhood. When a potential employer pulled up near the street corner, Wang and dozens of other men swarmed around the car. They were hoping to be picked for work on a construction site, at a farm, as a mover anything that would pay. Wang had no luck, even as he waited for two more hours. It would be another day without a job since he crossed the southern US border illegally in February. The daily struggle of Chinese immigrants in Flushing is a far cry from the picture former President Donald Trump and other Republicans have sought to paint of them as a coordinated group of military-age men who have come to the United States to build an army and attack America. Since the start of the year, as the Chinese newcomers adjust to life in the US, Trump has alluded to fighting age or military age Chinese men at least six times and suggested at least twice

UAE top destination for India migrants, hosts 3.47 million: UN report

India received more than $111 bn in remittances in 2022, the largest such amount

Britain's plan to send some migrants to Rwanda hits hurdle in Parliament

A law that will enable Britain to send some asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda suffered a setback on Wednesday after Parliament's upper chamber pressed its attempt to amend the contentious legislation. The House of Lords inserted amendments into the Safety of Rwanda Bill, sending it back to the lower House of Commons in a process known as parliamentary ping-pong. The government had hoped members of the Lords would stop blocking the bill on Wednesday, relenting to the parliamentary rule that the unelected Lords ultimately can't overrule the elected Commons. The Lords' resistance underlines the strength of opposition in the upper house, where the governing Conservative Party does not have a majority. The bill is still overwhelmingly likely to become law, but the latest move delays its passage, likely until next week. The legislation will pave the way for deportation flights to take off though opponents plan new legal challenges that could keep them grounded. The Rwanda plan

Texas' migrant arrest law back on hold after briefly taking effect

A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the US-Mexico border illegally while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out. The Biden administration is suing to strike down the measure, arguing it's a clear violation of federal authority that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law. The law allows any police officer in Texas to arrest migrants for illegal entry. A judge could then order them to leave the US Texas has argued it has a right to take action over what Texas authorities have called a crisis at the southern border. The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings. Gov. Greg Abbott has described the situation at the border as an invasion of migrants.

Migrant boat capsizes near Turkiye's coast; at least 21 people killed

A rubber dinghy carrying migrants sank off Turkiye's northern Aegean coast on Friday, killing at least 21 people, officials said. Turkish coast guard personnel rescued two migrants from the sea off the town of Eceabat in Canakkale province, while two others reached the shore by themselves and notified officials, Gov. Ilhami Aktas said. It was not clear how many people were on the boat when it sank and the coast guard was continuing to search the area, he said. A statement from Aktas' office later said five of the dead were children. The migrants' nationalities were not immediately known. Eighteen rescue boats, a plane, two helicopters and a drone were involved in the search and rescue mission, the statement said. Ambulances were on standby at a nearby port, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Although their numbers have declined in recent years, migrants mostly from the Middle East and Africa often leave Turkiye to try to reach Greece in search of a better life in European ...

Home ministry notifies rules for implementation of citizenship law CAA

The rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) are likely to be notified on Monday to facilitate the granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, according to sources. Once the CAA rules are issued, the Modi government will start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- who had come to India till December 31, 2014. The CAA was passed in December 2019 and subsequently got the president's assent but there were protests in several parts of the country against it. The law could not come into effect so far as rules have to be notified for its implementation.