ICE Raid at Georgia Hyundai Lithium-ion Battery Plant Prompted Diplomatic Concern in Seoul

A massive federal immigration raid at Hyundai–LG's battery plant site in Ellabell, Georgia, led to the arrest of 475 workers — most of them Korean nationals.

This was the largest worksite enforcement operation in Homeland Security Investigations' history. The multi-agency operation drew global attention, with dramatic visuals showing workers fleeing and federal agents swarming the site.

---

“South Koreans Are Swept Up in Immigration Raid at Hyundai Plant in Georgia”

— Source: The New York Times

They were among nearly 500 workers apprehended at a construction site for a South Korean battery maker, officials said. The episode prompted diplomatic concern in Seoul."

The Hyundai plant in Ellabel, Ga., in March. Mike Stewart /Associated Press

Immigration authorities arrested hundreds of workers for a major South Korean battery maker at a Hyundai plant in Georgia, U.S. officials said on Friday, calling it the largest-ever Homeland Security enforcement operation at a single location.

Agents on Thursday arrested 475 people, most of whom are South Korean citizens, at a construction site for an electric vehicle battery plant in Ellabell, Ga., near Savannah, Steven Schrank, a special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations for Georgia, said at a news conference.

The raid was the culmination of an investigation that took place over several months, he said.

Mr. Schrank said that the workers arrested were in the United States illegally or were working unlawfully. No criminal charges would be announced on Friday, he said, adding that investigators were still determining employment details for those arrested, some of whom worked for subcontractors.

The operation aimed to ensure “a level playing field for businesses that comply with the law,” Mr. Schrank said.

Most of those arrested were held at the Folkston detention facility in Georgia on Thursday night.

The battery manufacturer, LG Energy Solution, which co-owns the plant with Hyundai Motor Group, said in a statement that its employees and those from its partnering companies had been taken into custody.

Hyundai said in a statement that none of those detained were Hyundai employees, as far as the company was aware.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and working to understand the specific circumstances,” Hyundai said on Friday.

It added that it was reviewing its processes “to ensure that all parties working on our projects maintain the same high standards of legal compliance that we demand of ourselves,” including “thorough vetting of employment practices by contractors and subcontractors.”

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on Friday that South Koreans were among those in custody, without saying how many.

Mr. Schrank told reporters at the plant on Thursday that some U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents had been detained initially and were being released.

Charles Kuck, an immigration lawyer in Atlanta, said two of his clients who were in the country under a visa waiver program that enables them to travel for tourism or business for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa were caught up in the raid.

“My clients were doing exactly what they were allowed to do under the visa waiver — attend business meetings,” he said on Friday, noting that one of them “had just arrived on Tuesday and was leaving next week.”

A Homeland Security official said 475 people, most of whom are South Korean citizens, were arrested at a construction site in Ellabell, Ga., on Friday. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives

“It appears that ICE was somewhat overzealous in arresting nonimmigrants who were clearly obeying the law,” he said.

James Woo, communications director for the Atlanta office of Asian Americans Advancing Justice, said he had been on the phone all day with South Korean residents across Georgia.

“People are in shock,” Mr. Woo said, adding that there was deep concern about how those arrested were being treated by ICE officials. He noted that the Korean community in Savannah was small and “has never become one” with the plant and its workers.

“There aren’t the same resources you’d find in Atlanta,” he said. “People don’t know where to go or how to find legal representation.”

The operation, part of President Trump’s crackdown on immigration, caused diplomatic alarm in South Korea.

Just over a week earlier, Mr. Trump hosted President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea at the White House, where the South Korean leader pledged to invest an additional $150 billion in the United States, including in battery manufacturing.

When asked on Friday whether he was concerned about his immigration agenda clashing with economic goals, Mr. Trump said that ICE was just doing its job.

“They came through illegally. They came into our country. So we have to do our job,” he told a reporter.

The operation on Thursday echoed other workplace raids, including a huge one conducted across various work sites in Mississippi during Mr. Trump’s first term. In 2019, federal agents raided several companies in what officials said at the time might have been the largest work-site enforcement action ever in a single state.

More than 600 immigrants who were believed to be working without legal documentation were apprehended during that operation. The Biden administration announced it was ceasing the practice of enforcement operations at businesses in 2021.

In another large workplace raid under the administration of President George W. Bush, 389 workers were arrested at a kosher meatpacking company in Postville, Iowa, in May 2008. The company filed for bankruptcy later that year.

The lithium-ion battery plant, which predated Mr. Lee’s pledge, was expected to start operating next year. It is the kind of large-scale, job-creating investment that the United States has sought from South Korea and other nations.

South Korean companies have invested tens of billions of dollars in American manufacturing in recent years, much of it incentivized by federal subsidies and tax breaks for semiconductor plants and electric vehicle factories.

The Trump administration has already backtracked on some of those commitments, possibly damaging anticipated returns for giants like SK Group, LG, and Samsung.

In late July, the White House struck a deal with South Korea that would set 15 percent tariffs on most of the country’s exports to the United States.

South Korean executives told local media that they need their own technicians on-site, at least temporarily, to get all of their factories up and running. And at the same time, South Korean companies are paying billions of dollars in tariffs, diminishing the capital available to spend on new plants.

The Ellabell site is part of one of Georgia’s largest manufacturing plants. Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, a Republican, has promoted the $7.6 billion Hyundai E.V. factory there as the largest economic development project in state history.

The immigration operation brought construction to a halt at the battery plant, known as HL-GA Battery Company. A spokeswoman, Mary Beth Kennedy, said in a statement that the plant was cooperating with the authorities.

Jongwon Lee, a Korean lawyer who works in metro Atlanta, said on Friday that South Korean conglomerates are bringing huge investments into the United States, but there aren’t enough visas to sponsor trained workers to run these factories.

The blame lies with the American visa system, he said. The United States “invited us to invest in the U.S., but they don’t give Koreans proper visas.”

State Representative Sam Park, a Democrat, called the raid a “politically motivated attack” on Georgia workers and families.

“These raids target the very people building our clean energy future while tearing families apart,” he said. “Georgia’s prosperity depends on protecting workers, not criminalizing them.”

South Korean Embassy and consular officials were sent to the site from Washington and Atlanta, Lee Jaewoong, a spokesman for South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, said at a news conference on Friday.

“The economic activities of our investment companies and the rights and interests of our citizens must not be unjustly violated during U.S. law enforcement proceedings,” he said.

LG Energy Solution said that it was working with the South Korean government to get its employees, as well as those in its partnering companies, released.

Reporting was contributed by Erica L. Green, Christian Boone, Neal E. Boudette, Lydia DePillis, and Miriam Jordan.

John Yoon is a Times reporter based in Seoul who covers breaking and trending news.

Jenny Gross is a reporter for The Times covering breaking news and other topics.

Aimee Ortiz covers breaking news and other topics.

Ashley Ahn covers breaking news for The Times from New York.

Source: The New York Times

‘Bonkers Crazypants’: American Diplomats Shaken by Reports of Possible Cuts

The purported order would eliminate the Policy Planning Bureau, traditionally a center of power in State Departments of both Republicans and Democrats, as well as the Bureau of Conflict Stability Operations and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

U.S. diplomats were shaken and even panicked during the weekend as a document purporting to be a draft executive order that would radically reshape the State Department circulated and boosted their fears of massive job cuts.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed reports of the document as “fake news,” but the jitters underscored how alarmed many are about the lengths the Trump administration will go to to reshape the State Department as part of a so-called efficiency drive.

The document calls for eliminating scores of traditional State Department offices and bureaus and overhauling how Foreign Service postings work. Among other changes, it would eliminate the regional bureau devoted to Africa and shrink the U.S. diplomatic presence in Canada.

POLITICO obtained the document, and two current and one former official familiar with the matter verified the proposal has been circulated inside the department but couldn’t confirm when it was drafted, by whom, or how it pertained to the Trump administration’s final reorganization plan.

A State Department spokesperson called the draft “a fake document.”

The administration is planning to announce its reorganization plans as soon as Tuesday, which could come in the form of notices to the Department, two U.S. officials said.

The speed at which the document circulated among diplomats over the weekend — real or not — speaks to how on edge State Department officials are over the fate of their agency amid the Trump administration’s drive to drastically slash government bureaucracy.

Diplomats sharing the draft with each other said they were puzzled by the logic undergirding it. One U.S. diplomat described the draft to POLITICO as “bonkers crazypants.”

The diplomat added: “There’s a lot that could be reformed, but you could give infinite monkeys infinite typewriters, and they would come up with something better than that.”

There are signs that the document is not the final plan for the State Department. It does not follow the standard format of an executive order, even from President Donald Trump.

Many pieces of it would violate or undermine laws that authorize the State Department’s operations, and it is also not logistically consistent with other communications sent to Congress from the administration detailing other revamps, such as what it plans to do with the leftovers of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Trump and his administration have made their intentions for the State Department clear. POLITICO reported last week that the administration is weighing asking Congress to slash the State Department and USAID budgets by nearly half to $28.4 billion.

The document calls for eliminating regional bureaus within the department and replacing them with four new diplomatic “corps” on Eurasia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the Indo-Pacific.

Some of the most startling shifts outlined in the purported order address how the U.S. approaches Africa. Under changes proposed within it, much of the State Department’s work on the region would be farmed out to the White House, and all “non-essential embassies and consulates in sub-Saharan Africa” would be closed by Oct. 1, 2025. A Special Envoy for African Affairs reporting directly to the National Security Council would replace the African Affairs bureau.

The plan would also see the U.S. significantly reduce the number of diplomats dedicated to managing U.S. relations with Canada, including by downscaling operations of the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa with a specialized team of less than 20 to work with the top diplomat there.

Both moves have the potential to upend routine services for Americans abroad in those places, such as helping travelers with lost passports or registering births, but the plan makes no mention of how it would address that.

The purported order would altogether eliminate the Policy Planning Bureau, traditionally a center of power in State Departments of both Republicans and Democrats, as well as the Bureau of Conflict Stability Operations and the Bureau of democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.

Felicia Schwartz, Nahal Toosi and Robbie Gramer | Sun, April 20, 2025 at 11:28 AM EDT | The article was originally published on POLITICO

Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Thomas Sowell Criticizes Trump's Beautiful Tariffs Instituted April 2, 2025

In an interview recorded yesterday, Hoover Senior Fellow Thomas Sowell criticizes the tariffs President Trump instituted earlier today. Watch the complete interview with Dr. Sowell on @UncKnowledge with Peter Robinson (@P_M_Robinson) on April 15th, 2025. pic.twitter.com/i0Ver1QIp4

— Hoover Institution (@HooverInst) April 3, 2025

“It’s painful to see what a ruinous decision from back in the 1920s being repeated. Now insofar as he’s using these tariffs to get various strategic things settled and that he’s satisfied with that,” Sowell said, “but if you set off a worldwide trade war, that has a devastating history. Everybody loses because everybody follows suit, and all that happens is you get a great reduction in international trade.”

— Source

The 94-year-old Sowell retired from writing his syndicated column in 2016 at the age of 86. Conservatives and libertarians have called for him to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work on economics and public policy over the course of his career.

---

Economy | Published April 3, 2025 6:18pm EDT

Legendary Economist Says Trump's Tariffs Could Replay 'Devastating History'

Thomas Sowell said that broad tariffs risk causing an economic downturn

Eric Revell FOXBusiness

Trade war turbulence: UBS managing director explains how to weather stock dips

UBS Managing Director Jason Katz and Pence Wealth Management CIO Dryden Pence weigh in on the S&P's record lows and President Donald Trump's tariff plans on 'The Claman Countdown.'

Legendary economist Thomas Sowell weighed in on President Donald Trump's tariffs in an interview released Wednesday, saying that sweeping tariffs risk triggering a trade war and repeating the "devastating history" of trade policies that worsened the Great Depression.

The Hoover Institution on Wednesday released an excerpt of an interview recorded Tuesday with Sowell, the Rose and Milton Friedman senior fellow on public policy at the Hoover Institution, from the think tank's "Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson" series. In the interview, the acclaimed conservative economist said it's "painful to see" the administration follow in the footsteps of a "ruinous decision from back in the 1920s."

Sowell referenced the Smoot-Hawley tariffs, which were broad tariffs debated and implemented in 1929 and 1930, respectively, in an effort to protect American industries from overseas competition in the early stages of the Great Depression. Foreign countries retaliated, causing a decline in global trade that economists now widely believe deepened the Depression.

He went on to say that if Trump's tariffs are intended as short-term, limited measures to achieve strategic goals, they may be effective, but if they're left in place over the long term, they could replicate the "devastating history" of a global trade war and cause consumers and investors to pull back amid the uncertainty.

WHAT IS THE TIME FRAME FOR TRUMP'S TARIFFS LEADING TO PRICE INCREASES?

Economist Thomas Sowell. (FOX Business / Fox News)

"It's painful to see what a ruinous decision from back in the 1920s being repeated. Now insofar as he's using these tariffs to get various strategic things settled and that he's satisfied with that," Sowell said, "but if you set off a worldwide trade war, that has a devastating history. Everybody loses, because everybody follows suit, and all that happens is you get a great reduction in international trade."

Sowell went on to say that President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who took office after the Smoot-Hawley tariffs had taken effect, pursued policy experiments in an effort to lift the economy out of the Depression. He noted that this approach can be effective in a predictable rules-based system, but he added that arbitrary and unilateral actions can create uncertainty that suppresses economic activity in the absence of a reliable framework.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S 'LIBERATION DAY' TARIFFS

President Donald Trump shows off his administration's tariffs on U.S. trading partners during his "Liberation Day" announcement | (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"It's disturbing in another sense. Franklin D. Roosevelt, when he was president in the 1930s, said that you have to try things, and if they don't work, then you admit it, you abandon that, and you go on to something else, and you try that until you come across something that does work," Sowell said. 

"Now, that's not a bad approach if you are operating within a known system of rules. If you are the one who's making the rules, then all the other people have no idea what you're going to do next. And that is a formula for having people hang on to their money until they figure out what you're going to do, and when a lot of people hang on to their money, you can get results such as you got during the Great Depression of the 1930s."

WALL STREET FIRMS SEE RECESSION RISK RISING OVER TARIFFS, TRADE WAR

Tariffs are taxes on imports paid by importers at the time a tariffed good enters the country, with prices typically passed on to consumers | (Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"So if this is just a set of short-run ploys for various limited objectives, limited in time, fine, maybe. But if this is going to be the policy for four long years, that you're going to try this, you're going to try that and you're going to try something else, a lot of people are going to wait," Sowell explained.

"I think what happened in the stock market recently when things came down substantially for quite a while," he added, "and I know that various people are holding on to their money before they do anything because they don't know where this is going to lead."

The 94-year-old Sowell retired from writing his syndicated column in 2016 at the age of 86. Conservatives and libertarians have called for him to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work on economics and public policy over the course of his career.

The Hoover Institution's video noted that the full interview with Thomas Sowell as part of the "Uncommon Knowledge with Peter Robinson" video series will be released on April 15.

---

“Ronald Reagan’s Radio Address on Tariffs.”

— April 25, 1987

On April 25, 1987, President Ronald Reagan delivered a radio address from Camp David, Maryland, emphasizing the dangers of tariffs and protectionist trade policies. He warned that while tariffs might initially seem patriotic and beneficial for protecting American jobs and industries, they ultimately lead to negative consequences.

• Industry complacency: Domestic industries begin relying on government protection instead of innovating and competing globally.

• Retaliation and trade wars: High tariffs provoke other nations to impose retaliatory tariffs, escalating trade conflicts.

• Economic decline: Artificially high prices caused by tariffs reduce consumer demand, shrink markets, collapse businesses, and result in widespread job losses.

Reagan drew parallels to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which he argued worsened the Great Depression by stifling international trade and economic recovery. He criticized Congress members who prioritized short-term political gains over long-term economic prosperity, noting that millions of American jobs were tied to exports and imports.

We are currently experiencing significant chaos, characterized by a lack of effective solutions. The uncertainty arising from rising tariffs has serious implications, resulting in long-lasting financial difficulties for American citizens.

The Impact of Tariffs: Global Trade War

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Our country and its taxpayers have been taken advantage of for more than 50 years, but that is going to change, Trump stated on Wednesday during a ceremony in the Rose Garden.

On the same day, Trump declared a US economic emergency and announced tariffs of at least 10% on imports from all countries. The rates will be even higher for 60 countries and trading blocs that have a significant trade deficit with the US. According to President Trump, "This is Liberation Day."

“In the face of unrelenting economic warfare, the United States can no longer continue with a policy of unilateral economic surrender … We are finally putting America first.”

Pres. Trump unveils his long-promised, sweeping set of tariffs on imports. https://t.co/PLFDFQj1q5 pic.twitter.com/BUKoSSsN5F

— ABC News (@ABC) April 2, 2025

Some of the cost of the new taxes will likely be passed on to consumers, with low-income households expected to face the greatest impact, according to an analysis from Yale Budget Lab released on Wednesday.

---

READ New Tariffs Imposed on Goods Entering the US From Canada, Mexico, and China

---

Households earning an average disposable income of around $43,000—some of the lowest in the nation—are poised to face a significant 2.3% decline in their disposable income due to the tariffs announced on Wednesday. In stark contrast, those in the highest income bracket, with disposable incomes over $500,000, will only experience a minor decrease of 0.9%.

Looking ahead to all tariffs scheduled for 2025, the situation worsens for lower-income households, which could see their disposable income plummet by 4%. Meanwhile, the wealthiest households would face a mere 1.6% reduction. This disparity underscores the disproportionate impact of these tariffs on those who can least afford it.

“A tariff is what we call a regressive tax because it pinches families at the bottom more than it pinches families at the top. ”

— Ernie Tedeschi; Director of economics, Yale Budget Lab

President Trump unveils his long-promised, sweeping set of tariffs on imports.

Including tariffs on all imported automobiles of 25% which went into effect at 12:01 am ET on Thursday.

According to the CIA World Factbook, other territories with no economy and no population were also impacted by the sweeping tariffs announced by President Trump.

Australian external territory in the southern Indian Ocean, Heard Island, and McDonald Islands slammed with a 10% tariff, and so are the Cocos Islands 600 inhabitants send 32% of its exports to the US, according to the CIA World Factbook, they now face a 10% tariff.

U.S. trading partners are anticipated to respond with retaliatory actions.

China, which faces a 54% import tax, intends to impose an additional 34% tax on US goods beginning next week.

India on tariffs! 'The era when a few powers underwrote the international system is over. The world is moving to an era of self-help. Every region needs to look out for itself' ~ The external affairs minister of India, S. Jaishankar.

The US Stock Market tumbles on its opening bell Thursday. After-hours stock trading coverage from CNN: Latest updates on post-market movers, S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures.

The universal 10% tariffs are scheduled to take effect on Saturday, April 5. Additionally, further duties—reciprocal tariffs will be imposed on approximately 60 countries starting on April 9.

Reciprocal tariffs are calculated as the tariff rate necessary to balance bilateral trade deficits between the U.S. and each of our trading partners, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. That means they do it to us, and we do it to them, Trump said.

YAME Digital reached out to government functionaries in Freetown to understand the impact of tariffs on Sierra Leone goods entering the United States and the broader implications of this trade war on Africa.

Based on our understanding, Sierra Leone has a small business entity that operates independently, resulting in minimal impact.

YAME Digital is currently gathering data that will be made available to the public soon. Stay tuned!

What online shoppers need to know about the sledgehammer hit to 'the led by direct-to-consumer retailers' such as Temu and Shein Fashion Industry.

Nothing comes cheap anymore! Imported goods sent through the postal network valued at or under $800 would now be subject to a duty rate of either 30% of their value or $25 per item. With the rate increasing to $50 per item after June 1.

The executive order signed on Wednesday closes a trade loophole known as "de minimis," which has allowed low-value packages from China and Hong Kong to enter the United States free of duties.

Temu and Shein imported goods from China and Hong Kong sent outside the international postal network and valued at or under $800 would now be subject to all applicable duties.

The trade surplus that Trump never mentions

The US has a trade surplus from export of services which are now vulnerable to tariffs from the world — Aljazeera

READ

“Ronald Reagan’s Radio Address on Tariffs.”

— April 25, 1987

On April 25, 1987, President Ronald Reagan delivered a radio address from Camp David, Maryland, emphasizing the dangers of tariffs and protectionist trade policies. He warned that while tariffs might initially seem patriotic and beneficial for protecting American jobs and industries, they ultimately lead to negative consequences.

• Industry complacency: Domestic industries begin relying on government protection instead of innovating and competing globally.

• Retaliation and trade wars: High tariffs provoke other nations to impose retaliatory tariffs, escalating trade conflicts.

• Economic decline: Artificially high prices caused by tariffs reduce consumer demand, shrink markets, collapse businesses, and result in widespread job losses.

Reagan drew parallels to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which he argued worsened the Great Depression by stifling international trade and economic recovery. He criticized Congress members who prioritized short-term political gains over long-term economic prosperity, noting that millions of American jobs were tied to exports and imports.

In today's America, there is chaos and a lack of effective strategies. Trump's tariffs have caused significant uncertainty and the repercussions of his actions emphasize the enduring impact of his rhetoric.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Registration Requirement to Take Effect April 11, 2025

The new immigration rule will take effect on April 11, 2025. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) requiring non-citizens who remain in the U.S. for 30 days or more and were not previously registered to register and be fingerprinted.

Individuals who are considered already registered include: Individuals issued immigrant or nonimmigrant visas before their last date of arrival

• Individuals admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants who were issued Form I-94 or I-94W (paper or electronic)

• Lawful permanent residents

• Individuals issued an employment authorization document

• Individuals paroled into the United States

• Individuals placed into removal proceedings

• Individuals who have applied for lawful permanent residence using Forms I-485, I-687, I-691, I-698, I-700, and provided fingerprints, even if the applications were denied

• Individuals issued Border Crossing Cards

Alien Registration Form and Evidence of Registration

A Rule by the Homeland Security Department on 03/12/2025

READ

Diplomats and officials with A and G visa status, as well as certain American Indians born in Canada, are exempt from the registration requirement.

---

USCIS has published additional information about the registration requirement.

---

Each individual not already considered registered must create their own USCIS Online Account. Non-citizen children under the age of 14 must apply to register and be fingerprinted (unless waived) within 30 days of their fourteenth birthday. Children under the age of 14 must be registered by their parents/guardians. And also create an online account on their child’s behalf, in their child’s name. Once the USCIS online account is created, the registrant must complete G-325R.

Canadian visitors who enter the U.S. at a land port of entry and were not issued Form I-94 at admission will be required to register if they remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer.

Canadians require a visa to enter the US

“U.S. immigration lawyer Len Saunders says the U.S. enforcing a visitor registration law for Canadians is ‘disastrous’ because most won’t know about it and could face arrest.”

— New U.S. immigration rules for Canadians ‘disastrous,’ says lawyer | Hanomansing Tonight

An individual who deliberately fails or refuses to apply for registration or to be fingerprinted may face a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. Failing to carry proof of registration at all times or to report a change of address can result in a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both. Furthermore, an individual who does not comply with the requirement to report a change of address may be subject to deportation unless the failure to report was not willful or was reasonably justified.

The same applies to the parents or guardians of those under the age of 14 who fail to comply. Those who are 18 years or older are required to carry proof of their registration and fingerprinting at all times. Failure to do so may result in a misdemeanor charge, which could incur a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for no more than 30 days, or both. This constitutes a criminal offense.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

---

---

“UPDATE: US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora.”

— Source: May 14, 2025

US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora. The bill, presented by House Republicans, specifies that the sender will be responsible for paying the tax, which will be collected quarterly by the US Treasury Department. This initiative is part of a series of stringent measures implemented under President Donald Trump's administration, which has recently intensified its immigration and trade policies. #DWAfrica

For more information on the "GOP Proposal to Tax Remittances," please refer to the key facts.

Diaspora-Dependent Economies at Risk

The proposed remittance tax has triggered alarm among African experts and governments, where diaspora remittances serve as a lifeline for millions of families. In countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia, remittances account for a significant portion of GDP, often surpassing foreign direct investment and aid flows.

Policy in Line with Trump’s Tougher Agenda

The remittance tax proposal reflects a continuing trend under the Trump administration toward stricter border control, immigration limits, and transactional foreign policy. It comes on the heels of recent crackdowns on asylum seekers, expanded visa restrictions, and tariff-driven trade negotiations.

“Whether you’re living in the U.S. on a visa, waiting for permanent residency, or undocumented, savings, bank accounts, and retirement funds could be at serious risk if deportation becomes a reality.”

— Source: Watch the eye-opening video: 'What Happens to Your Assets and Savings If You Face Deportation?'

US Unveils new app for 'Self-deportations'

Bernd Debusmann Jr. | BBC News, Washington

The CBP One app is being repurposed to allow undocumented migrants to self-deport

The Trump administration is repurposing a mobile application - originally created to facilitate asylum appointments - into a way for undocumented migrants already in the US to "self-deport".

The app, known as CBP Home, allows migrants to submit an "intent to depart", which US Customs and Border Patrol says offers them a chance to leave without "harsher consequences".

US officials have repeatedly suggested that undocumented migrants in the country should leave voluntarily, rather than be arrested and subject to deportation.

This is the latest move in the White House's effort to dramatically overhaul the US immigration system, which has included promises of mass detentions.

Originally launched as CBP One in 2020, the mobile application was expanded during the Biden administration to allow prospective migrants to book appointments to appear at a port of entry.

At the time, officials credited the application with helping reduce detentions at the border and portrayed the technology as part of a larger effort to protect asylum seekers making the often dangerous journey.

Now, on the newly rebranded application, undocumented migrants identify themselves and declare their intention to leave the country.

In a statement, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that by self-deporting through the app, migrants "may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream."

"If they don't, we will find them, we will deport them, and they will never return," she added.

The app also asks migrants whether they have "enough money to depart the United States" and whether they have a "valid, unexpired passport from your original country of citizenship".

The BBC has contacted DHS for further details about how the process works once the forms on the app are filled out.

CBP Home can also be used to apply and pay for I-94 entry and exit cards up to seven days before travel, book inspections for perishable cargo, and check wait times at US border crossings.

According to DHS, the app is meant to complement a $200m (£155m) domestic and international ad campaign calling for undocumented migrants to "stay out and leave now."

The Trump administration moved quickly to scrap the CBP One app as part of a larger shift in immigration strategy. It also paused parole programs, and an uptick in Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in the country followed.

In late February, the administration said it would create a national registry for undocumented migrants and those failing to sign up could possibly face criminal prosecution.

The registration requires any undocumented migrants above the age of 14 to provide the US government an address and their fingerprints.

Experts said that the registration system will face hurdles, as it is difficult to enforce and fraught with logistical challenges.

Mark Carney Wins Race to Replace Trudeau as Canada's Prime Minister

By Promit Mukherjee and Ismail Shakil | March 10, 20252:46 AM EDT | Updated a day ago

---

READ New Tariffs Imposed on Goods Entering the US From Canada, Mexico, and China

---

Summary

• Justin Trudeau stepping down after more than nine years in power
• Former central banker Mark Carney will be next Prime Minister
• Carney promises to fight Trump's tariffs

OTTAWA, March 9 (Reuters) - Former central banker Mark Carney won the race to become leader of Canada's ruling Liberal Party and will succeed Justin Trudeau as prime minister, official results showed on Sunday.

Carney will take over at a tumultuous time in Canada, which is in the midst of a trade war with longtime ally the United States under President Donald Trump and must hold a general election soon.

Carney, 59, took 86% of votes cast to beat former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in a contest in which just under 152,000 party members voted.

"There's someone who's trying to weaken our economy," Carney said of Trump, spurring loud boos at the party gathering. "He's attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses. We can't let him succeed."

---

“Full Mark Carney speech tackles Trump tariffs after becoming new Prime Minister of Canada”

— Source

---

"This won’t be business as usual," Carney said. "We will have to do things that we haven’t imagined before, at speeds we didn’t think possible."

Trudeau announced in January that he would step down after more than nine years in power as his approval rating plummeted, forcing the ruling Liberal Party to run a quick contest to replace him.

"Make no mistake, this is a nation-defining moment. Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given," Trudeau said.

Carney, a political novice, argued that he was best placed to revive the party and to oversee trade negotiations with Trump, who is threatening additional tariffs that could cripple Canada's export-dependent economy.

Trudeau has imposed C$30 billion of retaliatory tariffs on the United States in response to tariffs Trump levied on Canada.

"My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect," Carney said.

[1/7]Mark Carney waves on the day members of Canada's Liberal Party gather to choose a successor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa, Canada. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio/Pool Purchase Licensing Rights

[2/7]Mark Carney, Ottawa, March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio/Pool Purchase Licensing Rights

[3/7]Justin Trudeau and his daughter Ella-Grace Margaret Trudeau, Ottawa, March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Amber Bracken/Pool Purchase Licensing Rights

[4/7]Former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and her husband Graham Bowley look on after it was announced that former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney won the race to become leader of Canada's ruling Liberal Party and will succeed Justin Trudeau as... Purchase Licensing Rights

[5/7]Frank Baylis gestures on the day members of Canada's Liberal Party gather to choose a successor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Blair Gable Purchase Licensing Rights

[6/7]Former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney greets supporters after he won the race to become leader of Canada's ruling Liberal Party and will succeed Justin Trudeau as prime minister, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 9, 2025. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio/Pool Purchase Licensing Rights

[7/7]former Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Justin Trudeau interact after former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney won the race to become leader of Canada's ruling Liberal Party and will succeed Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, March 9, 2025. ... Purchase Licensing Rights

Carney's win marks the first time an outsider with no real political background has become Canadian prime minister. He has said his experience as the first person to serve as the governor of two G7 central banks - Canada and England - meant he was the best candidate to deal with Trump.

The prospect of a fresh start for the Liberal Party under Carney, combined with Trump's tariffs and his repeated taunts to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, led to a remarkable revival of Liberal fortunes.

RALLY-AROUND-THE-FLAG MOMENT

At the start of 2025, the party trailed by 20 or more points but is now statistically tied with the official opposition Conservatives led by career politician Pierre Poilievre in several polls.

At a protest outside Canada's Parliament building in Ottawa on Sunday, dozens of Canadians held up signs protesting Trump with no reference to domestic politics.

"There is a rallying-around-the-flag moment that we would never have predicted a year ago," said University of British Columbia politics professor Richard Johnston. "I think it's probably true as we speak that the Liberals have been saved from oblivion."

Polls though indicate that neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives would be able to form a majority government. An election must be held by October 20.

Two Liberal Party sources said Carney would call an election in the coming weeks, meaning one could take place much sooner.

Carney could legally serve as prime minister without a seat in the House of Commons but tradition dictates that he should seek to win one as soon as possible.

Liberals sought to compare Conservative leader Poilievre to Trump in a recent advertisement. Poilievre in turn ramped up attacks on Carney on Sunday.

Source: Reuters

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Reporting by David Ljunggren, Promit Mukherjee and Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Caroline Stauffer, Mark Porter and Diane Craft

---

“FULL SPEECH: Justin Trudeau gives final speech as Liberal Party leader”

— Source

New Tariffs Imposed on Goods Entering the US From Canada, Mexico, and China

We have officially entered the ‘Find Out’ phase

Saturday, February 1, 2025

BREAKING News: Monday, February 3, 2025: Trump faces backlash from business as trade war sounds inflation alarm.

UPDATES: Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum says US tariffs are on hold for a month after talks with President Donald Trump; Canada 'misunderstood'

〰️

UPDATES: Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum says US tariffs are on hold for a month after talks with President Donald Trump; Canada 'misunderstood' 〰️

Trump has given a range of reasons for imposing tariffs, including border security, inflows of drugs, and trade deficits - Canada has already introduced retaliatory tariffs.

Canada and Mexico move to retaliate on Trump tariff orders. Moments after Ottawa Premier Doug Ford announced that US companies would be banned from Ontario Government provincial contracts as a direct consequence of tariffs. America only has Donald Trump to blame.

Every year, the Ontario government and agencies spend $30 billion on procurement along with a $200 billion plan to build Ontario. US-based businesses will now lose out on tens of billions of dollars in new revenues.

Ontario, the most populous of Canada’s ten provinces and its industrial heartland, also announced on Monday that it was canceling a C$100 million ($68.12 million) contract with Elon Musk's Starlink. This decision is the latest response to the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

‘Canada did not start this fight with the U.S., but you better believe we’re ready to win it’ ~ Doug Ford, Ottawa Premier.

The US president spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau to discuss the tariffs after the White House said Ottawa had “misunderstood” the situation. The two will speak again in a few hours.

---

LATEST UPDATE: Monday, February 3, 2025 | 5:12 PM EST.

Trump's sudden pause on tariffs with Canada and Mexico reveals uncertainty. While politicians may breathe easier with the halt in tariffs, the situation is more complicated.

Following an agreement to enhance border security, Canada plans to appoint a "fentanyl tsar," while Mexico will deploy 10,000 troops to the border as part of the deal with Trump. Canada is also facing increasing pressure to reduce its reliance on the United States and to reevaluate the nature of its cross-border relationship.

Buy Canada

Anger persists prompting calls for Canada to boost in-country trade while seeking more dependable international partners beyond the US.

---

China

China has placed counter-tariffs on US imports that will take effect on February 10.

Monday, February 3, 2025 | 7:30 PM EST.

Beijing hits back! China has announced retaliatory tariffs on certain American goods as U.S. tariffs on all Chinese products come into effect.

Beijing Strikes With Lightening Speed. China is not what it once was.

The Chinese tariffs due to begin on Monday would put a 15% import tax on US coal and liquefied natural gas, plus 10% on crude oil, agricultural machinery, pick-up trucks, and some sports cars. But there are signs that Beijing is in listening mode.

---

---

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Donald Trump imposed new tariffs on goods entering the US from Canada, Mexico, and China. The US president signed an executive order putting a 25% tariff or tax on imports of all goods coming from Canada and Mexico to get both countries to crack down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Additionally, goods from China will be subject to a 10% tariff on top of existing tariffs until the country addresses fentanyl smuggling.

President Trump views his actions as a central part of his economic vision. He sees tariffs as essential for growing the US economy, protecting jobs, and increasing tax revenue. Which Economists largely viewed [statement] as misleading.

We have officially entered the ‘Find Out’ phase

Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, in his responses, announced retaliatory measures against the United States.

Canada’s response to U.S. tariffs. Justin Trudeau's best speech.

Canada will place 25% tariffs on $155 billion in US imports in retaliation for Trump tariffs. That is an addition to a nationwide boycott on all US products across Canada. #cdnpoli #tariffwar pic.twitter.com/VJavxmO6nH

— Anonymous (@YourAnonCentral) February 2, 2025

Canada is imposing a 25% tariff on $155 billion worth of American goods in response to the U.S. trade actions.

$30 billion worth of American goods will face immediate tariffs starting on Tuesday.

An additional $125 billion worth of American products will be subject to tariffs in 21 days, providing time for Canadian companies and supply chains to adjust and find alternatives.

Includes everyday consumer items like: American beer, wine, bourbon, fruits and fruit juices (specific mention of orange juice), vegetables, perfumes, clothing, and shoes.

It also includes major consumer products: household appliances, furniture, and sports equipment.

Canada is also targeting materials like lumber and plastics.

Canada is also exploring non-tariff measures related to critical minerals, energy procurement, and other strategic partnerships.

Talk about collateral damage

Some observers see Trudeau’s move as having done the math on how to respond. According to their observations, it will create food insecurity for Americans, bring car production to a halt, and worsen the current housing crisis in the United States.

The burden of tariffs can profoundly affect both the market and the everyday shopper

TRADE WAR

If a US importing firm chooses to pass the cost of a tariff onto consumers through higher retail prices, it is the American buyer who ultimately suffers the economic consequences.

On the other hand, if the importing firm decides to absorb the cost of the tariff without passing it on to consumers, it bears the economic burden itself, resulting in lower profits than it would have otherwise earned.

The leaders of Canada, Mexico, and China (L-R): Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico; and Xi Jinping, President of China.

The day after imposing significant new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China

A day after imposing significant new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, President Donald Trump acknowledged something that economists, members of Congress, and even some of his former aides have long been warning: Americans may have to bear the financial burden of these tariffs.

“THIS WILL BE THE GOLDEN AGE OF AMERICA! WILL THERE BE SOME PAIN? YES, MAYBE (AND MAYBE NOT!).”

— Trump posted, in all capital letters, on his Truth Social platform.

The question on everyone's mind is who ultimately bears the economic burden of tariffs.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

---

Please stay updated for ongoing developments. Refresh the article page for the latest information.

---

Mexico

Mexico's President, Claudia Sheinbaum, said in a post on X that she had also ordered retaliatory tariffs.

People walk along U.S. Route 101 during a protest against arrests and deportations of migrants by U.S. government agencies in Los Angeles, California

"I instruct the economy minister to implement Plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests," she wrote.

BREAKING: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has released the following video condemning Trump's tariffs and her plan for retaliation -- translated into English (subtitle translation is a bit rough).

This comes after she released the following written explanation:

"As… pic.twitter.com/g95NXRApC9

— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) February 2, 2025

China

China says it will take retaliatory measures against US President Trump’s new tariffs, saying fentanyl is ‘America’s Problem.’

China's Ministry of Commerce, meanwhile, accused the United States in a statement released Sunday of violating World Trade Organization rules with the tariff.

The ministry said China would file a lawsuit with the WTO against the United States and take "corresponding countermeasures to firmly safeguard its rights and interests."

“Next up for Tariffs? The EU!”

— Trumps says US tariffs on imports from the EU will definately happen.

Mr. Trump stated to the BBC late Sunday that tariffs will definitely be imposed on the European Union over US oil and gas imports and could arrive 'pretty soon.' He noted that trade with the UK is ‘out of line,’ but believes a deal can be reached.

European Union warns it will retaliate if US President Trump imposes tariffs,.

---

RELATED

Prof. David Honig of Indiana University—Robert H. McKinney School of Law, wrote:

The Difference in the Negotiating Process: Distributive vs. Integrative Bargaining.

Distributive bargaining involves a competitive negotiation strategy where each party tries to maximize their own gain, often at the other party's expense. This approach is typically used when resources are limited, and the goal is to divide them.

In contrast, integrative bargaining focuses on collaboration between parties to achieve a win-win outcome. This strategy emphasizes mutual interests and aims to find solutions that satisfy both sides, allowing for greater value creation and a more sustainable agreement.

Understanding the distinction between these two bargaining styles is crucial for effective negotiation.

Distributive vs. Integrative Bargaining

Wonky Stuff

READ

Share your thoughts! Please leave your comments in the 'Post Comment' section of the article.

Special Counsel, Jack Smith's Final Report: Cutting through the noise and laying down the facts

Jack-Smith and Donald Trump

The US Department of Justice released Special Counsel Jack Smith's final report, claiming that Donald Trump illegally conspired to overturn the 2020 election.

The report lays out why charges were pursued or dropped—no politics, no games, just federal guidelines. It tackles two critical investigations involving Donald Trump: election Interference and Classified Documents. Smith dismantles Trump's 'witch hunt' cries and delves into how Trump tried to hijack democracy itself, bending federal laws to cling to power after losing in 2020. Some parts stay sealed.

---

READ The Second Coming: 2024 US Election

---

What does this say about our once-great nation?

The lengthy 137-page document, dated January 7, summarized years of Smith's investigation into the 2020 election interference case involving President-elect Donald Trump. It concluded that Trump would likely have been convicted in the case if he had not been elected president in 2024.

Preview or Download the full report Here:

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital

Tags #Final Report on the Special Counsel's Investigations and Prosecutions | #The US Department of Justice [DoJ] | #Jack Smith | #election-LAW-blog

---

Highlights from the "Final Report of the Special Counsel Under 28 C.F.R. § 600.8":

• Investigations: The report covers two major investigations involving former President Donald J. Trump. The first investigation focused on potential interference with the lawful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election. The second investigation examined the possession of highly classified documents at Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence
• Findings: The Special Counsel, Jack Smith, and his team conducted thorough investigations and subsequent prosecutions under their mandate. The report details the findings and prosecution decisions made during these investigations
• Public and Confidential Volumes: The report is divided into two volumes. Volume One is available to the public, while Volume Two remains confidential due to ongoing criminal proceedings
• Attorney General's Remarks: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland emphasized the importance of independence and accountability in handling these sensitive matters. He highlighted the Department of Justice's commitment to impartiality and fairness
• Special Counsel's Commitment: Upon his appointment, Special Counsel Jack Smith pledged to exercise independent judgment, follow the best traditions of the Department of Justice, and conduct his work expeditiously and thoroughly to reach whatever outcome the facts and law dictated

Steve Bannon Slams ‘Toddler’ Elon Musk After Tesla Owner Tells Critics To ‘F**k Yourself In the Face’ As MAGA Civil War Rages On

Zachary Leeman Dec 28th, 2024, 10:15 am

Steve Bannon slammed Elon Musk as a “toddler” as the X owner doubled down on his views on H-1B work visas and his criticisms of American workers.

“Someone please notify ‘Child Protective Services’— need to do a ‘wellness check’ on this toddler,” Bannon wrote on Gettr on Friday night in response to Musk telling his critics to “fuck yourself in the face.”

“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B,” Musk wrote in the original X post. “Take a big step back and FUCK YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot comprehend.”

Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have both earned the ire of fellow supporters of President-elect Donald Trump with their recent comments on American workers and support for H-1B work visas, specifically to fill tech jobs in the United States.

Musk previously endorsed a post calling American workers too “retarded” to perform high-skilled tech jobs.

In a lengthy post to X, Ramaswamy accused the United States of valuing “mediocrity over excellence for way too long,” going on to criticize the popularity of ’90s shows like Boy Meets World and the celebration of the “jock over the valedictorian.

The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born & first-generation engineers over “native” Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit (a lazy & wrong explanation). A key part of it comes down to the c-word: culture. Tough questions demand tough answers & if…

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) December 26, 2024

Musk has taken things a step further, being accused of going back on his promise of X being a free speech haven as critics like Laura Loomer were stripped of their verification badges and locked out of their Twitter accounts as they accused Musk of pushing immigration views that go directly against Trump’s America First agenda.

“Those contemptible fools must be removed from the Republican Party, root and stem,” Musk said of his critics.

Yes.

And those contemptible fools must be removed from the Republican Party, root and stem.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 27, 2024

In followup posts on Gettr, Bannon argued that H-1B visas are used as a “tool” of the tech industry to drive wages down and he told Musk to “bring it.”

“Bring.It.Dude—All of It,” he wrote in response to Musk promising “war” on the issue of H-1B visas.

On his War Room podcast on Friday, Bannon referred to tech leaders like Musk as “on the spectrum” and incapable of taking criticism.

“The nerds don’t take criticism,” he said. “They’re kind of, you know, they’re a little bit all on the spectrum, right? They don’t know– they’re not deep in social skills.”

This article first appears on mediaite.com

---

He has his motives, and they are not ours. Musk is now officially in a public meltdown.

He would burn the world for his own advantage. What’s your take! Please comment below.

https://t.co/t3zOozJvDe

Hot Take from an HR consultant on the H-1B visa debacle for tech workers.

— Yame.space (@SpaceYame) December 29, 2024

The Second Coming

2024 US Election

America and the world are livid

Google search 'election result 2024'. Select the view pane for President, Senate, House, etc. Toggle the 'All states' box under the US map by expanding the drop-down to find out more.

They say, "The eyes are the windows of the soul." Looking into the mirror, we see that America's soul is decidedly murky. The world was under the illusion that we Americans were so much better, but the election outcome indicates otherwise.

Something fundamentally wrong

Vanity Fair, the popular Condé Nast culture fashion, and current affairs magazine published a digital cover featuring a close-up image of him alongside the words: “34 felony counts, 1 conviction, 2 pending cases, 2 impeachments, and 6 bankruptcies, 4 more years—the 47th American president.”

In the wake of Trump’s victory. We have now elected a President with no guardrails. A man who promised to be a dictator from day one! A man who openly vowed to get rid of the Department of Education, which is a dog whistle for defunding Public Schools. The last time we checked that’s where most minorities send their kids to get an education. We have now elected a man who promised to gut down the EPA and has shown his disdain for NATO. We have now elected a man who at the ‘height of the pandemic in 2020, while the dead bodies of Americans were being dumped in trenches, secretly shipped our much-needed medications to Russia’ ~ Wall Street Journal. He now has control of the Congress, the Senate, the Justice Department, and the Supreme Court.

These election results beg the question: When will folks realize what they are up against and unite? Trump got more Hispanic votes than any other candidate since JFK. He called them rapists, animals, and crooks, yet 45% rode him to victory. Blacks are saying Kamala is not Black enough. Maybe they would prefer a Black candidate from the Ghetto who speaks Ebonics.

Analysts say race and gender played a significant role in Harris’s defeat, but so did voter disillusionment. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders issued a scathing statement on the Democratic Party's ‘disastrous’ campaign after Vice President Kamala Harris lost.

Reflections Through a Dark Mirror

Jerry Seinfeld had it right: "It would be a nice world if it weren't for the people."

We have made our bed, and now we must lie in it. We must live with the decisions of this democratic process. For some, there is hope and joy; for others, there is worry and despair. Regardless of how you feel, we must face the outcome together. Considering everything that happened during his 45th term, it is difficult for us to understand the electorate's decision. However, we must now move forward, hoping that our democracy will not be destroyed in the process.

While we may have voted as a country, real change occurs in our local communities within America. We need to focus on our values and promote ideals that benefit everyone, one neighbor at a time.

Does this task feel overwhelming, naive, and overly hopeful? Without a doubt! But what’s the alternative? Destruction, division, and chaos await us if we don’t act!

Where we go from here is uncertain, but we hope America will do her best to act rightly, regardless of who is in D.C. God Bless us all!

Jonathan Pie | @JonathanPieNews

Trump wins the White House. Again. The Democrats blew it. Again. A depressing yet predictable result.

A depressing yet predictable result. pic.twitter.com/YAGfv2SAmd— Jonathan Pie (@JonathanPieNews) November 6, 2024

Contributors: Ola George, Theo Edwards, and J. Reynold Weeks for YAME Digital

It's not that Kamala Harris lost; it's that America itself has lost. Share your thoughts!

Trump Picks Massad Boulos to Serve as Adviser on Arab, Middle Eastern Affairs

Andrea Shalal and Maya Gebeily | Sun, December 1, 2024 at 11:02 AM EST 5 min read

Eric Trump, his sister Tiffany Trump and her boyfriend Massad Boulos arrive for U.S. President Donald Trump's acceptance speech as the 2020 Republican presidential nominee in Washington

By Andrea Shalal and Maya Gebeily

WASHINGTON/BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday said Lebanese American businessman Massad Boulos would serve as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.

Trump made the announcement on Truth Social. Boulos, the father-in-law of Trump's daughter Tiffany, met repeatedly with Arab American and Muslim leaders during the election campaign.

It was the second time in recent days that Trump chose the father-in-law of one of his children to serve in his administration.

---

READ The Second Coming. In the wake of Trump’s victory

---

On Saturday, Trump said that he had picked his son-in-law Jared Kushner's father, real estate mogul Charles Kushner, to serve as U.S. ambassador to France.

In recent months, Boulos campaigned for Trump to drum up Lebanese and Arab American support, even as the U.S.-backed Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Boulos has powerful roots in both countries.

His father and grandfather were both figures in Lebanese politics and his father-in-law was a key funder of the Free Patriotic Movement, a Christian party aligned with Hezbollah.

His son Michael and Tiffany Trump were married in an elaborate ceremony at Trump's Florida Mar-a-Lago Club in November 2022, after getting engaged in the White House Rose Garden during Trump's first term.

Boulos has been in touch with interlocutors across Lebanon's multipolar political world, three sources who spoke to him in recent months say, a rare feat in Lebanon, where decades-old rivalries between factions run deep.

Particularly notable is his ability to maintain relations with Hezbollah, they say. The Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim party has a large number of seats in Lebanon's parliament and ministers in the government.

Boulos is a friend of Suleiman Frangieh, a Christian ally of Hezbollah and its candidate for Lebanon's presidency. The sources say he is also in touch with the Lebanese Forces Party, a vehemently anti-Hezbollah Christian faction, and has ties to independent lawmakers.

Aron Lund, fellow at the Century Foundation think tank, said Boulos was well placed to influence Trump's Middle East policy after playing a small but significant role in expanding Trump's appeal to Arab American and Muslim voters during the campaign.

"Boulos' Lebanese political past gives no real indication of a geostrategic or even national vision, but it demonstrates ambition and a set of political allies that will stand out in Trump's circle like a sore thumb," Lund wrote.

MICHIGAN WIN

Boulos, a billionaire with extensive business ties in Nigeria, was born in Lebanon, but moved to Texas as a teenager, where he attended the University of Houston, earned a law degree, and became a U.S. citizen.

His son and Trump's daughter, whose mother is Trump's second wife, Marla Maples, met on the Greek island of Mykonos, at actor Lindsay Lohan's club, People Magazine reported in 2022.

Trump's election win in Michigan came in part because of Boulos' help flipping some of the 300,000 Arab Americans and Muslims in the state who overwhelmingly supported Biden in 2020 but opposed Biden's policies in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, Trump campaign officials and supporters told Reuters.

"Boulos played a big role in the outreach to Muslim voters," said Rabiul Chowdhury, co-founder of Muslims for Trump.

Beginning in September, the Trump campaign held weekly meetings in person and via Zoom with dozens of Arab American and Muslim civic leaders and business executives.

Boulos spent weeks on the ground in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and other states with big Arab American and Muslim populations, assuring audiences in private lunches and dinners that tapped his own connections to Lebanese American businessmen that Trump was committed to ending the wars in the Middle East.

The Trump campaign spent tens of millions of dollars on the effort to mobilize Arab American and Muslim voters, Boulos told Reuters in an interview shortly after the election.

Trump won endorsements from Muslim imams and the Muslim mayor of Hamtramck, another town near Detroit with a large Arab American population, as well as the large Bangladeshi community, and courted Iraqi Americans, Albanian Americans, and others.

While the events on the ground in Lebanon played a factor, the economy did too. And conservative Arabs and Muslims were concerned about what they saw as the Democrats' "far-left ideology," including support of transgender rights, Boulos said.

Boulos met with members of the 150,000-strong Albanian community in Michigan.

POLITICAL AMBITIONS?

The new role could offer Boulos the kind of political clout he could not achieve in Lebanon. He had a brief run for Lebanon's parliament in 2018 alongside pro-Hezbollah candidates, but since then he has not consistently aligned himself with any particular party, sources in Lebanon said. He hails from a Greek Orthodox family. In Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system, that would cap his chances at a senior role in government at the level of deputy speaker of parliament. The post of president - the highest Christian role in the country - is reserved for Maronite Catholics.

While he used to travel to Lebanon frequently, he has not visited in the last four years, one of the sources said.

Some people in Lebanon were hopeful about the prospects of having a friendly face in Trump's inner circle even before the announcement on Sunday.

"It's a nice thing - and hopefully he will work for Lebanon. And Trump maybe is of the type who makes a promise and could possibly be more loyal to it than others," said Hamdi Hawallah, a Lebanese man in his late 70s.

"So we're optimistic about him. These days we hold on to a piece of driftwood just to be optimistic."

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington and Maya Gebeily in Beirut, additional reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell)

Election 2024 Requiem for America

‘Policy’ vs. ‘Personality’

By Aaron Humes

On the eve of the presidential election, America finds itself at a crossroads. It seems that the country has a clear binary choice. However, the media pundits tell us that the election is too close to call. They say the country is bitterly divided, and a huge percentage of people are conflicted.

When it comes to policy and personal integrity the contrast could not be clearer.

In my mind's eye, there are a myriad of reasons why voting for Donald J. Trump is tantamount to voting for more chaos and division. A second Trump presidency is a dire possibility.

In the past four years, we have all been able to breathe a collective sigh of relief that we no longer have to worry about 'what did he do or say now?'

Those who are ‘on the fence’ have forgotten the stress of COVID-19 deaths, economic downfall, and increased racial and economic division. We must reflect and never forget where this so-called leader of the free world has led us and where he will lead us.

The United States is or was considered one of the most powerful countries in the world, yet we are behind other countries in embracing a female leader. The challenges facing America involve the human spirit, not politics. We must commit to choosing better to become better.

The stain of J6 has tarnished our once-stellar reputation and champion of democracy, globally. Therefore, on November 5, we must commit to a path that will help us regain respect, both internationally and for ourselves. It is crucial to consider the impact our decisions will have on future generations.

RELATED

The ‘Red Mirage’ on election night. Listen!

“There’s No Putting Lipstick On This Pig"

Who would have thought that Karl Rove would ever speak the truth — and yet he did.

By Theo Edwards for YAME

READ Harris Triggers Trump: Kamala demolished Donald. And so it goes. The Prosecutor vs. The Felon: Trump falls into Harris’s traps as he lies about abortion and ‘eating pets.’ Donald Trump appeared to fall apart in his first head-to-head debate with Kamala Harris in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening, providing rambling answers on illegal immigration, abortion, and the economy and taking the bait whenever his opponent goaded him.

Republican strategist Karl Rove has BLASTED Donald Trump's disastrous debate performance, saying: “There’s no putting lipstick on this pig. Trump was crushed by a woman he previously dismissed as ‘dumb as a rock.''’

Which raises the question: What does that make him?”

Well, we asked our readers and the responses were hilarious:

What does that make, Trump? Best answer wins.🏆

“The jokes kept on writing themselves.”

— The responses:

‘They’re eating the DOGS! They’re eating the PETS! ~ Donald J. Trump, during the Presidential debate in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. Pretty catchy song 😂

Republicans Are Eating Each Other Alive: Things aren’t going so well in Trump’s party, as Sen. Lindsey Graham warned Trump to stop hanging out with Laura Loomer. Loomer responded by telling Graham to come out of the closet. “Please, Lindsey, come out in full drag as our, JD.” Make America Gay Again (MAGA): Laura Loomer questions Lindsey Grahams’s sexuality!

That Debate! We all heard without saying the word. We all heard it. What Kamala did during the debate was genius. I am happy to see that I wasn’t the only one that saw that.

Yup! We heard it all the way up in Canada. Exactly what she called him.

Been watching Presidential Debates since the 80s. She was Masterful!

He was smoked perfectly well! That was so presidential.

Ohio: Watch the moment that an entire debate watch party laughed at Donald Trump uncontrollably as his campaign came crashing and burning down. Credit Source: Courtesy

"And that's why he doesn't want another debate, even with FOX News."

There’s NO spinning what happened Tuesday night.

Deeply stupid! He easily transitioned from one stupid to another silly, which didn't faze him.

A complete Fruit Loop 🤣🤣😀

THEY'RE EATING THE DOGS pic.twitter.com/lQqMW5l8pT

— Tarquin 🇺🇦 (@Tarquin_Helmet) September 11, 2024

I couldn't help but laugh when I watched this one.

pic.twitter.com/X6aPI1AzkU

— Gene Trevino (@GenoVeno73) September 13, 2024

He got whooped so bad last time that he and his running mate had to cook up some crazy shit about migrants to try and distract.

It's too bad they don't make steel-spine journalists like Barbara Walters who could look Trump in the face and tell him how FULL OF SHIT (PooPoo) he is. Journalists like her are rare. And moments like that show the power of holding people accountable. She has exactly the receipts she needs for every question she asks. CLASSIC!

pic.twitter.com/V2s6X519Ln

— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) September 26, 2024

Stay tuned for more updates.

Please continue to post your comments as a guest /anonymous.

Supreme Court rules against immigrants with temporary status

WASHINGTON (AP)

MARK SHERMAN; Mon, Jun 07, 2021

Summary

WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court ruled Monday that thousands of people living in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons are ineligible to apply to become permanent residents.

Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court that federal immigration law prohibits people who entered the country illegally and now have Temporary Protected Status from seeking “green cards” to remain in the country permanently.

The designation applies to people who come from countries ravaged by war or disaster. It protects them from deportation and allows them to work legally. There are 400,000 people from 12 countries with TPS status.

The outcome in a case involving a couple from El Salvador who have been in the U.S. since the early 1990s turned on whether people who entered the country illegally and were given humanitarian protections were ever “admitted” into the United States under immigration law.

Kagan wrote that they were not. “The TPS program gives foreign nationals nonimmigrant status, but it does not admit them. So the conferral of TPS does not make an unlawful entrant...eligible” for a green card, she wrote.

The House of Representatives already has passed legislation that would make it possible for TPS recipients to become permanent residents, Kagan noted. The bill faces uncertain prospects in the Senate.

The case pitted the Biden administration against immigrant groups that argued many people who came to the U.S. for humanitarian reasons have lived in the country for many years, given birth to American citizens and put down roots in the U.S.

In 2001, the U.S. gave Salvadoran migrants legal protection to remain in the U.S. after a series of earthquakes in their home country.

People from 11 other countries are similarly protected. They are: Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

Monday’s decision does not affect immigrants with TPS who initially entered the U.S. legally and then, say, overstayed their visa, Kagan noted. Because those people were legally admitted to the country and later were given humanitarian protections, they can seek to become permanent residents.

View article source

Dear Friends

The truth is self-evident

Today, in America, it’s all gone to hell, and the agent provocateur of this ‘American carnage’ is Donald J. Trump.

The U.S Gross Domestic Product (GDP) showed in the extraordinary second quarter, April through June of 2020, skid to an annualized rate of 32.9%. A historically poor showing in at least 145 years. That 32.9% percent represents the loss of a third of the economy.

With 157,000 deaths (still counting), California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Michigan, intensifying outbreaks have forced authorities to dial back their reopening plans and restrict business activity once again.

It must be exhausting with millions of infected and the lack of cohesive national strategy, America has become a global laughing stock.

The United States of America is now one giant cage where none of us can leave because no other countries will allow us in.

While many countries have stemmed the tide and turned the corner on COVID-19, the United States, is a vortex of death and economic depression. The truth is self-evident.

The patchwork quilt of state, local, and federal directives has left the general public bemused and bewildered.

What is a public health issue has become heavily politicized, we cannot even agree on the life-preserving measures of wearing a simple cloth-mask.

Not only the CDC, bullied into compliance with the White House, water down guidelines.

As I watch the deadly havoc visited on states like Florida, Texas, and Arizona, my thoughts wander to my dislike of craven politicians sacrificed public health to curry presidential favor.

Each of us has the moral obligation to stand up, speak up, and speak out ~ John Lewis.

Faced with a national emergency our country and leadership have reacted with one accord and vision.

These politicians knew better. A measure of how far we fall as a nation, and a scathing indictment the damage Trump has done to America as a union. Trump despises expertise. Even gone as far as to attempt to smear public health officials …a government that traffics in conspiracy theories, untruth, and unproven wonder cures.

Dear friends abroad, you don’t even want us to visit you right now you bare no blame, after all, we’re number one for all the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, I hold out hope for a better tomorrow and until I will day-dream of Paris and exotic locales.