All articles tagged with #legal status
A longtime Oregon firefighter assisting with a wildfire was unlawfully detained by US border agents despite being on track for legal status due to a pending U-visa application, with lawyers demanding his immediate release and criticizing the detention as a violation of DHS policies and due process rights.
The US immigrant population peaked at 53.3 million in early 2025 but has since declined to 51.9 million due to increased deportations and policy restrictions, marking the first decrease since the 1960s. Most immigrants originate from Latin America and Asia, with Mexico being the largest source. Recent policy shifts, including restrictions on asylum and deportation enforcement, have contributed to the decline, especially among unauthorized immigrants. Despite the decrease, the US remains the country with the largest immigrant population globally.
Texas has ended its policy of providing in-state tuition to students without legal immigration status after a federal court declared the policy unconstitutional, aligning with the DOJ's efforts to enforce federal immigration laws and prevent discrimination against U.S. citizens.
The Supreme Court has temporarily allowed the Trump administration to revoke the legal status of over 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, following recent rulings that permit the termination of protections for immigrants from war-torn or economically unstable countries.
The Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to revoke temporary legal status for over 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, reversing a lower court ruling and ending a program initiated by the Biden administration. The decision has sparked controversy over the potential impact on the immigrants' lives and the legal authority of the courts versus the executive branch.
Britney Spears was officially declared legally single on her 43rd birthday, December 2, 2024, marking the end of her marriage to Sam Asghari. The couple, who began dating in 2016, reached a divorce settlement in May 2024, and the dissolution was finalized on her birthday. The divorce was uncontested, with both parties agreeing on property and support terms. Despite the split, both Britney and Sam have expressed mutual respect and positivity about their futures.
A federal judge has declared the Biden administration's Keeping Families Together program illegal, which aimed to provide legal status to unauthorized immigrants married to U.S. citizens. The ruling, by Judge J. Campbell Barker, aligns with a lawsuit from Texas and other Republican-led states, arguing the program violates immigration law. This decision is a setback for Biden's immigration policies, as the incoming Trump administration plans to dismantle them. The program intended to offer work permits and a path to citizenship without requiring immigrants to leave the U.S., but the judge ruled the administration lacked the authority to grant such benefits.
A recent Alabama Supreme Court decision granting fertilized eggs the same legal status as children in civil cases has raised concerns about the future of fertility treatment in the state. The ruling could impact the ability of families to use or donate remaining embryos, potentially leading to increased costs and legal challenges for fertility clinics. Experts warn that the decision may deter doctors from offering IVF in Alabama, potentially limiting access to advanced fertility treatment and affecting the state's healthcare landscape.
Two lawmakers introduced a new comprehensive immigration bill called The Dignity Act of 2023, which offers legal options for unaccompanied minors entering the United States, creates new pathways for asylum, and grants undocumented people in the U.S. legal status, work and travel authority. The bill would shift the nation’s goal from eliminating all unlawful border crossings to instead being better positioned to detect and interdict those that present a threat or national security concerns. It also establishes regional processing centers in Latin American countries, where people could be pre-screened for asylum eligibility.
Two Latina congresswomen, Rep. María Salazar, R-Fla., and Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, proposed a bipartisan immigration bill called "The Dignity Act" that would create a 12-year, two-part path to legal status and require the border to be declared secure before anyone on the path is granted legal status. The bill would allow people in the country illegally to work and not be deported, speed up the asylum process, and dock the pay of people without permanent legal status to fund border infrastructure. The bill has tougher measures and higher penalties than a Republican border security bill approved by the House on May 11.
Disney struck a secret deal with a subsidiary responsible for utilities in central Florida to set its own utilities rates until 2032, according to the board appointed by Ron DeSantis to oversee Disney. The announcement comes amid an escalating feud between Florida's governor and the entertainment company, sparked by DeSantis' attempts to roll back LGBTQ education. DeSantis has waged a campaign to strip Disney of some of the special legal status it has in Florida, but Disney outmaneuvered him by striking a new deal for the land Disney World occupies back in March, shielding its status for the foreseeable future.