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☆ A group of passengers flying from Paris to New York skipped passport control and customs due to a 'disembarkation issue'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Bianca Giacobone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Passengers on an April 4 flight from Paris to New York left the airport with no immigration check. The incident involved a Norse Atlantic Airways flight that landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport. "We are investigating a disembarkation issue that took place on arrival at New York JFK on Tuesday evening concerning a Norse Atlantic Airways flight from Paris," the statement said. The low-cost carrier is fairly new to the transatlantic flight scene. Norse's New York to Paris route, which was inaugurated on March 26, has one-way flights starting at 269 Euros, or around $300.

☆ Over 1,000 migrants, angered by asylum policies, rush to U.S.-Mexico border
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lizbeth Diaz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Migrants said a new U.S. government app meant to streamline the process of securing asylum appointments from outside the United States has left them feeling fed up and helpless. A false rumor circulated on social media Wednesday that migrants surrendering at a specific spot at the border would be able to freely cross into U.S. territory. As they waited for a chance to cross the border, Border Patrol agents and Texas National Guard troops stood motionless in front of the massive metal gate, preventing them from getting through. Multiple migrants said they tried unsuccessfully to obtain a virtual appointment to start the asylum process in the U.S. Since the Biden administration rolled out the app in January, asylum seekers have complained of glitches, high demand, and a lack of appointments.

[1/6] Migrants, transferred from Plattsburgh, New York to El Paso, Texas, disembark from a plane at the airport, in El Paso, Texas, U.S. March 21, 2023. U.S. Border Patrol has quietly transported about 100 migrants this month on two charter flights from Plattsburgh, New York, near the border with Canada, to the Texas cities of Harlingen and El Paso. At the same time, asylum seekers have been crossing from the United States into Canada in record numbers, straining resources. Gil Kerlikowske, a former commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Border Patrol's parent agency, said he could not recall the agency using charter flights for migrants caught crossing from Canada. "That's what caused more and more people to go to the northern border to cross into the United States," he said.

[1/6] Pills are pictured at a fentanyl pill manufacturing center and a methamphetamine lab seized by the Mexican Army, in Culiacan, in Sinaloa state, Mexico February 14, 2023. Reuters GraphicsThe hiked up figures are not credible, say two former senior law enforcement figures in Mexico and the United States, as well as two serving Mexican security sources. The description of the drugs the Mexicans say they seized in the labs also raises questions about the accuracy of the lab data, said two of the security sources. Laboratory busts, often in hard-to-reach mountainous areas, have historically been a key metric for how active Mexican security forces have been in targeting drug trafficking groups. In 2022, FGR reported 18 lab raids by all security agencies, compared to the army's count of 492 raids.

☆ US releases a third of electronics detained under China forced labor law, data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Nichola Groom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. customs officials have released more than a third of the electronic equipment, including solar panels, detained since last year under a new law meant to weed out products made with forced labor, according to data released on Tuesday. According to the data, CBP has released 552 electronics shipments worth $345 million out of a total of 1,627 industry shipments valued at $841 million that were held for examination. While it was unknown what percentage of those shipments are solar equipment, Reuters reported last year that as of late October, CBP had detained more than 1,000 shipments of solar energy equipment. Just 17 electronics shipments, worth $7 million, have been denied entry into the U.S. market. The data also shows detainments peaked in the federal government's fiscal fourth quarter that ended in September and have steadily declined since then.

☆ Hundreds of migrants try to force their way into US at Mexico border
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Jose Luis Gonzalez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Migrants, mostly from Venezuela, try to cross the barrier of the Mexican army, to enter the Paso del Norte international bridge, during a protest to request asylum in the United States, seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, March 12, 2023. Frustrated with problems securing appointments to seek asylum using a new U.S. government app, the migrants gathered at the frontier in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, but could not breach the crossing connecting the two countries. At one point, some migrants attempted to hurl an orange, plastic barrier at the U.S. line, Reuters images show. Neither U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) nor the Mexican government's national migration authority immediately replied to requests for comment. They say the app is beset by persistent glitches and high demand, leaving them in limbo in perilous border regions.

[1/5] Plants grow through an array of solar panels in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S., May 6, 2022. REUTERS/Brian SnyderMarch 6 (Reuters) - U.S. imports of solar panels are finally picking up after months of gridlock stemming from implementation of a new law banning goods made with forced labor, according to two Chinese solar companies. The gains are a relief to major Chinese suppliers including Trina Solar (688599.SS) and Jinko Solar (JKS.N), who are finally getting products into the lucrative U.S. market after long delays. Trina rival Jinko Solar Holding Co Ltd (JKS.N) has also had shipments released from detention, a source close to the company said. It would not specify how many of those were solar products.

Summary Customs delays, tariff uncertainty and soaring global demand have hiked solar costs and delayed projects as the U.S. weans itself off Chinese dependence. The Biden administration's Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA) prevents the import of goods produced using forced labour in China’s Xinjiang Province, including much of the polysilicon used in solar panels. UFLPA checks have blocked panel imports at the U.S. border, delaying projects and driving up project costs. CHART: Solar manufacturing capacity by country, regionSource: International Energy Agency's Report on Solar PV Global Supply Chains, August 2022The UFLPA requires visibility into labour practices along the solar value chain. Lightsource bp has contracted for more than 20 million solar panels through 2028 and is considering imports from Southeast Asia, Turkey and India, Smith said.

☆ The White House is cracking down on companies illegally using migrant children to fill the labor shortage as 15-year-olds pack Cheerios and 13-year-olds change your hotel sheets
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The New York Times reported last week that companies across the US are exploiting the labor of migrant children. The investigation comes as multiple states seek to loosen child labor laws to address the labor shortage. The Times reported that the use of child labor is prevalent across a number of prominent brands in the US, highlighting J. The Labor Department has found some of these companies, such as ice cream staple Ben & Jerrys, guilty of child labor violations before. Economists say that during a labor shortage, paring back child labor laws is a common phenomenon in the US.

REUTERS/Jose Luis GonzalezMEXICO CITY, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Dozens of migrant families are splitting up at Mexico's northern border as they struggle to secure U.S. asylum appointments on a government app beset by high demand and persistent glitches, migrants and advocates say. The 15-year-old decided to turn himself in at the border after his pregnant mother could only secure a solo appointment, Santiago said. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration made the app, called CBP One, directly available to asylum seekers in mid-January, aiming to make asylum requests at the border safer and more orderly. On a recent morning at a shelter in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez, migrants awoke in the middle of the night to upload applications, including a selfie photo scan prone to slow processing. Her husband traveled to the Mexican border city of Nogales alone last week for his appointment, scheduled for March 3.

☆ A Senate hearing on drug trafficking shows how meaningless the world 'cartel' has become
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Steven Dudley | Insight Crime | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

During a recent Senate hearing on fentanyl trafficking, lawmakers and officials used the word "cartel" 90 times. InSight Crime analysisA Sinaloa Cartel leadership chart from November 2015 with "El Chapo" Guzmán and two of his sons, Ivan Archivaldo and Jesus Alfredo. The Sinaloa Cartel, for instance, has at least three major poles of power, each of which is controlled by different leaders. Sinaloa cartel chief Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman arrives in New York after his extradition in January 2017. Milgram, for instance, pointed to the DEA's laser focus on the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG as the path to success.

REUTERS/Cole Burston/File PhotoFeb 24 (Reuters) - Airports are taking steps to avoid gridlock during the upcoming holiday travel seasons, with some limiting flights during peak hours to avoid the long lines and luggage piles that marred last summer. While smoother holiday travel is expected for Europe and North America, airlines and airports which learned tough lessons on holiday travel in 2022, are taking a more prudent approach as global traffic rebounds roughly to pre-pandemic levels. Despite extensive planning and hiring this year, some airlines and airports are still wrestling with industry staff shortages, including baggage handlers. Germany's Lufthansa AG (LHAG.DE) said it has cut summer flights by an unspecified amount due to shortages of personnel like ground handlers at airports in Frankfurt and Munich. U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Canada Border Services Agency were not immediately available to comment on staffing.

☆ U.S. Forced Labor Crackdown Is Tough, But Opaque
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Richard Vanderford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

The U.S. has mounted an aggressive crackdown on imports over concerns about Chinese forced labor, but the campaign is an opaque one, with little detailed data on which companies or sectors are being targeted. January alone saw 282 shipments stopped over forced labor concerns, according to Customs data. Luis C.deBaca helped lead the U.S. fight against forced labor in the Obama administration and now teaches law at the University of Michigan. Photo: Luis C.deBacaChina has rejected allegations that it uses forced labor in Xinjiang. The agency added that it is “committed to transparency” and is developing an interactive web-based tool to provide forced labor enforcement statistics.

☆ DeSantis signs bill into law to expand a controversial program that would ship migrants to 'sanctuary cities'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"I can't have people all across the border coming into Florida," DeSantis said Wednesday. Ron DeSantis of Florida signed a bill into law Wednesday to expand the state's ability to move migrants to Democratic-led states. Under the expanded law, Florida could move migrants from any state and keep the details of the transportation companies secret. DeSantis' Martha's Vineyard move was viewed by critics as a cruel stunt that misled vulnerable migrants. So-called "sanctuary cities" limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities by refusing to report or hand over certain undocumented immigrants for deportation.

☆ Etsy shares fall after Citron Research calls out platform for counterfeit goods
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 16 (Reuters) - Citron Research said on Thursday Etsy Inc (ETSY.O) has become one of the largest platforms in the world for counterfeit goods, sending the e-commerce firm's shares down about 6%. Citron Research, which cemented its reputation in the research industry by calling out poor performers and betting against their stock, said the percentage of counterfeit goods on the platform had become too large and Etsy could no longer defend it as a small percentage of revenue. The research firm alleged that Etsy has allowed sellers on the platform to buy "ad words" of the brands and then labeled many of them as trusted websites. In November, the e-commerce platform posted a third-quarter loss for the first time in eight quarters, hurt by higher shipping costs and a strong dollar. Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The US economy needs immigrants. A rising share of both Democrats and Republicans don't want them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But a growing share of both Democrats and Republicans wants less immigration. This sentiment could be in response to the rise of migrants at the southern border in recent years. But a rising share of both Democrats and Republicans want the country to reduce immigration. After plummeting during 2020 due to the pandemic, the US Border Patrol reported a record-high nearly 1.7 million encounters with migrants at the US-Mexico border in 2021. Last year, a new record was set with over 2 million encounters.

☆ A Russian claiming to hold secrets about advanced bomber jets turned up at the US southern border seeking asylum: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Russian claiming to have information on advanced jets sought asylum in the US late last year. He arrived at the southern border in December, with US officials treating his story as credible. The man said he worked on a jet that officials believe is Russia's most advanced strategic bomber. Officials worked to verify his story, and two government officials told Yahoo News that the man's story was deemed credible and significant enough for him to be passed on to the FBI in January. Some are now seeking asylum in Western counties, and are offering Russian secrets in exchange.

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 (Reuters) - U.S. customs authorities said palm oil products made by Sime Darby Plantation <SIPL.KL> were no longer produced with forced labour, in a sign that a two-year import ban on the Malaysian firm will soon be lifted. Goods made by Sime Darby Plantation, the world's largest palm oil company by land size, have been blocked by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from entering the United States since December 2020 over suspected abusive labour practices. Sime Darby said it was aware of the U.S. notice. Shares of Sime Darby Plantation eased 0.5% on Friday morning. Sime Darby Plantation is among eight Malaysian firms that have been banned by the United States in the past four years over forced labour allegations.

☆ Fact Check-Video does not show Ted Cruz making Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A video of a speech made by Senator Ted Cruz about immigration and border protection is being used to make the claim that he made U.S. House Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez cry. However, the video is unrelated and there is no footage showing Ocasio-Cortez crying. The image shows Ocasio-Cortez wiping away tears after hearing the testimony of Yazmin Juarez from Guatemala, who lost her infant daughter at a detention facility at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to reports. The video being shared shows Cruz talking at a Senate Session more than two years later on Sept. 22, 2021, as seen on C-SPAN at around the 10:58 mark (here). The video does not show Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez crying because of Senator Ted Cruz.

☆ 'It's a failure for us': Migrants at the Southern US border are reportedly frustrated with the mobile app that's supposed to speed up asylum appointments
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Taylor Ardrey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Migrants have expressed serious concerns about the issues on the US border control mobile app, according to the AP. They were reportedly instructed to make an appointment on the app to request asylum. However, the tech challenges have left some without hope, the AP reported. The app, the AP reported, was rolled out by the Biden administration earlier this month. "We're going to continue trying, but it's a failure for us," Erlin Rodriguez, who has tried to book appointments for his family, told the AP.

☆ Mexico finds over 50 unaccompanied kids from Guatemala in migrant truck
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MEXICO CITY, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Mexican authorities on Thursday stopped a crowded truck transporting nearly 70 migrants from Guatemala, mostly unaccompanied children, the country's National Institute of Migration (INM) said in a statement. The INM said federal Mexican agents spotted the truck at a checkpoint in Mexico's northern Chihuahua state, which borders the United States. It said there were 67 migrants from Guatemala traveling in the truck, including 57 unaccompanied minors, mostly boys, aged between 14 and 17. The truck driver was referred to Mexico's Attorney General's Office, it added, while the family and unaccompanied kids will be handed over to state authorities for the protection of children and teenagers. Earlier in January, Mexican immigration agents found three unaccompanied Salvadoran children stranded on an islet on the Rio Grande, which straddles the U.S.-Mexico border.

☆ 77 Democrats send a letter to Biden criticizing his border and immigration policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julia-Ainsley-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Julia Ainsley | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

A group of 77 Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticizing his administration’s policies restricting asylum access for migrants crossing the southern border. At a press conference Thursday, Menendez said, “We recognize that the United States is experiencing a difficult migration challenge at the southern border. The Biden administration has said that its proposal is different because Miller did not allow for migrants to apply from their home countries to come to the U.S. legally. Biden has faced intense criticism over his border policies from both parties, with Republicans saying they are unwilling to negotiate on immigration legislation or more funding for border initiatives until the administration does more to secure the border. Customs and Border Protection encountered undocumented migrants more than 250,000 times in December, a record monthly high to end a record high year of border encounters.

WASHINGTON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - The United States is poised to start using fast-track asylum screenings at the U.S.-Mexico border, part of U.S. President Joe Biden's recent efforts to address a record number of illegal crossings, five sources told Reuters. A group of Biden administration officials visited the U.S.-Mexico border this week in preparation for the new effort, said two of the sources, both U.S. officials. It was unclear when the fast-track screenings will begin. Under the plan, asylum seekers detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would have remote interviews with a U.S. asylum officer within days, the sources said. Reuters first reported in December that the fast-track screenings were under consideration.

☆ US Border Officials Fighting Mexico Egg Smuggling, As Prices Soar
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( Aidan Pollard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

As egg prices continue to rise in the US, some are attempting to bring cheaper eggs illegally from Mexico over the border. But transporting uncooked eggs poses a risk of disease and could cost smugglers thousands in fines, officials say. Prices in Mexico can be less than half of what some in the US pay, NPR reported. While the prospect of lower egg prices is tempting, customs officials have noticed the increase. Seizures of eggs at the US-Mexico border rose 108% from October to December in 2022, according to Border Report.

☆ A top Border Patrol official resigned after allegedly pressuring female employees for sex, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julia-Ainsley-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Julia Ainsley | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Tony Barker, who served as the acting chief of the law enforcement operations directorate for the Border Patrol, is now under investigation for his behavior by Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the three officials say. Since she came forward with her allegations to DHS, multiple other women who worked with Barker have made similar complaints, the sources said. Barker left his post quietly in October after 18 years with the Border Patrol. In a statement after this story was initially published, a CBP spokesperson said, "As of Oct. 14, 2022, Tony Barker is no longer an employee of the U.S. Border Patrol." NBC News made multiple attempts to reach Tony Barker but did not reach him for comment.

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