Editor's note: We want you to know what's happening, why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.
A man with a 'plan'
The immigration story that got scads of U.S. media attention this week was a White House proposal to “overhaul,” to alter the country’s immigration system. Since the president can’t make those changes himself, these are just ... ideas ... for the moment, publicly announced by President Donald Trump on Thursday. And they really boil down to two themes he’s continuously favored: building more of a border wall, and increasing so-called “skilled” immigration. He also wants to end one of the most high-profile U.S. immigration programs — the unique Diversity Visa lottery. Congress doesn’t seem to be in any rush, though, to turn these ideas into legislative reality.
Dadaab at risk
As Kenya attempts once more to close Dadaab, refugees who have grown up in the camp wonder where home would be if the only one they've ever known is shut down. "We do not have a nice place back in our country," one refugee told VOA. "We have been here for almost 27 years."
Marriage a la carte
U.S. authorities accused nearly 100 people of participating in a Texas-based immigration-marriage fraud ring. The operation allegedly linked U.S. citizens with foreigners looking to emigrate and largely focused on Vietnam.
Refugee camp lobbying
In a Bangladesh refugee camp, with no signs of significant repatriation on the horizon, committees are forming to advocate for residents' rights. The mini-lobbying groups don't have decision-making powers, but they are raising issues with the government and U.N. that otherwise might go unheard.
From the feds:
- A college official in Pennsylvania in charge of the school’s international student paperwork was sentenced in a U.S. federal court this week for faking acceptance documents that would allow foreign students to obtain visas.
- The Department of Homeland Security is trying to expedite border wall construction in at least three areas in California and Arizona by issuing waivers. These will replace "dilapidated and outdated designs” that are currently in place, the agency said this week.
- The U.S. stopped flights to and from Venezuela, citing security concerns.
- A New Jersey woman was convicted of treating a Sri Lankan domestic worker “as a slave”, forcing her to remain in the U.S. illegally and work as a housekeeper and nanny for no pay.
