Editor's note: Here is a look at immigration-related news around the U.S. this week. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.
Afghan Americans in New York Help Afghan Refugees Resettle
A group of Afghan Americans in Albany, New York, have opened a community center to help resettle newly arrived Afghans in the United States. The Afghans, who fled their country after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, received help navigating the U.S. immigration system and starting a new life in the United States. VOA's immigration reporter Aline Barros reports.
House Republicans Aim to Impeach US Homeland Security Secretary
House Republicans held their first impeachment hearing Wednesday against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his handling of what they call the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. VOA's immigration reporter Aline Barros reports.
Illegal Border Crossings Into US Drop After Mexico Boosts Enforcement
Even if temporary, the decrease in illegal crossings is welcome news for the White House. President Joe Biden's administration is locked in talks with Senate negotiators over restricting asylum, and $110 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel hangs in the balance. The Associated Press reports.
US Lawmakers Back in Session, Working on Border Security, Ukraine Aid
U.S. lawmakers went back into session this week after a three-week holiday break to continue work toward a deal on border security in return for Republican votes to send more aid to Ukraine.
"We are closer to an agreement than we have been since the beginning of these talks," Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, one of the lead negotiators on the deal, told reporters Tuesday. VOA's congressional correspondent Katherine Gypson reports.
Trump's Vows to Deport Millions Are Undercut by His Record, History
Former President Donald Trump's administration did not deport millions during his four-year presidency as he promised before and after becoming president. Just as in the 1950s, the U.S. government was limited in how many deportations it could carry out at one time. The Associated Press reports.
VOA DAY IN PHOTO: Palestinians line up for free food during the ongoing Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip in Rafah.
Immigration Around the World
Life on the Border: Fear, Camaraderie on South Korean Island
When a North Korean artillery shell slammed into his house and burned it to the ground in 2010, Jung Chang-kuan thought that war had broken out again. That attack — a North Korean artillery barrage on Jung's home on the remote South Korean border island of Yeongpeong — killed four people in the first such incident since the 1950-53 Korean War. Agence France-Presse reports.
Rohingya Refugee Camp Fire in Bangladesh Guts More Than 1,000 Shelters
A fire raced through a crammed camp of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's southern coastal district of Cox's Bazar, gutting more than 1,000 shelters and leaving thousands homeless, a fire official and the United Nations said Sunday. The fire broke out around midnight Saturday at Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhiya and spread quickly, fanned by strong winds, Shafiqul Islam, head of the Ukhiya Fire Station, told The Associated Press. The Associated Press reports.
Health Catastrophe Unfolding in Gaza as Humanitarian Space Shrinks
World Health Organization officials warn a humanitarian and health catastrophe is unfolding in the Gaza Strip as the humanitarian space for providing life-saving treatment and aid is shrinking. "At the same time that we are seeing this humanitarian catastrophe unfold before our eyes, we are seeing the health system collapse," said Sean Casey, WHO emergency medical teams coordinator. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.
Dinghy Carrying Migrants Hits Rocks in Greece, Killing 2 in High Winds
Two migrants were killed and 30 were rescued in Greece Wednesday after a dinghy crashed into rocks in high winds on the island of Lesbos, local authorities said. The incident occurred near the resort town of Thermi on the east of the island, facing the nearby coast of Turkey. The Associated Press reports.
News in brief
