Ramon Taylor

Boston Community on Edge as Deportations of Undocumented Irish Rise

Spike in deportations from 26 in 2016 to 34 in 2017 across US is cause for concern in community that, in recent years, has not been used to such scrutiny

NYC E-Bike Ban is Disaster for Immigrant Delivery Workers

Electric powered bicycles, known as “e-bikes,” are a common sight among New York’s immigrant delivery workers, who consider the bikes a necessity to make a living wage. The problem is, they’re illegal to operate in the city, creating a dilemma for these immigrants who feel they have no alternative employment options. VOA’s Ramon Taylor and Ye Yuan report.

NYC e-Bike Ban is Disaster for Immigrant Delivery Workers

The e-bike is legal to purchase and own, but illegal to operate on New York streets, thanks to conflicting federal and state regulations

At Juilliard Festival, a Challenge to Western Preconceptions of Chinese Composition

For this year’s Focus! Festival, Chen Lin conducted three works by influential contemporary Chinese composers

At Juilliard Festival, a Challenge to Western Preconceptions of Chinese Composition

Without the use of traditional instruments and in an interconnected world, what makes a Chinese composition distinctively Chinese? The Juilliard School's Focus! Festival 2018 seeks to challenge our preconceptions of the 1.4 billion-population nation.

The US Travel Ban After One Year

Trapped: Diasporas from Travel Ban-Affected Countries Reflect, One Year Later

VOA spoke with members of diaspora communities from countries on the ban list, where lives and livelihoods have been affected

'Trapped': People from Travel Ban-Affected Countries Reflect, One Year Later

One year ago, President Trump signed an executive order that would become among his most controversial and legally tested decisions to date: a ban restricting travel for foreign nationals from a group of Muslim-majority countries in the name of national security. VOA spoke with members of diaspora communities from countries on the revised list, where lives and livelihoods have been affected. Ramon Taylor reports from New York.

Trump Under Fire From Countries He Reportedly Deemed 'S---holes'

The U.S. president is in hot water once again — this time on an international stage — following his reported use of a vulgarity that disparaged poorer nations during a discussion on immigration reform. Global leaders and citizens have been swift and unequivocal in their condemnation. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

Wyclef Jean: TPS End Will Send Haitians in US Back to 'Death and Famine'

Haitian-American musician reacts to Trump administration's decision to end Temporary Protected Status for nearly 60,000 Haitians in the US

Wyclef Jean on His Roots, Rough Past and Road to Success

Wyclef Jean speaks to VOA's Ramon Taylor about his beginnings, challenges he faced growing up in the U.S. as a Haitian immigrant and eventual rise to stardom.

Amid Deportation Protests, ICE Detains Immigrant-rights Leader in NYC

Ravi Ragbir, an immigrant from Trinidad, is executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition

TPS Ends and Uncertainty Begins for 200,000 Salvadorans in US

Nearly 200,000 Salvadoran beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, will lose that protection in September 2019. The Trump administration is ending TPS for people from El Salvador, who have been able to live and work legally in the United States for 17 years, in many cases starting businesses, marrying and having American-born children. VOA spoke with one mixed-status family at their home in Virginia.

Annual NYC Taxi Driver Calendar Is Out: Meet Mr. December!

The calendar is a tongue-in-cheek alternative to the famous firefighter pin-up, while also helping to support a nonprofit that serves immigrant and low-income families

Is It Hot in Here, or Is It New York's 2018 Taxicab Models?

The New York City Taxi Drivers Calendar began as a tongue-in-cheek alternative to the famous chisel-chested firefighter pin-up, while benefiting a nonprofit that serves immigrant and low-income families. Now in its fifth year, the creators of the parody calendar are out with their 2018 edition, and it may be their sauciest one yet. Ramon Taylor reports.

2017: A Year of Change in Immigration Policy

Less than a year into his presidency, Donald Trump has reshuffled the list of priorities as to who, among the country's refugees, undocumented immigrants and immigrant hopefuls gets to stay in the United States, or enter the country. Few campaign promises have yet to come to fruition, and not without strong opposition and legal challenges. But for the many affected, 2017's decisions and reversals have led to a year of personal upheaval. Ramon Taylor reports.

New York Attack Could Tighten Immigration Rules

Authorities continue to seek information on terror suspect Akayed Ullah, a Bangladeshi immigrant and New York resident who prematurely detonated an explosive Monday morning, inside one of midtown Manhattan’s busiest transit centers. Following the attack, the White House renewed its calls for an end to “chain migration.” Ramon Taylor reports from New York.

As TPS Prepares to End, NY Haitians Plan Next Steps

Advocates for extending program took to steps of New York’s immigration court in lower Manhattan Monday amid growing concerns

After TPS Expiration Announcement, NY Haitians Plan Next Steps

Nearly eight years after Haiti’s devastating earthquake killed more than 200,000 people on the island, the Trump administration has decided to end its designated security program known as TPS, or Temporary Protected Status, which allowed nearly 60,000 Haitians to live and work in the United States. VOA's Ramon Taylor reports.

Post-Harvey Houston: Years Until Recovery, Plenty of Costs Unknown

With backlogs in home repair and civil construction in its evaluation phase, the immigrant-friendly Bayou City has a long, long way to go