US mass deportations spark fear, uncertainty in Mexican border cities

As the Mexican government prepares for the possibility of receiving tens of thousands of deported migrants in the coming weeks and months, uncertainty is rising in Mexican towns and cities on the border with the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed on his inauguration day an executive order that declared a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border, called for mass deportations of undocumented migrants, deployed military forces to the border and took steps to restrict citizenship for children born on U.S. soil.

At a section of the border wall between Mexico and the United States, in Ciudad Juarez, the number of U.S. Border Patrol vehicles is currently noticeably fewer, and the streets of the large border city are clear of migrants.

Media reports indicate that large numbers of U.S. troops are stationed at the Fort Bliss Army Base, but so far access has not been granted to report from that military base.

A consultant specializing in migrant families from the EL Paso community in the United States, Maria Limon, notes that fear and concern are widespread among migrant families.

"They're not coming out for help because it's too dangerous, for fear of deportation. And so, in terms of the funding support for these programs, that's another huge pressure. As it is, most programs are severely underfunded. And, so to have the threat of that funding pulled, because it is considered DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) work, is creating horrific pressure for programs," she said.

Non-profit organizations and government officials on both sides of the border say there is nothing left to do but wait and see how the threat of mass deportations actually plays out.

US mass deportations spark fear, uncertainty in Mexican border cities

US mass deportations spark fear, uncertainty in Mexican border cities

US mass deportations spark fear, uncertainty in Mexican border cities

US mass deportations spark fear, uncertainty in Mexican border cities

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 710, including 149 deaths, the country's health ministry said Saturday, while dismissing social media rumors that a nationwide lockdown had been imposed in response to the outbreak.

The case fatality rate stood at 21.0 percent, according to figures released by the ministry. A total of 324 patients were in isolation or hospitalized, while 35 people had recovered.

The ministry said the government, together with provincial authorities, response partners and local communities, was continuing public health interventions aimed at breaking chains of transmission and protecting the population.

Response teams on the ground are carrying out epidemiological surveillance, patient care, contact tracing, targeted vaccination, risk communication and community engagement.

The ministry said no lockdown had been ordered in the affected areas and no such measure was under consideration, urging the public not to spread unverified information and to rely on official channels for updates.

In a disease outbreak update published Saturday, the World Health Organization said the outbreak in the DRC continued to evolve rapidly, with rising case numbers and geographic spread.

The reported case fatality rate was likely an underestimation, as many deaths that occurred before the outbreak was declared remain under investigation, the WHO added.

Ebola cases in DR Congo rise to 710 as authorities deny lockdown rumors