The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to revoke legal protections for over 300,000 Venezuelan asylum seekers, sparking widespread concern among migrant communities across the United States.
In San Antonio, Texas, home to a large Venezuelan community, tensions are high following the ruling.
Critics argue the Trump administration unfairly targeted Venezuelan refugees, while authorities in the city report issues with Venezuelan gangs, including the "Tren de Aragua." The administration has spotlighted this group, transferring suspected gang members to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who recently visited the notorious Salvadoran mega-prison -- defended the administration's actions in testimony before Congress last week.
"The mission of the Department of Homeland Security is to secure our nation and to make sure that we're out there going after those that are the worst of the worst, the criminals, the bad actors," she said.
However, a Venezuelan asylum seeker who would like to speak on condition of anonymity said that hundreds of thousands of honest Venezuelan refugees in America have been tarnished with the same brush.
"We are all seen as criminals. A minority of Venezuelans have turned to crime here, and now we are all being labelled as bad people," he said.
Other immigrant groups are watching closely. Nicaraguans like Joniel Ramirez are currently covered by Temporary Protected Status -- but that's due to expire in July -- and he says he's not counting on courts to come through for him.
"I'm going to self-deport. I'd rather leave on my own than be arrested and ejected as if I were a criminal. I don't understand all this hatred against immigrants; we're the ones who keep this country afloat," said the Nicaraguan migrant.
As the Trump administration cracks down on refugees, migrant communities across the country are growing increasingly nervous.
Court's ruling deepens migrant concerns amid revoked Venezuelan protection in US
Court's ruling deepens migrant concerns amid revoked Venezuelan protection in US
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos in Changsha, capital city of central China's Hunan Province, on Wednesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that during the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali held in-depth and friendly exchanges and reached new common understandings on advancing the all-weather strategic partnership.
China and Ethiopia have worked together to achieve early results in implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, helping Ethiopia accelerate its development and revitalization and also bringing more tangible benefits to the Ethiopian people, he added.
Noting that China and Ethiopia share a glorious history of resisting and overcoming foreign aggression, and now stand as important representatives of the Global South and members of BRICS, Wang said that China is ready to work with Ethiopia to enhance strategic communication, promote common development through mutually beneficial cooperation, and safeguard common interests through solidarity and coordination.
The two sides should strengthen the synergy of development strategies and explore and expand cooperation in new energy vehicles, green industries, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence, he said.
Timothewos said that Ethiopia enjoys a robust partnership with China, and that the two sides have achieved fruitful outcomes through practical cooperation, which demonstrates the solidarity and mutual trust between the two countries and sets a model for the Global South. He thanked China for its strong support on issues concerning Ethiopia's core interests and its valuable assistance to Africa's development. Ethiopia will continue to firmly uphold the one-China principle, he said.
Timothewos congratulated China on successfully launching and establishing the International Organization for Mediation, and expressed Ethiopia's readiness to strengthen cooperation with China in the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The two sides also exchanged views on enhancing coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and BRICS, and expressed readiness to jointly increase the voice and representation of the Global South and pool collective strength for common revitalization.
Chinese FM meets Ethiopian counterpart in Changsha
