International
Brussels will continue to explore the development of deportation centers for migrants outside the EU
The European Commission (EC) will continue to explore the idea of creating migrant deportation centers in countries outside the European Union, as a formula to increase the returns of those who do not obtain the right to stay in the community area.
“Some Member States are asking to explore possible ways to advance solutions, such as the idea of developing deportation centers outside the EU,” said European Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, on Wednesday in a debate on migration held in the European Parliament.
“The Commission will continue to explore possible progress on the idea of developing deportation centres outside the Union, especially in the view of a legislative proposal on returns,” he added.
Respect for fundamental rights
According to the comissar, “significant attention will be paid to respect for fundamental rights, when considering measures such as deportation centers.”
In this sense, Dalli has assured that he is in contact with organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees “to ensure that International Law and the principle of non-return are always respected in all cases.”
The commissioner made this clarification after last week the President of the EC, Ursula von der Leyen, sent a letter to the leaders of the Twenty-Seven in which she asked to “continue exploring” to advance the idea of developing deportation centers outside the EU and called for lessons from the implementation of the agreement between Italy and Albania.
He did so before a European summit in which it was discussed how to increase the return of migrants, a priority issue for all Member States, which are beginning to consider the possibility of creating deportation centers abroad, ruled out a few years ago by doubts about its compatibility with Community and international legislation.
Reviews of Von der Leyen
In the debate, the PP MEP Dolors Montserrat assured that the southern border of Europe, in reference to the Spanish Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, “is at serious risk of collapse due to the constant arrival of irregular immigrants.”
Montserrat accused the Government of Spain of this situation because “it does not defend our borders or our security forces, evades international cooperation, disobeys Europe and despises Frontex’s help.”
Meanwhile, the president of the social democratic group, Iratxe García Pérez, warned that her party will not allow Von der Leyen’s letter about deportation centers to “bury” the recently agreed European migration pact.
In his opinion, “indiscriminate” deportations represent “the most unworthy abdication of the values of the European project.”
“Now that the Italian Justice has ruled that the agreement of the Government of (Giorgia) Meloni with Albania is illegal, Mrs. Von der Leyen must abandon her inhuman and illegal proposal to create deportation centers in third countries,” she said.
From Sumar, Estrella Galán said that “building prisons for refugees in Europe is an outrageous” and accused Von der Leyen of having crossed a red line for a handful of votes.
For ERC, Diana Riba criticized “the blackmail” experienced by the EU by Turkey or Morocco, who she said have been converted into “border guards.”
From Vox, Jorge Buxadé called for “against illegal immigration, deportation” and “against mass immigration, mass deportations.”
International
Trump Orders Construction of New ‘Golden Fleet’ to Revitalize U.S. Naval Superiority
President Donald Trump issued an executive order this Monday for the immediate construction of two new warships that will bear his name. These vessels will be the pioneers of what he described as the “Golden Fleet,” a future generation of “Trump-class” battleships that he claimed would be “100 times more powerful” than those currently in service.
The announcement took place at his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. The President indicated that following the initial two ships, the administration aims to commission up to 25 additional vessels. He is scheduled to meet with Florida-based contractors next week to expedite production, criticizing existing defense firms for failing to deliver results efficiently.
This naval expansion is a cornerstone of Trump’s goal to revitalized the American shipbuilding industry and address the strategic gap between the U.S. and competitors like China.
The move comes amid heightened geopolitical tension. Just last week, Trump ordered the seizure of all sanctioned tankers involved with Venezuela’s “ghost fleet” to cripple the country’s crude oil industry. Since December 10, the U.S. military—deployed in the Caribbean under the guise of counter-narcotics operations—has already detained two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil transport.
International
U.S. Judge Blocks ICE from Re-detaining Salvadoran Erroneously Deported Under Trump Administration
A U.S. federal judge ruled this Monday, December 22, that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is prohibited from re-detaining Salvadoran national Kilmar Ábrego García, who was erroneously deported to El Salvador earlier this year during the administration of President Donald Trump.
During a hearing in Maryland, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis ruled that Ábrego García must remain free on bail through the Christmas holidays, concluding that his initial detention lacked a legal basis. The ruling follows a request from his legal team for a temporary restraining order to prevent ICE from carrying out a new arrest.
Earlier this month, on December 11, Judge Xinis ordered his release from a Pennsylvania migrant detention center after determining that the government had detained him without a formal deportation order. In 2019, an immigration judge had already ruled that Ábrego could not be returned to El Salvador because his life was in danger.
Despite that protection, Ábrego García was deported in March 2025 following a raid by the Trump administration. Officials argued at the time that he was a gang member, and he was sent directly to the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) in El Salvador. In June, he was returned to the United States to face a new trial for alleged human smuggling—a charge he denies.
On Monday, Judge Xinis also temporarily invalidated a new deportation order issued by an immigration judge following Ábrego’s recent release, granting him legal protection through the coming weeks. His trial is scheduled to begin in Tennessee in January 2026.
International
Fire at substation triggers major blackout in San Francisco
The U.S. city of San Francisco was plunged into darkness Saturday night after a power outage left about 130,000 customers without electricity, although the utility company said service was restored to most users within hours.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) said in a statement posted on X that nearly 90,000 homes had their power restored by 9:00 p.m. local time (05:00 GMT on Sunday), while the remaining 40,000 customers were expected to have service restored overnight.
Large areas of the city, a major technology hub with a population of around 800,000, were affected by the blackout, which disrupted public transportation and left traffic lights out of service during the busy weekend before Christmas, a crucial period for retail businesses.
“I know it’s been a difficult day,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a video posted on social media from the city’s emergency operations center. “There has been progress, but for those still without power, we want to make sure they are safe and checking in on their neighbors,” he added.
Lurie said police officers and firefighters advised residents to stay home as much as possible. He also noted that officers and traffic inspectors were deployed to manage intersections where traffic lights were not functioning.
The mayor confirmed that the outage was caused by a fire at an electrical substation. Parts of the city were also covered in fog, further complicating conditions during the incident.
As a result of the blackout, many businesses were forced to close despite it being the weekend before Christmas. The sudden drop in shopper traffic ahead of the holiday is “devastating” for retailers, the manager of home goods store Black & Gold told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Trump Orders Construction of New ‘Golden Fleet’ to Revitalize U.S. Naval Superiority
U.S. Judge Blocks ICE from Re-detaining Salvadoran Erroneously Deported Under Trump Administration
Fire at substation triggers major blackout in San Francisco
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