International

Immigrants in Denver are afraid to take their children to school because of the raids

Migrant parents in the Denver area, the capital of Colorado, fear sending their children to school in the face of the new massive raids, while their school district undertook the first judicial fight in the country against the Trump Government to remove immigration agents from the classrooms.

Since February 5, Pedro and María, a Colombian couple, stopped taking their children to school in Aurora, east of Denver.

“We find blocked streets, armed agents in our neighborhood and people screaming and crying. They didn’t let us get to school,” the migrants told EFE.

“Since then, my children have not returned because they fear separating from us,” says Pedro, who, although he is a legal resident in the United States, prefers not to reveal his full name.

About a hundred alleged members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua were arrested in the raid on April 5 in Aurora, a city east of Denver that was the epicenter of a national debate on security and immigration during the last presidential campaign.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on apartment complexes in the area intensified the sense of vulnerability among immigrants, including those with legal presence.

“Before we knew we had to take care of ourselves, but we never stopped taking children to school. Now it’s different. ICE can enter schools, and I don’t know if they’re going to stop me or my children. I’m afraid they’ll separate us,” Pedro confesses.

The fear of raids not only affects the mobility of immigrants, but also generates profound mental, emotional and economic consequences.

According to the American Council on Immigration (AIC), about 16.7 million people in the US live in families where at least one parent is undocumented, including six million child U.S. citizens. In the event of detention, these families can lose between 40% and 90% of their income within six months.

Last week, Denver Public Schools (DPS) sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in an attempt to curb the presence of immigration agents inside and outside educational centers.

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“Parents enroll their children in public schools with the confidence that they will be educated without fear of migratory operations within those institutions,” says the lawsuit.

The DPS demands guarantees so that students can attend classes without fear, since uncertainty is affecting school attendance and, therefore, the financing of the districts.

“The fear of school rounding is generating irregular and unpredictable attendance, with a direct impact on funds and school resource planning,” the legal document warns.

For weeks, Pedro and María have stopped attending community events and religious services.

“News and social networks increase anxiety. They say there was a raid here or that they are going to cut food benefits. I don’t know what’s going to happen. One wants to get ahead, but now I’m not sure my children have a good future,” María laments.

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According to a report by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), one in three Latino students in the US suffers from anxiety or depression due to the fear of immigration operations. Experts warn that this situation impacts the academic performance and emotional well-being of minors.

Meanwhile, Aurora Public Schools (APS) have implemented new security measures and expanded their communication system with parents, which could motivate Pedro and María to allow their children back to school.

However, the situation remains fragile. In some schools in the Denver metropolitan area, absenteeism has reached 80%, which could compromise school funds if students do not complete state exams.

“I don’t want my children to live in fear. I can’t give up. Like us, thousands of immigrants face uncertainty every day, but we continue to cling to the hope of a better future,” says Pedro.

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International

Maduro urges UN to intervene for venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador

Nicolás Maduro, who was sworn in for a third term in January following his controversial re-election, urged United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk to intervene on behalf of Venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador after being deported from the United States.

During a broadcast on the state-run Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Maduro claimed these Venezuelans were “kidnapped”, forcibly disappeared, and held in “concentration camps.”

He also criticized U.S. President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for failing to release the list of migrants deported on March 16, who were allegedly accused of belonging to the transnational gang Tren de Aragua, which originated in a Venezuelan prison.

“Reports say there are 238 Venezuelans kidnapped in prisons, in concentration camps, in El Salvador. A week after they were taken and thrown into these camps, neither the U.S. government nor Nayib Bukele have published the list of those they have kidnapped in El Salvador,” Maduro stated, calling it a “forced disappearance.”

International

Canada updates U.S. travel advisory amid immigration policy changes

In a coordinated action with several European allies, Canada has updated its travel advisory for citizens visiting the United States, citing changes in immigration policies and law enforcement under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Finland have issued similar warnings, highlighting stricter border screenings, tighter visa restrictions, and new federal guidelines that particularly affect transgender and non-binary travelers.

These advisories reflect growing diplomatic concerns over how the recent U.S. policy shifts are impacting foreign visitors, especially tourists and long-term travelers. Additionally, this marks a rare instance in which multiple NATO allies publicly warn their citizens about travel to the United States.

International

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to meet with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on friday

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum next Friday.

According to statements made to Fox News, the Trump administration official will travel this week to El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico.

On Wednesday, Noem is scheduled to meet with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, with whom she will tour the mega-prison built to detain gang members in the country.

On Thursday, she will visit Colombia, where she will hold talks with President Gustavo Petro and top law enforcement officials.

On Friday, Noem will be in Mexico, where she is expected to meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum and Foreign Affairs Secretary Juan Ramón de la Fuente.