While ICE and CBP continue with their detentions indiscriminate and their daily quotas, Senate Republicans are advancing mechanisms to allocate more funds with a view to reopening the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), partially closed since February 14.
The closure responds to Democratic demands to approve reforms to the conduct of immigration agents who shot dead two American citizens in Minnesota in the midst of violent operations. Democrats demand controls on abuses of authoritygreater supervision and accountability.
Republicans do not give in to demandsresorting to parliamentary measures that allow them to finance agencies without Democratic support.
They have opted for budget conciliation that allows the party to catch an eye fixed on approve measures by easy majority and not 60 votes required to overcome blockages in the Senate.
On Thursday, the Senate passed a resolution $70 billion to fund agencies immigration for the remaining three and a half years of the Trump administration. Now the corresponding committees are in charge of drafting the bill. The Senate resolution must be approved by the Lower House before designated committees draft their bill.
That is, in order not to give in to Democratic demands, Republicans prefer to continue financing the same chaos and impunity that govern immigration agencies.
Coalition asks that instead of persecuting immigrants they be legalized
La Opinión reported that various organizations defending civil, human, and immigrant rights are asking Congress to regularize immigrants instead of persecuting them.
“The solution policymakers should focus on is creating an opportunity for immigrants to apply, pass a background check, and Apply for permanent residencefinally becoming naturalized citizens,” reported the newspaper that had access to the coalition letter.
And he added that “the letter highlights that the current immigration policies of President Donald Trump’s government are “costly and dangerous,” while arguing the economic contributions of immigrants to the United States.”
“The text urges us to consider such contributions and gives as an example that in 2023 almost half of the undocumented population in the US had lived in the country for more than 20 yearsforming families, creating companies and paying taxes.”
“The groups cite that 72% of Americans support a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, according to a February 2026 survey conducted by Morris Predictive Insights,” the newspaper wrote.
The letter is signed, among other groups, by CHIRLA, United We Dream, We Are Casa, MIRA, ACLU and FLIC.
American rejection of Trump’s immigration policy prevails
La Opinión also reported that “the results of a report developed by the Civic Wellbeing and Institutions Project (CHIP50) based on data collected through a survey of more than 30,000 Americans in the 50 states of the country, indicate that, regardless of their political affiliation, age or gender, more and more citizens are against the detention of immigrants carried out during ICE operations.”
The article notes that “as of February, about three out of every five Americans disapproved of ICE’s actions.”
“In addition, President Donald Trump’s handling of immigration continues to be disapproved and with an upward trend from 48.8% to 54.4%…Rejection of ICE raids in workplaces increased 5.8 points; while disapproval of using the army to detain and deport immigrants rose 4.2 points.”
And the rejection of an important electoral sector, the independents, is significant: “disapproval of ICE’s performance exceeded 64%, with an increase of 5.6 points; while rejection of Donald Trump’s management of immigration reached 57.7%.”
Trump’s plans also affect naturalized citizens
La Opinion reported that “the Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a strategy to accelerate the citizenship revocation processeswith at least 384 people identified as possible targets in the first phase. The measurement, revealed by The Recent York Casesmarks a relevant turn in immigration policy by expanding the use of denaturalization, a historically rare practice.”
The newspaper added that “although the government insists that the measure seeks to combat fraud, critics fear that the expanded use of denaturalization will generate uncertainty among millions of naturalized citizens.”
“Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia, said the message is sensitive: “It suggests that naturalized citizens do not have the same stability as those born in the country,” adding that “the government has used this power in the past to attack those it considers political opponents.”
Civic groups warn about risks of arrests at the 2026 World Cup
The statement notes that “more than 120 civil society organizations have issued a travel warning warning that fans, players, journalists and other visitors traveling for the 2026 World Cup could be at risk of serious violations of their rights, as the Trump administration is doubling down on its draconian immigration policy and anti-human rights agenda.”
In their advisory, the groups say that in the absence of meaningful action by FIFA, host cities or the Trump administration, people traveling to and within the United States could risk: arbitrary denial of entry and risk of arrest, detention and/or deportation; expanded restrictions and limitations on travel and entry to the US; an invasive catch-an-eye fixation on social media and electronic device logs; violent and unconstitutional enforcement of immigration laws, including racial profiling; repression of freedom of expression and protest, and increased surveillance; cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment—and even death—during detention or in ICE custody.”
Amnesty International and the ACLU are among the 120 groups that issued the warning.
Quote of the week: “Fans, journalists and others traveling to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup risk encountering a deeply worrying human rights landscape, marked by the Trump administration’s racist immigration policies, mass detentions and deportations, and attacks on freedom of expression and peaceful protest,” said Daniel Noroña, US campaigns director at Amnesty International.
Keep reading:
- ICE agent hits minor in the face during warrantless raid in Texas
- ICE detains wife of an active sergeant and could be deported to a third country
