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family

Trump administration immigration changes reach spouses of U.S. citizens, lawyers say

Illustration accompanying article: Trump administration immigration changes reach spouses of U.S. citizens, lawyers say
  • Immigration policy changes under the Trump administration have affected spouses of U.S. citizens, a group historically treated as a privileged class under immigration law, according to lawyers and affected families.
  • American Families United, which advocates for U.S. citizens married to immigrants, reported that about 1.4 million people are now seeking its support inside the U.S., with another 300,000 outside the country.
  • In 2024, about 343,000 people received green cards through a U.S. citizen spouse, representing roughly a quarter of all green card approvals, according to Homeland Security Department data.
  • The administration has paused immigrant visas from 75 countries, imposed greater scrutiny at green card interviews, and instructed USCIS officers to consider whether applicants should return to their home countries to apply — changes that have affected even spouses of U.S. military members.
 2026-07-06 · 4 MIN READ

Families of US deportees to Venezuela search for missing after quakes

Illustration accompanying article: Families of US deportees to Venezuela search for missing after quakes
  • A deportation flight carrying 146 Venezuelans, including 19 women and seven children, landed in Caracas on June 24 hours before twin earthquakes struck, killing at least 2,200 people and leaving 50,000 missing, according to UN figures.
  • The deportees were housed by Venezuelan authorities at Hotel Santuario La Llanada in La Guaira, which collapsed when the quakes hit; survivors and families described searches for missing relatives.
  • Abelardo Rincón, a 23-year-old who had lived in the U.S. for six years, called his family after landing; his grandfather later searched a Caracas morgue and viewed at least 200 bodies without finding him.
  • Darwin Eliecer Serrano Lopez, 35, called a cousin to say he had returned after four years in the U.S.; the first quake struck less than 30 minutes later, and relatives said they had searched for nearly a week without any sign of him.
  • A U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the flight "safely reached Venezuela" and that ICE was "no longer responsible" for the deportees after they were returned.
 2026-07-02 · 3 MIN READ
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