Misinformation Traps Migrants

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
PROGRAM #10892 12:00 PM PT

Misinformation Traps Migrants. 

With access to asylum in the U.S. increasingly restricted, thousands of migrants are choosing to remain in Mexico. But the country is hardly prepared to receive them. In the absence of clear information, the Mexican government itself has opened the door to scams and abuse. An investigation by Factchequeado and Conexión Migrante exposes how this information vacuum has become a lucrative business, amid border militarization, Trump’s return, and the elimination of the CBP One app. What were the key findings? Who are the primary victims of this narrative? What are the consequences?

Guest: Rafael Olavarría, Politics and Migration Fact-checker, Factchequeado, Washington, DC.

Supreme Court Lifts Restrictions on CA Immigration Raids. The US Supreme Court issued a ruling allowing immigration agents to detain people suspected of being in the country without documents in California, suspending a temporary injunction that prevented arrests based on racial profiling or without reasonable cause. Immigrant advocates and lawyers warn that resuming racially discriminatory raids gives federal agents the power to detain people without evidence or due process simply because of the color of their skin, the language they speak, or the work they do. What new challenges does the ruling present for immigrants affected by mass raids in Southern California and the rest of the country?

Guest: Polo Morales, Deputy Director of Programs, California Immigrant Policy Center, Los Angeles, CA.

Tax Data in ICE’s Hands. An agreement between the IRS and immigration agencies has raised serious privacy concerns: over 40,000 immigrant addresses were shared with ICE during the Trump administration. For decades, immigrant workers trusted that their tax data would remain confidential. That promise has now been broken. How will ICE use immigrants’ private tax information? How does this affect trust in federal institutions? What are the broader societal implications? What protections exist for immigrant taxpayers?

Guests: Luz A. Arévalo, Senior Attorney , Employment Law Unit of Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, MA; Ángela Divaris, Staff Attorney at the Tax Clinic, Greater Boston Legal Services, Boston, MA.

Cruel Treatment of Migrant Children. Children’s rights advocates are denouncing as cruel and unlawful the Trump administration’s attempts to deport minors seeking protection. A federal judge has temporarily blocked the move, emphasizing the government’s obligation to ensure safety and legal support for children in its custody. What do these practices reveal about how migrant minors are treated? How far can immigration policy go when it undermines child protection?

Guest: Mireya Moreno Rodas, Associate Program Director, Technical Compliance, ACACIA Center for Justice, New York, NY.

Photo: Barbara Zandoval/Unsplash

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