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Arpineh Masihi, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, has become an unlikely symbol of the administration’s immigration crackdown, despite her loyalty to the president. Detained in late June as part of a surge in deportation operations, Masihi remains incarcerated at a federal facility in California. Her case has drawn attention for the apparent contradiction: a woman who praises the very policies that now threaten her deportation. What to Know: Masihi, 39, was convicted of burglary in 2008 and had her green card revoked, but was allowed to remain in the U.S. due to her status as a Christian Armenian Iranian.

She was detained during breakfast with her family after ICE agents arrived with a warrant.

Her husband, Arthur Sahakyan, said: “I don’t blame Trump, I blame Biden. It’s his doing for open borders.”

Masihi has lived in California since age 3, owns a business, and is raising four U.S. citizen children.

She was first held in a downtown LA facility she described as “inhumane,” then transferred to Adelanto Detention Center.

Despite her detention, Masihi told the BBC: “I will support [Trump] until the day I die. He’s making America great again.” This live blog is now closed.

04:10 PM EDT ICE arrests four asylum seekers at San Francisco immigration court Federal immigration agents arrested four men Thursday morning outside courtrooms at 630 Sansome St. in downtown San Francisco, according to eyewitness accounts from Mission Local. All four had appeared for routine asylum hearings when a Department of Homeland Security attorney moved to dismiss their cases, citing unspecified changes in circumstances. Judge Patrick O’Brien gave the men a month to respond and seek legal counsel, but they were taken into custody immediately after the hearing — a tactic immigration attorneys say is increasingly used to expedite deportations. “No matter what you decide today, it’s very likely you’re not going to come back to this court,” O’Brien told them. None of the men had attorneys present, relying instead on a volunteer lawyer from the Bar Association of San Francisco’s attorney-of-the-day program. The arrests follow a pattern of detentions at both court hearings and ICE check-ins, raising concerns among advocates about due process and transparency in immigration enforcement.

03:29 PM EDT ICE employee quits: ‘Had to make a moral decision’ A person is detained by federal agents outside an immigration court at the Jacob K. Javits federal building on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in New York. A person is detained by federal agents outside an immigration court at the Jacob K. Javits federal building on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in New York. Yuki Iwamura/AP A government attorney resigned over what he called a shift in Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) mission from safeguarding the nation to chasing deportation numbers. Adam Boyd, a 33-year-old attorney, quit the ICE legal department last month, The Atlantic reported. “We still need good attorneys at ICE. There are drug traffickers and national-security threats and human-rights violators in our country who need to be dealt with. But we are now focusing on numbers over all else,” Boyd told the outlet. Newsweek has contacted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment. Read the full story by Billal Rahman on Newsweek.

03:01 PM EDT Palestinian activist freed after 104 days in immigration detention Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, center, speaks after his release from federal immigration detention in Jena, La., Friday, June 20, 2025. Palestinian activist and former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, center, speaks after his release from federal immigration detention in Jena, La., Friday, June 20, 2025. associated press Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student and prominent voice in campus protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, was released Friday after spending 104 days in federal immigration detention. His arrest in March marked the first under President Trump’s crackdown on student demonstrators. “Justice prevailed, but it’s very long overdue,” Khalil said outside the Louisiana facility where he had been held. “This shouldn’t have taken three months.” Khalil, a legal U.S. resident, was never charged with a crime. His lawyers argued that the government’s attempt to deport him over his political views violated the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz agreed, calling Khalil neither a flight risk nor a danger to the community. The Department of Homeland Security is appealing the release, citing a separate immigration judge’s removal order. Khalil now faces new allegations of misrepresentation on his green card application, which he denies. He has reunited with his wife and newborn son in New York and says he will continue advocating for Palestinian rights. “No one should be detained for protesting a genocide,” he said.

02:21 PM EDT Immigration sweeps and data sharing drive undocumented families out of California healthcare Healthcare providers across Southern California say undocumented and mixed-status families are abandoning clinics and canceling appointments amid fears that their personal data is being shared with immigration authorities. The drop-off follows reports that Medi-Cal information was used to assist federal enforcement sweeps, prompting a lawsuit from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 19 other states. “In doing so, it has created a culture of fear that will lead to fewer people seeking vital emergency medical care,” Bonta said. Georgina Maldonado of the Community Health Initiative of Orange County said patients feel betrayed. “Our community is feeling violated,” she told LAist. “We give so much… and here we are. Our information has been shared.” St. John’s clinics report a 30% increase in cancellations since June 6, while Los Angeles General Medical Center’s no-show rate has doubled. Providers warn that the shift to emergency rooms for basic care could drive up costs for insured patients. Linda Nguy of the Western Center on Law and Poverty questioned the legality of the data sharing, saying, “The Department of Homeland Security has no place in the administration of Medicaid.” The L.A. County Board of Supervisors has asked for a full report on the impact and is exploring virtual care options to restore trust and access.

01:52 PM EDT Trump supporter with green card who was in US since age 3 denied reentry A U.S. Border Patrol agent questions a driver at a highway checkpoint on August 1, 2018 in West Enfield, Maine. The checkpoint took place approximately 80 miles from the US/Canada border. A U.S. Border Patrol agent questions a driver at a highway checkpoint on August 1, 2018 in West Enfield, Maine. The checkpoint took place approximately 80 miles from the US/Canada border. Scott Eisen/Getty Images Chris Landry, a Canadian national with a green card who has been living in New Hampshire since he was a toddler, was stopped at the Canadian border by immigration officials and denied reentry to the U.S. on Sunday. New Hampshire’s Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan’s office told Newsweek their constituents services’ team was in touch with Landry about the issue. “Helping constituents navigate federal agencies and processes is a core function of Senator Hassan’s office,” a spokesperson said. Newsweek has reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and both of New Hampshire’s senators for comment via email on Thursday. Landry’s denied reentry comes amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. President Donald Trump has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Much of his campaign rested on his immigration platform, Immigrants residing in the country illegally and legally, with valid documentation such as green cards and visas, have been detained. Newsweek has reported dozens of cases involving green-card holders and applicants who were swept up in the immigration raids and various arrests. A recent CBP warning, published July 9, 2025, said that “possessing a green card is a privilege, not a right” and that legal residents arriving at a port of entry with prior criminal convictions may be detained in advance of removal proceeding. Read the full story by Mandy Taheri on Newsweek.

01:19 PM EDT Former Secretary of State John Kerry says Trump ‘was right’ on border, faults Democrats for immigration missteps In a candid interview on BBC’s “Reflections” podcast, former Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged that President Donald Trump “was right” about the importance of securing the U.S. border, saying Democrats had failed to address immigration effectively during President Biden’s tenure. “The first thing any president should say… is, without a border protected, you don’t have a nation,” Kerry said. He added that he wished Biden had more forcefully emphasized law enforcement, noting, “We have a system. I wish President Biden had been heard more often saying, ‘I’m going to enforce the law.'” Kerry, who served as climate envoy under Biden and was the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, said he had personally warned Biden that the party had “missed” the immigration issue. “They just allowed the border to continue to be sieged,” he said. When BBC correspondent James Naughtie suggested Trump would likely tout Kerry’s remarks as vindication, Kerry replied, “He was right. The problem is we all should have been right.”

12:46 PM EDT ‘This ruling is a huge victory’: ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project A federal judge in New Hampshire has blocked Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship, issuing a preliminary injunction and certifying a nationwide class of affected children. The ruling, delivered from the bench, halts enforcement of the order for seven days to allow time for appeal, but is expected to take effect before the July 27 implementation date. “This ruling is a huge victory and will help protect the citizenship of all children born in the United States, as the Constitution intended,” said Cody Wofsy of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, who argued the case. Devon Chaffee of the ACLU of New Hampshire called the order “a blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution,” adding, “No politician can decide who among those born in this country is worthy of citizenship.” Legal Defense Fund senior counsel Morenike Fajana said the decision “is a powerful affirmation of the 14th Amendment.” At the same time, Aarti Kohli, director of the Asian Law Caucus, noted that “parents have lived in fear and uncertainty” since the order was announced. “This ruling reaffirms that constitutional rights cannot be stripped away by executive decree,” Kohli said. The case, Barbara v. Donald J. Trump, was filed by a coalition of civil rights groups shortly after a Supreme Court decision narrowed the use of nationwide injunctions but allowed broad relief through class-action suits.

12:30 PM EDT ICE takes down MS-13 kingpin on El Salvador’s “top 100” fugitives list Federal agents apprehended an MS-13 Kingpin on El Salvador’s “Top 100 Most Wanted” list in Nebraska on Wednesday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) apprehended the man who is wanted for… Federal agents apprehended an MS-13 Kingpin on El Salvador’s “Top 100 Most Wanted” list in Nebraska on Wednesday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) apprehended the man who is wanted for “aggravated homicide of five victims, attempted aggravated homicide, deprivation of liberty and terrorist organization affiliation,” in Omaha on July 9, 2025. More ICE Federal agents apprehended an MS-13 kingpin on El Salvador’s “Top 100 Most Wanted” list in Nebraska on Wednesday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) apprehended the man wanted for the “aggravated homicide of five victims, attempted aggravated homicide, deprivation of liberty and terrorist organization affiliation” in Omaha on July 9. ICE did not release the man’s name as of publication. Newsweek has contacted ICE for comment via email. Read the full story by Billal Rahman on Newsweek.

12:14 PM EDT U.S. Labor Department restricts workforce aid to authorized workers The U.S. Department of Labor announced new guidance Thursday barring undocumented immigrants from accessing federally funded workforce development programs. The directive, issued by the Employment and Training Administration, enforces Trump’s executive order 14218 and requires all grantees to verify work authorization before offering services. The updated policy replaces previous guidance under the Biden administration and applies to a wide range of programs, including WIOA Title I, YouthBuild, and the National Farmworker Jobs Program. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said the move ensures taxpayer-funded resources are reserved for legally authorized workers and reinforces the administration’s commitment to border security. Grantees must now update procedures and maintain documentation confirming eligibility, a shift aimed at protecting American jobs and aligning federal workforce efforts with immigration enforcement priorities.

12:12 PM EDT San Bernardino diocese lifts Mass obligation amid immigration raid fears The Diocese of San Bernardino has issued a rare dispensation allowing parishioners to skip Sunday and holy day Masses if they fear federal immigration enforcement. Bishop Alberto Rojas announced the decision in a letter Tuesday, citing “genuine fear of immigration enforcement actions” as a valid reason to miss services. The move comes after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents reportedly detained individuals on church property and in public spaces across Southern California. Rojas urged Catholics to maintain a spiritual connection through prayer, Scripture, and online participation in Mass.

11:54 AM EDT Federal judge weighs Maryland transfer for Abrego Garcia amid deportation fight A federal judge in Maryland is set to hear arguments Thursday over whether Kilmar Abrego Garcia should be transferred from Tennessee to await trial on human smuggling charges, a move his legal team says is necessary to prevent another deportation attempt by the Trump administration. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, was wrongfully deported in March despite a 2019 court order shielding him from removal due to gang threats in El Salvador. He was returned to the U.S. last month under pressure from the Supreme Court and now faces charges stemming from a 2022 traffic stop in Tennessee, where he was found driving nine passengers without luggage. His attorneys argue the charges are a pretext to justify the initial deportation and warn that immigration officials plan to send him to a third country if he’s released from jail. Judge Paula Xinis, who is also overseeing a civil lawsuit filed by Abrego Garcia’s wife, has questioned the government’s shifting positions and is considering whether to order his transfer to Maryland, where he lived and worked for over a decade.

This beloved Mexican market in LA is losing business amid immigration raids

toggle caption Zaydee Sanchez for NPR

In the heart of east Los Angeles stands a beloved Mexican market that has been central to the Latino community in Boyle Heights for more than a half-century. El Mercadito’s hallways are lined with ornate cowboy boots, talavera pottery, mariachi suits, traditional snacks and the unusually quiet murmurs of the vendors who continue to open their shops.

“We love this place, we adore this place,” says customer, José Morales, 31, who has been coming here with his family his whole life. “And look at it right now, it looks like a ghost-town. Being realistic, people are just scared because of ICE.”

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Since early June, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has had a large presence in Los Angeles, conducting raids targeting migrants without legal status.

toggle caption Zaydee Sanchez for NPR

While the Trump administration has continued to say its primary concern is “violent criminals,” it has continued to sweep up many who have no such history — people in Home Depot parking lots, at car washes and in their neighborhoods. According to data released by ICE this month, about a third of people in its detention centers have no criminal history.

The presence of federal agents have kept many immigrants away from public life out of fear that they too could be detained.

Morales, who is a U.S. citizen, still comes to El Mercadito regularly to get his favorite “raspado” or shaved ice, but on this day he also came to the area to get a copy of his birth certificate.

“Even though I was born here and I mean I’m good and everything, I just feel safer with my birth certificate [with me at all times],” he says. “I don’t want to be a mistake.”

toggle caption Zaydee Sanchez for NPR

The heightened anxiety has meant less foot traffic at the market and in Latino neighborhoods around the city, leading to a slump in business. Marlene Rosado, who manages El Mercadito with her two siblings, says more than half of the stalls there have been closed or are operating under limited hours since ICE raids began.

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“Our community is genuinely scared to leave their homes at moments,” Rosado says. “And many of the vendors here are also afraid to open shop.”

toggle caption Zaydee Sanchez for NPR

One young woman sits idly on her phone next to her grandmother, who has been running a stall at the market for decades.

“I’ve been basically calling off of work to come help my grandma because unfortunately a lot of employees quit or they’re just not coming, because they’re scared,” she says.

She requested NPR not name her because her family is concerned they could be targeted by ICE. Although her grandmother says she is a lawful permanent resident, she’s been on edge.

“She’s also scared because she doesn’t speak English, so if [federal agents] come and they try to terrorize her with a bunch of questions, she’s not going to know what to do, so I have to be here.”

Another vendor, Coco Garcia, says she’s never seen El Mercadito’s halls this quiet — not even during COVID.

“I remember in the pandemic, the government was giving us [financial] help. They’re not helping us right now,” she says. “The money people have saved up, obviously they’re not going to come wasting on stuff they don’t need right now, they’re going to save it up for their rent, for their bills, for their groceries.”

toggle caption Zaydee Sanchez

Rosado worries some businesses may not make it much longer if customers, and even some shopkeepers, keep staying home. But she remains hopeful.

“I have a lot of faith in our community and our strength as Hispanics, Latinos, Mexicans that are here in Los Angeles and all our immigrant community,” she says. “I know that a lot of fear has been instilled, but don’t let that be the underlying message. It has to be strength in numbers, strength as a community. Together, we are a force.”

93 immigrants from 41 countries were sworn in as U.S. citizens in a Miami courtroom.

Many new citizens cited fears of deportation and the current political climate as motivation for obtaining citizenship.

Florida is second only to California in the number of naturalizations performed in 2024.

The ceremony was marked by both joy and solemnity, reflecting the sacrifices and hopes of the new citizens.

MIAMI — Driven by fears of detention, thoughts of family, dreams of freedom or hopes for a thriving future, 93 people crowded into a courtroom, raised their right hands and made their greatest wish come true.

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen … ”

Lisbet Lopez couldn’t imagine a better birthday present for her father.

He brought her and her mother and her siblings to these shores from Peru in 2012. And here she stood at the federal courthouse in Miami, after years of being her family’s translator and surviving Long Island winters without a car, taking the Oath of Citizenship and making his immigrant dream complete.

“It means a lot to finally have this,” Lopez, now 29, said after leaving the courthouse on May 16. “It’s a way to say, ‘Your sacrifices mattered.’ ”

⭐Think it’s easy to become a U.S. citizen? These facts will make you think again

” … that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same … ”

Byron Martinez knew it was time to become a citizen when he saw a cousin get arrested and deported this spring. Now 48, he had left Colombia for the United States more than 30 years ago with a dream of becoming a citizen that he put aside time and again to support his younger siblings and parents.

The family had just paid $148 to spring the cousin from a Miami-area jail.

“As soon as they received the money, they made sure to call ICE, and they came and picked him up the same night,” Martinez said.

“. . . that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law … ”

Jorge Soto moved to Miami from Costa Rica when he was just 3 years old. The United States is all he knows, he said. He wants to give back to it by serving in the military.

Tears filled his eyes during the ceremony as thoughts of his loved ones who couldn’t be there to witness it clouded his mind. His mother-in-law died recently, and his parents couldn’t be there because of work.

“That’s part of the sacrifice,” said Soto, a 39-year-old Realtor. “You have to work in order to maintain a status or to pay for your bills here.”

. . . and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”

800,000-plus become U.S. citizens each year; nearly 100,000 in Florida

Thus concludes the oath spoken by hundreds of thousands of people each year. In 2024 alone, more than 818,500 immigrants became U.S. citizens — a 12% increase from pre-pandemic levels.

About 1 in 3 hailed from just five countries: Mexico, India, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and Vietnam. Florida continues to rank among the top destinations for new Americans. In 2024, more than 93,000 people took the oath of citizenship in the Sunshine State, second only to California.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services hasn’t projected national 2025 numbers yet, but naturalizations are expected to remain above 800,000.

Those who took the oath in Miami did so against a backdrop of heightened immigration enforcement and deep political division. They navigated the usual paperwork, legal fees, interviews and civic test questions amid unusual, sweeping crackdowns on undocumented people, one President Donald Trump has vowed to make the largest in U.S. history.

For many, uncertainty over Trump’s immigration policy changes, fears of deportations and worries about ICE raids propelled them toward securing their U.S. citizenship.

This group in Miami hailed from 41 countries, about 1 in every 5 nations around the globe, and wore nearly as many types of outfits, from suits and dresses, running shoes and flipflops, to clothing that spoke to their identities and the places where they were born.

A woman and her family wore matching, hand-sewn Mexican blouses. A couple from Vietnam styled traditional silk tunics. Two brothers wore kippahs; a teenage girl had a hijab wrapped around her hair.

U.S. District Judge Jaqueline Becerra, herself the daughter of Cuban immigrants, opened the ceremony by recounting her parents’ own journey to obtaining U.S. citizenship.

Her parents were 19 when they arrived in Miami and became naturalized citizens when Becerra was 10. She said her father dreamed of getting the right to vote and spent hours listening to a cassette memorizing the citizenship test questions and answers, even though he only spoke Spanish.

“Today is not just about becoming a United States citizen. It’s a culmination of great sacrifice,” said Becerra. “It takes a lot of passion to leave your home country, and it’s also a big commitment to your family, because this will have a profound impact for generations.”

Spector of deportations tinged mood of citizenship ceremony

Everyone stood for the national anthem while waiving miniature American flags and many sang along to the final verse — “for the land of the free and the home of the brave” — before erupting in applause.

Angel Archelus, a native of Hati, watched her 2-year-old daughter shriek and clap even though she couldn’t understand what that day meant to her mother.

“I can give my daughter the childhood I never had,” Archelus said. “Now, I can sleep in peace.”

Katherine Cardonet, who migrated from Cuba in 2019, volunteered to share her story before the whole courtroom. She said winning a spot in the Diversity Visa Lottery program changed her life.

In Cuba, Cardonet worked at what she called a dead-end job as an accountant for grocery stores with empty aisles and grew depressed by thinking that no matter how hard she worked, her daughter would never have access to healthy meals, even less attend college.

In 2019, Cardonet and her daughter reunited with their family in Hialeah. She got her first job as a cashier in a supermarket, where the variety of products overwhelmed her. They never had so many choices in Cuba.

Since then, she has given birth to another daughter, works as a registered behavioral technician in Miami-Dade County schools and dreams of the day her daughters go to prom and graduate.

“Here, if you study, you can achieve what you desire because here, we have opportunities,” Cardonet said in Spanish. “The ceremony felt like winning the lottery again.”

The mood outside the courtroom was a paradox, solemn and cheerful at the same time.

Tears streamed down some new citizens’ faces. One family member in the back shouted, “It’s Margarita time!” Many were greeted with boxes of empanadas, balloons and flowers bouquets to celebrate the day.

Toddlers squealed with excitement as they waddled behind roosters, a mainstay outside the courthouse.

The late-morning weather was sweltering, with temperatures near 90 degrees, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone on its lawn. With groups of people eating and taking photos, the scene started to resemble a family barbecue.

The day was like a reprieve for some of the new citizens who didn’t feel secure in the United States, a nation where ICE agent swarms, mass deportations and negative rhetoric about immigrants have become common.

Carlos Pretel felt relieved when he finally became a U.S. citizen because it meant he could visit his mom in Colombia without worrying if he would be able to get back.

“With all the things that have been happening recently, with political things and changes, I felt that I needed this,” said Pretel, a 34-year-old engineer who lives in Miami Beach. “Today feels different, like I am officially graduating.”

Jormi Poirot from Venezuela feels saddened for Hispanics facing possible deportation.

She had an overwhelming freeing feeling after the ceremony: She said she finally felt like her voice mattered here. It took her 15 years to become a citizen as she went from a student visa to a work visa and then to a green card.

“I am super-happy, especially because now I am going to vote,” said Poirot, 41, before rushing back to her job as a fashion designer. “I feel like I am now a person that can make decisions in the country.”

Fourth of July has special resonance for newest U.S. citizens

One month earlier and an hour’s drive north, U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra swore in 45 people from 28 different countries at the federal courthouse in West Palm Beach. Before he did, an attorney in the courtroom reminded the crowd that the strength of the United States lies not only in its laws, but also in the people who choose to become part of it.

Lainey Francisco said each new citizen arrived by a different path — some marked by hardship, others by hope — but all were fueled by determination. That same determination, she said, has shaped the country from its beginning.

“Being an American is more than where you were born. It is about what you believe and what you stand for. It’s about participating in your community, speaking up for what is right, and helping shape the future,” she said.

“America is better because you’re part of it.”

This year, they will all celebrate their first Fourth of July as U.S. citizens.

Valentina Palm, Maya Washburn and Hannah Phillips are journalists at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach them at vpalm@pbpost.com, mwashburn@pbpost.com and hphillips@pbpost.com.

As the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on immigration, undocumented workers in the construction industry claim raids and arrests have emboldened some contractors to cut pay and increase hours.

Rogelio, a tile setter, works for various contractors in the the Tucson, Arizona, region. He is undocumented, and did not provide his full name.

When Donald Trump returned to office in January, Rogelio said his employers cut their rates by 30% to 40%. Other laborers told him they had endured similar treatment.

“They decreased the pay by piece because they know most of the tile setters don’t have social security numbers, so they take advantage of that. We are in their hands,” Rogelio told the Guardian. “It’s more work, less pay. We have no choice right now.

“We’re struggling with bills. We’re struggling with food. We’re struggling with everything because we don’t get enough money to pay whatever we need to pay.”

Many of the undocumented immigrants Rogelio knows are only leaving home to work, Rogelio said. “We have a lot of fear,” he told the Guardian. “We look for news in the morning to see if we’re able to go to work or not.”

With approximately 2.9 million US construction workers – about 34% of the workforce – foreign-born, construction sector lobbyists have publicly urged the Trump administration to soften their hardline stance on immigration. “While the need for safe and secure borders is paramount, mass deportation is not the answer,” Buddy Hughes, chairperson of the National Association of Home Builders, said in a statement.

Advocates for workers rights say some operators in the sector are using Trump’s crackdown to abuse undocumented workers.

“Especially in construction, there’re a lot of subcontractors that take advantage of this situation by not paying them the fair wage or not even paying them at all,” said Laura Becerra, movement politics director of the non-profit Workers Defense Project based in Texas.

Undocumented workers are unlikely to lodge an official complaint, she added. “Since people don’t want to say anything because they don’t want to be put on the radar, and they’re also getting retaliated against if they do say something.”

The administration is pushing ahead with public raids on undocumented immigrant workers. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency is arresting an increasing number of immigrants without any criminal history, according to a Guardian analysis of federal government data.

“It’s an attack,” Becerra said. “It’s taking a toll on families, families that need to make ends meet, that are already suffering from low wages and doing work no one wants to do.”

In Tucson, undocumented workers are avoiding freeways, according to Rogelio. “Freeways are one of the worst places to drive right now because of all the police and border patrol and they look for mostly hispanic people to stop,” he said. “We are living day by day and not knowing what’s going to happen tomorrow.”

In some areas “there are spots where you can work with no problem,” he said. “But others, there are racist people living there and they don’t want us. They want our work, they want cheap labor, but they don’t want us.

“We came here because we want to work and provide for our families. The only reason I’m here, personally, I have two kids who are American citizens. I’m not asking for any benefits from the government.”

Reports from across the US suggest undocumented workers are facing unprecedented pressure.

Savannah Palmira, director of organizing for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades district council 5, which covers workers in states around the Pacific north-west, said the threat of raids is making it harder for workers to organize.

A roofing company in Washington was raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) earlier this year after workers filed safety complaints, Palmira claimed, with the fear of retaliation stemming from that case spreading to other job sites, and leaving workers reluctant to speak out and file complaints against abusive work practices.

“What contractors are doing is taking an opportunity to not be held accountable for their bad practices,” said Palmira. “The more and more people are starting to talk about workers getting taken advantage of, Ice is getting called on them. They’re taking a tool away from us to be able to put bad contractors on notice.”

In Washington, another undocumented construction worker – who requested to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation – said many of his coworkers were “thinking about going back to their countries” due to the reality of life in the US.

“The last company I worked for took advantage of people in every situation,” he said, from dissuading injured workers from getting medical attention to denying overtime and breaks.

“They say, you are undocumented, so they will pay you $10 an hour because you have no work permit,” he added. “And if not, they will tell Ice.”

“In Washington state, immigrants make up 25% of the trades workforce in construction. With a consistent labor shortage and demand for housing constantly growing, residential construction needs all the skilled workers available,” a spokesperson for the Building Industry Association of Washington said in an email. “We’ve provided our members with guidance on how to legally employ immigrants, including verifying the identity and US employment authorization of all employees. We also generally support improving US Immigration policy to allow responsible and law-abiding undocumented worker a pathway to achieving citizenship.”

Arizona Builders Alliance did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

On a national level the construction industry has repeatedly warned of the negative impacts of immigration raids on what they claim has already been a severe labor shortage in US construction.

Asked about contractors allegedly using the ramp up in immigration enforcement to cut pay and increase workloads, the National Association of Home Builders issued a statement from Hughes, its chairperson, which did not directly address the claims.

“With the construction industry facing a deficit of more than 200,000 workers, policymakers must consider that any disruption to the labor force would raise housing costs, limit supply and worsen the nation’s housing affordability crisis,” Hughes said. “To address this pressing national issue, NAHB is urging Congress to support meaningful investments in our nation’s education system to encourage students to pursue careers in the skilled trades.

“Policymakers should also support sensible immigration policies that preserve and expand existing temporary work visa programs while also creating new market-based visa programs that will accurately match demand with available labor.”

The L.A. raids coupled by the Trump administration’s immigration policies have sent shockwaves through the Latin music world and beyond, bringing cultural and political tensions to the forefront.

Over the weekend, more than five million people took to the streets across the U.S. as part of the massive “No Kings” rallies. The demonstrations come amidst abrupt visa issues disrupting major touring schedules for Mexican stars like Julión Álvarez and Grupo Firme, and Donald Trump’s deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to quell protests. The stakes have never been higher.

Latin artists — many of whom are immigrants or come from immigrant families — are using their platforms to speak out against these injustices and stand in solidarity with affected communities.

In the face of increased ICE raids, revoked visas, and inflammatory rhetoric, stars like Ivan Cornejo, Fuerza Regida, Chiquis and more are delivering hope and empowerment. “The people being attacked today are not ‘illegal aliens’, they are human beings with RIGHTS,” wrote Becky G on Instagram. “We must understand that an attack on them is an attack on OUR DEMOCRACY and an attack on what this country was made to stand for.”

“It no longer feels like the country of hope they told us so much about,” added DannyLux.

Their activism doesn’t stop at words. Many have donated to community organizations and shared resources, such as Cornejo and Cuco with CHIRLA.org (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights); and Peso Pluma and his manager George Prajin’s labels Double P Records and Prajin Parlay, who shared links to immigrant rights organizations: ilrc.org (Immigrant Legal Recourse Center), Nilc.org (National Immigration Law Center), UnitedWeDream.org and more.

“The peaceful and non violent fight for justice, dignity, and humanity for our immigrant community is one we are proud to be part of,” the two aforementioned labels wrote.

Underground punk scenes like L.A.’s DIY Hardcore movement have even raised $10K for the city’s undocumented families affected by ICE. “We’re in crisis mode,” Victor Campos, the Director of Mosh for Youth, told L.A. Taco. “Immigrants build our communities, and they thrive with immigrants. If we look at who’s being taken by the raids, it’s hard-working Latinos. They’re going to Home Depots, to swap meets, to places of business, and taking our people away. Families are left broken and shattered by these raids, so it’s our responsibility as individuals with platforms to do something about it.”

The growing wave of Latin artists using their platforms to push back against Trump’s immigration policies also includes Maná, Don Omar, Pepe Aguilar. Check out how they’re speaking out with messages of resilience to inspire action. (In alphabetical order.)