Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 5h

High school classmates who usually post on FB about their cool hunting dog are now posting about how DHL is holding their mail order outdoor gear hostage for a ~$69% tariff.

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 13h

About a month ago, the Trump administration got rid of the de minimis exemption, whereby packages valued under $800 could slide in without import duties. Now there's a backlog as the government can't process all of this paperwork, leading to UPS just destroying packages

Business Insider headline reads: UPS is telling customers that their packages coming to the US are marked for destruction.

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Migration Policy Institute @migrationpolicy.bsky.social · 3d

Come find @kathleenbush.bsky.social @juliagelatt.bsky.social & @mittelworld.bsky.social at #immconf and say hi!

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 5d

It's the last day to register for MPI / CLINIC / Georgetown Law's Annual Law and Policy Conference. Don't miss out!

22nd Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference Registration hosted by Whova

2025-10-09, Washington, DC

whova.com

Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Kathleen Bush-Joseph @kathleenbush.bsky.social · 6d

There's so much going on in immigration news right now, but quick reminder that the DC Appellate Court will hear arguments at 2pm ET today about one of the Trump administration's most potent deportation tools--expanded expedited removal

We wrote about the authority for @migrationpolicy.bsky.social

Trump Administration’s Expansion of Fast-Track Deportation Powers Is Transforming Immigration Enforcement

The Trump administration has expanded its use of expedited removal in unprecedented ways, transforming what previously had been a somewhat limited authority into a potent tool to assist with its mass ...

www.migrationpolicy.org

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 8d

President Trump is reportedly setting the lowest refugee ceiling ever (since the creation of the refugee program in 1980) for this fiscal year, at 7,500, with most slots going to Afrikaners.

Trump Administration Is Said to Plan to Cut Refugee Admissions to a Record Low

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 8d

BREAKING: Federal judge BLOCKS a new ICE policy that went into effect last week to automatically detain unaccompanied migrant children on their 18th birthday when they “age out” of shelter care.

The TRO enforces a court order in a case brought by @immcouncil.org and @immigrantjustice.bsky.social.

Garcia Ramirez v. ICE case caption.

ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND TO ENFORCE FINAL JUDGMENT AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION
Upon consideration of Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and to
Enforce the Permanent Injunction and accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities
and Declarations (the "Motion"), and all other materials properly before this Court, it is hereby
ORDERED that Plaintiffs' Motion is GRANTED; and it is further
ORDERED that Defendants and all persons acting under their direction or in concert with them, are hereby ENJOINED from implementing any new directive regarding age-outs;
ORDERED that Defendants and all persons acting under their direction or in concert
with them, are hereby ENJOINED from detaining any class member in an adult ICE facility in
any manner that contravenes the Permanent Injunction;
ORDERED that Defendants immediately rescind any determinations to detain based on this directive;
ORDERED that Defendants immediately produce that directive, any related policies
regarding that directive, and the Age-Out Review Worksheets of any class members who may
have been impacted by that directive, including all AORs issued since October 1, 2025.
SO ORDERED this 4th day of October 2025.

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 8d

President Trump is reportedly setting the lowest refugee ceiling ever (since the creation of the refugee program in 1980) for this fiscal year, at 7,500, with most slots going to Afrikaners.

Trump Administration Is Said to Plan to Cut Refugee Admissions to a Record Low

www.nytimes.com

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 8d

Dara Lind @daralind.bsky.social · 8d

I’m so grateful to Priscilla Alvarez for running down what is actually going on here. www.cnn.com/2025/10/03/p...

Trump administration prepares to offer money to unaccompanied migrant teenagers to voluntarily leave US | CNN Politics

The Department of Homeland Security is preparing to offer unaccompanied migrant teenagers in the United States the option to voluntarily leave the country and receive a payment, according to three sou...

www.cnn.com

Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Kathleen Bush-Joseph @kathleenbush.bsky.social · 9d

Highly recommend this deportations data breakdown from @anthonydb.bsky.social @wsj.com J

Importantly, it highlights *missing data*

DHS' statistics office hasn't released broken down info since January, meaning we don't have the complete picture of who is being deported, by which agency & where

How Trump’s Deportation Effort Is Playing Out, in Charts

ICE is moving to step up arrests, detentions and deportations. We crunched the numbers.

www.wsj.com

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Teo Armus @teoarmus.bsky.social · 10d

NEW: Trump's 30-day crime emergency in DC is over.

But DHS agents are still joining DC police patrols & roll calls, even though DC law bars police from helping fed immigration agents.

The result? Immigrants are ending up in ICE custody.

w/ Emma Uber

www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/202...

Trump’s D.C. crime emergency is over. Immigration officers are still patrolling with D.C. police.

The Washington Post reviewed photos and videos of at least half a dozen incidents since Sept. 10. They show D.C. police officers with masked agents in vests labeled HSI for Homeland Security Investiga...

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Migration Policy Institute @migrationpolicy.bsky.social · 12d

Each month, our experts dive deep into a notable trend in US immigration policy

Make sure you’re getting the updates: https://bit.ly/USPolicySignUp

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 16d

When we interviewed Salvadoran Temporary Protected Status holders in the DC metro area, access to CDLs was an important pathway to higher-paying jobs. In addition to the broader impacts for U.S. prices, there will be impacts for many immigrant families with lawful presence and work authorization.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 16d

* TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RESTRICTING COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSES FOR NON-U.S. CITIZENS, USDOT SAYS

@reuters.com

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 19d

DHS has just claimed that 1.6 million unauthorized immigrant "self deported" this year. This number seems to come from a Center for Immigration Studies estimate that relies on the Current Population Survey. As @jedkolko.bsky.social writes, such a large decline doesn't line up with other data

That reported multi-million decline in US immigrants just doesn’t add up

The recent Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data showing that there were 2.2 million fewer immigrants in the US in July 2025 than in January is almost certainly wrong.

www.piie.com

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 21d

And now the White House says the $100,000 doesn’t apply to current H-1b holders!

Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 22d

The folks at Microsoft know what they are talking about. Helpful for sharing with anyone you know on an H-1B

River_Tam @rivertam.bsky.social · 22d

Microsoft gave guidance on H1Bs to its employees last night

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · 22d

The folks at Microsoft know what they are talking about. Helpful for sharing with anyone you know on an H-1B

River_Tam @rivertam.bsky.social · 22d

Microsoft gave guidance on H1Bs to its employees last night

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Gergely Orosz @gergely.pragmaticengineer.com · 22d

Those on an H1B cannot return to the US from tomorrow (Sunday) unless paying $100K. This is an out-of-the blue presidential action. We’ll see software engineers stranded abroad.

One easy to predict outcome: those on US visas will travel less… for work, for conferences etc.

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Ariel G Ruiz Soto @ruizags.bsky.social · 22d

⬇️August CBP Data Takeaways⬇️

Still at low levels, but migrant encounters at/btwn POEs increased from 8K in Jul to 10K in Aug. Btwn POEs there were 6K encounters, mostly of Mexican migrants.

That's 204 daily BP encounters, higher than the 148 in Jul, but significantly lower than under Biden.

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Kathleen Bush-Joseph @kathleenbush.bsky.social · 26d

"Los derechos más básicos en riesgo": los ciudadanos también sufren prejuicio racial por redadas migratorias

I talked to @marcosmtzchacon.bsky.social at Univision about Trump's push for mass deportations and how increased immigration enforcement affects US citizens' rights:

"Los derechos más básicos en riesgo": los ciudadanos también sufren prejuicio racial por redadas migratorias

Los ciudadanos estadounidenses, la mayoría de origen hispano, están viendo sus garantías individuales -consagradas en la Constitución- siendo violadas al quedar atrapados en los despliegues federales ...

www.univision.com

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · Sep 12

The Trump admin plans to start discussions at the UN on revising 1951 & 1967 global refugee conventions that govern how asylum seekers and refugees are treated. Proposed changes include making migrants seek protection in the 1st safe country they enter, and making asylum only temporary.

Exclusive: Trump administration plans push at UN to restrict global asylum rights

President Donald Trump's administration plans to call for sharply narrowing the right to asylum at the United Nations later this month, documents show, as it seeks to undo the post-World War Two framework around humanitarian protection.

www.reuters.com

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · Sep 11

What a conversation to have with your kiddo! Was right outside the window on school grounds?

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Dara Lind @daralind.bsky.social · Sep 11

3 different phenomena:
1) Deployment of National Guard* to city.
2) Takeover of city's local police to force cooperation.
3) Surging federal law enforcement to city for immigration arrests.

LA got 1 and 3. DC got all 3. Chicago may avoid 1 but it ALREADY HAS 3. chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

On Chicago's first full day of 'Operation Midway Blitz,' fear, tension and a 'reality show'

On an anxiety-filled day for the city, there were sporadic reports of arrests in Chicago’s Latino community as hundreds of federal agents move in — and many residents hunker down.

chicago.suntimes.com

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · Sep 11

In a period roughly coinciding with the federal takeover of DC, ICE arrested 943 immigrants in DC, making up about 40% of the overall more than 2,300 arrests. Data from a subset of those cases suggest only a minority (22% in that sample) of the immigrants arrested had any criminal record.

Over 40% of arrests in Trump's DC law enforcement surge relate to immigration, AP analysis finds

President Donald Trump has portrayed his federal law enforcement surge in Washington as a crime-fighting effort.

apnews.com

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · Sep 11

Sociologist Joanna Dreby’s new book has much more on the lasting effects for children of watching a parents’ arrest or experiencing their deportation. www.russellsage.org/publications...

Surviving the ICE Age | Russell Sage Foundation

www.russellsage.org

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Julia Gelatt @juliagelatt.bsky.social · Sep 11

Wapo article does a good job covering two realities: How deeply watching a parents‘ immigration arrest affects kids, and how DC residents are organizing “walking buses” and neighborhood lookouts to help kids with immigrant parents get safely to school. wapo.st/3VNYZ08

They watched ICE detain their dad. Now D.C. neighbors escort them to school.

Immigrant neighborhoods across the District have organized “walking school buses” to shuttle kids to classes during President Donald Trump’s federalization of D.C. police.

wapo.st

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Reposted by Julia Gelatt

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · Sep 9

JUST IN: The DC Circuit won’t immediately block Judge Cobb’s ruling that sharply restricted the Trump administration’s ability to use expedited removal for immigrants living in the U.S. for years.

The 2-1 decision keeps Trump’s policy on hold until at least late September.

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