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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 7h

A delegation led by Bishop Mark Seitz traveled from El Paso to the Vatican to deliver letters from immigrants in the United States to Pope Leo XIV expressing fear of Trump’s expanding immigration crackdown.

Here is my story.

An 'injustice what's happening': Diocese of El Paso presents migrant letters to Pope Leo XIV

Bishop Mark Seitz of the Diocese of El Paso and a delegation from the Borderland presented fearful letters to Pope Leo XIV, as Trumps crackdown expands.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 2d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

Attorney for woman shot by Border Patrol claims officer said 'Do something b-----' before shooting

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government's claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed. A judge ordered Martinez and a co-defendant released pending trial.

trib.al

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 2d

At the start of October, Guatemalans abroad sent home MORE than in all of 2023, just three years ago. Next month we will pass all of 2024.

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 2d

Guatemalan migrants living abroad sent home $2.106 billion in Sept. 2025 as remittances. This continues the trend we have seen this year, as migrants send home more money each month to support their families. Their economy relies on this money.

This year we will likely see $25 billion sent home.

Data from Guatemala's central bank showing that migrants sent home 2.106 billion dollars in September 2025.

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Lisa Song @lisalsong.bsky.social · 5d

24,576 pounds of cheddar cheese to Food Bank for the Heartland in Nebraska;

270,000 eggs to Harvest Hope Food Bank in South Carolina;

4,640 pounds of chicken legs to Maui Food Bank in Hawaii

--> just some of the food aid canceled by Trump

projects.propublica.org/trump-food-c...

Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.

ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...

projects.propublica.org

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 7d

Catalina "Xóchitl" Santiago was released from federal custody this afternoon at around 4:40 p.m.

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 7d

A federal judge in El Paso has ordered the immediate release of Catalina “Xóchitl” Santiago from ICE detention. The immigration rights activist and DACA recipient has been detained since Aug. 3.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Judge’s order for the release of Catalina “Xóchitl” Santiago from ICE detention. The immigration activist and DACA recipient has been detained since Aug. 3.

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Katie Surma @katiesurma.bsky.social · 9d

Efraín Fueres, an Indigenous land defender, was shot and killed in Ecuador on Sunday while marching in protest of high living costs and government crackdowns on Indigenous and environmental activists. 🧵

insideclimatenews.org/news/2909202...

Indigenous Land Defender Killed in Ecuador as Government Cracks Down on Environmental and Human Rights Activists - Inside Climate News

Efraín Fueres was gunned down Sunday while marching in protest against high costs of living and government crackdowns that include freezing the bank accounts of activists and suspending a media organi...

insideclimatenews.org

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 9d

"With an apology, the wounds will never heal."

Mexico's former top immigration official made his first public apology for the fire in an immigration facility in Juárez that left 40 migrants dead and 27 other injured.

The apology is part of his ploy to avoid charges for the fire.

My story:

Ex-top Mexican official makes first apology for 2023 Juarez fire that killed 40 migrants

Mexico's former top immigration official, Francisco Garduño Yáñez, made his first public apology nearly three years after fire left 40 migrants dead.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 11d

"The United States would not be what it is if it were not for the Mexican women and men who work on the other side of the border."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum shared the successes of her first year yesterday in Juárez, taking the time to celebrate Mexican migrants in the U.S.

My story:

Mexico's Sheinbaum celebrates migrants as she shares successes of first year in office

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum made an important visit to Juárez to share her first-year report, taking the time to celebrate Mexican migrants in U.S.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 12d

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will be presenting the report of her first 11 months in office this afternoon in Ciudad Juárez. I’ll have a story for the El Paso Times at some point today.

Thousands have gathered at the Juárez Vice baseball stadium for her appearance.

Thousands wait in Ciudad Juarez for president Claudia Sheinbaum to present the report on her first 11 months in office.

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 12d

🚨NEW: For the first time in history, the single largest group of people arrested in the interior and sent to ICE detention is people with NO criminal record.

As of yesterday's data release, 40%(!) of those arrested in the interior and detained by ICE had no prior conviction or pending charges.

Chart shows Detention Population, Among Those Arrested by ICE in the Interior, by Criminal Record. The chart shows three lines; Prior conviction, pending criminal charges, and no criminal record. From 2019 through September 2025, the largest group is people with criminal convictions, with much further down people with pending charges. But starting in January, those without criminal records spikes dramatically. In July it crossed pending charges and in the latest data it jumps above criminal convictions.

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 14d

News is now reporting that two "detainees" were killed. Unclear whether that means people who were actively being transported or whether that means it was people going to the ICE Field Office for a check-in who got shot going into the building.

Author: Rachel Behrndt, Rebecca Lopez
Published: 7:10 AM CDT September 24, 2025
Updated: 7:58 AM CDT September 24, 2025
Facebook
DALLAS — Two ICE detainees were killed and one person was injured at a Dallas ICE facility Wednesday morning and one shooter is dead, police sources tell WFAA.

Police responded to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday at 8101 North Stemmons Freeway in Dallas, off Interstate 35E. Sources told WFAA that police were searching for a possible sniper or multiple shooters. It remains unclear if there were any other shooters involved in the incident.

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 15d

A judge in El Paso, Texas is considering a habeas petition challenging the continued detention of Catalina "Xochitl" Santiago, an immigrant rights advocate and DACA recipient in El Paso. The DHS laywer's arguments today highlighted the Trump administrations attempts to detain DACA recipients.

Federal judge in El Paso considers release of DACA recipient Catalina 'Xochitl' Santiago

A federal judge is considering the release of detained DACA recipient and immigration advocate Catalina "Xóchitl" Santiago following a hearing in El Paso.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 15d

A judge in El Paso, Texas is considering a habeas petition challenging the continued detention of Catalina "Xochitl" Santiago, an immigrant rights advocate and DACA recipient in El Paso. The DHS laywer's arguments today highlighted the Trump administrations attempts to detain DACA recipients.

Federal judge in El Paso considers release of DACA recipient Catalina 'Xochitl' Santiago

A federal judge is considering the release of detained DACA recipient and immigration advocate Catalina "Xóchitl" Santiago following a hearing in El Paso.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal @jayapal.house.gov · 15d

I was just notified of ANOTHER death in ICE custody — the 16th since Trump took office.

The second death TODAY. This is absolutely unacceptable.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal @jayapal.house.gov · 15d

Congress was just notified of the 15th death in ICE custody since Trump took office.

This is the direct result of this administration expanding the use of private, for-profit prisons that put their bottom line over people’s health and safety.

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Adam Isacson @adamisacson.com · 16d

I just had Claude help me write a Python script to query the Deportation Data Project's enormous "ICE encounters" file since Oct 2023.

Here is everyone who had a "departure date" listed, which seems to indicate deportations.

Total is 117,339 from 1/21-7/28, which seems very close to correct?

Entries in ICE’s “ERO Encounters for 09/01/2023 - 07/28/25” Database With Specified “Departure Dates”

Oct-23 Nov-23 Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24 Apr-24 May-24 Jun-24 Jul-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 (as of Jul y 28)
Mexico 1627 1891 2132 2439 2642 3007 3414 3629 3173 3545 3555 3547 4148 3942 4006 4509 5365 6286 7056 9053 10457 8792
Guatemala 368 489 430 550 617 738 876 942 801 996 993 925 968 972 864 1058 1666 2271 2446 3465 3942 3560
Honduras 307 398 461 569 683 745 772 1011 827 763 1153 1082 862 1285 1002 1056 1535 2144 1920 2977 3310 2688
El Salvador 103 123 163 258 196 244 332 345 253 404 306 391 387 453 293 406 613 724 743 1067 1288 975
Venezuela 27 15 23 17 7 12 33 9 20 26 19 8 3 7 19 94 692 1566 1409 1566 1681 1748
Colombia 45 55 81 123 133 145 113 253 190 232 276 237 180 214 230 199 318 449 415 484 658 860
Nicaragua 17 56 50 97 84 57 108 78 145 189 205 207 274 125 194 181 282 351 632 670 770 710
Ecuador 26 61 51 105 85 85 149 163 119 109 104 132 172 111 171 123 235 309 500 462 730 581
Dominican Republic 19 46 52 51 81 93 106 87 86 74 84 151 180 179 201 173 147 212 504 320 421 431
Other Countries 63 144 182 271 261 311 359 378 468 434 559 458 515 481 638 641 768 1242 1351 1808 2227 1809

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Adam Isacson @adamisacson.com · 19d

38% increase in Border Patrol migrant apprehensions from July to August at the US-Mexico border.

July-August change for nationalities over 50 apprehensions:

Colombia +132%
Cuba +98%
Nicaragua +61%
Honduras +46%
Mexico +44%
Other Countries +27%
El Salvador +24%
Venezuela +22%
Guatemala -2%

Monthly Migration at the U.S.-Mexico Border, Presented by “Nationality” at “All Border Patrol sectors” Between 2025 and 2025
Nationality Oct 2024 Nov 2024 Dec 2024 Jan 2025 Feb 2025 Mar 2025 Apr 2025 May 2025 Jun 2025 Jul 2025 Aug 2025 Total
Mexico 25,389 20,677 15,794 11,405 4,240 4,762 6,128 6,248 4,117 3,071 4,431 106,262
Guatemala 6,625 6,441 7,100 3,257 1,436 831 779 955 798 508 500 29,230
Other Countries 6,688 3,610 3,178 2,417 750 343 284 229 120 124 157 17,900
Honduras 3,801 3,589 4,193 2,089 563 370 438 436 378 301 440 16,598
Colombia 3,884 2,543 3,648 1,698 126 94 85 74 72 44 102 12,370
Venezuela 979 1,088 4,022 2,237 125 157 171 194 139 149 182 9,443
Ecuador 1,809 1,759 2,141 1,255 214 105 86 90 67 71 72 7,669
El Salvador 2,010 1,874 1,684 937 272 187 148 192 116 97 120 7,637
India 1,391 1,226 1,060 842 141 48 34 39 42 30 48 4,901
China 1,288 852 817 468 130 60 35 44 37 46 40 3,817
Cuba 140 413 1,055 926 107 64 82 89 55 50 99 3,080
Brazil 816 751 820 400 73 59 14 12 8 26 5 2,984
Turkey 884 864 637 386 65 20 10 33 25 14 17 2,955
Peru 329 451 667 492 39 26 16 25 22 16 27 2,110
Nicaragua 349 360 399 229 33 25 48 43 41 33 53 1,613
Russia 36 54 59 43 33 4 9 5 5 8 8 264
Haiti 53 35 31 17 2 3 2 2 14 4 9 172
Romania 42 21 14 5 1 22 8 7 11 1 8 140
Philippines 3 3 1 1 2 0 0 4 0 3 0 17
Ukraine 0 0 3 2 0 0 0 3 1 0 2 11
Canada 4 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 10
Total 56,520 46,612 47,324 29,107 8,353 7,180 8,377 8,725 6,068 4,596 6,321 229,183

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 20d

Today a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to must refrain from deporting over 600 unaccompanied minors back to Guatemala.

My story for the El Paso Times.

Federal judge bars Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied children to Guatemala

A U.S. District judge ordered the Trump administration to refrain from deporting hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children to Guatemala.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 19d

Nothing in the report references the record number of deportations from 2024, or am I missing something??

Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 20d

Today a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to must refrain from deporting over 600 unaccompanied minors back to Guatemala.

My story for the El Paso Times.

Federal judge bars Trump administration from deporting unaccompanied children to Guatemala

A U.S. District judge ordered the Trump administration to refrain from deporting hundreds of unaccompanied migrant children to Guatemala.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 21d

I know a journalist if you want to hire them..... he has done some things

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Jeff Abbott @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social · 21d

The Trump administration issued a new expanded geographic targeting order along the border. The new order requires money service providers file reports on every transaction over $1000. A previous order issued in April has faced challenges in courts, with 3 judges ruling it violates the law.

US Treasury Department issues new order targeting money transfers in Texas border counties

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued an expanded a controversial order that eyes money transfers in counties along U.S.-Mexico border.

www.elpasotimes.com

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Yael Schacher @yaelschacher.bsky.social · 25d

Lee Gelernt just told the judge that the U.S. should be outraged at the possibility that its “diplomatic assurance” from Ghana is being violated and men threatened with being sent to torture . This the U.S. government emphatically did not do.

Josh Gerstein @joshgerstein.bsky.social · 25d

JUST IN: @ACLU enters case filed by @AAAJ_AAJC claiming Trump admin is using 3rd country deportations to Ghana to send deportees to face danger in their home countries even when that isn't permitted by US law or treaty
www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

Judge worries Trump administration is sidestepping torture protections for deported Africans

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is still weighing what, if any, power she has to order protections for the deportees who were abruptly sent to Ghana last week.

www.politico.com

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Reposted by Jeff Abbott

Adam Isacson @adamisacson.com · 26d

What in the world happened with ICE's flights to southern Mexico in August? That's the most flights to any country in a single month since @thcartwright started this essential monitoring project back in 2020.

Don't miss this report.

U.S. Immigration Removal Flights by Country | January - August 2025
Country
Jan
Feb
Mar

Apr May Jun

Jul
Aug
Guatemala
31
24
35
23
48
51
54
43
Honduras
24
22
33
16
35
43
49
37
Mexico
14
13
22
32
30
17
17
72
El Salvador
8
11
14
13
17
22
22
12
Ecuador
9
7
6
5
6
9
9
9
Colombia
12
7

5

5
9
7
Venezuela

3

6
10
8
9
9
Nicaragua
2
2

3
5
5
6
5
Peru
2

2

5
4

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