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Just days after President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, Ruby Robinson went to Detroit’s immigration court to post a notice that a help desk his organization ran for people facing deportation was no longer available.The desk staffed by the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center shut down after a Trump executive order prompted the Justice Department to instruct nonprofit organizations “to stop work immediately” on four federally funded programs that provided information to people in immigration proceedings.“There were individuals in the waiting room who we otherwise would have been able to assist, but we’re not able to do so at this time,” said Robinson, managing attorney for the center, which he said has helped about 10,000 people since it began operating the help desk in December 2021.Without the programs that educate people in immigration courts and detention centers about their rights and the complicated legal process, many will end up navigating the system on their own. Advocates worry that due process and the backlogged immigration courts will suffer as Trump tries to make good on his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration.A coalition of nonprofit groups that provide the services filed a lawsuit Friday challenging the stop-work order and seeking to immediately restore access to the programs.Despite the loss of federal funding, staff from the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights went to a Virginia detention center to provide services the day after the Jan. 22 stop-work order. They had spoken to about two dozen people when detention center staff escorted them out, telling them they could no longer provide those services, Amica executive director Michael Lukens said, describing the stoppage as “devastating.”“We often hear that people don’t know what’s happening. Why are they detained? What’s going to happen next? And we are being stopped from even giving that basic level of orientation,” Lukens said.Lawyers running a help desk inside Chicago’s busy immigration court provided services to more than 2,000 people in 2024. The National Immigrant Justice Center started the effort in 2013 with private funding and expanded it three years later with federal funds.Since the stop-work order, the organization has provided scaled-down services, but they are unsure how long they will be able to continue that with the gap left by federal funding cuts, spokesperson Tara Tidwell Cullen said.Several organizations said they’ve been told that posters informing people of their services and information about legal help hotlines have been removed from detention centers.Congress allocates $29 million a year for the four programsthe Legal Orientation Program, the Immigration Court Helpdesk, the Family Group Legal Orientation, and the Counsel for Children Initiativefunding that’s spread among various groups across the country providing the services, Lukens said, adding that the programs have broad bipartisan support. The amount is the same regardless of the number of people they’re helping, and the organizations often do additional fundraising to cover their costs, he said.Trump previously targeted these programs during his first term, but this time things are different.In 2018, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the funding would be pulled from the programs, but the threat of legal action by a coalition of organizations that provide the services, as well as bipartisan support from members of Congress, caused the Justice Department to reverse course.This time, the action was more abrupt, with the stop-work order issued just hours before it took effect and program staff being barred from detention centers.Immigration law is incredibly complicated and, unlike in criminal courts, people do not have a right to have an attorney appointed if they cannot afford one, and many end up going through the system without legal representation.Immigration courts throughout the country are clogged by a backlog of about 3.7 million cases, which can leave people in limbo for years. When people know what to expect and have their affairs in order, hearings move more quickly because judges don’t have to explain the basics to each person who appears before them, advocates assert. It can also reduce lines at filing windows in immigration courts because people know what forms they have to fill out and can get help completing them correctly.People can make informed choices to either move forward with a case knowing their chances and the risks involved or, if they don’t want to go through a court battle or don’t see any available relief that fits their situation, they may decide not to fight and to just go home, said Edna Yang, co-executive director of American Gateways, which operates in three detention centers and the immigration court in San Antonio, Texas.“Stopping programs that actually help people get the information they need isn’t going to fix the system,” Yang said. “It’s just going to make it worse.”The organizations also make sure due process rights are respected, alert people to imminent filing deadlines, ensure that translators are available, and help avoid deportation orders that could unlawfully return asylum seekers to a harmful situation, advocates said.Milagro, a 69-year-old woman from Venezuela, arrived in the U.S. in May 2024 when she got an appointment through a U.S. government app after spending four years in Mexico. The Associated Press agreed not to use her last name because she fears that speaking out could affect her pending case.She filed an asylum application, citing a fear for her life in Venezuela as part of the political opposition. She didn’t have a job when she arrived and used the help desk operated by Estrella del Paso at the immigration court in El Paso, Texas, for help with her asylum application. The last time she went, she discovered it was closed because of the stop-work order.“You feel a kind of frustration because the window that you had open to ask, to get advice, is closed,” she said in Spanish. “It is a feeling of helplessness and loneliness.”Without their help, she said, “I would have had to pay money that I do not have.”But with a court appearance coming up in February, she fears she will have to use much of the salary she earns as a caretaker for a 100-year-old woman to pay someone to help her. Kate Brumback, Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Gerber Products Company and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued a serious recall notice, discontinuing all batches of Gerber’s Soothe n Chew Teething Sticks due to fears that they could present a choking hazard for babies. The baby food brand confirmed that at least one emergency room visit has been linked to the product. The recall and discontinuation notice was posted to the website of Nestlé USA, Gerber’s parent company. Here’s what you need to know: Which products were affected? The recall includes both Strawberry Apple and Banana flavors in all package sizes. Where were the products sold? The affected products were available online and sold in the following U.S. states and territories: Alabama Arkansas Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey Nevada New York Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Washington Wisconsin Puerto Rico You can find images of the products on the FDA website. What should I do if I have these teething sticks? Gerber has advised parents and caregivers to stop using the product immediately and return it to retailers for a refund. Anyone with health concerns should contact a healthcare provider. What has Gerber said about this? In a statement along with the recall notice, the brand said, “We sincerely apologize for any concern or inconvenience this action represents to parents, caregivers, and retail customers.” It added that it is working with and cooperating with the FDA on the recall.
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E-Commerce
Have you ever worked under someone you just couldn’t wait to get away frommaybe to the point where youd daydream about finding a new job (or hoping theyd leave instead)? Thats what we call an Extinguisher. These leaders sap energy from their teams and throw up roadblocks that stand in the way of success. On the flip side, Generators are those leaders who inspire and empower people to reach their full potentialand theyre the ones everyone wants to work for. Most of us want to steer clear of Extinguishers (and make sure we never become one ourselves). The trouble is, its not always obvious when youre dealing with oneat least not until youre already burned out. Thats why we conducted two major studies to pinpoint exactly how Extinguishers differ from Generators. Our research revealed four early warning signs that can help you spot an Extinguisher before its too late. Extinguishers hide their flaws and struggles Extinguishers wear a mask when they come to work – hiding their true selves. They often cover up their mistakes and flaws – to be perceived as the perfect leader. Unfortunately, this creates distance between them and their employees. Can you really be open about your struggles if your leader seems perfect and untouchable? It can feel too vulnerable to share imperfections with someone who is perfect. In this situation, its hard to get the support you need because you wont feel comfortable asking for it. Even well-meaning leaders can fall into this Extinguisher trap. Leaders want to be seen as competent and deserving of their role. So, they may feel extra pressure to keep up a facade. However, employees can sense leaders inauthenticity, decreasing trust and healthy communication on the team. If you have never seen or heard about your leader struggling with something, if all you hear about is how perfect they are, or you feel like they are being fake, watch out. You may be working for an Extinguisher. Extinguishers dont care about your personal life Adding to the distance between them and their employees, Extinguishers do not want to hear about employees personal lives. They dont care about whats going on with you outside of work and see conversations about your partner, pets, or other important aspects of your life as irrelevant. Extinguishers also fail to share anything about themselves with their employees. This is because Extinguishers believe that you shouldnt bring your personal life to work – and view these two spheres as separate. Why is this a problem? If a leader doesnt know you, how can they know how to support you? Extinguishers dont understand you as a whole person. They are focusing solely on your work. But, what happens if something awful occurs in your personal life that has clear implications for your work? What if you need extra time or some flexibility to manage life stressors? Extinguishers dont want to hear it and, thus, wont give you the support that you need. If you feel like your leader knows nothing about who you are as a person, you are likely working for an Extinguisher. Extinguishers never disconnect from work Extinguishers never take a break. In fact, they often brag about working late at night or early in the morning. You get emails from them at all hours of the day and while they are supposedly on vacation. For example, on Sunday nights, Extinguishers might send tons of messages in preparation for the busy week they are about to create for you. This can create pressures to respond when employees are supposed to be disconnecting. But, Extinguishers do not believe in work-life balance. They prioritize work over life – and often expect you to do the same. Unfortunately, Extinguishers bad examples create harmful expectations. Actions are much louder than words – when leaders never disconnect, neither will their employees. Plus, employees start to believe that being always on is required to get to the next level. This can create unsustainable expectations about what it takes to be a leader. If you never see your leader disconnect or if you consistently get messages during off hours, you are probably working for an Extinguisher. Extinguishers believe theres only one right way Finally, Extinguishers think theres one right way to do everything – and its their way. How do you become a leader? By following their exact path. How do you achieve that big goal? By taking the steps they would take. Extinguishers dont recognize that there are many ways to be successful. This is a recipe for disaster. Processes will never evolve and improve if organizations stick to the way its always been done. Plus, we know that career paths do not look the same for everyone. Your strengths, background, and goals are unique. Each leader makes it to the top in their own way. Extinguishers discourage uniqueness and make it harder to lead authentically. If your manager shoots down new ideas, only offers advice based on their own experiences, and micromanages you to do things exactly their way, theres a good chance youre dealing with an Extinguisher. If you spot these warning signs, think about ways to build a support system that can help protect you from their negative behavior. If youre feeling courageous, you might even try sharing some feedback so they have the opportunity to grow. Its also wise to start mapping out a plan to move on before things get worse. And when youre interviewing for a new role, dont forget to ask some probing questions to see if your potential new boss shows any of these red flags. Its the best way to avoid jumping from one Extinguisher to another.
Category:
E-Commerce
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