In a significant policy shift, the Swiss government plans to restrict travel for asylum seekers, provisionally admitted individuals, and those in need of protection, preventing them from traveling to their home countries or elsewhere. This change, stemming from amendments to the Law on Foreigners and their Integration passed in 2021, will allow travel only in exceptional circumstances, such as for a close relative’s death or serious illness. However, this restriction will not apply to Ukrainians with S-protection status, who will retain their freedom of travel. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) will authorize these movements with special regulations for those with S-protection status, as the government implements the new travel restrictions.
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A 13-year-old Brazilian boy is currently in federal immigration custody in Virginia after being detained by Everett, Massachusetts, police for possessing a weapon near his school. Police were acting on a tip and charged the boy with possessing a dangerous weapon. The police’s fingerprint database automatically alerted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), who then took custody of the boy. The boy’s attorney is contesting the detention, citing the boy’s parents’ work permits and ongoing asylum case, as well as the emotional toll of separation on the child.
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Amid political turmoil and increasing human rights concerns in the United States, a growing number of American citizens are seeking asylum in Australia. Department of Home Affairs figures reveal at least 29 US citizens applied for humanitarian protection visas between January and July 2025, coinciding with Donald Trump’s second presidential term. While specific reasons for the applications are not disclosed, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre notes a rise in inquiries, particularly from the LGBTIQ+ community. Although no visas were granted during this period, the applications, which require a “well-founded fear of persecution”, can take considerable time to be finalized, with the outcome dependent on the current political climate.
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A Guatemalan family in Leominster, Massachusetts, alleges that ICE agents detained their 5-year-old daughter to pressure her father to surrender. The mother can be heard on a recording demanding the child’s return, stating the child has autism. Although local police recovered the girl initially, federal agents returned two days later, arresting the father. The family, who has an active asylum claim, is demanding investigation into the agents’ actions, with the father now held in an ICE detention center.
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Following Donald Trump’s re-election, Rainbow Railroad, a charity aiding LGBTQ+ individuals, has experienced a dramatic 760% surge in calls from the US, reflecting anxieties about the country’s political climate. Callers express fear stemming from anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, executive orders, and the hundreds of state-level bills targeting their rights. Two recent immigration cases in Canada, involving a non-binary artist and a transgender woman seeking asylum, offer potential precedents for considering the current conditions for LGBTQ+ individuals in the US as grounds for refuge. These cases, though uncertain, have sparked hope and inspired others to seek similar support.
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An American man, identified as 51-year-old Dan Livers, paddled to Canada via kayak and has claimed asylum. The U.S. army veteran crossed the Detroit River from Michigan and landed in LaSalle, Ontario. Livers, who fears for his safety in the United States, sought refuge and was granted temporary status in Canada while his case is reviewed. Although the specifics of his case are not verified, it will be determined by Canadian authorities whether he faces real persecution or serious harm.
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Two Afghan asylum seekers have been charged in connection with the alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Ahmad Mulakhil has been charged with rape, while Mohammad Kabir faces charges of aiding and abetting rape, as well as strangulation and kidnap. Local sources allege that Warwickshire Police advised officials not to reveal the asylum seeker status of the suspects, fearing it would inflame community tensions, a claim the police have defended. Both men resided in taxpayer-funded housing managed by Serco, which has a contract with the Home Office to house asylum seekers.
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John Q. Hosedrinker