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The U.S. Senate Border Bill Split

NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS — New York City has seen about 180,000 migrants and asylum seekers sent to the city over the last two years, according to city numbers. The situation has become so dire that dozens of migrants were found living on top of each other in an illegal basement apartment in the Bronx just last week. This comes after Mayor Eric Adams started sending out 30- and 60-day eviction notices to migrants in the city’s shelter system.
The post The U.S. Senate Border Bill Split first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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1 year ago

March 12, 2024

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By Ariama C. Long, Report for America Corps Member | New York Amsterdam News

U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, along with U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton from Arizona, recently took a two-day trip to the southern border to learn about the current asylum seeker backlog from the frontlines. Meeks favors the bipartisan Senate compromise bill on border security.

The federal government is fragmented when it comes to immigration reform. Republicans in Congress have been screaming to the heavens about the migrant crisis for a long time, which made it all the stranger when they came out against the recent $118 billion Senate proposal on border security that included Ukraine and Israel aid, according to PBS NewsHour. The bill passed in the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support.

Meeks said he wants long-term immigration reform and doesn’t feel like the answer lies in emergency executive orders from President Joe Biden. He condemned House Republicans for pulling a “political stunt” and not following through on actual reforms.

“MAGA Republicans and Speaker Johnson don’t really want to do anything to stop it as we saw when the Senate came up with a bipartisan bill,” said Meeks upon his return at a virtual press conference. “We should do our job, and that’s why you saw Democrats putting people over politics and trying to work together with Republicans moving in the direction that Senator McConnell and other Republicans have said in a way that they’ve never seen before.”

He added that compassion and coordination is needed on state and city levels for migrants that are already here as well.

The Senate border bill is technically called Senate Amendment 1386 to H.R. 815, under the Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024. Besides controversial wartime funding to other countries, the bill aimed to move most new asylum cases to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Citizenship and Immigration Services instead of through immigration judges under the Department of Justice (DOJ). The idea was to increase intake and speed up case reviews.

Other reforms in the bill include clear proof of persecution from asylum seekers at the initial interview, possible rejection if an asylum seeker has a criminal history or was living safely beforehand, a shortened 90-day hearing and appeals process, new detention beds, the removal of detainment measure if someone arrives through an established port of entry, and a new “trigger”
border emergency authority based on the average number of migrant crossings. Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans are still under the humanitarian parole program and unaccompanied minors will be permitted into the country.

“We need to stop the surge. There are too many people crossing the border but we should be able to do that. That’s our job as members of Congress,” said Meeks.

New York City has seen about 180,000 migrants and asylum seekers sent to the city over the last two years, according to city numbers. The situation has become so dire that dozens of migrants were found living on top of each other in an illegal basement apartment in the Bronx just last week. This comes after Mayor Eric Adams started sending out 30- and 60-day eviction notices to migrants in the city’s shelter system.

Local organizations and the city are split on their views on the Senate border bill. Most nonprofits on the frontlines of the migrant crisis are dead set against the bill, while Adams is all for it.

African Communities Together National Policy Director Diana Konaté said that the organization is flat-out opposed to HR 815. She said they will oppose any attempts to restrict asylum at the borders. “While we were pleased that the border language ultimately failed to move out of the Senate, we were very disappointed to see many of our allies in the Senate support those cruel border provisions,” Konaté said in a statement. “We are now alarmed at reports that the Biden administration is considering executive actions as a way to accomplish what it couldn’t do with Congress.”

New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) Director of Immigrant Rights Policy C. Marlene Galaz explained that the Senate border bill continues a troubling pattern of “elected officials scapegoating immigrant communities” and failing to provide humane solutions. She said the bill would virtually eliminate due process for asylum seekers by completely removing the asylum system from the judicial system. Additionally, she said it would dramatically raise the standards of asylum, making it virtually impossible for people seeking protection to qualify. Galaz suggested that immigration reform should create pathways to legalization and permanence for newly arrived asylum seekers and established immigrant communities. She championed more humane treatment for those at the southern border.

“What is needed now more than ever from the Biden administration is to ensure that any border security executive actions protect due process for asylum seekers and provide resources for a fair, efficient, and humane asylum system,” said NYIC Executive Director Murad Awawdeh. “The cruel measures being proposed collectively create a government-mandated asylum ban, which even border officials contend will only create more chaos at the southern border while failing to address the real issue at hand.”

Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said at a press conference on March 5 that “far-right Republicans” refuse to do anything on immigration reform because it’s a presidential election year, echoing Meeks’ sentiments.

Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visitinghttps://bit.ly/amnews1.

The post The U.S. Senate border bill split appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

The post The U.S. Senate Border Bill Split first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Black Feminist Movement Mobilizes in Response to National Threats

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States.

Published

1 week ago

May 30, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

More than 500 Black feminists will convene in New Orleans from June 5 through 7 for what organizers are calling the largest Black feminist gathering in the United States. The event, led by the organization Black Feminist Future, is headlined by activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis. Paris Hatcher, executive director of Black Feminist Future, joined Black Press USA’s Let It Be Known to outline the mission and urgency behind the gathering, titled “Get Free.” “This is not just a conference to dress up and have a good time,” Hatcher said. “We’re building power to address the conditions that are putting our lives at risk—whether that’s policing, reproductive injustice, or economic inequality.” Hatcher pointed to issues such as rising evictions among Black families, the rollback of bodily autonomy laws, and the high cost of living as key drivers of the event’s agenda. “Our communities are facing premature death,” she said.

Workshops and plenaries will focus on direct action, policy advocacy, and practical organizing skills. Attendees will participate in training sessions that include how to resist evictions, organize around immigration enforcement, and disrupt systemic policies contributing to poverty and incarceration. “This is about fighting back,” Hatcher said. “We’re not conceding anything.” Hatcher addressed the persistent misconceptions about Black feminism, including the idea that it is a movement against men or families. “Black feminism is not a rejection of men,” she said. “It’s a rejection of patriarchy. Black men must be part of this struggle because patriarchy harms them too.” She also responded to claims that organizing around Black women’s issues weakens broader coalitions. “We don’t live single-issue lives,” Hatcher said. “Our blueprint is one that lifts all Black people.”

The conference will not be streamed virtually, but recaps and updates will be posted daily on Black Feminist Future’s YouTube channel and Instagram account. The event includes performances by Tank and the Bangas and honors longtime activists including Billy Avery, Erica Huggins, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs. When asked how Black feminism helps families, Hatcher said the real threat to family stability is systemic oppression. “If we want to talk about strong Black families, we have to talk about mass incarceration, the income gap, and the systems that tear our families apart,” Hatcher said. “Black feminism gives us the tools to build and sustain healthy families—not just survive but thrive.”

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Hoover’s Commutation Divides Chicago as State Sentence Remains

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial.

Published

1 week ago

May 29, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The federal sentence for Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover has been commuted, but he remains incarcerated under a 200-year state sentence in Illinois. The decision by Donald Trump to reduce Hoover’s federal time has reignited longstanding debates over his legacy and whether rehabilitation or continued punishment is warranted. The commutation drew immediate public attention after music executive Jay Prince and artist Chance the Rapper publicly praised Trump’s decision. “I’m glad that Larry Hoover is home,” said Chance the Rapper. “He was a political prisoner set up by the federal government. He created Chicago Votes, mobilized our people, and was targeted for that.”

But Hoover, the founder of the Gangster Disciples, is not home—not yet. Now in federal custody at the Florence Supermax in Colorado, Hoover was convicted of murder and running a criminal enterprise. Although some supporters describe him as a political prisoner, the legal and public safety concerns associated with his name remain substantial. “There is a divide in the Black community here,” said Chicago journalist Jason Palmer during an appearance on the Let It Be Known morning program. “Some view Hoover as someone who brought structure and leadership. Others remember the violence that came with his organization.” Palmer explained that while Hoover’s gang originally formed for protection, it grew into a criminal network responsible for extensive harm in Chicago. He also noted that Hoover continued to run his organization from state prison using coded messages passed through visitors, prompting his transfer to federal custody.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is widely considered a potential 2028 presidential contender, has not issued a statement. Palmer suggested that silence is strategic. “Releasing Hoover would create enormous political consequences,” Palmer said. “The governor’s in a difficult spot—he either resists pressure from supporters or risks national backlash if he acts.” According to Palmer, Hoover’s federal commutation does not make him a free man. “The federal sentence may be commuted, but he still has a 200-year state sentence,” he said. “And Illinois officials have already made it clear they don’t want to house him in state facilities again. They prefer he remains in federal custody, just somewhere outside of Colorado.”

Palmer also raised concerns about what Hoover’s case could signal for others. “When R. Kelly was convicted federally, state prosecutors in Illinois and Minnesota dropped their charges. If a president can commute federal sentences based on public pressure or celebrity support, others like R. Kelly or Sean Combs could be next,” Palmer said. “Meanwhile, there are thousands of incarcerated people without fame or access to public platforms who will never get that consideration.” “There are people who are not here today because of the violence connected to these organizations,” Palmer said. “That has to be part of this conversation.”

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WATCH: Five Years After George Floyd: Full Panel Discussion | Tracey’s Keepin’ It Real | Live Podcast Event

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

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1 week ago

May 28, 2025

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=OsNLWTz6jU0&feature=oembed

May 25, 2020. The world stopped and watched as a life was taken.

But what has happened since?

Join us as we return to the city where it happened and speak with a voice from the heart of the community – Tracey Williams-Dillard, CEO/Publisher of the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.

She shares reflections, insights, and the story of a community forever changed. What has a year truly meant, and where do we go from here?

This is more than just a date; it’s a moment in history. See what one leader in the Black press has to say about it.

Recorded live at UROC in Minneapolis, this powerful discussion features:

Panelists: