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U.S. Supreme Court to hear argument on Biden immigration enforcement policy
U.S. Supreme Court to hear argument on Biden immigration enforcement policy
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday is set to consider whether President Joe Biden’s administration can implement guidelines challenged by two conservative-leaning states of shifting immigration enforcement toward public safety threats.
This the court said in a case testing executive branch power to set enforcement priorities.
The justices will hear the administration’s bid to overturn a judge’s ruling in favor of Texas and Louisiana that vacated U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidelines narrowing the scope of those who can be targeted by immigration agents for arrest and deportation.
The Democratic president’s policy departed from the hard-line approach of his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, who sought to broaden the range of immigrants subject to arrest and removal.
Biden campaigned on a more humane approach to immigration but has been faced with large numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
The guidelines, announced by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in September 2021, prioritised apprehending and deporting non-U.S. citizens who pose a threat to national security, public safety or border security.
In a memo, Mayorkas called the guidelines necessary because his department lacks the resources to apprehend and seek the removal of every one of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.
Mayorkas cited the longstanding practice of government officials exercising discretion to decide who should be subject to deportation and said that a majority of immigrants subject to deportation “have been contributing members of our communities for years.’’
Biden’s administration, saying fewer detentions and deportations have encouraged more illegal border crossings.
The top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, earlier called on Mayorkas to step down and said the House may try to impeach him when Republicans formally take control of the chamber in January.
Republican state attorneys general in Texas and Louisiana sued to block the guidelines after Republican-led legal challenges successfully thwarted other Biden administration attempts to ease enforcement.
Their lawsuit, filed in Texas, argued that the guidelines ran counter to provisions in immigration laws that makes it mandatory to detain non-U.S. citizens who have been convicted of certain crimes or have final orders of removal.
U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton, a Trump appointee, ruled in favor of the challengers, finding that while immigration agents could on a case-by-case basis act with discretion the administration’s guidelines were a generalised policy that contravened the detention mandate set out by Congress.
“Whatever the outer limits of its authority, the executive branch does not have the authority to change the law,’’ Tipton wrote.
After the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in July declined to put that ruling on hold, Biden’s administration turned to the Supreme Court.
The justices on a 5-4 vote declined to stay Tipton’s ruling, with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson in dissent. The justices did not provide reasons for their disagreement.
Biden’s administration has told the Supreme Court that Texas and Louisiana lack the proper legal standing to challenge the guidelines because the states had not suffered any direct harm as a result of the policy.
The states countered that they would be harmed by having to spend more money on law enforcement and social services as a result of an increase in non-U.S. citizens present within their borders due to the guidelines.
The administration also told the justices that the guidelines do not violate federal immigration law and that the mandatory language of those statutes does not supersede the longstanding principle of law enforcement discretion.
A decision is expected by the end of June.
NHRC trains 34 human rights advocates in Gombe
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has trained 34 Community Protection Rights Advocates to protect and promote human rights in Gombe state.
Dr Joseph Wanshe, the State Coordinator of the Commission, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday.
Wanshe said that the training was imperative toward achieving the mandate of the commission in the state.
According to him, the trained advocates, who are mostly in rural areas, will penetrate distant and rural communities where human rights violations are rampant.
He said that the training has started yielding the expected results as there have been increased number of reported cases of human rights violations from rural communities across the state.
He said that the advocates have been deployed to the 11 local government areas of the state.
“We are witnessing an upsurge in human rights reporting coming to the office.
“ The numbers are increasing as regards civil and political rights followed by cases of women and children, domestic violence, economic, social and cultural rights.
“ There are many factors involved in the upsurge as the NHRC within the last one month has stepped up sensitisations and stakeholders’ engagements.
“ We have trained Community Protection Rights advocates, who have been working and as a result, awareness has increased and number of complaints received have spiked,” he said.
Wanshe said that the trained advocates have been affiliated to NHRC at the local government levels toward ensuring wider coverage of the state in terms of human rights protection.
He assured residents on the commission’s effort at ensuring that it achieved effectively its mandate of protection and promotion of human rights.
Wanshe commended the people of Gombe State for their improved confidence in NHRC which has resulted in improved reportage of human rights violations
He further urged communities to support the advocates in their domains in the overall interest of human rights protection.
NHRC trains 34 human rights advocates in Gombe
Troops intercept 11 suspects with IED-making materials in Abuja
Troops of the Nigerian Army have intercepted 11 suspected criminals conveying materials believed to be for the production of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
By: Zagazola Makama
Security sources said the suspects, comprising 10 males and one female, were arrested at about 12:59 a.m. on April 27 by troops of 176 Guards Battalion deployed at Kuchiyako.
The sources disclosed that the suspects were intercepted in a vehicle along the Kuchiyako–Tipper Garage road, allegedly loaded with IED-making materials.
According to preliminary investigation, the suspects claimed they were en route to mining sites around Kabbin Mangoro in Kuje Area Council to collect mineral resources.
Items recovered from them include explosive charges and three-and-a-half bags of unidentified mineral substances, among other sundry materials.
The suspects are currently in military custody, while investigations are ongoing to ascertain their intent and possible links to criminal or terrorist activities.
Troops intercept 11 suspects with IED-making materials in Abuja
Troops repel terrorists in Zamfara, recover calm after attack on Godel community
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Nigerian Army under 1 Brigade have repelled an attack by suspected terrorists in Godel community of Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Security sources said the incident occurred at about 2:08 p.m. on April 27 when troops deployed at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kaura Namoda responded to credible intelligence on terrorist activities in the area.
The sources disclosed that troops made contact with the attackers upon arrival, leading to a fierce exchange of fire.
According to the sources, the troops forced the terrorists to withdraw from the area following the encounter.
However, during the attack, the assailants reportedly rustled an unspecified number of cattle belonging to residents of the community.
Three civilians were also said to have sustained gunshot wounds and were evacuated for medical attention.
The sources added that troops have intensified patrols and clearance operations in the general area to prevent further attacks and recover the rustled livestock.
Troops repel terrorists in Zamfara, recover calm after attack on Godel community
NHRC trains 34 human rights advocates in Gombe
Troops intercept 11 suspects with IED-making materials in Abuja
Troops foil kidnap attempt in Kaduna, rescue two victims
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