Central American and Mexican families mourn missing bridge workers

Asaquialpa, Honduras— The construction workers missing in the Baltimore bridge collapse all came from Mexico or Central America before settling in Maryland. A cargo ship hit a support on the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, causing the bridge to plunge into the frigid Patapsco River, seconds before police managed to shut down the bridge … Read more

U.S. vice president to meet Guatemalan leaders on immigration, anti-corruption

Washington — Vice President Kamala Harris plans to meet with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo on Monday as the United States grapples with an influx of migrants at the southern border, thousands of them from the Central American country. The two leaders are expected to discuss the Biden administration’s use of so-called “secure mobility offices,” which … Read more

U.S. officials hold talks in Guatemala, call Texas immigration law unconstitutional

Guatemala City— Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Thursday that a Texas law that gives state authorities the power to arrest and deport immigrants who enter the country illegally is unconstitutional. “As a legal matter, we feel strongly that SB4 [the Texas law] … is unconstitutional and we hope and believe that the courts will … Read more

VOA Immigration Weekly Review, February 18-March 2

Editor’s note: Here are immigration-related news from across the U.S. this week. question? Tip? Comment? Email VOA’s immigration team at ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. Biden and Trump make dueling visits to US-Mexico border US President Joe Biden and former US President Donald Trump visited the US-Mexico border on Thursday. Biden has urged Congress to reconsider a bipartisan immigration … Read more

Freedom House: Global civil liberties decline for 18 consecutive years

Washington — Civil liberties around the world will decline for the 18th consecutive year by 2023, with conflict and flawed elections the biggest factors, a new report finds. The nonprofit Freedom House found that political rights and civil liberties have deteriorated for more than a fifth of the population. Of the 210 countries and territories … Read more

U.S., Mexico and Guatemala step up cooperation to control migrant arrivals at southern border

Washington—— U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a meeting in Washington on Wednesday with senior officials from Mexico and Guatemala to discuss managing irregular migration, displacement and expanding legal immigration pathways in the Western Hemisphere. Blinken was joined by Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez, Guatemalan Interior Minister Francisco José Jiménez Ilungare and Mexican … Read more

6.1 magnitude earthquake hits Guatemala, no deaths reported

Guatemala is often hit by earthquakes due to its location (Representational) Guatemala: A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck southern Guatemala on Friday night, with authorities reporting no injuries or physical damage. The quake struck at 11:52 p.m. (0552 GMT) at a depth of 108 kilometers, seven kilometers (four miles) off the city of Texcoco, according to … Read more