#and try to apply for refugee status

[shinhati]

i know that women don't matter and human rights only apply to men and women should always be the last priority etc. but the zero reaction to afghanistan compared to the reaction to literally everything else is still surprising to me? why aren't we offering refugee status to every woman in afghanistan why aren't we sending rescue missions why aren't we blowing things up and trying to save these women why aren't we even posting useless things on our instagram stories the silence is so suffocating i want to scream

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Hello! I'm sorry if you've been flooded with this question lately, but my friend and mutual had recommended your blog to me. I would like to know what the chances of a queer American person of color being granted asylum in Canada are and if it would even be safe and worth it to try? Would my chances diminish if I bring my pet?

About 20% of Americans who applied for refugee status in 2024 were denied. That's all I can really say about chances.

The Canadian government said this in 2016 during the last Trump presidency (Bold for emphasis):

VICE: Could we see certain groups of people in the US claim refugee status in Canada due to the Trump presidency? Last year we saw a case where a black American man said he was fleeing police brutality in the United States, which was ultimately denied.

Raj Sharma: I suppose so. We saw some refugee claims from Iraq War military deserters. There was the Jeremy Hinzman case a few years ago, and Randy Quaid. I used to be a refugee protection officer, and I know what’s an acceptable refugee claim by an American. The problem is this for a refugee claim: You need a personalized risk. It’s got to be persecution, which is a significant interference with a core human right. Disagreement with Trump or being the victim of police brutality or profiling, that really comes more under the lines of discrimination and harassment, which is not covered by refugee definitions.

There’s two other hurdles. One would be internal flight alternative—if there’s a problem in one part of the country, could you be safe in another part? That problem has to be everywhere in that country. If you can [move to another area], you don’t get international protection. Then you have state protection: Can you go the police? There’s various levels of protection in democratic countries like the US and Canada.

-- Canada has also been moving in a more xenophobic direction by decreasing the number of immigrants we accept due to right wing politicians, so I don't think that'll help either.

If you feel its an option, feel free to go for it, but a lot of things recently hasn't given me a lot of hope that Canada will step up and help Americans.

[questionablecuttlefish]

Why Lux would get along with Jinx's PnZ circles:

Some super easy headcanons:

Vi - Is an overprotective but well meaning big sibling. Familiar! Lux has one of those too. I think Lux would find the deep, painful rift between the sisters horrifying on a deeply personal level for her, because she would be imagining what it would take to push her and Garen to that place and it'd scare her to her core. I think she would be invested in helping Jinx heal her bond with her sister, for Jinx's sake above all else. She'd make it a mission.

Ekko - is a forthright, compassionate community leader of a group of outcasts, just like her. When the Baron war heats up in S2, he takes in refugees, just like Lux did with Terbisia during the Mage Rebellion. They both care deeply about Jinx and have very similar moral compasses. Lux's rich girl status might initially put Ekko off but he's easily mature enough to see past it - she's not a Piltie or an Enforcer - and Lux is mature enough to see that Jinx would benefit greatly from repairing her relationships with friends who genuinely care about her despite the wounds.

Caitlyn - Is the only daughter of a proud aristocratic lineage, just like Lux. These two have a lot in common, and Lux would understand the weight of The Family Name and The Legacy intimately. I think Lux would see a lot of Jarvan IV in Season Two Caitlyn's spiral to authoritarianism - like Jarvan, she lost a parent and it pushed her to punish and persecute a minority in response. Both had their grief and rage manipulated by a third party and both had second thoughts when they realized how far off the edge they'd leapt.

She was able to keep a cordial political relationship with Jarvan after the events of the Mageseeker, to the benefit of her community, and I could see her wielding similar diplomacy to build a bridge with Caitlyn from a POV as Jinx's partner.

Mel - Yep, a lot of the above also applies to Mel, but even more so with Mel being a mage (with Light-adjacent magic no less!) and one whose authoritarian matriarchal figure (Ambessa/Tianna) went to some grim extremes trying to cover up her magical talent to protect her from a sinister organization trying to destroy/exploit her for it (Mageseekers/Black Rose). They have similar complex relationships with family, preference for diplomacy over violence, and innate compassion. A lot of Mel's story is almost a Noxian mirror of Lux's own. They would have a LOT of common ground and a lot to talk about.

Seraphine - Going outside Arcane canon, Seraphine's just a giant sweetheart and a very easy best friend for Lux and Jinx as a couple. I think Lux would see a lot of her own somewhat naive but heartfelt wish to end conflict and persecution through nonviolent means reflected in Seraphine. It might unsettle or inspire her.

Zeri - A fellow mage whose powers Lux might try to help her develop, Zeri's going to remind her a lot of Jinx, just as reckless, maybe a little less volatile. But she's got a big heart, and wants to fight to protect her vulnerable community, what's not to like?

Ezreal - Including him because wanderer though he is, he's a Piltover boy. as i've said before I don't think this works as a ship, because they don't really have compatible personalities for a romance and their narratives are going in different directions, but as a friendship, once Ez actually stops pedestaling her from afar and gets to know her, there's a lot of fun dynamics to work with, particularly if you have Jinx around for Ez to bicker with and get into shenanigans.

A lot of this has found its way into the Ill-Omen's Series and my other fanfics. The more I write the more they all grow on me.

[herearedragons]

pleaaase give me all that apply for secret i need to see how she would turn out as a companion

Dragon Age Protagonists As Companions

HOOO BOY LET'S GO. I'm going to be real, I WILL be skipping stuff that's like, writing a lot of banter, because there's a lot of questions to get through (<- yes I'm doing both general and da2-specific questions. this is THE Secretpost now)

How would you recruit them?

answered here

What would their personal quest look like?

I think in a world where she's not, you know, Hawke, she's a Fereldan apostate refugee trying to break into Hightown society by accumulating favors from the local elite. She believes that upon achieving high enough status and being well known enough, she can free herself from the suspicion of being a mage forever.

Her quest, which I'm arbitrarily dubbing "All That Glitters", has her ask you to help her complete one last job, after which she should have everything she needs to acquire a nice place in Hightown and a minor nothingburger title. However, as you go about the job, you uncover more details than Secret's employer has originally told her: she was tasked with planting damning evidence in a noblewoman's estate, and, figuring it was the usual petty rivalries of high society, she agreed. It turns out that her target is her employer's ex-wife, who escaped from her husband with her two children due to abuse, and that by following through Secret will probably be sending the children straight back to him.

At this point, Secret will choose to walk away from the job; she'll talk a little about her own life, living as an apostate with her mage father, constantly moving from one place to another, always having to hide a part of who she is and to make sure she's well-liked, that she has the right reputation. She supposes this woman and her children must feel something similar, and she won't hand them over to the very people they're running from.

However, the evidence is in Hawke's inventory, and they can choose to be horrible and plant the evidence anyway when Secret walks out of the room, which will plunge the relationship *deep* into rivalry territory, but will earn her the resources she wanted. Alternatively, you can choose to frame the ex-husband instead, also gaining Secret some favors from the ex-wife's side. If you abandon the job altogether, Secret will give up on her dream, accepting that she might remain a mercenary forever.

How would their approval raise? What would make it drop?

Approval gain: humorous responses, playing both sides, being anti-templar, but, funnily enough, she will also approve of being critical (not outright cruel) towards rebel mages. Strongly approves of pro-Fereldan dialogue options, of supporting the refugees and of looking the other way when encountering petty crime/people cutting corners to make ends meet. In personal conversations, she appreciates "yes, and"-ing and "I trust you/I don't care what you do" answers, though she will tell you to your face that she will lie to you when it suits her.

Approval loss: being bluntly and loudly pro-mage or pro-templar, cruelty on a personal level, "end justifies the means" type rhetoric, pressing her on whether what she says is true/trying to get her to tell you more about herself, being mean to Varric.

Approval Greetings: Low/Medium/High/Romanced

(for DA2 purposes, that's what she says when you click on her in her home location)

Low: "Look what the mabari dragged in." (said in a smiling, jokey manner, but with an underlying bite to it)

Medium: "There you are! As high as the hawk flies."

High approval, purple Hawke: "Hawke! If it isn't my favorite scoundrel."

High approval, red Hawke: "Hawke! If it isn't my favorite menace."

High approval, blue Hawke: "Hawke! If it isn't my personal chaperone."

Romanced: "And what are you doing here, hm?" (said teasingly)

What would their iconic lines be?

Oh man I have so much of these to get through, I'm going to do just a couple.

Killing an enemy: "Oh, that's embarrassing."

Killing an enemy: "They'll be telling stories about this one!"

Hawke at low health: "Come on, Hawke, chin up!"

Low health: "Tell them a dragon did it."

Varric at low health: "Eyes on Varric!"

Hawke down: "So who's in charge now?"

Varric down: (shakily) "Hey, that's not funny."

Are they aligned with mages or templars?

Mages, on account of being one, but also extremely annoyed with mage violence, believing that "people like you is why the Chantry won't leave us alone".

Reaction to Merrill’s blood magic

Weirdly admires it. In one banter with Merrill she claims that she's jealous of Merrill's blood magic, because Merrill is brave enough to seize power at the price of being disliked and Secret herself, in her own words, "wants people to like her". It comes off as a backhanded compliment since she basically goes "oh yeah people are totally justified in hating you but I think it's cool that you did it anyway", but she's being genuine here

Reaction to Anders/Justice

Approves of Anders' clinic and support of Fereldan refugees, strongly disapproves of his approach to the mage-templar conflict. The thing is that while Anders grew up in the reality of the Circle, seeing the absolute worst of that system, Secret has been a hedge mage her entire life, successfully avoiding detection through charm and cunning. She believes that the key to survival is subtlety and seamlessly blending in, and Anders' approach goes against that; meanwhile, from Anders' perspective, Secret chooses to abandon the mages currently locked up in Circles for the sake of her own comfort.

Reaction to Fenris’ past

She thinks he should get to kill Danarius several times if he wants to.

Reaction to Varric’s relationship with Bartrand

Having known Varric for some time before Hawke, she's loosely aware that the situation isn't great, but her and Varric have avoided speaking at length about their past and their families. When confronted with Bartrand's possession and the effect it has on Varric, she's initially lost for words, and then defaults to her coping mechanism of gallows humor to mock Bartrand and try to get Varric to emotionally distance himself from him, which. doesn't really work. but he knows that she means well, and appreciates the gesture for what it is

Reaction to Isabela’s involvement with the stolen tome

Gets over it almost jarringly quickly, not in the "Isabela did nothing wrong" sense but in the "well, can't blame her for putting her own goals first". It's this little slip, but from the way she reacts you get the sense that Secret is basically emotionally prepared for anyone, including you, to randomly turn on her at any time.

Reaction to Sebastian being a prince

If Hawke isn't already involved with him, she'll try to half-jokingly hit on him, saying that she wouldn't mind being a princess. It never goes anywhere.

Reaction regarding Carver becoming a Templar/Grey Warden

If Carver becomes a templar, she'll point out that he might be trying to protect Hawke, and that they should let him. Having a friend in the Order couldn't hurt, after all.

She'll approve both of Carver and Bethany becoming a Warden, being bluntly cheerful about it because, well, they dodged death! That's a good thing! You can be sad about it, she supposes, but being alive enough to feel sad is a good thing of itself.

Reaction regarding Bethany going to the Circle/ becoming a Grey Warden

She's sorry to see Bethany go, going as far as to say she wishes she could have done something; if she wasn't on the expedition, Secret will lament that no one tipped her off when the templars came for Bethany, saying that she would have helped hide her.

Do they have any specific things that would send them into a rivalry?

In addition to the point in her quest, killing Bethany/Carver when you have the option to make them a Warden, handing Fenris over to Danarius or making Varric kill Bartrand will do it. Probably other things also, but those are the ones that come to mind right now.

What does their point system look like (friendship/rivalry)?

Friend!Secret is your loyal wingman, your comic relief bestie, and avid supporter of your bad decisions as long as they're the *right* bad decisions. You accept her as she is, and you're rewarded for it with the same level of acceptance in turn. She might be frustrating to talk to in the sense that she will often dance around topics and layer jokes over serious declarations instead of just being sincere, but still, somehow, you have the sense that she trusts you.

Rival!Secret also trusts you - specifically, she trusts you to make the choice she doesn't want you to make, every time, over and over again. But, in a weird, toxically codependent way, that's why she stays. She doesn't like you, but she understand you. She knows you're going to hurt her, but if she can anticipate it, she can brace for it. She'll leave eventually, but for now, you'll do just fine.

How would they react to Zevran’s offer?

She'll be jokey about it and agree in an "I'll try anything once" kind of way, but going through with it earns rivalry.

How would they comfort the mc during All that Remains?

Kind of like Aveline, she'll talk about her own father's death, and how he told her that she's allowed to tell people whatever she wants about him as long as it's a good story. She makes the point that what is told and what is remembered becomes the truth after a while, and asks Hawke what they're going to tell people about Leandra.

Would their armor change during quest progression or romance?

It does! If she makes it into Hightown, her outfit will become fancier, and if she decides to stay a mercenary, she'll turn towards a more ragged style with more armor. if she romances Hawke, she'll braid a red ribbon into one of her braids.

[sailorsoons]

Hello! I hope this doesn't bother you if I ask, but could you please tell me what is the difference about illegal/legal immigrants over there? I'm struggling to understand what is the government's actual target versus what you and people alike stand for. This comes from someone who's not from America so I genuinely don't know how the formal side of where it all comes from. But it does sound terrible... Let's hope all our leaders grow the fuck up.

Hi! Yes, I can do my best to explain the difference as well as the specific issue immigrants in America are currently facing, especially what's going on in LA.

Legal Immigrants in the United States are those who:

Have green cards (permanent residents)

Work visa holders (provided by companies)

Student visa holders (provided by schools)

Refugees and asylum seekers who have had their claims accepted

Naturalized citizens (happens after certain years of legal residence)

"Illegal" immigrants aka undocumented immigrants in the United States are those who:

Entered the US without government permission

Overstayed their visa (student or work)

What the issue is right now, is that you do not have to be a legal immigrant to claim asylum or seek legal and lawful immigration status. YOU CAN APPLY FOR ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU ENTERED THE COUNTRY.

Currently, the Trump administration is:

Detaining people who are already in the process of becoming a permanent resident or seeking legal asylum

Claiming they are only targeted criminals and people who pose a threat to society which is UNTRUE

Detaining LEGAL CITIZENS on accident and on purpose

Performing unlawful raids in places of business, courts of law, schools and private homes

Ignoring ALL reforms and legal systems that have previously been put in place to assist undocumented immigrants to legally and lawfully obtain permanent residency

The outcry you see here right now in protests, and in my personal posts isn’t just about the Trump admin and our government ignoring the laws in place to protect undocumented migrants, it’s about demanding a humane, just, and modern immigration system that reflects reality and respects the dignity of people’s lives.

This government is literally sending people to foreign prisons without due process, are sending kids who were born and raised here to 'parent' countries they've never been to, and are holding people without food or water in federal buildings not authorized for detainment.

I'm not super well-versed in immigration politics but I am trying my best to frame this conversation in a way that is digestible.

[eretzyisrael]

by Seth Mandel

From the Times of Israel: “Without coordination with Israel, it will be almost impossible for UNRWA to work in Gaza or the West Bank, since Jerusalem would no longer be issuing entrance permits to those territories or allowing coordination with the IDF. Israel also currently controls access to Gaza from Egypt, with Israeli forces deployed along the border between them.”

The proper response from UNRWA would be: Thank you. For an agency funded by hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. taxpayer money alone, and which does nothing but perpetuate the conflict so it can continue collecting other people’s hard-earned money and spending it on terrorists, any punishment shy of closure and the prosecution of its directors is a gift.

The UN, of course, is furious. But honestly, who cares? For posterity, here’s the crux of the world body’s complaint: “The vote by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) against UNRWA this evening is unprecedented and sets a dangerous precedent. It opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law.”

An unprecedented precedent-setter! The legislation, we’re told, “will deprive over 650,000 girls and boys there from education.” An education from literal Hamas political leaders? Or accused hostage-takers? Anyway, the “education” provided by UNRWA schools teaches children to venerate terrorists and to hate Jews, which is really no education at all.

Finally, UNRWA says, “Putting an end to UNRWA and its services will not strip the Palestinians from their refugee status. That status is protected by another UN General Assembly resolution until a fair and lasting solution is found to the plight of the Palestinians.”

About that “refugee status.” Palestinian refugees, according to the agency’s own definition, are “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict.”

UNRWA then sneaks in that the descendants of refugees are “eligible” for refugee benefits as well. The common claim that there are millions of Palestinian refugees from 1948 is very obviously false. There were perhaps as many as 750,000 refugees. Palestinians are the only refugee class with their own UN agency. It is no coincidence at all that that agency has inflated the number of refugees even though its own definition of a refugee makes that number impossible.

According to Jonathan Schanzer, COMMENTARY contributing editor and vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, members of Congress have been trying for years to pass legislation that would apply the actual definition of a “refugee” to Palestinians. A 2012 amendment would have required “the secretary of state to report to Congress on how many Palestinians serviced by UNRWA are true refugees from wars past — those who could prove that they were personally displaced. That number is believed to be closer to 30,000 people. This new tally would then become the focus of America’s assistance to UNRWA for refugee issues.”

[metaphasia-words-upon-words]

I don't know if there's a technical term for it, but I have a phobia of filling out forms. Just trying to figure out the right form I need, to make sure I'm doing things in the right way, gives me panic attacks and I shut down. And I'm a trans woman here in the USA and I will not survive the next four years in this country, so I need to get out of here, but what country should I be applying to? What type of visa or refugee status should I be applying for? I have always joked that my fear of paperwork would be the death of me, but it's not a fucking joke anymore. Paperwork is gonna kill me.

[empireofthestates]

If you are one of the people who will be directly affected by Project 2025 - if you are transgender, a woman, lgbtqia+, an immigrant, or atheist, I strongly encourage you to formulate an escape/survival plan.

IF YOU PLAN TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY:

Join expat groups on Faceb00k. People will often post housing, job offers, or general advice in these groups that may be beneficial when moving. (Expat groups I'm in: Mexico: 1, 2, 3, 4 / Canada: 1, 2, 3 / Sweden: 1, 2 / Germany: 1, 2)

Apply for a U.S. Passport. As it currently stands, you can't travel to many places internationally without one. If you are trying to move before refugee status is available, this document will become necessary. Passports are still backed up right now, and can take months to arrive. If you are able, start applying now!

Brush up on any marketable skills. Look into the country you want to move to and see if you have any skills they are in need of! Lots of countries will often expedite your immigration status if you have skills they need.

Make sure you can take your pets with you. Lots of countries have breed restrictions (for instance, the U.K. has banned pitbulls and other bully breeds). Make sure that wherever you are going, you can take your pets. Look into travel options for dogs (airline, cruise, etc.) If you can't take your pets, make a plan to leave them with someone stateside who will take care of them. Do your best to minimize the risk of them ending up at a shelter.

Buy a house in your desired country. Many countries, such as Portugal, view buying property in their country as a verifiable means of immigration. Many countries also have lower housing prices than the U.S. so it may be more financially feasible than buying stateside.

Move closer to the border. If you plan to move somewhere that shares a land border with the U.S., consider moving closer to that border. My partner and I are currently looking at moving from South Carolina to Washington state so that if the time comes, we are that much closer to the border.

Figure out how you're going to get there. If you are driving, (Canada, Mexico), look into importing your car. Canada has specific regulations about what kinds of cars are allowed to be imported due to their strict environmental protection laws.

Learn the language. Duolingo and YouTube University are both free!

IF YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE COUNTRY, STILL FORMULATE A PLAN:

Create a community. Make friends with people of a similar mindset as you. Collaborate amongst each other to keep each other safe. Create groups in your local area. Meet at the library or a local park. Make connections and allies so when the time comes, you are not alone.

Find out what assets you can liquidate quickly for extra cash. If you have things like gold jewelry, keep those. Gold is often better than cash (especially if inflation keeps going up). However, gaming consoles, collectibles, and antiques may be easily sold/pawned if you need to get cash quickly. Make notes of what valuables you have.

Learn survival skills. Maybe not completely necessary, but rather safe than sorry. Learn how to build a shelter, start a fire, and forage. I did most of my survival training at a YMCA. YouTube and your local library are also great places to look!

Create spaces in your home where you can hide things. Make false bottoms in dresser drawers. Make a false wall in your closet or a hidden crawlspace access.

Stockpile the things you need. If you need certain meds to function, try to find alternative ways to get them. If you have the money to buy extra canned food, put them away in storage. If you smoke, stockpile cigarettes or other tobacco products. Those may also be helpful for trading later.

Protect yourselves. If you have no other choice, find a way to protect yourself if the time comes. Whether that is through allies or weapons, PROTECT YOURSELF. At the end of the day, your life is more important than your politics. Don't be a Batman when N@zis are on the loose.

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

Do not lose hope! More than anything, people have the "indomitable human spirit." When push comes to shove, humanity fights back. Generations before us have fought to protect themselves before, and we will do it again. Our communities will survive.

[withinthecode]

From Incorrect Quotes: What is so weird about Encra's hometown? And whats so weird about where dey are now?

Her hometown is a cult:) dey left at 15 when her mom told dem dey were promised in marriage once she turned 16. She didn't like the person she was promised to. While the cult wasn't bad per say, it was still a cult and Really Fucking Strange. She learned to weave at 7 and how to exorcize a chicken at 4. Dey have 1 older sister and 3 younger brothers, but none of them wanted to leave with her.(her family was totally cool with her leaving, but was unable to provide resources outside of the area, hence why dey ended up applying for refugee status in Kyarr and on the streets)

Whats so weird about where dey are now? well, it's the Suren compound. More than 30 people live in one building and a large chunk are under 18. it's rather similar to her hometown except there are a few more explosions, and somehow more exorcisms. Its more the little things that make it strange, like watching Trace strap knives to her braces and then try to body check people. Or how Gears will drink boiled soda when they need to work on a project. Or how despite being immunocompromised, Liv will try to eat dirt at any opportunity.

[tieflingkisser]

Why are America’s elite universities so afraid of this scholar’s paper?

The Columbia Law Review website was temporarily shut down after it published a Palestinian human rights lawyer’s article proposing a new way to understand Palestinian life under Israeli rule

When the Palestinian human rights lawyer Rabea Eghbariah arrived at a Manhattan cafe on Thursday afternoon, he had just learned that his article had been reinstated in the Columbia Law Review. After a weeklong censorship controversy, the prestigious journal’s website was back online, too. The law school journal’s faculty and alumni board had shuttered the website for most of the week rather than publicize Eghbariah’s 105-page article, titled Toward the Nakba as a Legal Concept. In it, he proposed a new framework to explain the complex, fragmented legal regimes governing Palestinians. He wanted to bring the word Nakba – which translates from the Arabic as catastrophe, and is better known for describing the displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in 1948 – to the center of a new legal conversation.

[...]

He had worked on his contribution for almost half a year, finding a home for it at the Columbia Law Review after a shorter web piece he had written for the Harvard Law Review had been blocked at the last minute. He was proud of his scholarship but found it dangerous that the content of his article had become secondary to what he saw as the manufactured controversy of its censorship. “Now, we have to debate about my right to say what I want to say instead of debating about what I actually said,” he told the Guardian. “I felt convinced by my work if it’s generating this repression,” he said. Ultimately, the story led to headlines in major newspapers, and a PDF of the article was posted widely on social media, getting far more readers than is typical for legal scholarship. “People can see through these authoritarian tactics and reject them. The censorship in this case is actually counterproductive.”

[...]

Different legal systems apply to Palestinians living under Israeli rule or in neighboring Arab states or elsewhere. “It’s kind of a system of domination by fragmentation,” he explained. “We become trained in doing these legal gymnastics, and flipping from one framework to the other, without sometimes even reflecting about the nature of this.” To articulate that fragmentation in his legal research, he realized he needed a new terminology. Just as the genocide convention emerged after the Holocaust, and the word apartheid entered everyday speech amid South Africa’s systemized segregation, Eghbariah was finding that analogies to other seemingly comparable situations were insufficient. In the article, he argues that the term Nakba, in use by Palestinians for decades, encapsulates the layered and overlapping legal entanglements of Palestinian life in the absence of self-determination. The Nakba of 1948, he says, is not a historical artefact. His grandparents survived the Nakba and it informs Eghbariah’s research. Like many Palestinian scholars, he views Israel’s war on Gaza as part of a continuing Nakba to destroy Palestinian life on the land Israel seeks to control. “It’s an organic framework that has been developed in Palestine to reference the ramifications and ongoing nature of the Nakba of 1948,” Eghbariah said. “What the genocide moment and discourse did to that is that it actually made me think about it in legal terms.” The article lays out the concept, and as he develops the idea further in his dissertation, he hopes it could have practical ramifications for outstanding disputes over matters like Palestinian property rights and the status of refugees. This is how laws in the US have often developed: scholars put out a new approach in a law review, practitioners try it out, and it can lead to case law or legislative efforts. “Those ideas get refined in the process,” Diala Shamas, an attorney with the Center for Constitutional Rights, told the Guardian. “It’s provocative, and it’s exactly what scholarship should be doing. It’s exactly what Palestinian scholars need to be doing.”

TOWARD NAKBA AS A LEGAL CONCEPT

download the pdf

[bestnewsallworld]

Ukraine family visa scheme closes to new applicants

A visa scheme allowing Ukrainians to join family members in the UK has closed to new applications, the government has announced.

Home Office Minister Tom Pursglove said the decision was taken to ensure schemes for Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion were "sustainable".

The SNP said closing the family scheme "without warning" was "cruel".

The separate Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open for those who are eligible.

This allows people in the UK to host Ukrainian refugees even if they do not have family ties here.

More than 200,000 people have come to the UK under these schemes since the start of the conflict, which marks its second anniversary on Saturday.

Council funding cut for Ukrainian refugee scheme

New crisis looms for Ukrainians in the UK

On Sunday the government announced Ukrainians who had sought sanctuary in the UK under the schemes could apply for an 18-month visa extension.

New arrivals had been granted three years to remain, meaning the first visas were due to expire in March 2025.

However, on Monday Mr Pursglove revealed in a written ministerial statement the government was reducing the length of new visas issued under the Homes for Ukraine (HFU) scheme from 36 months to 18 months.

The statement also announced the closure of the Ukraine Family Scheme, which came into effect at 15:00 GMT on Monday.

Mr Pursglove said the family scheme was created as "an immediate response to the Russian invasion".

"Under HFU, there are accommodation checks, a minimum accommodation commitment from the sponsor and safeguarding checks, none of which feature in the Ukraine Family Scheme (UFS)," he said.

"This will strengthen and improve the sustainability of the schemes we provide."

The SNP's Home Affairs spokeswoman Alison Thewliss said: "The Home Office previously promised to stand 'shoulder to shoulder' with Ukraine - yet as we prepare to mark the two year anniversary of Putin's illegal war, it is now trying to slip these cruel measures under the radar."

Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said: "Restricting family rights at a time when Ukrainian troops are under heavy fire in Donetsk sends the wrong message to the people of Ukraine about our willingness to stand with them.

"Ministers must urgently explain the justification for these measures and how they will ensure vulnerable Ukrainians are not put at risk by these changes."

Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: "The lack of options for Ukrainian and other families separated by war and persecution is already a huge problem. It's concerning that one of the few safe routes created for families to reunite will be closing at such short notice.

"This is a reminder of the disadvantages of bespoke, one-off visa schemes that support refugees in the short term but leave people in limbo, anxious and uncertain about their future. Instead of this ad hoc and inconsistent approach, the UK government should ensure the UK resettlement route is utilised as a global scheme and confers the same rights, including refugee family reunion, for all regardless of their nationality."

Mr Pursglove also announced changes to the eligibility requirements for sponsors on the Homes for Ukraine scheme, which he said would "ensure that visa holders have appropriate accommodation as well as the necessary in-country support to help them assimilate and thrive independently in the UK".

Sponsors for new visas will now need to be British or Irish citizens, or have the right to live permanently in the UK.

This is stricter than the requirements were for the family visa, which also allowed a family member in the UK with refugee status to be a sponsor.

Previously, a sponsor on the Homes for Ukraine scheme only needed to hold at least six months' permission to stay in the UK from the date of the visa application.

Sponsors must also pass security and criminal checks, while councils check the suitability of living arrangements.

Hosts are asked to offer a rent-free space for at least six months.

[gehilawnew]

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE ON THE ROLE OF AN ASYLUM ATTORNEY IN NEW YORK IN THE US ASYLUM SYSTEM

If you are an alien and a refugee who need to travel to the US or already in the US, no worries, you might be able to apply for asylum. If you do manage to get your application through, you would enjoy asylum status.

Does it ever feel like there is a maze with no exits? That is what it feels like in America, trying to seek asylum. It kind of gets overwhelming trying to navigate everything on your own, doesn’t it?

Well, that is why asylum attorneys in New York exist. They can provide guidance and assistance on all the complicated legal terms and other requirements that await.

Simply having someone that understands the system can mean the difference in increasing your chances of a successful outcome. So, who is an asylum attorney in New York, and why are they relevant to people trying to escape terrible conditions in other countries?

For those wanting to answer these questions and delve deeper into asylum laws, the first step is understanding the basis of asylum in the US and how experienced asylum attorneys can help in this journey. Read on to get this information.

Insights on asylum from an asylum in New York

If you are looking for asylum, dealing with immigration law can be overwhelming. But don’t stress — an asylum attorney is here to help.

Brief info about asylum

Once you are granted asylum, you are safeguarded against deportation to your home country. You may work in the US, and you receive a Social Security card. And you can sponsor your relatives to be brought in. And you even qualify for certain government welfare programs.

Within one year, you may apply for a green card, and within four years as a lawful permanent resident, you may apply for citizenship. Perhaps it would also be wise to consider alternatives such as withholding of removal or the US Convention Against Torture.

Getting to know the US asylum process

The United States’ asylum system exists to give sanctuary to people who cannot be deported to their country of origin because they were victimized. This victimisation is because of their political viewpoint, race, religion, nationality, or their membership to any social group.

It is done in two ways in which a subject may seek asylum: affirmative asylum, in which the person prepares and submits Form I-589 with USCIS, and defensive asylum as a removal defense in immigration court.

It does consist of more than one screen in the two processes, and it highly lies in the level of representation, preparation, forms submitted, and the extent to which your case fits US law.

[yetisidelblog]

Trump’s administration has detained and deported more students, professors, and workers without accusing them of committing any crimes—often in direct defiance of federal judges’ orders. This includes Mahmoud Khalil, Rasha Alawieh, Rumeysa Ozturk, Ranjani Srinivasan, Badar Khan Suri, Yunseo Chung, Momodou Taal, Fabian Schmidt, Jasmine Mooney, and Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.

The Trump administration is violating these people’s constitutional rights to due process, which blocks law enforcement from arresting and detaining anyone without reasonable suspicion of a crime, ensures the right to a fair court hearing, and more. Being undocumented is not a crime, and due process protections apply to every U.S. resident, regardless of immigration status.

In violation of federal judges’ orders, Trump is trying to avoid abiding by due process protections, including by illegally sending people to notorious overseas prisons and by invoking a racist wartime law that was used to intern Japanese Americans during World War II. Family members have identified some of the people deported to El Salvador and Guantánamo Bay, noting that they hadn’t committed any crime.1,2 At least one family is suing the Department of Homeland Security for illegally deporting a father with protected status.3

Right now Trump’s administration is targeting undocumented people, green card holders, and people with valid visas, but they won’t stop at attacking immigrants. They’re already racially profiling and kidnapping citizens, only releasing them after seeing proof of citizenship. Unless we stop them, they will try out fascist repression on citizens who speak out against Trump and for social justice. We must act now to defend immigrants and all of us who call this country home.

Sign to tell Congress, federal courts, and the U.S. Marshals Service: Take urgent action now to defend our due process rights from Trump’s fascist attacks!

In an unprecedented constitutional crisis, the Trump administration has continued to openly violate federal court orders—even threatening to impeach federal judges who’ve blocked his unconstitutional actions.

The federal judiciary branch of government is obligated to provide a check on unconstitutional actions from the legislative branch (Congress) and the executive branch (the president). Federal judges challenging Trump are doing their duty.

But the head of Trump’s Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi, has vowed to continue defying court orders, including the order blocking the deportation of Venezuelan refugees to El Salvador’s torture prisons. She has even claimed that judges don’t have the right to block Trump’s actions, an outrageous lie.

Trump and his administration are not only violating human and constitutional rights, they’re also undermining one of the most fundamental principles of our democracy: the system of checks and balances between branches of government. This is a threat to all of us.

The U.S. Marshals Service specifically has the power to enforce federal court orders, but it’s overseen by the Department of Justice along with the courts. Despite their connection to the Trump administration, we need U.S. Marshals—as well as the judiciary and legislative branches—to act immediately as checks to Trump’s power.

Sign to demand the U.S. Marshals Service, Congress, and federal courts stop Trump’s fascist repression and protect our constitutional rights, including the right to due process.

Thank you for taking action. We will speak up for everyone targeted by the Trump administration—not only because it’s the right thing to do, but also because the more they can get away with, the more of us they’ll attack.

In my district, I’ve been honored to join with community groups to inform immigrants about their rights and to support people on their path to obtaining citizenship, including connecting families with free legal assistance. I will do all that’s in my power in Congress—including using my positions on the Oversight Committee—to stop Trump’s unconstitutional and immoral actions. I will keep demanding the release of detained immigrants and pushing for a humane immigration system.

Together we will resist harmful rhetoric and policies that demonize our neighbors, and we will continue demanding a future with dignity, safety, and equal rights for all people.

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@one-time-i-dreamt

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[beardedmrbean]

Aamulehti covers a Gazan asylum seeker who remains in limbo more than a year after applying for refugee status in Finland.

Hamza Alhendi arrived in Finland in 2023 on a visa granted by Finland, before the war started in Gaza. He hoped to complete his medicine degree, which was in the final stages, and has managed to achieve that, thanks to co-operation between professors in Finland and Gaza.

But after the war erupted, he decided it would be best to apply for asylum, given the devastation in Gaza and the continuing violence.

He has now been waiting for a decision for more than a year, with Finland's Immigration Service (Migri) pausing processing of applications from Gazans.

Alhendi is left in limbo, and contrasts his position with that of people from Ukraine. They have had their stays in Finland expedited by special rules for temporary protection due to the situation in their home country.

"Ukrainians don't face the same bureaucracy," said Alhendi. "They too deserve help, but why is the system different for them? Internal displacement is possible in a large country, but not for us. Everyone deserves to be treated equally. Treat us the same as you treat Ukrainians."

At present his passport and visa are held by the police, as his application has not been processed. That means he cannot head elsewhere to try and practice his profession in a country where he could work in English, for example. And so he continues to wait.

Migri declined to comment on individual cases, but said that confirming the identity of asylum seekers could take a long time if they came from unstable countries. The deadline for issuing a decision on asylum cases is 21 months.

Estonian production

Helsingin Sanomat looks at Finnish manufacturers in Estonia, who moved production there and have a workforce earning wages significantly lower than their Finnish counterparts.

The paper visits a cluster of Finnish plants in Pärnu, on Estonia's west coast, and gets a tour of the Pomarfin shoe factory.

The company shut down production in Pomarkku, a small town in the western region of Satakunta, at the turn of the millennium.

Their current workforce in Pärnu is paid much less, with many of them on the minimum wage. That rose eight percent in January to 886 euros per month.

That forced the factory to increase wages for others by 2.7 percent, to maintain the relative benefits of doing more skilled work.

A lot of Estonian manufacturing has moved to Asia as wages in Europe climb higher, but an influx of Ukrainians fleeing the war in 2022 has provided a new source of labour for some of them.

So for now, production of the Finnish-designed shoes will remain in Estonia.

Defence mindset

EU leaders met on Thursday to hammer out the details of a deal to increase defence spending and support for Ukraine, and eventually came up with an agreement that could see up to 800 million euros of additional funding.

The deal was greeted enthusiastically by Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, who said it was "about damn time".

Less profane comments came from the Czech President Petr Pavel, who told Czech media that the rest of the continent could learn a thing or two from Finland. His comments were reported by Iltalehti.

Finland has been one of the leading voices in helping Ukraine, and Pavel traces the roots of that back to the Second World War.

Czechoslovakia folded too easily after the 1938 Munich agreement, according to Pavel, giving up territory to Nazi Germany without a fight despite having some defensive capabilities.

Finland's military preparedness was in a worse position in relation to the Soviet Union in 1939, when the Soviets launched an invasion, according to Pavel.

"Despite that the Finns did it, and today we can see where they are," said Pavel in an interview with the CT24 channel. "Then they defended themselves a second time against attack from Germany. Now Finland has more self-confidence than other European states, more self-respect, and you can see that in their attitudes."

[wavevisa001]

Belgium Issues a Record-Breaking 20,724 Family Reunification Visas in 2024

Table of Contents

Introduction

Belgium’s Record-Breaking Family Reunification Visas

Visa Allocation Breakdown

Increasing Demand for Family Reunification Visas

Belgium’s Plan to Tighten Visa Rules

Comparison with Other European Countries

Impact on Immigrants and Families

How Wave Visas Immigration Can Help

Conclusion

Introduction

Belgium has set a new record in 2024 by issuing 20,724 Family Reunification visas, a significant rise compared to previous years. This increase has led to discussions about tightening visa regulations.

Belgium’s Record-Breaking Family Reunification Visas

In 2024, Belgium issued an unprecedented number of 20,724 visas under the Family Reunification category. This visa allows family members of Belgian residents and non-EU nationals to legally join their loved ones in the country.

Visa Allocation Breakdown

1 in 4 visas was granted to family members of refugees.

Nearly 6,000 non-EU nationals received a Family Reunification visa.

Over 5,700 applicants were granted family visas, double the number from 2023.

Increasing Demand for Family Reunification Visas

Asylum seekers with refugee status automatically apply for a Family Reunification visa, leading to a surge in applications. In 2024, Belgium received 33,146 visa applications, the second-highest number since 2015.

Belgium’s Plan to Tighten Visa Rules

Due to the rising number of applications, Belgium is set to implement stricter regulations for Family Reunification visas. These measures aim to:

Increase documentation requirements.

Extend processing times.

Introduce additional eligibility criteria.

Comparison with Other European Countries

Finland: Implemented age restrictions for family reunification applicants.

Denmark: Proposed stricter visa rules, which are pending approval.

Belgium: Expected to follow similar measures to control the influx of visa applications.

Impact on Immigrants and Families

The proposed visa restrictions may create challenges for immigrants trying to bring their families to Belgium. Extended processing times and stricter criteria could impact thousands of families seeking reunification.

How Wave Visas Immigration Can Help

Wave Visas Immigration provides expert guidance to individuals and families navigating Belgium’s visa regulations. Our services include:

Eligibility assessment.

Application assistance.

Documentation support.

Legal consultation.

Conclusion

Belgium’s record-breaking issuance of Family Reunification visas in 2024 has prompted the government to consider stricter policies. If you are planning to apply for a Family Reunification visa, seeking professional guidance from Wave Visas Immigration can help streamline the process and improve your chances of approval.