Customs & Immigration

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised to carry out mass deportations as president.

Trump has repeatedly vowed to deport all of the estimated 11 million people living in the United States illegally. That population includes approximately 1,500 immigrants living and working on Vermont’s dairy farms, many of whom have resided in the state for more than a decade.

The civil liberties group alleged the checkpoints are less about immigration enforcement, and instead serve as a pretext for drug sweeps.

In this encore broadcast from November 2022, host Mikaela Lefrak and guests explore the term “New Americans," and hear from some who say the phrase unites communities of refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants, while others see it as divisive, confusing, or worse.

Individual facilities, which are often private and for-profit, have the authority to limit visits over COVID concerns. But immigrant advocates question whether the decisions are made in good faith.

This hour, host Mikaela Lefrak and guests explore the term “New American." Some say the phrase unites communities of refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants, while others see it as divisive, confusing, or worse.

"I don't ever want to go back to being unaware," shelter coordinator Lisa Belcastro said. "And now I have to know what I can do next, what my options are. So what does that look like? You know, that's the next question for me. There's more. I just don't know what that ‘more’ is.”

Starting next summer, immigrants without legal status in Massachusetts will have access to state-issued driver's licenses thanks to a policy muscled through by lawmakers this week over Gov. Charlie Baker's veto.

Former School for International Training teachers are volunteering time to lead ESL classes for Afghan refugees, who have also been living on campus.

Nonessential travel has been halted on the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders since March 2020. That'll change next month, but vaccines will be required.