Masked ICE agents detain former Afghan interpreter who helped US military
Identified only as Zia by members of Congress and his attorney out of concern for his safety and that of his family, the man had worked as an interpreter for the US military during the war in Afghanistan.
He was in the US legally and was arrested after an appointment in Connecticut related to his application for a green card under a programme to protect people who worked for US forces, according to human rights advocates, his attorney and members of Congress. US President Donald Trump has pursued a broad crackdown on immigration.
'What happened to him is the worst kind of abhorrent violation of basic decency,' Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told reporters on a call with advocates to draw attention to the case of Zia and at least two other Afghans who worked for the US and have been seized by immigration and customs enforcement (ICE).
'He worked and risked his life in Afghanistan to uphold the values and rights that are central to democracy,' Blumenthal said.
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The Citizen
7 hours ago
- The Citizen
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IOL News
8 hours ago
- IOL News
Brazil vows to fight Trump tariff 'injustice'
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The South African
10 hours ago
- The South African
US tariffs LATEST: Cyril Ramaphosa negotiating with Donald Trump
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South Africa is not the only country that is dealing with these crises. Many other countries are, some of which are in a much worse situation than we are. Others are slightly better off.'All of us are involved in a process of having discussions and negotiations with the United States. It should also be clear that the US has come up with a unilateral tariff imposition on many countries in the world.'They are the biggest economy in the world, so we have to respond to the US tariff proposal. Many of our companies deal with US customers. We export vehicles, steel and aluminium and citrus. We have to engage with them and find a way to reach a settlement. Within the window that's still open, we are hoping that we will find a way to settle this matter. 'On our African continent, we are the largest economy and the most industrialised economy. So obviously we will be a target, because we export more than many other countries,' the President said. 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'There are quite a number of countries that we need to reach out to, countries that want to deal with us, that want to trade with us, and this moment gives us that opportunity,' the President said. Following the address, The Presidency released a statement confirming that South Africa will continue negotiating with the United States on the tariffs which are expected to come into effect seven days after 1 August 2025. 'South Africa will continue negotiating with the US regarding the 30% tariff announced by the US, which will come into effect on or after 12h01 eastern daylight time, seven days after 1 August 2025,' the statement clarified that previously exempted items under a US Executive Order, such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and stainless-steel scrap, remain excluded from the new tariff measures. The statement confirmed that South Africa has submitted a Framework Deal aimed at fostering mutually beneficial trade and investment relations. 'All channels of communication remain open to engage with the US and our negotiators are ready pending invitation from the US,' it the interim, government is finalising a support package for affected sectors, with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) set to announce further details. An Export Support Desk has also been established to provide exporters with updates, guidance and market assistance. 'South Africa will continue to pursue all diplomatic efforts to safeguard its national interests. It is important that as a country, we keep our people at work and our companies producing some of the high-quality products destined for many parts of the world,' the statement read. 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