The Forum Daily | Thursday, October 05, 2023
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THE FORUM DAILY

 

The Biden administration has waived 26 federal laws to build a section
of border wall in South Texas, reports Valerie Gonzalez of the
Associated Press
.

The Department of Homeland Security posted the announcement yesterday
in the Federal Registry. The area, in Starr County, is a part of the
Border Patrol sector that has seen a high number of crossings this year.
The waivers of federal laws are meant to avoid time-consuming reviews,
and it's the first time the Biden administration has used this
authority, Gonzalez notes.

Customs and Border Protection announced the plan in June and started
gathering public comment in August. The announcement has raised concerns
among immigration advocates and environmental groups - as well as U.S.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), whose district includes Starr County. "A
border wall is a 14th century solution to a 21st century problem. It
will not bolster border security in Starr County," Cuellar said.

Welcome to Thursday's edition of The Forum Daily. I'm Dan Gordon,
the Forum's strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily
team also includes Jillian Clark, Clara Villatoro and Katie Lutz. If you
have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at
[email protected] . 

**DIPLOMACY** - Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and other top
U.S. officials are meeting with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador
of Mexico and his secretary of state during a two-day visit to Mexico
City, report Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Eileen Sullivan of The New York
Times
.
Record-breaking migration in the Western Hemisphere, as well as drug
trafficking, will be the focus. In a statement, Blinken highlighted the
importance of collaboration with Mexico and the countries' common
challenges.

**GUEST WORKERS** - Florida's $8 million agriculture industry
continues to experience labor shortages, which is pushing many farmers
to compete for more seasonal workers, report Arian Campo-Flores and
Alicia A. Caldwell of The Wall Street Journal
.
The state's new immigration law, which took effect July 1, has some of
the harshest penalties in the country for companies that hire
undocumented employees. Many workers have left the state, and farms are
using the H-2A visa program for seasonal employees, amid complaints
about the program's complex rules and expense.

**THE DARIÉN**- Nearly 40,000 people crossed the Darién Gap, the
jungle between South America and Central America, between January and
September, reports Manuel Rueda of NPR
.
Despite a deal between the U.S., Colombia and Panama to try to stem
crossings, they're at an all-time high. Delvis Davila, a welder from
Venezuela, said he made the journey after working a number of jobs that
could barely cover food or rent. "We have to do our best for our
families," said Davila. "I can't spend the rest of my life working for
almost nothing."

**SURVIVAL MODE**

****- Many of the 120,000 migrants who have found their way to New
York City since spring 2022 have found street vending as one of the few
ways to make money without legal status, report Nicole Hong and Ana Ley
of The New York Times
.
Street vending has been a go-to for migrants coming into New York for
decades. However, they are facing an old, informal and competitive
ecosystem.

 

Thanks for reading, 

Dan  

**P.S. **For something uplifting, check out this story from Gabriela
Lozada of New Hampshire Public Radio

about a Manchester grocery store helping immigrants preserve their
culinary heritage.

  

 

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