Showing 63 results for:
immigration
Popular topics
All results
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has received clearance to request personal information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about undocumented taxpayers. On Monday, April 7, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the IRS filed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to The Guardian. The agreement gives immigration enforcement officials unprecedented access to help President Donald Trump fulfill his promise of mass deportations as his administration continues to investigate undocumented immigrants still in the country after receiving a final removal order from a judge. “As laid out in the MOU, DHS can legally request return information relating to individuals under criminal investigation, and the IRS must provide it,” per a court filing, which outlines the procedures for making such requests and specifies the role of each agency in accessing the...
The black immigrant population has increased fivefold since the 1980s according to a report this year from the Pew Research Center . Immigrants made up 10 percent of the black population in the U.S. in a 2016 population survey. And now, thanks to the United States Digital Service (USDS) and their partnership with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the immigration processes are becoming more efficient and, in turn, more accessible. USDS has partnered with USCIS to create modern tools and systems for processing immigration applications, made green card renewals faster through a streamlined review process, and introduced iPads into interviews for better applicant experience. These modern systems enabled USCIS to build online applications, where immigrants can apply for naturalization and renew their green card online. Now, USCIS’s new online applications help people find the immigration options that work for them and their unique situations, providing more accessibility...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. The culture and energy of the tech industry has changed overnight. The industry once stereotyped as a bastion of liberalism, which has a history of backing more liberal candidates in presidential elections, has changed. This all became more apparent during the 2024 presidential election between Kamala Harris and now President Donald Trump . During the election, the industry was split in a way that felt unprecedented to those who had been in the industry for the past 20 years. When Trump was first elected to office, his presidency appeared to be one that the industry would resist, given his first term as president as well as his 2020 campaign. He had policy views and beliefs that were against what the tech industry stood for, specifically around the topics of immigration, social media moderation, and climate change. What we saw leading up to the 2024 presidential election was not only less...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Billionaire business leaders turned against President Donald Trump as he implemented sweeping tariffs with other countries, which have amounted to billions of dollars lost. Many of the billionaires who have pushed back against the Trump tariffs have also endorsed him for the 2024 presidential election. One of those billionaires, Bill Ackman, warned against tariffs, likening them to an “economic nuclear war” in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). He also claimed that the tariffs weren’t what he voted for, despite Trump speaking on tariffs early on in the election. How Will Tariffs Affect The American Consumer? Unwarranted tariffs will not only decimate our economy but also hurt our already fragile standing on the world stage. In retaliation, China has raised tariffs on American goods to 125%. Most business leaders, economic experts, and other world leaders are confused over Trump’s misguided...
Harvard University does not intend to change its DEI efforts to align with the Trump Administration. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, President Donald Trump issued a two-week deadline that requires schools and university to no longer consider “racial preferences” in admissions, financial aid, or hiring. Educational institutions that fail to comply risk losing federal funding. T his aligns with the administration’s goal to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, which has played out with the closing and ending of “ all DEIA initiatives, offices and programs” within the federal government. “Colleges and universities are going to find themselves between a rock and a hard place,” Angel B. Pérez, CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, said to AP News at the time. “They know that what they’re doing is not illegal, but they are worried that if they do not comply, not having federal funding will decimate them.” Harvard University Responds In a...
The U.S. job market is sending mixed messages — and workers are caught in the middle. On one hand, employers are adding jobs at a pace that suggests economic growth. On the other hand, unemployment is rising and confidence in long-term stability is shrinking. It’s a win-loss moment for the American workforce: The numbers are up, but the foundation feels shaky. According to CNN, the U.S. economy added 228,000 jobs in March, beating expectations and extending a 51-month streak of job growth — one of the longest in U.S. history. Yet, in the same report, the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%, indicating that while more people are entering the labor force, not everyone is finding a place in it. The Strengths And Limits Of The Job Market March’s numbers were encouraging in many ways. Job creation exceeded expectations, and average wages rose 0.3% for the month, slowing to a 3.8% year-over-year increase. Economists had predicted slower growth — around 130,000 new jobs — but the market...
The global economy is not just shaped by technology or innovation — it’s governed by decisions made behind closed doors, often under the guise of economic strategy. One such decision, the imposition of tariffs, is anything but neutral. It is an instrument of pressure, a marker of priority, and increasingly, a reflection of geopolitical posture. Tariffs have reemerged as a centerpiece of American economic policy, not as quiet fiscal levers but as loud, disruptive statements. The Trump administration’s recent directive — a flat 10% base tariff on all imports and a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs targeting nearly 90 countries — represents a radical reorientation of U.S. trade policy. In an interconnected world already strained by inflation, global supply chain challenges, and diplomatic fragility, these decisions matter deeply — and immediately. What Are Tariffs? At their core, tariffs are taxes on imported goods, imposed by governments to influence the cost and flow of trade. By...
The tech industry faces uncertainty and fear due to the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies, leading companies to advise employees on visas not to leave the United States because they might not be allowed to return. During President Donald Trump’s first term, the denial rates for high-skilled visas increased to 15%. Law firms have warned that a similar upward trend is possible during his current presidency , according to The Washington Post. “What we’re seeing right now is just a lot of worry and panic,” said Principal Attorney Malcolm Goeschl of Goeschl Law, a San Francisco, CA, firm specializing in business immigration for the tech industry . “It seems like [the administration is] just getting more and more momentum, and we don’t know what’s around the corner.” Silicon Valley , Northern California’s global hub for technological innovation, is known for housing many of the world’s largest tech companies and producing groundbreaking inventions. Tech giants in the...
At a time when public trust in government is already on shaky ground, the latest actions by the IRS and ICE are only deepening the divide. Word is spreading fast: the IRS is reportedly finalizing a deal that would give Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) access to confidential taxpayer data to locate and deport undocumented immigrants. For many, this isn’t just another policy shift — it’s a direct betrayal of a system that asked for participation and is now threatening punishment in return. At the heart of this issue is more than just bureaucracy — it’s about survival, privacy, dignity, and the weaponization of information against some of the country’s most vulnerable communities. This marks a potential turning point in U.S. immigration enforcement strategy, raising significant privacy and civil liberties concerns across the country. A Dangerous Shift In Tax Data Use According to CNN, the proposed agreement between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would...
If you or someone you love is an immigrant to the United States, you may be experiencing a great deal of trepidation right now. Not only has Donald Trump’s new cabinet been voracious about rounding up and deporting people from all over the world, they have also expressed interest in closing down the border and locking out any immigrants who they nebulously deem undesirable. This process has already begun, leading to an untold number of families being torn apart. While this is quite tragic, there are several American businesses that have maintained their commitment to the inclusion of migrants, meaning there’s still hope for those who plan to enter the country and stay long-term. Many of these companies are even offering highly competitive roles to newly-minted Americans, particularly in the world of finance and tech. Despite the many challenges that immigrants face, these companies may provide a veritable boom of new workers. This is especially true of massive corporations that have...
Historically, Black communities have moved in pursuit of economic opportunity, from the Great Migration during the 1900s to today’s evolving workforce. Generations before sought dignity through factory jobs, public sector roles, and emerging industries, carving out spaces in a labor market that was never designed for them. In 2025, the landscape remains precarious, demanding strategic maneuvering in a system that continues to shift beneath workers’ feet. The latest employment figures reveal a market struggling under the weight of governmental shifts, corporate hesitancy, and economic uncertainty. According to The Wall Street Journal, February’s 151,000 new jobs were an improvement from January’s 125,000, but still fell short of the projected 170,000. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate inched up to 4.1%, signaling that more people are looking for work but not necessarily finding it. A Workforce Shaped By Policy, Not Just Performance Beneath the surface of job reports lies a deeper...
The thing about economic policies is that they don’t operate in a vacuum. Every decision — every tax, every regulation, every tariff — sends ripples through the system. Some people surf the waves. Others get drowned by them. Tariffs have long been used as a tool of economic warfare, a way for nations to protect their industries or punish their rivals. But under President Donald Trump, tariffs have become something else entirely: a high-stakes bargaining chip in a trade war that seems to have no end. According to CNN, his latest round of 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, along with another 10% levy on Chinese goods, has thrown American businesses, workers, and consumers into a state of economic uncertainty. The White House insists tariffs will protect American industries, but history tells a different story. Prices are rising, businesses are struggling, and working-class families — many already battling inflation — will be forced to make tough choices. Tariffs In Context:...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Last week, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would sell “gold card” visas for over $5 million to wealthy foreigners to alleviate the country’s trillion dollars in debt. As he continues to align himself with billionaire oligarchs, sycophants like Vladimir Putin—it’s clear that Trump has never cared for ordinary people. In his statement, he claimed that this new initiative had never been done before. But as always, he is mistaken. Investing large sums of money in citizenship has been in place in various countries across Europe and the Caribbean. The incentive of citizenship for pay—with advantages like limited restrictions and more flexibility—can open the door for wealthy yet dubious individuals to perform illicit activities. While no one can assume that every person who pays upwards of millions of dollars for foreign citizenship is a criminal, the lack of regulations opens up the EU,...
Gmail users may have been confused when they opened their email accounts and saw pop-ups about Gemini . Instead of Google sending out big “coming soon” announcements about their next-gen flagship artificial intelligence (AI) model, Gmail users just saw a subtle star in the right-hand corner of their screens. With Gemini, ChatGPT and China’s DeepSeek, along with plenty of other programs, it’s clear that AI is sticking around for the long haul. So is it worth newbie investors investing in AI, and how is this possible to do anyway? African-American Investors Are Getting Younger A new report from Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (FINRA) confirmed that African-Americans tend to be much younger than white investors, with 49% of African-American investors between the ages of 18-34 while 51% of white investors were ages 55 and older. Growing up in a tech-dominant age, African-American investors are using social media to get their investment education and to learn about trading...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. “Oligarchy” is the word that has been spread across the internet and used to describe what has been observed during Donald Trump’s inauguration. “Oligarchy” is defined as “a country, institution, or organization led by a small group of people.” Observers saw the leaders of the most powerful tech companies in the world not just in attendance but sitting where friends and family sit. They had better seats than Trump’s cabinet. It’s not uncommon for business leaders to convene in Washington D.C. to usher in the exchange of power, but the previous relationship that Trump had with these tech CEOs, and its change to what is seen now, is something to take note of. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta; Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; and, of course Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, were all close to the president during his swearing in. Each one of...