Category: ESTA News

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is facing confusion among seniors and low-income residents due to online service outages and erroneous messages. The SSA confirmed that it is investigating the impact of a temporary outage on its My Social Security portal site, which occurred on the 1st. This outage has left many Social Security beneficiaries unable to access important services online.

Additionally, many low-income Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Central Valley experienced issues, with reports indicating they were unable to receive their benefits. However, the SSA later clarified that the message informing these beneficiaries was a mistake, and the issue did not affect their actual benefits.

As of 2023, approximately 7.4 million Americans rely on SSI, and for many of these individuals, timely access to benefits is critical. In April, Social Security payments are scheduled to be paid on the 9th, 16th, and 23rd, depending on the beneficiary’s date of birth. The SSA’s communication errors and online service disruptions have caused unnecessary anxiety among those who depend on these vital payments.

As the Trump administration’s large-scale immigration crackdown continues, a disturbing incident has surfaced in which an innocent person was wrongfully deported due to a mistake by immigration authorities. According to court documents released on March 31st, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man living legally in Maryland, was deported due to an “administrative error” and sent to El Salvador’s notorious Centre for Terrorist Detention (CECOT). The U.S. authorities have admitted the mistake, but their response has been minimal.

Despite acknowledging the error, the Trump administration has stated that it is “impossible to bring him back to the United States” and that Garcia, now detained in El Salvador, is “outside our jurisdiction.” This statement has been met with outrage from Garcia’s family and his defence team, who are shocked by the government’s lack of accountability. Garcia, a father who had legally resided in Maryland, was suddenly deported and imprisoned in a high-security terrorist facility, leaving his family in distress.

The incident has led to a lawsuit, with Garcia’s defence team demanding his immediate return and compensation for damages. However, the U.S. government is continuing to fight the case, maintaining that Garcia’s detention in El Salvador places him outside of their legal reach. Immigration lawyers have pointed out that this mistake highlights flaws in the Trump administration’s immigration policy and administrative procedures. They argue that institutional reforms are urgently needed to prevent such errors from occurring in the future.

This incident not only exposes the shortcomings of the U.S. immigration system but also undermines public trust in the government. It has caused widespread fear and anxiety, especially among those who should be protected under immigration laws, raising concerns that even the innocent could be deported by mistake. The families of those wrongfully deported continue their legal battles, hoping for a resolution and the return of their loved ones.

The New York State Assembly is seriously considering a new bill that would require the installation of “speed limiters” for habitual speeders. This bill, known as the “Stop Super Speeders” bill (S4045A), has been introduced multiple times in the past but has failed to pass until now. The push for this legislation comes as speeding-related traffic fatalities have become so prevalent that they have outpaced gun deaths in the state for the past two years.

The bill mandates the installation of intelligent speed limiters in the vehicles of drivers who accumulate 11 or more demerit points within a 24-month period or who receive six or more speeding or red-light camera tickets within 12 months. Additionally, drivers who violate the speed limiter would be responsible for the cost of purchasing and installing the device. Once enacted, the law would take effect 60 days later.

According to the bill’s provisions, speeding significantly increases the risk of fatality—every 10 mph increase in speed doubles the risk of death. In New York, 30% of traffic fatalities involved speeding, and 21% of fatal pedestrian crashes in New York City in 2022 involved drivers who had received six or more speeding or red-light camera tickets. Research shows that the installation of speed limiters has proven effective, reducing traffic fatalities by 37% and decreasing sudden braking crashes by 36%.

State Senator Andrew Gounares (D), who introduced the bill, held a press conference on March 31st, highlighting the recent surge in deaths caused by speeding vehicles. He called high-speed drivers “criminals” and emphasized the need for strong speed limit laws to prevent further victims. Gounares urged for swift action on this legislation to protect public safety.

The vehicle carrying three missing women who went missing while traveling to the Grand Canyon from South Korea has been found at the scene of a multiple pileup on Route 1-40 in Arizona.

According to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona, a BMW SUV believed to be the vehicle in which Lee Ji-yeon (33), her mother Kim Tae-hee (59), and her aunt Kim Jeong-hee (54) were found among the vehicles that were completely burned at the scene of the 22-car pileup on Route 1-40 that occurred on the 13th during a snowy winter storm.

The Lee family lost contact at the scene of the pileup while traveling from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas. [Page A1, March 24, This Newspaper] Local police said that the investigation team found the BMW the Lee family was riding in among the wreckage at the scene of the accident, and that their remains have not yet been identified and are currently being identified.

The Lee family was originally scheduled to return to Korea via San Francisco Airport on the 17th, but when they could not be reached, their family in Korea requested assistance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which began the investigation.

The Consulate General in LA requested investigation assistance from the local police, and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the police agency in charge of the highway accident, began the investigation.

Local police tracked the GPS of the rental BMW the Lee family was riding in and determined that they were passing through Interstate 40 heading west from the Grand Canyon toward Las Vegas at around 3:30 p.m. on the 13th, the day they went missing.

Lawsuits are being filed one after another to block President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education.

On the 24th, two teacher unions filed a lawsuit in the Massachusetts District Court, claiming that President Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education violates the Constitution. On the same day, the National Education Association (NEA) and others filed a similar complaint in the Maryland District Court.

In addition, 20 states, including New York and New Jersey, filed an injunction in the Massachusetts District Court to block the implementation of the executive order to dismantle the Department of Education.

These lawsuits are based on the argument that “the Department of Education is based on federal law and cannot be shut down without the consent of the federal Congress, and the large-scale workforce reductions currently being implemented by the Trump administration are significantly impeding the Department of Education from performing its legally required functions.”

The teachers’ union that filed the lawsuit in the Massachusetts federal court stated that “the Department of Education is the cornerstone of public education and dismantling it will cause real harm not only to our region but to the entire country,” and that the court should block the implementation of the executive order.

However, the Trump administration strongly criticized the teachers’ union and others who filed the lawsuit.

Madi Biederman, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, said, “The administration has pledged to work with Congress to close the Department of Education,” and “Instead of proposing useful solutions to improve academic outcomes, the teachers’ union is distorting the situation in order to maintain its monopoly on bureaucracy.”

Meanwhile, on the 21st, the day after signing the executive order, President Trump announced a plan to drastically reduce the Department of Education.

President Trump said, “We will transfer the management of $1.6 trillion in federal student loans to the Small Business Administration (SBA),” and “Work such as special education and student nutrition programs will be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services.”

President Trump added, “This move will be made immediately and will provide better services than before.”

In relation to this, key Republican lawmakers, including Senator Bill Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, announced their intention to push for legislation to make President Trump’s policy of abolishing the Department of Education a reality.

New York State Senator John Liu is calling for an extension of the registration deadline for the Caregiver Designation Program (CDPAP), following concerns that many beneficiaries may not be able to meet the upcoming April 1st deadline due to insufficient publicity and language barriers. Last year, the state consolidated the management of CDPAP under Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL), but this transition has led to confusion among beneficiaries, especially those in communities with limited English proficiency.

Liu emphasized that many beneficiaries who rely on CDPAP, particularly in areas like Flushing, Queens, which has a large population of Korean, Chinese, and Bengali speakers, are struggling to complete the registration process. He pointed out that key steps such as account creation, password setup, and confirmation can only be done in English, creating an additional obstacle for non-English-speaking individuals.

The shift to a single financial intermediary system, managed by PPL, was intended to streamline CDPAP administration. However, Liu expressed concern that the lack of effective outreach and support for non-English-speaking beneficiaries could lead to many losing accesses to vital services. As a result, he is urging the state to extend the registration deadline to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries have a chance to complete their registration and continue receiving benefits.

CDPAP, a Medicaid program, allows individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities to hire their own caregivers, often family members or close friends. Beneficiaries and caregivers must complete their registration with PPL by April 1, either through online platforms or by phone. Liu’s call for an extension is a response to the growing concerns about accessibility and communication failures in the program’s new management structure.

A female professor from an Ivy League university was forcibly deported from the U.S. after being detained at Boston Airport during the immigration inspection process. This incident highlights the increasing risk of deportation for both illegal immigrants and legal residents under the Trump administration’s hardline “anti-immigration policy.” Professor Rasha Allawi, a kidney transplant specialist at Brown University School of Medicine, was detained and deported despite holding a valid H-1B work visa.

Professor Allawi, 34, had travelled to Lebanon to visit her family and attend the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Upon her return to the U.S. on March 13, she was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and, within a day, deported to Paris, in apparent violation of a federal court order requiring authorities to notify the court 48 hours before deportation. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cited her attendance at Nasrallah’s funeral as the reason for her detention, as Hezbollah is classified by the U.S. as a terrorist organization.

The DHS did not provide details on how they learned of her attendance at the funeral, nor did they clarify whether she had been charged with any crime or immigration violation. Allawi’s attorney pointed out that the U.S. consulate in Lebanon had issued her H-1B visa while she was in Lebanon, and she had no criminal record or immigration violations.

This deportation has sparked concerns among the international academic community, with Brown University advising its international students and researchers to avoid traveling abroad until further guidance from the U.S. State Department is available. The legal community, as well as civic groups, have strongly opposed the deportation, with a federal court ordering CBP to respond to allegations that they violated the court’s order to notify it prior to deportation.

Immigration attorney Kim Seong-hwan noted that deportation of H-1B visa holders is highly unusual and an example of CBP’s abuse of authority under the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies. He clarified that criminal records, such as DUI or drug use, may be grounds for “in admission,” but they cannot be grounds for “deportation” without due process. Deportation typically occurs without trial or review by the Immigration Petition Board.

The H-1B visa is a short-term work visa granted to foreign nationals with specialized skills, such as those in the IT field, and requires a bachelor’s degree or higher. Professor Allawi’s case has raised alarms about the vulnerability of legal immigrants in the U.S., particularly in academic and research fields, where visa holders can be deported without sufficient justification.

The Trump administration has announced plans to revoke the provision that allows Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to enrol in Obamacare health insurance. The Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a statement on March 10th, proposing a new regulation to reverse the measure enacted by the Biden administration that expanded Obamacare eligibility to DACA recipients.

Under the Biden administration’s policy, which was announced in May of the previous year, DACA recipients became eligible to enrol in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) starting in November 2024, coinciding with the 2025 open enrolment period. However, 19 Republican-leaning states filed a lawsuit seeking to block the expansion, arguing that it should not be allowed. In December 2024, a trial court issued a preliminary injunction to block the enforcement of this measure. Although an appeals court temporarily lifted the injunction, allowing DACA recipients to once again enrol in Obamacare, the Trump administration’s recent announcement has cast doubt on whether DACA beneficiaries will continue to have access to health insurance through the program.

In addition to the revocation of the provision for DACA recipients, CMS’s proposed new regulations also include a provision to shorten the open enrolment period for the Obamacare online exchange. The enrolment period would be shortened by one month, from November 1 to December 15. If finalized, the new regulations would be implemented starting with the 2026 open enrolment period in November, following a public comment period and publication in the Federal Register.

Electronic device searches by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have significantly increased at international airports, ports, and border crossings, according to a new report. The number of searches on mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices is expected to rise by 42.3%, from 33,062 in 2018 to 47,047 in 2024. These searches are part of CBP’s efforts to identify potential threats and protect U.S. borders from various illegal activities.

CBP officials explain that the ability to inspect electronic devices crossing U.S. borders is crucial to ensuring national security in today’s increasingly digital world. “As responsible for protecting our borders and enforcing numerous laws at ports of entry, the ability of CBP to lawfully inspect electronic devices is essential to keeping our nation safe,” a CBP notice stated earlier this year. All travellers crossing the U.S. border, regardless of citizenship, are subject to customs inspections, including searches of their electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, and cameras.

These device searches are primarily used to combat terrorism, child pornography, drug smuggling, human trafficking, export control violations, intellectual property theft, visa fraud, and other criminal activities. Additionally, they help determine an individual’s intent to enter the U.S. Although only 0.01% of travellers have been subject to electronic device searches in fiscal year 2024, there have been instances where individuals have faced arrest or denial of entry after seemingly unrelated files, such as text messages or computer data, were found during a search.

In one notable case from 2017, a man traveling from Korea was arrested for possessing child pornography on an external hard drive, leading to a prison sentence. In another case, a foreign student was deported after CBP used a Korean interpreter to review messages on the messaging app KakaoTalk, which revealed the student had been working illegally at a restaurant.

CBP conducts two types of searches: basic and detailed. Basic searches involve manually reviewing the contents of a device without any additional tools, while detailed searches use external equipment to access stored data. In 2024, out of 420,521,616 travellers entering the U.S., 12,667,84 people underwent secondary searches, and 42,725 basic searches and 4,322 detailed searches of electronic devices were performed. Of these searches, 36,506 were on non-citizens, while 10,541 were on U.S. citizens.

Current entry guidelines state that travellers whose electronic devices are selected for investigation may be required to decrypt their devices to provide information. While citizens can refuse to answer questions beyond identity and travel details, this can result in delays. However, visa holders who refuse to answer such questions risk being denied entry. A significant concern remains the potential leakage of sensitive personal information during the process of sharing passwords to access devices, raising privacy risks for travellers.

As three cases of measles were confirmed in Bergen County, New Jersey, which is home to a densely populated Korean community, New York City has also reported two cases of measles, heightening concerns among health authorities. The New York City Department of Health announced on March 4th that, as of the end of February, there were two confirmed cases of measles in the city, one of which occurred earlier this year. The health department did not disclose specific details about the patients, such as their age, location, or vaccination status.

In 2023, New York City reported 14 confirmed cases of measles, representing nearly all the 15 cases reported across the entire state. In comparison, there was only one confirmed case of measles in the city during 2023. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that, as of February 27th, there had been 164 confirmed cases of measles across the United States. Notably, 20% of these cases resulted in hospitalization. Among these, 145 cases were in Texas, where an unvaccinated child tragically died from the disease. This marks the first measles-related death in the U.S. since 2015.

Measles was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000, but cases have been on the rise in recent years. Symptoms typically appear 10 to 14 days after infection with the measles virus. Initially, individuals may experience cold-like symptoms, including a cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis. This is followed by a high fever (101°F or higher) and a rash that begins on the face and spreads throughout the body. In severe cases, measles can lead to complications, including death.