In the midst of hunger strikes in detention centers in at least four states, where immigrants report living in inhumane conditions, the week closed with the Senate's approval of an additional $70 billion for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) and CBP for the remainder of Donald Trump's term, adding to the multimillion-dollar budget of $170 billion that both agencies already enjoy.

Through the reconciliation process, which requires a simple majority, the Senate approved the budget item promoted by Trump to reinforce his aggressive immigration policy without the reforms that Democrats demanded to increase supervision and reduce abuses by immigration agents. The measure now goes to the Lower House for approval before reaching the presidential desk.

The Senate considered several amendments and one of the first sought to eliminate the $1.776 million fund from the public treasury intended to compensate allies of President Trump who alleged that they had been “persecuted” by the government of Democrat Joe Biden. Among these alleged “victims” are those responsible for the bloody assault on the federal Capitol on January 6, 2021 to prevent the certification of Biden's victory in the 2020 elections and whom Trump, after winning the 2024 elections, pardoned and called “patriots” and “hostages.”

The Democratic amendment was defeated, but the Justice Department had already indicated that it would not move forward with the controversial fund. Still, Democrats and some Republicans aren't confident that's actually the case.

Also left out of the revised plan that was finally approved was the amount of $1 billion to finance the White House ballroom, which Trump assured would be paid for with private funds.

As La Opinión reported, “the additional budget for ICE and other immigration agencies has been under criticism from civil rights and immigrant advocates, due to fear that it will increase the persecution of undocumented people in the US, instead of addressing the underlying immigration problem.”

And it is about filling the coffers of both immigration agencies without approving reforms that eliminate the violence with which some agents operate, to the point of killing two American citizens; that they avoid violations of the basic rights of detainees; the use of racial profiling against citizens and legal residents; abuses in detention centers; and the lack of accountability for their actions.

ICE excesses manifest in detention centers

Another manifestation of ICE's excesses is seen in detention centers, where physical and psychological abuse, as well as deplorable conditions, including contaminated water, spoiled food, and lack of adequate medical care, have been reported for decades.

Hunger strikes have been reported in at least four states in publicly funded private prisons. Adelanto, in California, and Delaney Hall, in Newark, New Jersey, are operated by the controversial company GEO Group, which faces lawsuits and allegations of abuse and medical negligence, among other accusations.

In recent months there has also been an increase in the number of deaths in detention centers, including suicides.

La Opinión reported that activists demonstrated in downtown Los Angeles in solidarity with the immigrants detained in Adelanto and denounced retaliation against the leaders of the hunger strike.

"In a statement shared with the media, testimonies from four people detained in Adelanto are included. They indicate that the reprisals have included solitary confinement, the entry of guards with tactical equipment into the units and security closures that affect different sectors of the facilities. People located on the west side of the center have also reported intermittent power outages and lack of access to water," the newspaper indicated.

A climate of fear prevails

Days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, organizations reiterated that the United States faces “a climate of fear, uncertainty and repression” that could affect both fans and residents during the tournament that will be held jointly with Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, reported La Opinión.

“According to data cited by HRW, during 2025 immigration authorities made tens of thousands of arrests in the eleven American cities that will host World Cup matches, a situation that, they warn, could discourage the attendance of international fans.”

The newspaper also reported that “Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that he is confident that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will not carry out raids against immigrants during the 2026 World Cup, despite their participation in security operations.”

June 6 Anniversary

Precisely this Saturday marks the first anniversary of the violent raids in the Los Angeles area, which sparked protests and the deployment, by order of Trump, of the National Guard and the Marines, laying the groundwork for aggressive operations in various cities across the country.

A year later, the consequences of these operations continue to manifest: families separated, US citizen children and even sick minors deported along with their parents, citizens and legal residents affected by racial profiling, psychological damage - particularly among children -, economic dislocation of families and communities, and the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs in different industries.

Although the Trump administration wants to give the impression that it has reduced levels of violence, the reality is that the changes have been mostly cosmetic and detentions and deportations continue. In fact, the administration is looking for mechanisms to increase expulsions by stripping immigrants of legal status, delaying the renewal of permits such as DACA and now holding “mega hearings” where, according to EFE, “more than one hundred immigrants are summoned simultaneously to answer for their processes, an unprecedented tactic that, according to experts, seeks to increase the number of deportations.”

It also seeks to reject asylum requests without interviews

La Opinion reported that "the Trump administration is studying a new measure that could significantly transform the asylum process. According to internal documents obtained by CBS News, federal officials are evaluating allowing certain applications to be rejected expeditiously without the applicants having access to an interview with immigration authorities."

“According to the information revealed by the aforementioned media, the proposal would empower officials from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reject asylum applications when they determine that they were submitted more than a year after the immigrant entered the country.”

Quote of the week

“No one can enjoy the World Cup if a masked agent asks for your passport when entering a stadium,” said Minky Worden, director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch, regarding the presence of ICE and CBP to assist in security efforts in the stadiums where the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches will be played.