Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced during her morning press conference on January 10 that Mexico will send support to LA to help with devastating fires
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The fires ravaging Los Angeles County, California, are unprecedented. They have led thousands to evacuate their homes and leave with only their family members, pets and the clothes they are wearing. While the losses range from material to human lives, Mexico has responded to the tragedy and the government has reported that it has sent an expert group to fight the devastating fires.
This was reported by the president Claudia Sheinbaum at his morning press conference on Friday, January 10, in which he stated that the Mexican Foreign Minister, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, is already in contact with the government of US President Joseph Biden, as well as with that of California Governor Gavin Newsom.
He also said that the team of personnel that will be sent to Los Angeles will be made up of fighters from the National Forestry Commission and the National Defense Secretariat.
“The foreign minister spoke with both the authorities of President Biden's government and the governor of California. We are going to send a support team to Los Angeles, a solidarity team made up of forest firefighters from CONAFOR (National Forestry Commission) and a team from the DNIII Plan of the Ministry of National Defense,” the Mexican president said.
Sheinbaum said that this personnel is only waiting to complete the immigration procedures to reach the disaster zone.
"They are waiting for the papers, above all, that they have to do with being able to get to the United States, but we are going to support them, not only because the people and the government of Mexico have always been generous, but also because there are many Mexicans in this part of the United States," he stressed.
In this regard, he stressed that the United States has appreciated the aid.
“So, we are going to send a support team, they were very grateful and we are, let's say, in the process of completing the immigration procedures so they can arrive.”
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, approximately 180,000 people have been forced to evacuate and another 200,000 are under evacuation warnings.
In addition, the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that 10 people have died due to the fires and identification may take several weeks.
Five wildfires are still burning in Los Angeles County. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), more than 35,000 acres have burned, with the Palisades and Eaton fires causing the destruction.
So far, the active fires are:
Eaton Fire (13,690 acres affected; 0 percent containment)
Hurst Fire (771 acres affected; 37 percent containment)
Kenneth Fire (960 acres affected; 35 percent containment)
Lidia Fire (395 acres affected; 75 percent contained)
Palisades Fire (19,978 acres affected; 8 percent contained)
CalFire said firefighters are working hard to slow the spread and protect critical infrastructure in extreme conditions.
He explained that several structures have been damaged or destroyed as the wind-driven wildfire continues, while the combination of low humidity, dry fuels and shifting winds has increased the potential for localized fires and rapid expansion.
He urged residents in these areas to remain alert and follow the instructions of local authorities as the situation evolves.
Mexico offers support to California, the president of Mexico has expressed her solidarity and support for the compatriots who live in the Los Angeles, California area. Photo: Government of Mexico.
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A series of fires have broken out in Southern California, leaving hundreds of people homeless. The fire has spread rapidly due to strong winds. In response to this, the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed its solidarity and support for its compatriots living in the Los Angeles, California area.
The president expressed her willingness for the Mexican government to support the government of California in the United States in the face of the fires that have severely affected the south of the state.
Sheinbaum indicated that she had contacted Governor Gavin Newsom to address any requests, and that the foreign minister is in contact with the United States consulate to support the affected Mexicans with whatever they require.
During the morning press conference on Thursday, Sheinbaum spoke about the fires and expressed her support and solidarity, as “they are going through very difficult times.”
“I would like to tell all of our fellow citizens who are in the Los Angeles area and all of the inhabitants of this area who are experiencing very difficult times due to the fires, our solidarity, our support. The foreign minister is in contact with the consulate for everything that is required for the Mexicans and I have also asked him to contact the government of California for anything that is needed on behalf of our country,” said the president of Mexico.
On her X account, the president reported that various calls are being answered to the consulate's protection telephones, so that Mexicans living in the affected areas have support and guidance regarding the situation.
“Several calls have been received to the consulate’s protection telephones, all asking for guidance on the actions to be taken. Likewise, the dissemination of the consulate’s contact information to deal with any emergency has been strengthened. The Mexican community is reminded that the protection telephone is available 24/7 for those who need support or guidance: (213) 219-0175.”
The fires have rapidly gained momentum due to strong winds and weather conditions, sweeping across Southern California, particularly in the areas of Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Hollywood Hills, and the San Fernando Valley.
Authorities are stepping up efforts to contain the fire and have issued evacuation orders for thousands of residents.
Residents have reported that immigration raids have begun in Kern and Tulare counties in California. Photo: P360 file
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US President-elect Donald Trump will take office on January 20, but his threats to carry out mass raids against immigrants in the country have already begun, according to residents of Kern and Tulare counties in California.
To Mari Pérez-Ruíz, executive director of the Alliance for the Empowerment of the Central Valley (Central Valley Empowerment Alliance), the situation took her by surprise, as well as the families that the non-profit organization serves.
“It took us all by surprise, to be honest. We thought that maybe, starting January 20th, that would happen, but we are still in this administration and it is happening,” she said in a meeting with Peninsula 360 Press and Ethnic Media Services.
The activist said that, in light of these events, they have taken action and have met to work with community leaders and obtain accurate data on the people who have been arrested.
He also stressed that the organization has compiled a list of lawyers who are willing to provide their services to immigrants who need them, as this is only the beginning.
“I just think that, you know, we’re going to hear more of this, and it’s going to be — hopefully it’s not something that becomes normalized, that we think every day is like this, but we’re preparing for it, that it’s going to be continuous. It’s a surprise that it’s happening now, the expectation was that it was going to start after (Donald Trump’s) inauguration,” Pérez-Ruíz emphasized.
Although the raids were not expected for a couple of weeks, the organization has learned that there are sheriffs, police chiefs and law enforcement officers who are aligned and in agreement with what Donald Trump has said on immigration matters, since they sympathize with his ideology.
Mari Pérez-Ruíz is well acquainted with the situation in California's Central Valley, where many of the farm workers are immigrants, and a large part of them are undocumented, but their work is highly necessary for the life and economy not only of the state, but of the country.
“There is this perception that there is a labor shortage and there are so many people looking for work. The narrative has changed, and it has been that we need workers. So there is an influx of H-2A (visas) (for temporary agricultural workers), you know, which was actually decisive,” he explained.
As of 7:30 p.m. this Wednesday, Peninsula 360 Press was informed by Mari Pérez-Ruíz that six people from the indigenous community and natives of Oaxaca, Mexico, were arrested by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) security forces in the city of Terra Bella, in Tulare County, to process them for deportation.
He stressed that, unlike in past raids, the agents have other instructions, since according to a lawyer "there is a law in the federal immigration status that gives immigration authority to pick up people within 100 miles of the sea, and they can detain people without asking them for information or having an arrest warrant."
"The lawyer says that this is what is happening here, that people who live within 100 miles of the country, around the country, can be detained without any reason and asked for their immigration status," the activist said.
“This has never been done before. And immigration is what they are using right now to detain people.”
Among the six detainees is Pedro Cantú; “No, I have not been able to communicate with him yet, but there are six members of the family who were detained at a gas station in the city of Terra Bella,” Pérez-Ruíz clarified.
According to organizations, local media and residents via social media, Border Patrol was detected in Bakersfield, a city in Kern County, on Tuesday morning. The raids were reported to have begun and are continuing.
CALÓ News reported that ICE representative Alethea Smock told the agency via email that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was not part of the operation, but when asked why Border Patrol was in Kern County, which is not near the border, the agency responded that Border Patrol should be asked that question.
With information from Manuel Ortiz and Peter Schurmann.
Fires in Los Angeles trigger an emergency alert, the largest of which is in Pacific Palisades, which is destroying millions of homes, causing mass evacuations.
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Southern California is facing a series of wildfires, the largest of which is in Pacific Palisades, which is destroying millions of homes, prompting mass evacuations, and prompting Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency.
The Palisades Fire began Tuesday, but due to the weather and strong winds, it had burned at least 780 acres in just three hours, quickly reaching more than 1,000 acres.
A statement said there is an imminent threat in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, where wind conditions threaten structures, homes, including power lines and water tanks, so an evacuation warning was issued for the community.
Governor Newsom said this is a very dangerous windstorm that poses an extreme fire risk, seeing the destructive effects of this Pacific Palisades fire that grew rapidly in a matter of minutes.
“Our deepest gratitude goes out to our skilled firefighters and first responders who rushed to battle this dangerous fire. If you are in Southern California, please pay attention to weather reports and follow the instructions of emergency officials,” Newsom said.
On Wednesday, January 8, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California has been awarded a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which will make vital resources available to fight the Hurst Fire.
The Hurst Fire broke out Tuesday night near Diamond Road in Sylmar and has burned more than 500 acres, prompting 44,000 people to evacuate and an evacuation warning for 27,000 more people, with 40,000 structures threatened.
“We are working hard to ensure maximum support for firefighting efforts in Los Angeles, including the Hurst Fire, which now threatens San Fernando and Newhall. Thank you to all of our firefighting personnel and first responders who are protecting Californians in harm’s way,” the governor said.
In light of the risk, the state of California has shared some tips on fires and strong winds, in order to keep the community prepared for any risks.
Quick Tips on Wildfires:
Sign up for free emergency alerts at ready.ca.gov – You can choose how you receive alerts when you sign up, including cell phone, home phone, email, text message, and in some cases, TTY devices.
Make a plan: Wildfires can cause power outages, so have backup plans for electrical medical devices and medications that need to be refrigerated and have a battery-powered radio so you can listen to emergency updates.
Don't wait, evacuate: Listen and be alert to evacuation warnings and orders. An evacuation warning means you should prepare to leave. An evacuation order means you should leave immediately.
Quick Wind Safety Tips
Be aware of downed power lines: Never touch or drive over a downed power line. If a power line falls on your vehicle, call 911 and stay inside until trained personnel can remove it.
Stay indoors: If you are outdoors during high winds, seek shelter immediately. Stay away from trees and power lines and watch out for flying debris.
Slow down – Keep a safe distance from vehicles in the lanes next to you and watch for objects flying across the road.
For more emergency preparedness tips and to learn more about active emergencies, visit ready.ca.gov.
Donald Trump, president-elect of the United States, announced that he wants to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, to which the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum He responded to his comment by questioning why we don't call North America Mexican America. Photo: Presidency
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After the president-elect of the United States on Tuesday, Donald Trump, declared that she intends to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, the Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum He responded to his comment by questioning why we don't call North America Mexican America.
During the morning press conference of the Mexican president, José Alfonso Suárez del Real, political advisor to the Social Communication Coordination of the Presidency of the Republic, pointed out that the name of the Gulf of Mexico is recognized by international organizations, so it cannot be changed.
"The name of the Gulf of Mexico, sadly, but also historically, is registered with international organizations and has been considered a nautical reference since the 16th century, before the United States existed," he said.
The official showed a world map from 1607, published by a Flemish man for the Amsterdam East Indies Company, which for the first time showed what is now Mexican America, which was basically what we know today as North America.
"It has been recognized since the beginning of the 17th century as the name of the entire northern part of the continent itself, and between Florida and Yucatan, the Gulf of Mexico is recognized as a fundamental nautical point for navigation in that century and beyond," said Suárez del Real.
So much so, he said, that José María Morelos y Pavón made the constitutional decree for the freedom of Mexican America in the 1814 constitution in Apatzingán.
In light of the above, President Claudia Sheinbaum called for North America to be called Mexican America, as it was known in the 17th century.
“Obviously the Gulf of Mexico, its name is recognized by the United Nations, but why don’t we call it Mexican America? It sounds nice, doesn’t it? Right? Since 1607, the Constitution of Apatzingán was of Mexican America. So we are going to call it Mexican America, it sounds nice,” he stressed, while recalling that the Gulf of Mexico has also been recognized since that date.
And, he said, President-elect Donald Trump is misinformed.
“I believe that yesterday President Trump was misinformed, with all due respect to President Trump, because I believe he was informed that Felipe Calderón and García Luna were still governing in Mexico, but no, Mexico is governed by the people,” he said.
However, he said smiling, it is necessary to wait for Donald Trump to officially take office, an act that will take place on January 20.
“He talked about the name, we also talked about the name. North America has been called Mexican America since 1607. So, we have to wait until he becomes president and in any case there is international law, and I still think that there will be good relations with President Trump. What do I base this on? Well, there were good relations with President López Obrador, and there has to be a relationship of mutual respect, of collaboration, not subordination, and of respect.”
Donald Trump, president-elect of the United States, announced that he wants to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Un hombre puede salir del show, pero el show jamás del hombre. La frase no va así, pero eso aplica con Donald Trump, el presidente electo de Estados Unidos, quien tomará protesta como mandatario el próximo 20 de enero y a quien este martes se le ocurrió decir que quiere cambiar el nombre del Golfo de México por Golfo de América, pero qué golfo…
It is well known that every time Trump opens his mouth, it is to set fire not only to social networks, but to the world. He loves it.
Bueno, durante una conferencia de prensa este martes en su mansión en Florida, el también ex presentador del show “El Aprendiz” dijo: “Vamos a cambiar el nombre del Golfo de México por el ‘Golfo de América’, que suena muy bien y abarca una gran extensión de territorio. Qué nombre tan hermoso. Y es apropiado, realmente lo es”. Donald Trump, enero 2025.
Not at all relevant.
Pero más allá de que el señor nunca ha entendido que América es el continente y no solo Estados Unidos, hoy es necesario explicar el nombre del Golfo de México, y no, no estamos hablando de Pancho Villa, eso lo hacemos después.
A ver, Golfo de México es un mar semi-cerrado de más de 1.5 millones de kilómetros cuadrados que forma parte de la región del Gran Caribe. Se le considera la cuenca de aguas protegidas más grande del océano Atlántico y es compartido por México, Estados Unidos y Cuba.
El golfo de México se formó hace aproximadamente 300 millones de años como resultado de la tectónica de placas; y si bien no hay un registro histórico preciso sobre quién o quiénes le dieron el nombre de “Golfo de México” a este cuerpo de agua, se considera fue denominado así por los primeros exploradores y colonizadores españoles que llegaron a la región en el siglo XVI.
Según el libro Historia de la conquista de México, escrito por Antonio Solís, entre 1517 y 1519, Juan de Grijalva y Hernán Cortés recorrieron en barcos la región del golfo, e incluso fue conocido como el Golfo de la Nueva España
Registros indican que hasta inicios del siglo XIX (durante el virreinato de la Nueva España 1535-1821) esta zona se denominaba Seno Mejicano.
Ahora, los estados de Estados Unidos que tocan el Golfo de México, son: Alabama, Florida, Luisiana, Misisipi, y Texas; mientras que por el lado de México lo hacen Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche y Yucatán; y del lado de Cuba: Pinar del Río y Artemisa.
Sin embargo, es necesario mencionar que sí, gran parte del Golfo de México abarca el territorio de Texas, pero esta región pertenecía a México junto con Arizona, Nuevo México y partes de Nevada, Colorado y Utah, antes de firmarse el Tratado Guadalupe-Hidalgo donde se cedió a Estados Unidos una parte de México.
After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Monday his intention to step down from his elected post and leadership of the Liberal Party once a new party leader is chosen, President-elect Donald Trump suggested that the Maple Leaf nation become the 51st state of the United States.
In addition to claiming credit for Trudeau's resignation, Trump said that if Canada became another state of the United States, it would not have to worry about tariffs, which it has threatened Mexico with, two of its main trading partners and with which it has a Free Trade Agreement (TMEC).
“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer afford the huge trade deficits and subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this and resigned. If Canada merged with the US, there would be no Tariffs, taxes would be way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that constantly surround them. Together, what a great Nation they would be!!!” Trump wrote on the social network TruthSocial.
Capture (Social Truth @realDonaldTrump)
Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party for 11 years and prime minister for nine, has been heavily criticized following his meeting with Trump on November 29 after the US president-elect made tariff threats against Canada. The visit has led to resignations in his cabinet and key allies, as well as a sharp decline in his acceptance among his fellow countrymen.
“I intend to step down as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust, nationally competitive process. Last night, I called on the Liberal Party president to initiate that process. This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I have to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best choice in that election,” Trudeau, 53, said at a news conference in Ottawa.
Video Capture (X @JustinTrudeau)
The current Prime Minister of Canada stressed that Parliament has been paralyzed for months and will remain so until March 24, while a new leader of the Liberal Party is elected.
Donald Trump, who will return to the White House on January 20, has said he will sign an executive order imposing a 25 percent tariff on all products entering the U.S. from Canada.
He then added his disdain to the Canadian Prime Minister, referring to him as the “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.”
Making Greenland Great Again
On Monday evening, Donald Trump suggested that Greenland, a Danish territory, could also join the United States.
“Greenland is an amazing place, and its people will benefit greatly if and when it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect and cherish it in the face of a very ruthless outside world. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
This morning, Trump again suggested adopting the North Atlantic island.
“Don Jr. and my Representatives landing in Greenland. The reception has been great. They, and the Free World, need security, strength and PEACE! This is a deal that must happen. MAGA. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!” said the next president of the United States, after Donald Trump Jr announced a trip to that country, clarifying that it was personal and not to meet with the Greenlandic government.
Trump has previously targeted Greenland, writing when announcing his choice for US ambassador to Denmark: “For reasons of national security and freedom around the world, the United States believes ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.”
Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede responded to Trump's comments by saying that Greenland was "not for sale and never will be."
Donald Trump Jr. arriving in Greenland (Truth Social screenshot @realDonaldTrump)
Immigrant students and their families in California schools and colleges face widespread uncertainty about what will happen next, given President-elect Donald Trump's promises of mass deportation.
By Zaidee Stavely. EdSource via Bay City News.
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In the early months of the first Trump administration in 2017, a father in Los Angeles was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after dropping off his 12-year-old daughter at school.
The domino effect was immediate.
“There was an immediate drop in attendance in Los Angeles schools because parents were thinking, ‘Oh, if I drop my kids off, ICE is going to pick me up,’” said Ana Mendoza, senior staff attorney at the ACLU of Southern California and director of the organization’s Education Equity Project. “The need for safety and sanctuary policies became really apparent because students weren’t attending school or families were hesitant about participating in school.”
In the wake of this year's presidential election, there is once again widespread uncertainty among immigrant families in California about what will happen next, given President-elect Donald Trump's promises of mass deportation.
State Attorney General Rob Bonta recently released updated guidelines and model policies on what elementary and secondary schools, colleges, and universities can and cannot do under state and federal law, regarding maintaining the privacy of immigrant students’ and their families’ data, when to allow an immigration officer onto campus, how to respond to the detention or deportation of a student’s family member, and how to respond to harassment or bullying of a student based on his or her immigration status. The original guidelines and policies were released in 2018 by then-Attorney General Xavier Becerra, after California passed Assembly Bill 699, which required schools to pass policies limiting collaboration with immigration authorities. Bonta is now calling on schools to update their policies.
“School districts should look at what their board policies are and make sure they are up to date and take all necessary steps to ensure families feel safe,” Mendoza said.
An estimated 1 in 10 California children, or 1 million, has at least one undocumented parent, and about 133,000 children in California public schools are undocumented, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
At California colleges and universities, an estimated 86,800 students are undocumented and about 6,800 employees at TK-12 schools, colleges and universities have temporary work permits and protection from deportation under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, according to the Higher Education Immigration Portal.
“Undocumented students, faculty, and staff fear for their safety, and this will impact their retention and enrollment in higher education if they don’t feel safe or feel targeted,” said Luz Bertadillo, director of campus engagement for the Presidents’ Alliance for Higher Education and Immigration, a national organization of university leaders. “It’s important for campuses to take a strong stance on what they’re doing to support undocumented students, or at least let their students know that they’re thinking about them and that they’re taking steps. While they can’t guarantee their safety, they’re at least taking those steps to protect them.”
What rights do immigrant students and their families have in school and university, regardless of their immigration status?
The right to attend public school
All children in the United States, regardless of immigration status, have the right to attend public school. In 1982, the Supreme Court ruled in Plyler v. Doe that states cannot deny students a free public education based on their immigration status or the immigration status of their parents or guardians. Some states (including California in 1994 with Proposition 187) and school districts have since attempted to pass laws that would deny enrollment to students who did not have valid immigration status or report their status to law enforcement, but all of these laws have been struck down by the courts.
California schools cannot request or collect information about Social Security numbers, immigration status, or U.S. citizenship when enrolling students. Students and parents do not have to answer questions from schools about their immigration status, citizenship, or whether they have a Social Security number.
“This often comes up in student document requests,” Mendoza said. “I once had a case where a parent presented their passport during registration and the person at the front desk asked for a visa. No. The school does not have the right to ask for documents about citizenship or immigration status.”
Schools may ask for certain information, such as a student's place of birth, when the student first came to the U.S., or attended school in the U.S., to determine whether a student is eligible for special federal or state programs for newly arrived immigrant students or English learners. However, parents are not required to provide this information to schools, and schools cannot use this information to prevent children from enrolling in school. The Attorney General's Office suggests that schools should collect this information separately from student enrollment.
Privacy of school records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits schools from sharing students' personal information in most cases with other agencies or organizations, including federal immigration authorities. The law requires schools to obtain consent from parents or guardians before disclosing any student information to another agency or organization or, if the student is 18 or older, schools must obtain consent from the student.
However, in some cases, schools may be required to provide information without consent in response to a court order or subpoena.
Colleges are also prohibited from sharing information, except in certain cases. Bertadillo said her organization recommends that college leaders talk to all the different departments that might handle information about students’ or families’ immigration status — such as information technology, admissions, registration and financial aid — to review their data storage or sharing practices.
“We hear that some campuses have citizenship status on their transcripts and those transcripts are sent to graduate schools, to jobs, and that’s essentially revealing the identity of the students,” Bertadillo said.
He said it's important for colleges and universities to approve or revise procedures on what to do if immigration officials request data or try to enter a campus.
“Many institutions created them in the Trump 1.0 era. We recommend that they reaffirm or revise them, so that the campus knows that they are current,” Bertadillo said.
Safe haven at school
The Department of Homeland Security has designated schools and universities as protected areas where immigration enforcement should be avoided as much as possible. President-elect Trump has said he may rescind this policy.
In the event that ICE agents enter schools or ask to question students, the attorney general's guidance says school staff should ask the agents for a warrant. Without a warrant, school staff are not required to give an ICE agent permission to enter the school or conduct a search, or to provide information or records about a student or family, the guidance says.
A bill introduced by state Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond would establish a 1-mile “safe zone” around schools and prohibit schools from allowing ICE onto a campus or sharing information without a warrant.
Under California law, schools must notify parents or guardians if they turn a student over to a law enforcement officer, except in cases of suspected child abuse or neglect.
California law does not require schools to notify parents or guardians before law enforcement officers question a child at school, but it also does not prohibit schools from notifying them. The California Attorney General suggests that school districts and charter schools should create policies requiring notification to parents or guardians before a law enforcement officer questions or expels a student, unless that officer has a court or judicial order.
Additionally, the attorney general says that if a police officer or immigration agent attempts to enter a school or speak with a student for immigration enforcement purposes, the superintendent or principal must email the California Department of Justice's Office of Children's Justice.
“Schools should retrain their staff on their visitor management policies, to ensure that everyone who enters campus, including law enforcement, is questioned about what their purpose is, and that school staff are trained on what to do if law enforcement asks to see information about students or staff,” Mendoza said.
School support if a family member is detained or deported
If a student reports that his or her parents or guardians have been detained or deported, California law requires the school to follow the parent’s instructions about who to contact in an emergency. The attorney general’s guidance says that “schools should not contact Child Protective Services unless the school is unable to arrange for the child’s care through the emergency contact information.”
The guidance also suggests that schools should help students and family members contact legal assistance, their consulate, and help them locate detained family members through ICE's detainee locator system.
Mendoza said it's important to note that if a student's parents are detained or deported and as a result have to go live with another family member, they are then eligible to receive homeless student support under the federal McKinney-Vento Act.
Protection against discrimination and harassment
Federal law prohibits discrimination and harassment based on race, national origin, color, sex, age, disability, and religion. California's AB 699 law also made immigration status a protected characteristic, meaning schools must have policies prohibiting discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on immigration status.
Mendoza said it's important for families and students who experience bullying or harassment to know they can file complaints through their schools or with different agencies in California. “There are advocates available to support them if their schools are not acting in accordance with best practices or the law,” Mendoza said.
Free lunch, subsidized child care and special education
In California, all students are entitled to a free school lunch starting in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, some students whose families are considered low-income qualify for subsidized child care, either full-day for infants and preschoolers, or after-school for school-aged children. Students with disabilities are entitled to special education to meet their needs, under federal law.
Immigrant families are often afraid to apply for public benefits because they worry that this will be counted against them when they apply for permanent residency. This is largely due to the “public charge” test, which immigration officials use to determine whether green card applicants are likely to rely on public benefits.
Currently, immigration officials can only consider whether applicants have used cash assistance for income, such as SSI or CalWORKs, or long-term institutional care paid for by public insurance, such as Medi-Cal. They don’t consider school lunch, child care or food stamps. And officials can’t examine whether applicants’ relatives, such as children of U.S. citizens, use public benefits. During the first Trump administration, the president changed this policy to include relatives and some other benefits. It’s unclear whether he will try to change this again in the future. However, even with the changes during his first term, school lunch and child care were not included.
In-state college tuition and scholarships
Under the California Dream Act, undocumented students are eligible for in-state tuition and state financial aid at California colleges and universities if they attended high school for three or more years or earned credits at a community college or adult school and graduated from high school or earned an associate degree or met minimum transfer requirements at a California community college. The number of students applying for the California Dream Act has plummeted in recent years.
Next January 20th, Donald John Trump, the son and grandson of immigrants, born in the Queens neighborhood of New York on June 14, 1946, will assume the office of President of the United States for the second time. He will become the 47th president of the country; his new mandate will extend until January 20, 2029, after a tough presidential campaign as the standard-bearer of the Republican Party.
Trump, previously known for his involvement in beauty pageantry and showbiz, will be the first US president to serve after being convicted of a crime. While the president-elect is unlikely to go to jail, his legal status remains uncertain.
Following his victory in the November 5 election, where, according to the official count, he beat then Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump has once again become a source of controversy, especially in the political and economic spheres. Harris, for her part, has kept a low profile since election night.
The results of the 2024 elections
According to the final data, Trump received 312 Electoral College votes and 77,303,568 popular votes, equivalent to 49.9 percent of the total. In contrast, Harris received 226 Electoral College votes and 75,019,230 popular votes, representing 48.4 percent.
Trump's campaign, as is typical, was marked by attacks and tensions with his main trading partners, such as Mexico and Canada, as well as his criticism of countries such as China, Panama and Greenland.
But the Republican victory immediately raised alarm bells among the growing immigrant community. Millions of people in Latin America and other regions try to enter the country every day, often illegally, in search of the so-called “American dream.”
A divided Latino vote
Paradoxically, compared to the 2016 electoral process, in which Hillary Clinton obtained more popular votes than Trump (although she lost in the Electoral College), in 2024 many Latinos voted for Trump, despite his hate speeches and threats of mass deportations.
This phenomenon, known as the “lifeboat syndrome,” was described by Colombian writer and senator Humberto de la Calle, who wrote on the social network X on November 6:
“Latino vote in the US. I would like to call it the 'lifeboat syndrome'. Once in the boat, there is overcrowding. Those who managed to get on kick out the shipwrecked who are still trying to make it. And Trump, with his fierce immigration policy, represents them. Human nature is not exactly exemplary.”
Writer and literary critic Rafael Narbona also analyzed Latino support for Trump in an article published on November 6, 2024:
“The problem is not just Donald Trump. His voters don’t care that he is racist, xenophobic, misogynist, authoritarian and a convicted criminal. In fact, they voted for him for that reason. (…) Latino immigrants with papers also have no sympathy for their compatriots. The lifeboat is full and could sink if it takes in more people.”
The migration threat
Trump has promised to deport more than a million undocumented immigrants. Currently, there are an estimated 11 million people without legal status in the United States, putting thousands of families at risk of being separated.
The president-elect confirmed that Thomas Homan, former New York City police chief and former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will lead immigration policies as “border czar.” Homan will be responsible for overseeing deportations.
Faced with this threat, Mexico, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced measures to protect Mexican citizens in the United States, including a mobile application with a panic button that will connect users with consulates and embassies.
In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has implemented 11 actions to support the Mexican community, including: the dissemination of the Information Center for Assistance to Mexicans (CIAM), a 24-hour emergency line, mobile consulates and financial advice.
Final thoughts
Although the alliance that some hoped for between Kamala Harris and Claudia Sheinbaum did not materialize in the vote, the path continues. In the next four years, the free press and non-governmental organizations will have a crucial role in documenting abuses and defending the human rights of immigrants, the LGBTQI+ community and other vulnerable groups.
The challenges are immense, but the Latino community has proven to be resilient and hard-working.
As former Mexican President Vicente Fox said: “Mexicans do the work that no one else wants to do.”
In times of adversity, unity will be key: “Latinos united will never be defeated.”
Hostile takeover, disinformation and massive socio-digital siege: these are the tactics that Elon Musk is employing to take over democracy in the United States and Europe. For the time being, it is foreseeable that he will also seek to intervene in the rest of America and other continents. And he has made it very clear that he is determined to acquire politicians and parties to bring the extreme right to power.
Not just any extreme right: those who submit to their will.
The neo-Nazis of Alternative for Germany and other candidates for his financial support would do well to look at how he trims the beards of their neighbours and ask themselves whether they really want to put their own beards on the line. With public and direct threats, Musk has put the Republicans in check in order to derail negotiations on the federal budget. And in the United Kingdom, over the promise of millions in donations to the ultra-party Reform UK, he is demanding that the party change its leader.
Hostile takeover, disinformation and massive socio-digital siege: these are the tactics that Elon Musk is employing to take over democracy in the United States and Europe. Illustration: Joab Jimenez, special for P360
Although both are hungry for attention, there are fundamental differences:
Donald Trump's return to the White House is a tragedy for his country and the world. But his 78 years, his obesity and the constitutional mandate impose a time limit on his influence, his wealth is "barely" 5.5 billion dollars and he has a habit of seeking to have others pay for his projects; he does not like to open the checkbook.
Elon Musk is only 53 years old, has a fortune 77 times greater than Trump's ($425 billion), the sociodigital network X and the more than proven intention to invest huge sums of their own money to poison democratic systems and take them over.
Buying “America”
Elon Musk made an investment in Trump's election campaign that is unparalleled in the history of the world: $277 million, his 210 million followers on X/Twitter and the darkness of his social-digital network to amplify the speeches in favor of his candidate.
Although it has not been statistically proven, it is possible that Trump owes his victory to his ally, who focused his resources on the seven swing states that define the contest: at least in the three northern states, which would have reversed the result if Kamala Harris had won them, Trump's advantage was so small that it can be argued that the Musk factor was the key: Wisconsin (0.9%), Michigan (1.4%) and Pennsylvania (1.7%). In Georgia, it was 2.2%.
He immediately turned his input into direct and indirect political influence: He got the president-elect to create a custom-made toy for him to intervene in his administration (whimsically called the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, after his favorite cryptocurrency); to allow him to have a hand in foreign policy, involving him in dealings with foreign leaders; and, most significantly, to validate him, rather than restrain or reprimand him for launching an assault on an already-closed federal budget deal necessary for both the outgoing and incoming presidents, by trying to save face by declaring that he acted with his approval.
Even more shocking is that no one stood up to him when he used X to provoke mass harassment of Republican lawmakers who refused to submit to his demands, and above all, when he threatened to cause them to lose their seats next year by financing their rivals in the party's primary elections.
Has Trumpism become Trumpomuskism?
Not many believe it. Democrats have taken pleasure in poking at Trump’s most vulnerable spot – his ego – by talking about a “President Musk” and bets are being exchanged on how long it will take the new president to limit, confine or weaken his powerful ally, and whether he will succeed (“When Elon tweets something and then Trump tweets something, Republicans don’t know which one of them is their daddy,” Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez mocked in a video).
But no one imagines Musk will stay put. In the Republicans' calculations, for the present and the future, his inevitable and risky interaction with Muskism already occupies a central place.
For Democrats, too.
Take over Europe
As it should be for the Western Hemisphere, at least.
At the heart of the European Union, Musk has gone straight to trying to unbalance the political game board on the eve of the February elections, first with a tweet in which he stated that “only AfD (Alternative for Germany) can save Germany”, and then with a full article in its support, which he had published in none other than the daily Die Welt and its Sunday edition Welt am Sonntag, owned by the powerful media group Axel Springer.
He also called Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “incompetent fool” (labeling him “Olaf Schitz,” playing on the word “shit”) and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier an “undemocratic tyrant.”
That country is central to the EU. And if Musk's desire to impact the 27-nation community was not already clear, he had already made it manifest when he called its executive body - the European Commission - "undemocratic" and openly demanded reform of the balance of power between the institutions of the community's political system.
On the other side of the English Channel, he has been equally active: on the one hand, demanding that King Charles III dissolve parliament and call elections, along with
with the resignation of Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, mixing it up with an old case that he describes as “the worst mass murder in British history”. It is a lie but Musk has amply demonstrated his fondness for fake news, as well as his hatred of prestigious media: he is also calling for the BBC to be defunded.
And until a few days ago, he was a supporter of Nigel Farage, founder of the ultra-nationalist party Reform UK, to the point of promising him a hundred million dollars. But when Musk demanded the release of Tommy Robinson, an extremist agitator so poisonous that not even Farage could validate his demand, the owner of X used the network to disqualify him and demand that he be replaced.
Alarm bells are ringing in Europe (which is also facing Russian interference in its electoral processes in various areas).
So close to Musk and the United States
In the south and north of the United States, Musk has not yet made any systematic interventions. But he does not hide his desire.
The most scandalous thing was, without a doubt, when in July 2020, in reference to Bolivia, he proclaimed that “We are going to carry out coups against whoever we want. Accept it!”
And the most consequential was his attempt to subjugate the Brazilian judiciary so that his companies would not pay taxes, which was successfully confronted and stopped by President Lula.
In addition to being upset by comments unfavorable to Trump by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he called him “insufferable,” predicted that “he will not be in power much longer,” and then praised Pierre Poilievre, a populist agitator who leads the Conservative Party of Canada.
But through Trumpism, Musk is in contact with the operations of the American and European far right to promote political figures and parties of that line in Latin America, particularly through the CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) meetings and the Atlas Network organization (in public alliance with the Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego, who is in financial trouble but owns the three Televisión Azteca networks and many subsidiaries in other countries).
Trump, just a warning
By inheritance or hostile takeover - as he likes - Trumpism is susceptible to becoming Muskism. Or more likely, to becoming one more piece of global Muskism.
The vulnerability that Trump himself feels towards his ally was jokingly revealed on December 22, when, despite speaking before an audience of young far-right supporters totally devoted to him, he was unable to argue his personal authority to rule out Musk replacing him, but instead took refuge in an accidental situation: “No, he is not going to be president, I can assure you of that. And I am safe. Do you know why he can’t be? He was not born in this country” (but in South Africa).
In memes on social media, they replicated Tywyn Lannister's phrase in the series "Game of Thrones": "Any man who has to say 'I am the king' is in no way a true king."
Would Musk want to be president? Only he knows, but I highly doubt it. Why would he agree to lock himself into a job that demands so much time and attention, with a scope that he will find limited and exposed to accountability, when he can impose and manage behind the scenes not only future presidents and legislators of the United States, but of several other countries, while continuing to conquer the automotive industry, the skies of the planet and outer space?
Musk is a monster of capitalism that was bound to emerge sooner or later, representing the worst of this system in terms of exploitation of people and the environment, arrogance and excessive ambition. Add to this a degree of madness. And a fortune never seen before.
And Muskism affected us: Trump was only the warning.
