Category: ESTA News

As the Trump administration ordered an expansion of arrests targeting undocumented immigrants subject to deportation, it has been revealed that the Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is arresting and detaining an average of 2,000 people per day. Furthermore, unlike in the past when major cities were targeted, unannounced “covert raids” have recently been centered on small and medium-sized cities and suburban areas where immigrants congregate, intensifying the fear of deportation within immigrant communities.

According to a report by the New York Times (NYT) on the 2nd, ICE leadership recently issued an internal directive to concentrate all enforcement agents’ capabilities on arresting deportees. This pressure immediately translated into actual enforcement figures, with over 10,000 people detained in the past five days. The daily average number of arrests has more than doubled from approximately 1,000 at the beginning of this year.

Citing sources, the newspaper reported that ICE officials were asked by the White House to expand enforcement and were notified of a new standard of “2,000 arrests per day.”

Consequently, senior ICE officials are reportedly ordering as many agents as possible to work seven days a week and deploying 80% of their total force to arrest operations. Of particular note is the change in the nature of the crackdowns.

Unlike the flashy operations centered on major cities that garnered massive attention in the past, recent raids are being conducted surprise bypasses in relatively smaller cities and suburban areas. Immigrant advocacy groups have pointed out that this method of enforcement, which reduces external visibility, is actually fueling fear within the immigrant community.

An official from an immigrant rights group in the New York area stated, “While ICE raids in densely populated New York City draw public attention and enable coordinated responses, enforcement operations in suburban immigrant communities that fall out of the public eye are actually difficult to respond to individually.”

The official added, “Enforcement methods that exploit blind spots to infiltrate daily life can be even more frightening for immigrant communities.” Palisades Park, New Jersey, where surprise raids on immigrants have been occurring daily recently, is cited as a typical example of this shift in enforcement methods. In Palisades Park, raid operations resumed last month have not ceased, with arrests targeting Hispanic immigrants taking place along Broad Avenue over three days this week.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset management firm, has downgraded its investment rating for emerging market (EM) stocks, including South Korea, by one notch due to artificial intelligence (AI) risks.

In its global investment outlook report for the second half of 2026, published on the 30th of last month, BlackRock Investment Research announced that it was lowering its investment rating for emerging market stocks from “overweight” to “neutral” for the next six to twelve months. As the reason, it pointed to the risks associated with markets like South Korea and Taiwan, where AI-related companies account for a large proportion.

The report stated, “When multiple markets are connected to the same supply chain, geographical diversification does not reduce concentration risk,” adding, “Due to this concentration risk, we have downgraded our investment rating for emerging market equities in general.”

The firm viewed the structure of these countries’ stock markets—led by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix in Korea, and TSMC in Taiwan—as being concentrated on a small number of large-cap AI-related stocks, as potentially amplifying risk. However, BlackRock maintained an “overweight” rating for the U.S. stock market, which has a high proportion of technology companies.

The report assessed, “We are seeking broad AI investment opportunities through U.S. tech stocks, and accordingly, we maintain an overweight rating on U.S. stocks,” noting, “While it is unclear which companies will ultimately emerge as winners, it is highly likely that many of them will be located in the United States.” Regarding long-term U.S. Treasuries, the firm maintained an “underweight” rating.

It viewed the role of U.S. Treasuries as a haven asset as inflation has been triggered by massive investments in AI infrastructure. Subsequently, the investment rating for short- and medium-term Eurozone government bonds was upgraded from neutral to overweight.

At the same time, it was analyzed that investors are overestimating the duration of monetary policy tightening. Jean Boisbin, Director of BlackRock Investment Research, stated in an interview with Bloomberg, “Due to the disruptive changes brought about by AI, polarization among companies in the corporate bond market will intensify; consequently, ‘selective investment’ that identifies high-quality firms will be necessary to generate excess returns above the market average.”

The amount of Child Tax Credit in New Jersey will be increased by 25% from the current level. The

$60.7 billion state budget bill for fiscal year 2026–2027, scheduled to be processed by the New Jersey Legislature on the 30th, has finalized the inclusion of a provision to increase the state income tax credit under the Child Tax Credit program by 25% over the next three years. This marks the first expansion of the Child Tax Credit in New Jersey in three years, since 2023.

Under this budget bill, the tax credits per child based on annual household income are as follows

: $1,250 per child for households with an annual income of less than $30,000

; $1,000 per child for households with an annual income of $30,000–

$40,000; $750 per child for households with an

annual income of $40,000–$50,000; $500 per child for households with an annual income of $50,000–$60,000

; and $250 per child for households with an annual income of $60,000–$80,000. This increase was finalized as New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill and the Democratic leadership of the state Senate and Assembly recently reached a tentative agreement on a new budget of $60.7 billion. In addition to expanding the Child Tax Credit, the new budget bill includes a provision to lower the eligibility threshold for the “Stay New Jersey” property tax relief program for those aged 65 and older from the current annual income of $500,000 or less to $200,000 or less. Furthermore, it includes a plan to impose a fee of $325 to $725 per employee on companies with 50 or more employees enrolled in Medicaid, a measure that faced significant opposition from the business community. The

Democratic Party in the state legislature officially introduced the new budget bill on the afternoon of the 28th, and after it was approved by both the State Senate and Assembly Budget Committees late that afternoon, it is now set for a vote in the plenary session on the 30th. Governor Sherrill plans to sign the bill immediately once it is finally approved by the legislature.

However, the Republican Party in the state legislature strongly criticized the process, stating that “hasty handling is taking place, such as submitting the massive state budget bill directly to a subcommittee and passing it without sufficient time to properly review it.”

In the Democratic primary for Washington, D.C. mayor held on the 16th, the victory of progressive City Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George, known as “Washington’s Mam Dani,” is considered highly likely.

Additionally, City Councilman Robert White secured his place in the general election after winning a landslide victory in the primary for the D.C. Delegate to Congress.

According to the vote count results announced by the D.C. Board of Elections on the 17th, with approximately 100,000 votes—66% of the total—counted, Lewis George led former City Councilwoman Kenyan McDuffie significantly with over 52% of the vote. McDuffie’s vote share was approximately 37%, while all other candidates remained below 3%. This mayoral election garnered even more attention as Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has led the city for 12 years, decided not to seek a fourth term.

Lewis George, the current Ward 4 council member, put forward easing the cost of living and resolving housing issues as his core campaign pledges. He appealed for voter support by proposing the expansion of Universal Childcare and a plan to supply 72,000 new housing units. As these pledges are seen as similar to the policy stance of Zohran Mamdani, a progressive politician who has recently been gaining attention in New York politics, some are calling Council Member Lewis George “Washington’s Mamdani.”

Candidate Lewis George (38), a graduate of Howard University Law School, is a politician advocating Democratic Socialism and enjoys strong support from labor unions and progressive groups. Following the announcement of the vote count, Council Member George effectively declared victory to his supporters, stating, “This is a victory for those who have not given up hope for a government that works for all citizens.”

On the other hand, Candidate McDuffie, who has served on the council for over 13 years, made strengthening public safety the key agenda of his campaign. Candidate McDuffie is emphasizing economic revitalization and strengthening public safety through a centrist, pragmatic approach. He advocated expanding the nighttime curfew and increasing police personnel and budget, but he failed to narrow the gap in his competition with candidate Louis George. Meanwhile, in the primary for the House of Representatives leadership in D.C., City Councilman Robert White defeated incumbent Brooke Pinto by a large margin.

White recorded approximately 63% of the vote, while Pinto garnered only 21.5%. White stated that he received a phone call from Pinto conceding defeat while the vote count was underway. With this election, White has emerged as the Democratic candidate to succeed Councilman Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has held the position for over 30 years. In the primary for D.C. Attorney General, incumbent Brian Schwalb secured the Democratic nomination by defeating his competitor, J.P. Szymkowicz, by a large margin.

With approximately 75% of registered voters in Washington, D.C., being Democrats, the winner of the Democratic primary is projected to effectively win the general election this coming November. The announcement of the results was delayed compared to previous years due to vote counting slowed down by the Ranked Choice Voting system, introduced for the first time in D.C., and a surge of voters just before the polls closed.

The Federal Reserve (Fed) kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.50–3.75% at its first Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting held on the 17th under the leadership of new Chair Kevin Warsh.

The Fed announced that it unanimously decided to maintain the rate at this level during the regular FOMC meeting that concluded on the day. This marks the fourth consecutive time the benchmark rate has frozen.

After cutting the rate by 0.25 percentage points three consecutive times in September, October, and December of last year, the Fed has kept rates frozen in January, March, and April of this year.

In a statement, the Fed said, “Inflation remains high relative to the Committee’s 2% target, partly reflecting supply shocks caused by price increases in certain sectors such as energy,” adding that “the Committee will achieve price stability.”

Of the 18 people who submitted year-end benchmark interest rate forecasts, nine predicted a rate hike. This is interpreted as suggesting the possibility of one rate hike within the year. One person did not submit a forecast. It appears to be Chair Wash, who is reluctant to provide a forecast.

The growth rate of the U.S. economy (real gross domestic product) this year was projected at 2.2%. This is 0.2 percentage points lower than last March.

A light aircraft crash in Missouri killed everyone on board, including the pilot and skydivers. CNN and Fox News reported on the morning of the 14th that a Pacific Aerospace P750 crashed onto a nearby highway while returning from Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri after takeoff.

The accident resulted in the deaths of one pilot and 11 skydivers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Missouri Highway Police are searching the surrounding area for any skydivers who may have jumped from the plane before the crash.

While the cause of the accident has not been determined, it is reported that the aircraft ascended to 13,400 feet after takeoff and began a rapid descent just two minutes later. A skydiving-related crash also occurred at this airport in 2024.

At that time, no casualties occurred as emergency ejections were successfully carried out.

Anxiety among residents in Palisades Park, New Jersey, is mounting as surprise immigration raids continued for two consecutive days. According to videos posted online by Hispanic residents, federal agents conducted a surprise raid near the intersection of Broad Avenue and Columbia Avenue in Palisades Park around 9 a.m. on the 11th, arresting and detaining Hispanic residents. The exact number of people arrested during the raid on that day has not been confirmed.

This marks a repetition of immigration operations in Palisades Park, following a raid by federal agents in the Broad Avenue area on the previous day, the 10th, which resulted in the detention of approximately 20 people. The local community and business district in Palisades Park suffered a major blow and contracted due to continuous immigration crackdowns occurring daily between January and February.

Now, the Korean community and business district are in significant turmoil as street arrest operations have resumed for the first time in several months. Just as on the previous day, federal authorities conducted comprehensive street immigration crackdowns not only in Palisades Park but also in nearby Fairview.

This follows the exact same pattern as the immigration enforcement that lasted for nearly a month in the area earlier this year, raising deep concerns that street raids and arrests in Palisades Park and surrounding areas may continue for the foreseeable future.

As the deadline for processing the New Jersey state government’s new budget approaches at the end of this month, Governor Mikey Sherrill’s proposed reduction of “Stay New Jersey,” a property tax relief program for seniors, is emerging as the biggest point of contention. On the 3rd, State Assembly Speaker Greg Coughlin, a key figure holding the key to the budget’s passage, clearly stated his public opposition to Governor Sherrill’s plan to reduce Stay New Jersey.

Launched for the first time this year, Stay New Jersey is designed to provide property tax relief of up to $6,500 to homeowners aged 65 and older residing in New Jersey. However, facing the state budget deficit, Governor Cheryl proposed a scaled-down plan last March while drafting the new state budget.

This plan drastically lowered the income threshold for eligibility from the current “annual income of $500,000 or less” to “$250,000 or less,” and reduced the maximum refund to $4,000. Although the budget bill must pass the state legislature by the end of June, when the state fiscal year concludes, negotiations between the governor and the legislature are expected to face difficulties due to Chair Coughlin’s strong opposition.

Chair Coughlin, who spearheaded the introduction of the Stay New Jersey program in 2023, emphasized, “Given the severe property tax burden faced by homeowners aged 65 and older, lowering the maximum refund to $4,000 is insufficient,” adding that “this is a critical issue directly related to the lives of residents.” The Governor’s office has not issued an official comment regarding Chair Coughlin’s opposition.

However, the State Treasury Department maintains its stance in data previously submitted to the state legislature, stating that “to keep the maximum refund at the current $6,500 without burdening the state budget, the income ceiling for beneficiaries would actually have to be lowered further to $125,000,” arguing that maintaining the Stay New Jersey program as is would inevitably lead to significant cuts in other sectors of the state budget. Meanwhile, according to state government data, an average of $1,263 was paid to 467,676 residents through the Stay New Jersey program during the first half of this year.

The Stay New Jersey program distributes refunds to eligible beneficiaries on a quarterly basis.

Water rates in New Jersey are expected to rise again.

According to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) on the 4th, New Jersey American Water, the state’s largest water supplier, recently submitted a proposal for a 12% rate hike, which is currently under review. If the proposal passes the BPU’s approval, it is estimated that the average monthly water bill for households will rise to $94 starting this September, an increase of approximately $10 from the current rate.

New Jersey American Water supplies water to about 2.9 million people across approximately 190 towns in 18 counties within the state, including Passaic, Morris, Union, Somerset, Hudson, Warren, Monmouth, Ocean, Camden, Mercer, Middlesex, Atlantic, Bursington, Morris, and Cape May. American Water of New Jersey is pursuing a water rate hike for the first time in two years, following a previous increase of $5.33 in the average monthly rate for September 2024.

The company explained the rationale behind the proposed increase, stating that “an investment of approximately $1.4 billion is unavoidable to carry out improvement projects for aging water and sewage pipelines and facilities.” However, concerns and criticism from residents are mounting amidst news of successive public utility rate hikes.

Some point out that “an additional rise in water rates amidst inflation will place significant economic pressure on New Jersey households.” Indeed, American Water recorded over 18,000 instances of suspending water supply to residential customers due to non-payment last year alone, raising concerns that the rate hike will disproportionately impact low-income households.

The cancer cells have spread to the bones. Biden’s wife says he will have to live with cancer for the rest of his life.

Former First Lady Jill Biden has published a new memoir, in which she speaks publicly for the first time about her withdrawal from the presidential race and her health. (Reuters) Former US First Lady Jill Biden recently promoted her new memoir, “View from the East Wing,” revealing for the first time the struggles she faced when she withdrew from the race, as well as her advanced age and her current struggle with cancer.

In an interview with NBC, Jill Biden recalled that during the televised debate between Biden and Donald Trump on June 27, 2024 , she was as shocked and frightened as all the viewers. “I was watching the debate and I was terrified. I kept thinking, ‘What’s going on?” she said.

After the debate, Biden went down to the stage and confessed to her, “Jill, did I mess up?” She replied directly, “Yes, you definitely messed up.” However, at a supporters’ event after the debate that evening, Jill publicly praised her husband’s performance, saying, “Joe, you did a great job. You answered every question and had all the facts.” This statement drew criticism at the time.

In response, Jill explained that her thinking at the time was very simple. “I am his wife, and I have to encourage him.” She stated that she couldn’t stand on stage criticizing her husband in front of his supporters. She emphasized that regardless of how others interpret it, she must support her husband. “This is how we are; I have to stand by his side.”

When discussing her husband’s age, Jill admitted that Biden has indeed aged during his presidency. “He’s getting older, we can all see it. He forgets some words, but we’re all getting older.” However, she said that doctors have consistently assured the family that Biden is in good health, and she has personally witnessed her husband working late into the night every day. “Yes, I noticed he was a little slower; he would occasionally stutter when he was tired at night. But he was still fulfilling his duties and doing them very well.”

In addition, Jill also discussed the news that Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2025. Biden’s office revealed at the time that he had an aggressive prostate cancer that had spread to his bones and began radiation therapy last fall. Jill stated that her husband’s condition is currently manageable, but his illness is different from typical prostate cancer. “If it were just prostate cancer, there would be a chance of a cure; but since the cancer cells have metastasized to the bones, the situation is completely different.” She admitted that Biden will likely have to live with cancer for a long time, “I think Joe will live with cancer for the rest of his life.”