This immigrant served in the US military. Now he faces deportation
On Thursday morning, a small group of advocates gathered outside the United States federal courthouse in San Diego, California. One of them pointed to a poster of a young man in a US Navy uniform, three golden medals pinned to his chest. “This is my brother, Benito Miranda Hernandez, US Navy veteran,” said James Smith, the founder of Black Deported Veterans of America. Smith and the other advocates had organised the demonstration on behalf of Hernandez, who was miles away at that moment, stuck in an immigration detention facility. Brought from Mexico to the US as a baby, Hernandez had completed three tours of duty with the US military during the Iraq war. His military service was meant to be his path to citizenship. But now, Hernandez is among the immigrant veterans fighting deportation under US President Donald Trump. “These men and women were promised that they were going to get their citizenship if they served,” Smith said. “Help this brother come home.” Trump has pledged to prioritise immigrants with criminal records in his push for mass deportation. But advocates for US military members argue that veterans are particularly vulnerable, given their over-representation in prisons and jails. The majority have reported suffering from mental health problems after their service. Hernandez, for instance, said he struggled to reintegrate into civilian life after leaving the military. But on June 14, he had finally completed his years-long sentence for a drug conviction. As he waited for his mother, Maria Miranda, to pick him up, agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him. Only afterwards did Miranda and her other son arrive. They spent hours that day looking for him, not knowing where he had gone. “He was doing things right,” Miranda told Al Jazeera in Spanish. “He had so many hopes, so many dreams.” Benito Miranda Hernandez stands outside the reentry programme where he recently worked, before he was detained by immigration officials in June [Anna Oakes/Al Jazeera] Hernandez has since been transferred to the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego. He faces deportation, despite having received his green card for permanent residency earlier this year. He previously spoke to Al Jazeera about his experiences for an article published in April. Hernandez’s detention is part of a trend under the Trump administration. While the exact number of deported veterans is impossible to pin down – ICE has long failed to collect the veteran status of the people it detains, as is required – several advocates told Al Jazeera that they have been witnessing a rise in the deportations of US veterans during Trump’s second term. The New York Times reported in March that at least 34 veterans have been placed in deportation proceedings in the last year. Some cases have received media attention. But advocates say other immigrant veterans have avoided the spotlight, fearing it may have a negative impact on their immigration cases. “As the ICE raids continue and revamp across the country, there’s going to be people that are veterans that have not become US citizens that unfortunately will end up falling through the cracks,” said Robert Vivar, cofounder of the Tijuana-based Unified US Deported Veterans Resource Center. Veterans, like other immigrants across the country, have been detained while pursuing the mandatory steps in their immigration process, according to Danitza James, the president of Repatriate our Patriots, an advocacy group. They are often flagged for having outstanding warrants or criminal convictions that have not been vacated. James said she is in contact with about six veterans who had been detained by ICE in 2026 alone. “Our government, they don’t place any value in the service that our immigrants have,” James, who is herself a veteran and naturalised citizen, told Al Jazeera. “They honestly see us as disposable.” Danitza James, a former US military member, has led a push to repatriate deported veterans [Alejandro Cossio/Al Jazeera] For decades, the US military has recruited immigrants to enlist in its wars abroad to help address staffing shortages. Recruiters often tell immigrant enlisters that military service offers a shortcut to naturalised citizenship. In theory, it should. But while deployed, many immigrant soldiers, like Hernandez, have reported delays in the naturalisation process. By the time Hernandez was called for his citizenship interview in 2006, two years had passed since he finished his last deployment. He had a criminal conviction by that point – and his citizenship case was denied. The failure to protect immigrant veterans is representative of the government’s larger failures to reckon with its military policies, according to advocates like Smith. “The United States government is failing to take accountability for what they’ve created,” Smith told Al Jazeera. “You bring us in and strip us of part of our humanity so that we can kill without repercussions.” “Then, when you get out, there is no process that gets you ready to be in the civilian world.” Several bills to protect immigrant veterans are currently under consideration in Congress. But recruiters continue to target immigrant communities with the promise of expedited citizenship. The next steps for Hernandez are not yet clear. At Thursday’s rally, a lawyer with a local immigration nonprofit told Smith and other advocates that the group may be interested in helping with Hernandez’s case. In the meantime, Hernandez’s mother has been trying to keep his spirits up. Miranda takes his calls from the ICE detention centre and sees him during the facility’s visiting hours on Saturdays. But the two-hour drive from Anaheim to San Diego is difficult for her health. “On Saturday, when I saw him, he was very, very depressed,” Miranda told Al Jazeera. “He said, ‘I don’t want to cause you any more problems. I don’t want to upset you any more, Mom. I’m doing things right. I’m praying for myself,’” Miranda recalled, in tears. “They clipped the wings of a bird, and all the hopes he had. They threw them in the trash.” Adblock test (Why?)
Severe weather disrupts US’s 250th celebrations
Trump says he will still speak in Washington, DC, after a thunderstorm delayed celebrations in the US capital. Severe weather has disrupted celebrations of the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence, including in Washington, DC, where a thunderstorm delayed a speech from President Donald Trump. Thousands of people gathered in the US capital for the July 4th celebration on Saturday, but were then evacuated from the National Mall as the storm closed in. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list But the group organising the event, Freedom 250, said they would be readmitted, and Trump would speak at 11pm local time (03:00 GMT), one hour later than previously scheduled. “I will be there no matter what,” Trump posted on social media. “It’s Saturday night, LETS HAVE SOME FUN, even if we are out late tonight.” In New York City, authorities put on a large fireworks display to mark July 4th celebrations, bringing the 30-minute show forward because of the threat of storms. The rain and lightning stayed away, allowing thousands of people to enjoy the spectacle. Elsewhere, severe weather prompted the cancellation of celebrations in Hartford, Connecticut, along with Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Spectators at Boston’s fireworks and concert were told to briefly seek shelter before events later resumed. An evacuation was also ordered in Philadelphia. Pittsburgh moved forward with fireworks but shifted the time to accommodate the shifting weather. Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks explode as the US celebrates its 250th anniversary on Independence Day, in New York City, US, July 4, 2026 [Carlos Barria/Reuters] In Washington, DC, crowds were building at the National Mall several hours before the evacuation. Visitors contended with stepped-up security and temperatures that reached 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit) to get into the event. Advertisement The record-breaking heat wave forced the cancellation of several parades and other events in the area. “It’s just part of the deal I signed up for,” said Glen Solander, 60, a software engineer visiting from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as he waited at a security checkpoint on Saturday afternoon. Other visitors included the white nationalist organisation Patriot Front. The group posted on social media that it had arrived in the capital, and hundreds of people wearing the group’s outfits travelled to the city on Metro trains serving the District of Columbia region. Local police said they had not received any reports of violence. Past presidents have generally avoided in-person appearances at July 4 celebrations, but Trump has blurred the line between official commemoration and campaign-style politics. The Trump administration’s Freedom 250 group has largely sidelined a nonpartisan body set up in 2016 to handle the 250th anniversary and has fenced off much of the 2.4-kilometre (1.5-mile) National Mall for a “Great American State Fair” featuring attractions such as a Ferris wheel alongside displays by conservative groups and defence contractors. Freedom 250 says the fair aims to showcase the people and innovations that make the US “the greatest nation on Earth”. Several Democratic-led states declined to send delegations, and many performers scheduled to appear dropped out, citing concerns about partisanship. Trump opened the event with a rally on June 24. Other activities with Freedom 250 branding include a faith rally featuring mostly conservative Christian speakers, and multiple sports events, including a card of mixed martial arts bouts on the White House grounds for Trump’s 80th birthday on June 14. An IndyCar race in Washington is scheduled for August. The Freedom 250 organisation also sponsored “Freedom Trucks” that critics say paint an overly religious version of American history and gloss over issues such as slavery and racial injustice. Trump has sought to remake wide swaths of the capital city ahead of the 250th celebration, with mixed results. Many fountains and statues have been renovated, but problems have beset a much-touted $15m renovation of the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool. Security cameras and soldiers now stand watch over its peeling paint and algae-fouled waters. Adblock test (Why?)
Fireworks light up New York City to mark 250 years of US independence
NewsFeed Fireworks lit up the New York City skyline as America marked its 250th anniversary, with an expanded Macy’s 4th of July display dazzling crowds in a vibrant celebration of the nation’s milestone birthday. Published On 5 Jul 20265 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Jammu and Kashmir: Encounter erupts between security forces, terrorists in Shopian
The operation began earlier in the day based on specific inputs about suspicious movement. As the searches continued, terrorists fired at security personnel, leading to the gunfight.
Ram Mandir donation theft case: Ayodhya Police get permission to interrogate five accused in jail
The accused — Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Ram Shankar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, and Manish Yadav — will be interrogated within the jail premises from this Sunday, and their statements will be formally recorded, the report said.
Trump set to deliver ‘historic’ speech celebrating America’s 250th anniversary
President Donald Trump vowed Saturday to deliver what the White House is calling a “historic” speech celebrating America’s 250th anniversary despite severe thunderstorms sweeping through Washington. Trump was originally expected to take the stage at 10 p.m. at the conclusion of the Salute to America celebration on the National Mall, though timing of events may fluctuate due to adverse weather, per a senior White House official. Following the delay, a spokesperson for Freedom 250, the event organizer, said Trump was expected to take the stage around 11 p.m., followed by a fireworks display. “I’m going through bad weather. No matter what happens, I am delivering this speech,” Trump said during a phone call with Fox News’ Bret Baier. Trump’s comments came after Baier interviewed World War II veterans who had taken shelter after the event was temporarily postponed because of severe weather. THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM BICENTENNIAL HISTORY IS TO PARTY LIKE IT’S 1976 “It’s America 250. If they can storm the beaches on D-Day, I can deliver a speech and we can keep this program going,” Trump told Baier. Trump added in a post on Truth Social, “It’s Saturday night, LETS HAVE SOME FUN, even if we are out late tonight.” The president’s address is expected to look back on America’s history since its founding 250 years ago, a senior White House official told Fox News. Trump will deliver a “unique” speech featuring the stories of American heroes. “It will be a unique speech unlike any other he’s given before,” the official added. Earlier Saturday, Trump celebrated what he described as a “stronger than ever” America in a Truth Social post, praising the “incredible” crowds gathered in Washington despite the heat and storms. FOURTH OF JULY APP GUIDES SPECTATORS THROUGH NINE-HOUR AIR SHOW FROM NASA JETS TO B-1 BOMBERS The president also highlighted the air shows over the nation’s capital, saying the pilots and aircraft were “at a level never seen before.” Trump also addressed recent vandalism at the Reflecting Pool, calling those responsible “Vandal Thugs” and promising the pool would be drained and repaired after the holiday weekend. The president’s remarks come one day after he delivered a patriotic speech at Mount Rushmore, where he called the United States the “most exceptional nation ever to exist” and warned that communism posed the nation’s greatest threat. TRUMP HAILS AMERICA AS ‘MOST EXCEPTIONAL NATION EVER TO EXIST’ IN MOUNT RUSHMORE SPEECH “Communism is the exact opposite of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — it is death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil. A severe thunderstorm swept through Washington on Saturday evening, prompting emergency officials to urge people on the National Mall to seek shelter. Freedom 250 said it would provide updates on the evening’s schedule as weather conditions developed.
Paul Pelosi, 86, faces a hit-and-run charge after striking a parked car in Napa County: sheriff’s office
Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is facing a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge after authorities say he struck a parked vehicle in Napa County, California, on Friday, and drove away before his own car became disabled. The Napa County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened Friday afternoon in Yountville, just over an hour north of San Francisco. A witness reported seeing a brown convertible hit an unoccupied parked vehicle before continuing north. Deputies later found the damaged convertible partially blocking a nearby roadway and identified the driver as Paul Pelosi, 86. During the investigation, Pelosi allegedly told deputies he knew he had hit something but did not know what it was, according to the sheriff’s office. He continued driving until his vehicle became disabled, investigators said. PAUL PELOSI HAMMER ATTACKER GETS LIFE SENTENCE ON STATE CHARGES, ON TOP OF 30 YEARS AFTER FEDERAL TRIAL Authorities said alcohol was not a factor in the crash. “The investigation also determined that no alcohol (.00 on Preliminary Alcohol Screening Device) was detected upon testing, therefore Driving Under the Influence was ruled out,” the sheriff’s office said. Investigators said Pelosi was responsible for the collision. He was not arrested at the scene, and the sheriff’s office said that is common for this type of misdemeanor offense. Instead, deputies will refer the case to the Napa County District Attorney’s Office for review and possible prosecution. The sheriff’s office also said it will submit a driver re-evaluation referral to the California DMV, a common practice for elderly drivers. PAUL PELOSI HAMMER ATTACKER DAVID DEPAPE RECEIVES MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 30 YEARS IN PRISON “Mr. Paul Pelosi has personally apologized to the owner of the vehicle and assured them that he would take responsibility for the damage to their vehicle,” a spokesperson for the Pelosi family said in a statement to The California Post. “Speaker Pelosi will not be commenting further on this private matter.” Fox News Digital also reached out to the Pelosi family for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The incident comes more than two years after Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken driving causing injury stemming from a May 2022 crash in Napa County. He was sentenced to three years of probation, five days in jail — most of which was satisfied through custody credits and a work program — a three-month DUI education program, installation of an ignition interlock device for one year, and fines and restitution to the injured driver. Unlike the 2022 case, investigators said DUI was ruled out in Friday’s crash. Pelosi has remained in the public eye since the October 2022 hammer attack inside the San Francisco home he shares with the former House speaker. David DePape, who broke into the Pelosi residence seeking Nancy Pelosi before attacking Paul Pelosi with a hammer, was sentenced in October 2024 to life in prison on state charges after previously receiving a 30-year federal prison sentence. The attack left Paul Pelosi with a skull fracture and other serious injuries. Rep. Nancy Pelosi has represented the state’s 11th congressional district in San Francisco for decades.
Canada vs Morocco LIVE: FIFA World Cup 2026 last 16
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Live coverage and text updates as cohosts Canada play Morocco in the round of 16 knockout stage.
Russian attacks leave trail of destruction across Ukraine
NewsFeed Russian attacks struck multiple Ukrainian regions killing four people, including a five-year-old child and her mother, in Sumy. Guided bombs also ignited a massive fire at a poultry farm in Kherson where firefighters battled the flames while under the threat of further strikes. Published On 4 Jul 20264 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Iran promotes message of continuity and revenge at Khamenei commemoration
Tehran, Iran – Large-scale public commemorations for former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have commenced in the capital, with authorities promoting a message of continuity for the Islamic Republic and vengeance for his killing. Khamenei, 86, was targeted in an airstrike at the start of the war with the United States and Israel on February 28, after ruling Iran with absolute power for nearly 37 years. Red flags, commonly associated with martyrdom but also viewed as a symbol of revenge in Shia Islam, were seen throughout the Grand Mosalla commemoration site in Tehran and other mass gatherings. “We must rise,” was the official slogan used for the ceremonies, accompanied by an image of Khamenei’s clenched fist on a red and black background. Thousands gathered inside the huge religious complex used for the funeral from the early hours of Saturday morning to pay their respects to the assassinated supreme leader. Khamenei’s coffin, carried to the funeral site by a lorry, was displayed at the centre of the stage and draped in flags. Positioned on an elevated platform in the central court, surrounded by glass and guarded by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel, authorities were ready to deal with crowds attempting to reach his coffin. Visiting men and women were separated by a large barrier to observe Islamic values. Religious chanting and slogans blasted from loudspeakers around the complex. Videos circulated by state media showed crowds chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” at a number of metro stations. Advertisement “We are all here to seek blood vengeance for our leader,” Fatemeh, a 55-year-old woman travelling in a group of women clad in black chadors, told Al Jazeera while waiting to enter through a northern gate of the complex. “We will all listen to his son. He will guide the revolution forward,” she said, in reference to Mojtaba Khamenei, who was quickly selected as supreme leader by a clerical body in March following his father’s killing. The commemoration has attracted thousands of people from across Tehran to mourn Khamenei [Maziar Motamedi/Al Jazeera] Tight security A heavy security presence continues in the capital, with armoured vehicles, heavy machine guns and snipers visible throughout the areas surrounding the farewell ceremonies. Men were body searched as they entered the Mosalla, while electronic devices – such as power banks, earphones and lighters – were confiscated from the mourners by security. Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since he took office, will not attend the funeral due to security concerns. State-affiliated newspapers and television reported that the supreme leader’s killing had rallied supporters of the Islamic Republic government, which has been in power since the 1979 revolution overthrew Iran’s last shah, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Authorities are expecting similar huge numbers as attended the 1989 funeral of Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic. At least eight mourners died in the crowds, forcing the military to evacuate his body by helicopter. Thousands of “mokebs”, or temporary religious service stations, were set up across Tehran, blasting out Islamic Shia chants and rhythmic eulogies to Khamenei. Government messages and images of Khamenei were plastered across Tehran during the commemoration [Maziar Motamedi/Al Jazeera] Some volunteers handed out flags, banners and images to the crowd. As temperatures rose to 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), other mokebs were equipped with giant cooling fans and volunteers distributed free drinks to the thousands of mourners. Emergency services were stationed across the area to assist with any health problems due to the crowds or the heat, but so far authorities have reported no security incidents or medical emergencies. Large parts of Tehran have been cordoned off with barriers and non-official vehicles are barred from entering or exiting. The whole of Iran has been effectively shut down until the end of Monday, in an apparent effort to encourage public participation, with 10 million Iranians expected to take part in the proceedings across the country. Advertisement Funeral procession Khamenei’s remains are expected to be moved through Tehran during the funeral procession on Monday. It is then expected to pass through some of Shia’s holiest sites, including Qom, Najaf and Karbala, before burial in his hometown of Mashhad in northeastern Iran on Thursday. Some Iranians have used the public holiday to escape the crowds and the heat of Tehran for the cooler northern provinces by the Caspian Sea, as they regularly do on multi-day public events in the capital. Long lines of traffic were seen on the Tehran-Shomal Freeway leading to the provinces, with travellers stuck for hours in jams. IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi, who made his first appearance since the start of the war, told state TV during an event on Friday to grieve Khamenei so that “enemies will take their wish for our surrender to the grave”. “The enemies must know that the pure blood of our martyred imam was another turning point in the victories of dear Islam against the global infidel front,” he said. Red flags, associated with martyrdom in Shia Islam and carrying religious messages, were carried by mourners [Maziar Motamedi/Al Jazeera] IRGC aerospace chief Majid Mousavi, responsible for launching ballistic missiles and drones across the region during the war, also made a public appearance. The central headquarters of armed forces issued a statement to warn against any military action during the ceremonies, after Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said Mojtaba Khamenei was “marked for death”. Representatives from dozens of countries were in Tehran on Friday to pay their respects to Khamenei and speak with Iranian officials during televised state ceremonies. Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, who helped mediate talks between Iran and the US, was among the most senior officials present. Other countries sent lower-level dignitaries, while European countries were reportedly not invited. Among the most prominent attendees on Friday were members of the IRGC-backed “Axis of Resistance”, including members of Hamas, the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Hezbollah delegation included members of Hassan Nasrallah’s family, the long-time head of the