International Relief / Public News Service

The Democratic Republic of Congo is estimated to hold $24 trillion in natural wealth, yet workers in cobalt mines still live in extreme poverty. (Erberto Zani/Adobe Stock)

Monday, July 14, 2025

New CA documentary examines the harms of mining 'critical minerals'

A new documentary looked at ways to reduce the human and environmental harms stemming from the mining of "critical minerals." Without minerals like c…

A U.S. citizen is legally defined as a person born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, yet experts say human psychology and identity politics result in ingrained biases over who truly belongs. (Adobe Stock)

'American' most often associated with white English speakers

With Donald Trump in the White House, Illinois and the nation face new challenges about who "belongs" in the United States. Nationality has become a …

Jewish communities have fasted for centuries in times of collective mourning and catastrophe. (Adobe Stock)

Chicago Jewish group leads hunger strike for Gaza

Local Jewish advocates for Palestinians are joining forces to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They are calling on the U.S…

According to a 2023 report, more than one-third of all foreign tourists traveling to the United States, or 14 million people annually, visit a national park site like Wyoming's Yellowstone. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Fee hike for international visitors could pay dividends for national parks

International tourists visiting U.S. national parks may pay more at the gate starting next year. Advocates have called it a "common-sense policy" …

Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently arrested 11 undocumented workers at a New Mexico dairy farm. (Lawrey/Adobe Stock)

Amid migrant roundups, 'No Kings' rallies scheduled in 17 NM cities

New Mexicans will join what's expected to be thousands of "No Kings" rallies across the country tomorrow to protest against the Trump administration…

According to the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Texas has about 57,000 undocumented students enrolled in its public universities and colleges who will no longer be eligible for in-state tuition. (K Abrahams/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Ending in-state tuition for undocumented students will cost TX millions

Immigrant rights groups have said they are considering legal action to restore a Texas law allowing in-state tuition rates for undocumented college st…

Some 17% of students surveyed said they felt like they could not express their opinion on a subject at least a couple of times a week because of how fellow students, a professor or the administration would respond. (Gatot/Adobe Stock)

Report: TX college students feel free speech is targeted

Texas colleges are getting mixed marks when it comes to protecting free speech on campus. The College Free Speech Rankings include survey results …

The North Dakota group FM Volunteers for Ukraine has helped sponsor Ukrainians granted temporary work status after fleeing the war with Russia. Officials said social integration has been a key benefit. (Photo courtesy of FM Volunteers)

Federal program shake-up leaves Ukrainian workers in ND in limbo

Ukrainians who fled the war in their home country for temporary roots in North Dakota are waiting with worry about their ability to keep working in th…

Ohio State University ranked 174th out of 251 colleges in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression's 2025 College Free Speech Rankings, with an overall score of 42.34 out of 100. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio colleges rank low in national free-speech study

A new study found college students across Ohio and the nation feel increasingly uneasy about expressing their views on campus. The nonprofit …

According to a National Federation of Independent Business index, only 15% of American small business owners reported in April that they expect better business conditions - the lowest since Oct. 2024. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Tariffs plummet U.S. small business optimism index to early-COVID levels

Optimism among small businesses in Wyoming and the U.S. is hitting lows comparable to early pandemic days, largely due to changing tariff policies…

According to the Pew Research Center, the Black immigrant population will account for roughly one-third of the U.S. Black population's growth through 2060. (pressmaster/Adobe Stock)

Black immigrant population grows throughout Arkansas, nation

Studies show one in 10 Black people in the U.S. is an immigrant and immigrants' advocates said they face significant challenges blending into the …

Along with bamboo, plastic alternatives are biodegradable and can be made from vegetable fats and oils, cornstarch, straw, woodchips, sawdust and recycled food waste. (Jaimie/Adobe Stock)

Tariffs hit OR plastic alternatives market

Tariffs are disrupting supply chains from China, making it harder for reusable alternatives to compete with single-use plastics. Jeffrey Delkin…

Supporters call for the release of Alfredo 'Lelo' Juarez Zeferino. As of their most recent update in March, ICE is currently detaining more than 46,000 people across the country. (C2C)

WA immigration rights advocates call for release of union organizer

Immigrant rights advocates are calling on state leaders to do more to protect Washington farmworkers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement…

In the U.S. Constitution, the 5th and 14th Amendment protections against government actions depriving someone of life, liberty, or property without due process apply to all people within U.S. jurisdiction, regardless of their immigration status. (Adobe Stock)

IL lawyer: Kilmar Obrego Garcia case a ‘constitutional crisis’

An Illinois law professor is weighing in on what she called a "very public and open test of due process" for immigrants being deported from the United…

Nine in 10 of the 137 people now confined in El Salvador prisons had no criminal record and at least one was removed due to administrative error. (Adobe Stock)

Trump's deportation program gets temporary halt in Colorado

President Donald Trump has repeatedly called the arrival of immigrants an invasion and has invoked the Alien Enemies Act to expedite their removal…

The 2+2 international business degree program is the first collaboration of its kind between the University of Northern Iowa's Wilson College of Businessand an international university. (Adobe Stock)

Northern Iowa launches international student exchange

Despite pushback from the Trump administration on colleges and universities recruiting foreign students, the University of Northern Iowa is part of a …

Universities across the country have protested against the Trump administration's actions targeting higher-ed funding, speech and international students. (Adobe Stock)

Higher ed supporters rally on two IL campuses for students' rights

It has been a busy week for supporters of higher education in Illinois, with two separate protests at Northern Illinois University and Northeastern …

Many international students have said they did not know their visas were revoked, or that their status had been changed, until they were notified by federal officials. (Mediteraneo/Adobe Stock)

Visas revoked, status changed for international students in TX

Hundreds of international college students in Texas are fighting to stay in the country after their visas were revoked and their legal status changed …

Last year, Wisconsin exported nearly $30 billion worth of goods, down about $4.2 billion from its peak. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Tariffs could worsen WI’s ‘turbulent’ export economy

Exports are important to Wisconsin's economy but a new report found they are facing turbulence between a decade-long decline and the uncertainty of ne…

Nonviolent Peaceforce is an international, nongovernmental organization that uses Unarmed Civilian Protection in conflict zones to help build peace within local communities. (Pixabay)

International relief organizations in FL impacted by USAID cuts

As global conflicts and natural disasters escalate, groups like the Nonviolent Peaceforce, which works to protect civilians in conflict zones…

The average American tax filer paid just under $3,000 to the Pentagon in 2024, with roughly 40 cents going toward

National tally shows military arsenal among OH taxpayers' top expenses

Ahead of Tax Day, a national receipt shows where some Ohio tax dollars were spent in 2024. War and weaponry remain top federal expenses, with the …

When a tariff is imposed, the importing business pays the tax to the U.S. Treasury Department. Importers then pass much of the added cost to consumers. (freshidea/Adobe Stock)

Texans brace for financial impact of trade wars

Texas is the number one exporting state in the nation - and although tariffs with Mexico and Canada have been delayed, Texans are still uneasy about …

Immigrants are essential to Pennsylvania's economy, comprising 20% of the workforce in life, physical, and social sciences and 11% in food and accommodation services, according to the American Immigration Council. (InputUX/Adobe Stock)

Unaccompanied immigrant kids in PA lose legal representation

Almost 600 children in Pennsylvania, many fleeing abuse or persecution, are being forced to navigate the immigration court system without legal …

Transgender and nonbinary people say their lives are threatened in their home countries. In Mexico alone, according to data from Mexico's National Trans and Nonbinary Assembly, more than 55 trans people were killed last year, making it the second deadliest country in the world for trans people, after Brazil. (Kromstar Studios/Adobe Stock)

U.S. immigration policy leaves trans migrants at TX-Mexico border in limbo

By Chantal Flores for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Freda Ross for Texas News Service reporting for the Yes! Media-Public News Service …

Since March 8, the Trump administration has attempted to arrest or deport at least six additional pro-Palestinian foreign students across four campuses, including Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown and Tufts universities. (Adobe Stock)

Arrest of U. of Cincinnati student fuels national free speech debate

UPDATE: A statement about the arrest from the University of Cincinnati has been added. (8:10 a.m. MDT, Apr. 3, 2025) A recent arrest on the …

Nebraska harvested 9.5 million acres of corn in 2023, making it the third-largest corn producing state in the country. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska farm leaders call for 'trade de-escalation'

Nebraska farm leaders are asking the Trump administration and the European Union to deescalate a trade war developing over tariffs. The National …

Voters in Wisconsin's April 1 election will also select a State Superintendent of Public Instruction, local judges and public officials at all levels across the state. (Adobe Stock)

WI’s Supreme Court race laced with cash, power, vast implications

Political maneuvers continue with the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race less than a week away - the latest coming from the White House. In the …

An intergenerational dialogue held on Jan. 29 brought together participants from ages 8 to 82 to discuss important issues, post-election. (Ed Ritger)<br />

CA groups bring generations together to work on society’s biggest problems

In these divisive times, nonprofit groups are stepping up to boost civic engagement by facilitating intergenerational dialogue. The Creating …

Marissa Carpio with the Wyoming-based Equality State Policy Center estimated one of every 10 bills in Wyoming's 2025 legislative session were related to elections. (Adobe Stock)

Governor, critics call out 'boilerplate' bills from WY 2025 session

Gov. Mark Gordon has just a few days left to make final decisions on bills passed during the Wyoming legislative session. Both fair election …

Ohio Senate Bill 1 would require all students to complete a three-credit-hour American history course. (Adobe Stock)

Ohio's SB-1 parallels national administration's anti-DEI sentiment

Debates over academic freedom and diversity initiatives have intensified nationally and in Ohio. Senate Bill 1, known as the Advance Ohio Higher …

A Lumina Foundation report ranks Wyoming 38th in the U.S. for the ratio of its workforce that has a post-high school credential and is making a

More Wyomingites get degrees, but anti-DEI law could slow progress

The number of working-age Wyoming adults with college degrees or valuable credentials increased by over 18% between 2009 and 2023, according to …

Research shows students' sense of belonging improves academic outcomes, increases continuing enrollment in school and is protective for mental health. (Monkey Business/Adobe Stock)

Immigrant children face increased cases of bullying across TX

As the immigration debate continues, many children of immigrants in Texas who are American citizens are caught in the middle. An elementary school …

Advocates for Minnesota's immigrant population recently protested ICE enforcement in Rochester. (Photo courtesy of COPAL).

MN Latino advocates band together as deportation fears persist

Social and economic disruptions are among the impacts reported by Minnesota Latino support organizations as they monitor the Trump administration's ma…

The majority of human H5N1 cases have been found on the West Coast but have been reported in the Midwest and on the East Coast as well. Researchers are monitoring the virus thorough wastewater tracking, direct testing of at-risk people and those with symptoms and randomized sample testing. (Adobe Stock)

Barriers to tracking bird flu mount amid federal changes

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Illinois News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

During the Great Depression, the U.S. enacted the

Data, history show mass deportations harm U.S. economy

As nationwide deportation efforts continue, new research examined the labor market of a past president to help forecast what could happen if …

Research: Mass deportations don't create more U.S. jobs

As nationwide deportation efforts continue, new research examined the labor market of a past president to help forecast what could happen if …

About one-quarter of all higher ed students in Utah, roughly 54,000, are international students or first or second-generation immigrants, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. (Adobe Stock)

Higher ed experts advise campuses on how to prepare for ICE

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, his Secretary of Homeland Security rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs …

University campuses are being told to create best practices for faculty and staff to assist immigrant and international students. (Sabrina/Adobe Stock)

Changes in U.S. immigration policy affect AR college campuses

Arkansas colleges and universities are trying to ensure learning is not disrupted because of executive orders by the Trump administration. President …

People applying for asylum face what is called an

Immigration courts offer many barriers, few solutions

As the Trump administration's deportation efforts continue, more people find themselves in immigration court. Immigration law is complicated…

Immigration law allows ICE agents to enter public areas of a university campus without a warrant, but students have the right to remain silent. (UNM.edu)

Higher ed leaders steer response to ICE presence on NM campuses

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are now are allowed to make arrests near colleges and universities, and higher education leaders are …

Even though Wisconsin is considered restrictive in its tuition and financial aid policies for undocumented students, more than 20% of the higher education student body is international, or first-or second-generation immigrants. (Adobe Stock)

WI colleges, universities get advice about ICE on campus

On President Donald Trump's second day in office, he rescinded a Biden-era rule barring Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making …

The University of Hawai'i at Manoa, a public land-grant research university in Honolulu, is the flagship campus of the University of Hawai'i system. (Adobe Stock)

Teachers' union preps Hawai'i college officials to respond to ICE inquiries

Following President Donald Trump's executive order lifting Immigration and Customs Enforcement restrictions in protected areas, the American …

President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imports from China earlier this month and the Chinese government imposed 15% counter tariffs on goods imported from the U.S. into China. (Adobe Stock)

WI farmer shares firsthand experience with Trump tariffs

By Olivia Herken for the Wisconsin Independent.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Wisconsin Indep…

Manuel Gago Silcox, co-director of the Virginia-based Worker Justice Program at the Legal Aid Justice Center, said less-mechanized crops such as tomatoes or apple orchards rely on migrant farmworkers. (Adobe Stock)

Migrant farmworkers in VA threatened by mass deportation policy

President Donald Trump has issued a flurry of executive orders meant to jump-start his mass deportation policy but the policy may negatively affect mi…

In his last term and so far in his current term, President Donald Trump has taken 1148 policy actions on immigration, according to the Immigration Policy Tracking Project. (Adobe Stock)

Montana immigrant advocates watch federal, state policies

According to the Immigration Policy Tracking Project, the Trump administration has taken 130 actions on immigration so far this term. Groups in …

Attorneys representing an undocumented father in Lubbock said he faces deportation proceedings after a traffic stop by police. (Thanyalak/Adobe Stock)

Northwest TX father faces deportation

A northwest Texas family is waiting to hear from agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a recent traffic stop. Jose is in the country …

Most of the 50 people detained in a recent Denver raid have no criminal charges pending, according to the Colorado Rapid Response Network, and at least two people detained are U.S. citizens. (Adobe Stock)

Rapid response network monitoring ICE raids in Colorado

As President Donald Trump ramps up deportation efforts, immigrant advocates have mobilized a rapid response network to protect their neighbors…

The Tax Foundation estimates that the standing tariff on China, and the proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico, would shrink economic output by 0.4% and increase taxes by $1.1 trillion between 2025 and 2034. (Adobe Stock)

Experts have consumer tips on navigating tariff scenarios

States such as Wyoming could see unique effects under President Donald Trump's approach to tariffs. Uncertainty lies ahead, but one expert says …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - July 14, 2025

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