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Washington — Turkey placed 10 people in pretrial detention Tuesday in connection with an assault of two U.S. Marines in Turkey’s western port city of Izmir. Several members of a Turkish nationalist group, Turkey Youth Union, or TGB, on Monday attacked two U.S. Marines from the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, which docked in the city’s port on Sunday, according to the Izmir Governorate. Pentagon press secretary Major General Pat Ryder told reporters Tuesday that the two Marines were not injured and are “safe.” He said they were aided by other Marines in the area during the incident and were subsequently taken to a local hospital for evaluation as a precaution before returning to the Wasp. “This is clearly a troubling incident. We are grateful for the support of the Turkish authorities who are looking into this,” Ryder said. He added that no Marines have been detained by authorities, and that those involved in the incident are cooperating with investigators. Turkish authorities arrested 15 people on Monday over the incident, and a Turkish court released five of them under judicial control on Tuesday. The remaining 10 were ordered held in pretrial detention until they hear charges against them. According to a video shared by the TGB on social media, TGB members were seen as they put a sack over a U.S. Marine’s head. “No one will be able to respond to the cries for help from U.S. soldiers. Your hands are stained with the blood of our brave soldiers and thousands of Palestinians. You will leave our lands!” the TGB wrote on X, tagging the X accounts of the U.S. Embassy in Turkey and the U.S. Department of Defense. “[U.S. soldiers] put a sack over the head of our soldiers in Sulaymaniyah,” a TGB member said in the video, referring to an incident in which U.S. troops arrested at least 11 Turkish soldiers in northern Iraq in 2003. Turkish media reported that the heads of the arrested Turkish soldiers were covered in sacks, and the arrests stirred a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and the United States. The incident is widely known as the “Hood event” in Turkey. The video also showed several TGB members chanting, “Yankee, go home,” a historical anti-American slogan associated with 1960s leftist protests in Turkey. Reports confirmed In a statement on Monday, the Izmir Governorate announced that two women and 13 men, who are members of the TGB, physically attacked two U.S. military personnel in civilian clothes. “Five U.S. soldiers in civilian clothes joined the incident after seeing it from a distance, and our security forces quickly intervened,” the governorate said. The U.S. Embassy in Turkey confirmed reports of the attack on Monday. “We thank Turkish authorities for their rapid response and ongoing investigation,” the embassy said on X. In a statement to VOA, a White House National Security Council spokesperson also said, “We are troubled by this assault on U.S. service members and are appreciative that Turkish police are taking this matter seriously and holding those responsible accountable.” On Sunday, Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, or DVIDS, reported that the Wasp was in Turkey “for a regularly scheduled port visit” that “provides an opportunity to further enhance strategic partnership between the U.S. and Turkiye.” According to the DVIDS, the schedule of the U.S. personnel included “tours organized by the ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation team, such as a visit to the Ephesus historical site, snorkeling and scuba diving, and a guided tour of Izmir’s cultural sites.” U.S. Sixth Fleet spokesperson and Navy Commander Timothy Gorman told VOA the two assaulted Marines were from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Middle East tensions The U.S. sent the Wasp to the eastern Mediterranean for deterrence reasons in June amid the increased tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. The USS Bataan and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford were previously deployed to the region after the October 7 attack. Omer Celik, the spokesperson for Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party, criticized the deployments. “Every warship, every aircraft carrier sent there by other countries will provide an opportunity that will benefit those who say violence should continue and violence should spread even more to the region,” Celik said. The Wasp participated in bilateral at-sea training with two Turkish navy ships in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea from August 13 to 17. U.S. Marines shared information about the joint training, but Turkey’s National Defense Ministry did not publicly announce it. Later in August, Turkish media reported that the Wasp docked in Cyprus as part of the increased U.S. presence in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party criticized the government for not disclosing the joint training. VOA Turkish Service’s Ogulcan Bakiler from Izmir and Begum Donmez Ersoz from Istanbul contributed to this story. VOA’s Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb also contributed.

A mere three days after 16 Republican-led states sued the Biden administration over its “Keeping Families Together” parole process, a federal judge in Texas handed the plaintiffs a temporary “administrative stay,” ordering the federal government to stop granting any applications under the new process while the lawsuit proceeds.   The judge’s order, which allows the U.S. […]

The post Judge Grants Texas’ Request to Keep Families Apart, At Least For Now appeared first on Immigration Impact.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran's Supreme Court has upheld a death sentence imposed on a member of the all-volunteer wing of the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard who stormed a house during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini and killed a 60-year-old man, a lawyer said Tuesday.  The sentence imposed on the Basij member marks a rare moment for Iran to hold accountable its security forces, who waged a bloody, monthslong crackdown on all dissent over Amini's death. More than 500 people were killed and more than 22,000 were detained.  Since then, Iran has put to death multiple protesters who were detained in the crackdown and accused of killing security forces, after closed-door trials criticized by activists abroad.  Lawyer Payam Derafshan, who represented a protester detained in 2022, told The Associated Press that the Supreme Court reached its verdict on August 26 over the killing of Mohammad Jamehbozorg, a carpet seller in the city of Karaj.  The convicted Basij member and others stormed Jamehbozorg's home in Karaj, some 40 kilometers northwest of the capital, Tehran, looking for demonstrators taking part in the Amini protests, including his son. The Basij member, identified only by initials, shot Jamehbozorg in the head, killing him.  Two other Guard members also received prison sentences. Iran's government and state media did not report the ruling.  Amini, 22, died after being arrested by Iran's morality police over allegedly improperly wearing her hijab, or headscarf. In March, a United Nations fact-finding mission said Iran was responsible for the "physical violence" that led to Amini's death and concluded that Tehran committed "crimes against humanity" through its actions in suppressing the protests.  There has been another case of a security force member receiving the death penalty over a killing in the Amini protests. In 2023, a military court sentenced Colonel Jafar Javanmardi, the police chief of northern port city of Bandar Anzali, for killing a young man while not observing the country's laws related for using live ammo.  The Supreme Court is still reviewing Javanmardi's initial death sentence.  Cases involving security forces accused of brutality have been a particular focus of Iran's new reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian. Last week, Pezeshkian ordered an investigation into the death of a man in custody after activists alleged he had been tortured to death by police officers. 

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gaborone, botswana — Botswana, Africa's longest democracy, will hold its general election on October 30, President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced Tuesday. Masisi will seek a second and final term after his ruling party endorsed his candidacy over the weekend. In a public address, Masisi said Botswana will continue with its long-standing principle of holding regular elections. Masisi’s ruling Botswana Democratic Party has been in power since independence from Britain in 1966. "The constitution of the Republic of Botswana mandates that we, as a nation, hold general elections every five years,” Masisi said. “This is not just a legal obligation but a fundamental principle that underpins our democracy, a commitment we have honored, and we will continue to honor in the future.” The president urged voters to turn out in large numbers after previous elections in 2019 experienced voter apathy and low turnout. Out of a target of 80% set by the country’s electoral body, the Independent Electoral Commission registered only 63% of the eligible voters. Masisi declared October 30 and 31 as public holidays to encourage citizens to vote. Masisi is seeking a second term, which would be his final one, if he is reelected. The president is allowed two terms in office, according to the constitution The BDP’s main threat is from a coalition of parties, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, or UDC, and the Botswana Congress Party, which has broken away from the opposition alliance. UDC spokesperson Moeti Mohwasa said they expected the announcement of the election date to come earlier. “We welcome the date. However, it is regrettable that such an announcement is made at such short notice,” Mohwasa said. “We would have liked a situation whereby the date of elections is announced well in advance, but what we are happy with is that after so much suffering under the BDP rule, this will come to an end on October 30.” Mohwasa said the election should be free and fair after his party alleged rigging in the previous poll, claims that were dismissed in court. The ruling party also denied the allegations. Leonard Sesa, a political analyst at the University of Botswana, said it was right for the president to make the election date public as concerns over a delay were mounting. “We were going to get worried if it was going to be postponed,” Sesa said. “Remember, we are talking about a beacon of shining democracy in Africa. Small things matter when gauging democracy. So, issuing a writ to say October 30, we are on the right track.” Sesa said political parties are not yet ready for the election as they are still battling to field candidates in all constituencies. “There was a delay for political parties to conduct their intra-party primary elections, within the political parties themselves, and people were worried,” he said. “There are some constituencies that all the political parties including the ruling party, have not posted anyone to stand.” In the previous election, the BDP secured a comfortable victory, where its share of the popular vote increased from 47% in 2014 to 53% five years later.

Abuja, Nigeria — Barely 48 hours after Nigeria's state-owned oil company made a startling revelation, hundreds of commuters joined a line stretching many kilometers for fuel at an NNPC outlet in the capital. In a statement Sunday, Nigeria’s state oil firm, NNPC Limited, said that financial constraints are hampering its ability to import gasoline. The statement acknowledged local media reports in July that the oil regulator owed oil traders more than $6 billion — double its debt compared with April. Nigeria depends on imports to meet its daily demand for gasoline — more than 66 million liters — and NNPC is the sole importer of fuel. Abuja resident John Prince said he'd been waiting in line for hours. "When I came in the morning, they were not selling [gasoline]. They said they were waiting for orders from above. [Now] I've been here for the past two hours,” he said. Prince said that while customers waited, the gasoline station increased prices by nearly 30%. NNPC said the situation could worsen supply in coming days but also said it is working with the government and other partners to fix the problem. Fuel shortages have been recurring in Nigeria since last year, despite Nigerian President Bola Tinubu scrapping the fuel subsidy. Tinubu doubles as petroleum minister, but authorities later reinstated a partial subsidy to curb inflation, the high cost of living and growing public tensions triggered by economic reforms. But the founder of the Center for Transparency Advocacy, Faith Nwadishi, said corruption and incompetence are to blame. "It's just a cocktail of corruption, impunity and no regard for the people of the country,” she said. “I think it's just another ploy to make Nigerians pay for impunity. It's quite disheartening. This morning, I had to queue so that I could get fuel to come out. You know — man hours lost, no productivity, and nobody is making any compensation for that. It's unfortunate.” Last month, NNPC announced a record $1.9 billion in profits for 2023 but said it was covering for shortfalls in the government's petrol import bill. Ogho Okiti, an economic analyst, said, "Every other oil-producing country is smiling now except Nigeria. So, it's a transparency problem. There's so much uncertainty. And that heightened uncertainty and volatility will continue to drive the price and, of course, drive the conditions that we see. “As it is, we're losing in all ramifications — we're paying exorbitant prices for fuel, the government is not getting the resources, and the exchange rate is worsening," Okiti said. Meanwhile, authorities say the Dangote Oil Refinery in the Lagos area has begun gasoline production and could supply up to 25 million liters this month. On Tuesday, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority entered an agreement with the NNPC to sell crude oil to Dangote refinery in the local currency, the naira. If that happens, it could significantly address local supply issues and save the country several billions of dollars in foreign exchange.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Lagos, Nigeria — How do you deal with stress? In Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, people are finding their reset button in a "rage room" where they pay to smash electronics and furniture with a sledgehammer as a break from the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation. The Shadow Rage Room, apparently the first of its kind in Nigeria, offers "a safe space" for people to let out pent-up emotions, according to Dr. James Babajide Banjoko, the founder and a physician. The idea, he said, came during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 after he lost his mother and struggled with work. For 7,500 naira ($5), customers are left alone with protective gear and a sledgehammer or bat in a room for a 30-minute session with the items that are later recycled. Times are tough in Nigeria, a country of over 200 million people where growing frustration among youths led to recent mass protests in which several people were killed by security forces. The inflation rate has reached a 28-year-high of 33.4%, while the naira currency has fallen to record lows against the dollar. Mental health services remain foreign or unaffordable for many in Africa's most populous country, where 40% of citizens live below $2 per day. The West African nation has fewer than 400 registered psychologists, according to the Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists. That means one psychologist for about every half a million people. Even when therapy is available, stigma remains a challenge, NACP president Gboyega Emmanuel Abikoye said in an interview. Rage rooms aren't necessarily new in other parts of the world. There is no documented evidence of their mental health benefits beyond the momentary relief that comes with venting your feelings, Abikoye said. Experts in Nigeria instead see a growing need for more long-term emotional support, especially among young people. In Lagos, an overcrowded city of about 20 million people and a magnet for those seeking better opportunities, such needs are even more pronounced. Daily stressors include traffic jams notorious for trapping drivers and passengers on streets for hours in heat and smog in one of the world's most polluted cities. Some Nigerians have turned to social media platforms like Tiktok as a way to cope with stress. Some find support in communities wherever they can, from the church or mosque to the gym. And now there's the rage room, which opens on weekends and is usually fully booked up to two weeks ahead, according to Banjoko, the founder. At the end of one session of smashing, Olaribigbe Akeem, a recent visitor, came out sweating but relieved and visibly happy. "As an average Nigerian, you get to deal with a lot every day," Akeem said. "The anger has been piling up [and] instead of venting on somebody, this is the best avenue for me, and I feel a lot renewed." Rage room visitors also include couples who want to get something off their chest. At times, people come in for recreation but find something more. "My favorite people are those that … just want to try it, and at the end of the day, you see them, they break down, they cry, they become very expressive," Banjoko said. He said he often refers them to therapy. Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, a Lagos-based psychiatrist, said any benefit from smashing things is usually short-lived and can't be a replacement for therapy. There is also the risk of such a practice making someone less likely to use "healthy coping strategies," she said, and expressed concern that "repeated engagement … might reinforce aggressive tendencies." At the rage room, some customers said their problems feel lighter only until they leave and re-enter daily life. But being vulnerable with yourself while inside, sledgehammer in hand, is still worth it, said Eka Stephanie Paul, an actor and TV host. "Problem no dey finish anyway," she said in the pidgin widely spoken across Nigeria, acknowledging that the rage room is hardly a cure. "But right now, I feel very light."

SEOUL, South Korea — An Apple TV+ documentary series, "K-pop Idols," premiering Friday, offers an intimate look at how the K-pop industry is embracing diversity while grappling with challenges in a field that demands perfection. The six-part series features Korean American star Jessi and up-and-coming K-pop bands like Cravity and Blackswan, documenting the highs and lows of their careers. K-pop is known for its blend of vocals with precise choreography. Blackswan members Fatou and Nvee told The Associated Press they practice up to 10 hours daily, including choreography and vocal sessions before the "comeback" season which refers to a string of events to promote their latest songs. The grueling practice starts early. Once under contract, K-pop trainees enter a system that includes classes in manners, language, dance, and choreography. As of 2022, there were 752 K-pop trainees under entertainment labels, according to a Korea Creative Content Agency report. Despite recent pushback against the perennial "dark side of K-pop" narrative, the documentary shows that some industry problems persist. Former Blackswan member Youngheun said members had a curfew and were not allowed to drink or date. "We even had to report when we were getting our nails done and going to the convenience store in front of our house," she shared in the documentary. Rigid control extends to diet. Blackswan member Gabi is seen eating a meal of egg, chicken breast and what resembles sweet potato sticks during her trainee period. "I am dieting because Mr. Yoon [the label's head] told me I need to lose weight," Gabi said. The pressure applies to boy bands, too. Cravity member Wonjin shared that he was given two weeks to lose weight to join the label. "I would eat like one egg a day [...] I lost about 7kg," he said in the documentary. Bradley Cramp, one of executive producers of the documentary, noted that such restrictions exist in other competitive industries as well. "I honestly don't know one idol or elite sports athlete or entertainer that doesn't deal with the issue of diet and self-image and mental health to some degree or another," he told The Associated Press. The documentary also touches on K-pop's new challenge: embracing diversity. Following BTS' international success, K-pop labels have been actively recruiting foreign talents, which sometimes brings unfamiliar challenges. In the documentary, Yoon Deung Ryong, the founder of Blackswan's label DR Music, struggles to settle internal conflicts among members, which later escalated to online clashes between fans. "If the company says, 'don't fight,' they won't fight," he said, referring to traditional K-pop groups. He added that he can't control a "multinational group" the same way because of language and cultural differences. There are currently no Korean members in Blackswan after member changes. With K-pop's global expansion, fundamental questions remain about the essence of K-pop. "In a K-pop group, if there are no Korean members, I feel like it's just a K-pop cover group, isn't it?" Blackswan's former Korean member Youngheun said in the documentary. However, Cravity's Hyeongjun disagrees. "If foreigners come to Korea and sing in other languages, I am not sure if I can call that K-pop, but since they [Blackswan members] are active in Korea and use Korean, they are K-pop." Cramp said social media has impacted K-pop's ecosystem in various ways, including creating a "symbiotic relationship" between K-pop stars and fans, and forcing stars to live their lives "under a microscope." "There's a desire to be real. But on the other hand, you have to obviously keep certain things kind of out of the public spotlight," he told the AP. "You want to be famous, but yet at the same time, you still want your privacy and you want to be able to go and have dinner with your friends and have a good time and not be filmed doing it." "K-Pop Idols" is now available on Apple TV+.

In South Korea, a growing number of women are opting out of having children, driven by financial challenges and career demands. But egg-freezing is emerging as a trend that allows women to delay parenthood while keeping their options open for the future. VOA’s William Gallo explains from Seoul.

A defiant Prime Minister Netanyahu faces international pressure to accept a deal that will free the remaining hostages and bring about a ceasefire more quickly. Israelis are still sad and angry following the recovery of six of the hostages’ dead bodies. Russian attack kills 41 in central Ukraine as Vladimir Putin is in Mongolia, even though they’re a signatory to the ICC treaty and have a duty to arrest him. There’s a warrant out for an opposition leader in Venezuela following accusations of a stolen election and Mpox is wreaking havoc in the Democratic Republic of Congo. A look at election integrity in the United States, and a new threat to a traditional Korean dish.

Kampala, Uganda — Uganda's main opposition leader Bobi Wine, who has emerged as the most formidable opponent of veteran President Yoweri Museveni, was shot in the leg by security agents in a northern suburb of the capital Kampala on Tuesday, his party said. Wine, a pop star turned politician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, finished runner-up in the 2021 presidential election behind Museveni, who has ruled the East African country for nearly four decades. "Security operatives have made an attempt on the life of President @HEBobiwine. He was shot in the leg and seriously injured," Wine's party, the National Unity Platform, said in a post on the X platform. NTV, a local independent broadcaster, reported he was injured in a scuffle after police fired tear gas to disperse his supporters. Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. A video shared widely on social media showed NUP party officials helping Wine hobble out of the Najeem Medical Centre in the Bulindo neighborhood. Wine appeared to have a bleeding wound on the shin of his left leg and was grimacing in pain. "We condemn this cowardly action; yet another attempt on his life. The continuing violence meted out on those opposed to the Museveni regime must be condemned by all people of good conscience," NUP party Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya wrote on the social media platform X. Museveni's government has been accused by opponents and human rights activists of stifling the opposition, something Museveni denies. Wine has amassed huge support amongst the youth in Uganda, a nation of 46 million, with many wooed initially by his rags-to-riches story as a pop star from the ghetto, and in recent years by his bold attacks on Museveni's government. Wine was declared the runner-up in the 2021 presidential election, although he rejected the results and claimed to have won, saying the vote has been rigged through intimidation, ballot stuffing, bribery and other tactics.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi's visit to Turkey Wednesday signals an end to years of animosity with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Mexico City — "That's it, dude! Done!" exclaimed Eliezer López as he jumped up and down, throwing his arms to the sky and drawing a sign of the cross across his chest. His joy was so contagious, his friends started to emerge from nearby tents to celebrate with him. López, a 20-year-old Venezuelan migrant in Mexico City, had reason to rejoice: After several frustrating attempts, he was able to secure an appointment to seek asylum in the U.S. He is one of thousands of migrants whose U.S.-bound journey has landed them in the Mexican capital, the southernmost point until recently from which migrants can register to request an appointment to seek asylum through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's mobile app known as CBP One. Since June, when the Biden administration announced significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum, the app became one of the only ways to request asylum at the Southwest border. This U.S. asylum policy and its geographic limits are a driving force behind the emergence of migrant encampments throughout the Mexican capital where thousands of migrants wait weeks — even months — in limbo, living in crowded, makeshift camps with poor sanitation and grim living conditions. From point of transit to temporary destination Historically, Mexico City has not been a stop for northbound migrants. They try to cross the country quickly to reach the northern border. But the delays in securing an appointment, coupled with the danger that plagues cartel-controlled northern Mexico border cities and the increased crackdown by Mexican authorities on migrants have combined to turn Mexico City from a point of transit to a temporary destination for thousands. Some migrant camps have been dismantled by immigration authorities or abandoned over time. Others, like the one where López has lived for the past few months, remain. Like López, many migrants have opted to wait for their appointment in the somewhat safer capital, but Mexico City presents its own challenges. Shelter capacity is limited, and unlike large U.S. cities like Chicago and New York, which rushed last winter to find housing for arriving migrants, in Mexico City they are mainly left to their own devices. Andrew Bahena, coordinator of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, or CHIRLA, said that up until late 2023 many migrants were contained in southern Mexican cities like Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala. Many tried to disguise their location to defeat CBP One's geographic limits, but when U.S. authorities took notice, more migrants began aiming for Mexico City to make their appointments from there, he said. As a result, there has been an increase in the migrant population living in the Mexico City camps. "We talk about this as border externalization and it's something the United States and Mexico have been jointly implementing for years," said Bahena. "The CBP One app is probably one of the best examples of that today. "These folks are asylum seekers, they're not homeless people living in Mexico," he added. A maze of tents and tarps When López first arrived in Mexico City at the end of April, he thought about renting a room only to realize it was not an option. He earned $23 a day working three times a week at a market. Rent was $157 per person to share a room with strangers, an arrangement that has become commonplace in Mexican cities with migrant populations. "The camp is like a refuge," said López. Migrants can share space with people they know, avoid the curfews and strict rules of shelters and potentially stay longer if necessary. The camps are a maze of tents and tarps. Some call their space "ranchito," or small ranch, assembled from wood, cardboard, plastic sheets, blankets and whatever they can find to protect them from the chilly mountain air and intense summer rains that pound the city. At another camp in La Merced neighborhood, hundreds of blue, yellow and red tents fill a plaza in front of a church. It's one of the capital's largest camps and just a 20-minute walk from the city center. "This is a place where up to 2,000 migrants have been living in the last year," said Bahena. "About 40% are children." Migrants in La Merced have organized themselves, building an impromptu pump that moves water from the public system and distributes it on a fixed schedule, with every tent receiving four buckets of water every day. "At the beginning there were a lot of problems, lots of trash and people in Mexico didn't like that," said Héctor Javier Magallanes, a Venezuelan migrant, who has been waiting nine months for a CBP One appointment. "We made sure to fix those problems little by little." As more migrants kept arriving at the camp, he set up a task force of 15 people to oversee security and infrastructure. Despite efforts to keep the camp clean and organized, residents haven't been able to avoid outbreaks of illnesses, exacerbated by drastic weather changes. Keilin Mendoza, a 27-year-old Honduran migrant, said her kids constantly get colds, especially her 1-year-old daughter. "She's the one that worries me the most, because she takes the longest to recover," she said. Mendoza has tried accessing free medical attention from humanitarian organizations at the camp, but resources are limited. Israel Resendiz, coordinator of Doctors Without Borders' mobile team, said the uncertainty of life in the camps weighs heavily on migrants' mental health. "It's not the same when a person waiting for their appointment [...] can get a hotel, rent a room or have money for food,” Resendiz said. “The majority of people don't have these resources." The secretary of inclusion and social welfare and the secretary of the interior in Mexico City didn't respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press about the camps. Press representatives of Clara Brugada, the incoming mayor of Mexico City, said the issue must first be discussed at the federal level. Meanwhile, tensions between camp residents and neighbors have increased, sometimes leading to mass evictions of the camps. In late April, neighbors from the trendy and central Juárez neighborhood blocked some of the city's busiest streets, chanting, "The street is not a shelter!" Eduardo Ramírez, one of the protest organizers, said it's the government's job to "help these poor people that come from their countries in search of something better and have the bad luck of traveling through Mexico."