Editor’s note: We want you to know what’s happening, and why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team: ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com.

US plans refugee reductions

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is proposing to resettle fewer refugees in the coming year than at any point in the country’s history.

Along with two other significant changes announced on Thursday, the White House is intent on reshaping what was once the most robust resettlement program in the world. 

That’s only one part of how Washington is restructuring how the US extends  or does not  humanitarian relief. With a new asylum agreement inked this week with Honduras, people traveling through Central American to seek asylum in the U.S. will be forced to return to the Northern Triangle countries and apply there.

VOA Immigration Report Ramon Taylor tracks all the policy changes here.

Soldiers charged in California human smuggling case

The U.S. military this week formally charged 13 Marines linked to an alleged human smuggling ring. They are accused of receiving money in exchange for transporting migrants who recently crossed the border without authorization. 

From the Feds

— Eighteen people face federal charges in a drug smuggling scheme that also involved creating fake IDs to employ workers smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico. 

— Syrians living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status have from Sept. 23 to Nov. 22, 2019, to re-register for TPS. 

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