While some of you may have noticed Joseph’s brief hiatus from our blog, we are happy to share that it is only because he recently got married to Radford, in Begur, Spain! Begur is a small, historic town located in Catalonia, Spain where tourists can see breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea from Castell De Begur, or enjoy some tapas and wine in the center square. Joseph and Radford chose Begur as their wedding location because it has been the location of several milestones of their relationship together, including their first international trip together and where they got engaged! Their wedding date also coincided with Fira d’Indians, a three day festival that takes place in Begur every year. The festival celebrates the town’s strong ties to Cuba, as many families migrated from Begur to Cuba during the 19th century. Fira d’Indians is filled with food, music, performances, and crafts. Joseph and Radford’s wedding guests were able to enjoy the festival, while celebrating the wedding over several days. There was no shortage of dancing and good cheer! All of us here at DLG wish Joseph and Radford a lifetime of health, happiness, and adventure!
Exile
Joseph and Radford Got Married!
NBC News: “Homeland Security Cancels Massive Roundups of Undocumented Immigrants”
In response to reports of a nationwide immigration raid that was scheduled to target approximately 8,400 undocumented immigrants later this month, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a statementlast Thursday saying that there are no nationwide enforcement actions planned at this time, as all upcoming operations have been reviewed and “adjusted accordingly” given the impact of the recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida . In this statement, ICE spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez stated there is no nationwide operation planned at this time because “the priority in the affected areas should remain focused on life-saving and life-sustaining activities.” While the statement released by ICE officials was an attempt to encourage undocumented immigrants in the affected areas to seek help, many undocumented foreign nationals still fear that the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey will still not stop immigration officials from enforcing policies.
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Sagrada Familia
While all of us here at DLG are getting ready for fall, our very own Lizzie B. is soaking up the warm weather in Barcelona! She recently visited Barcelona’s most breathtaking Basilica, Sagrada Familia. Renowned architect Antoni Gaudí originally masterminded the church’s design in 1883, taking inspiration from both nature and Christianity. Sagrada Familia's construction relied solely on private donations, so progress was slow. This progress was interrupted during the Spanish Civil War, but construction resumed in 1939 and has continued for the last seventy-eight years. With only seventy-percent of the church presently completed, it is not expected to be finished until 2026. A wonderful example of Gothic architecture and Catalan modernism, the Sagrada Familia is also an excellent example of Gaudi’s love of color, which he said was the expression of life. Natural light was a primary focus, which Gaudí used to uniquely compliment his architectural designs by allowing the sunlight to glisten through the tall towers and beautiful stained glass windows. As you can see, when the sunlight hits the stained glass windows, the whole church shimmers with bright colors!
The New York Times: "Trump Moves to End DACA and Calls on Congress to Act"
The Trump administration formally announced on Tuesday that they will begin to end the Obama-era program that has protected thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation, calling the policy unconstitutional. The Trump administration suggested Congress could replace the program with legislation that would provide these immigrants with some form of legal status before the program expires on March 5, 2018. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was enacted in 2012 by former President Obama through executive action and has since protected approximately 800,000 young immigrants, known as “dreamers”, who were brought to the US illegally as children, from being deported. The program has also provided these immigrants with renewable, two-year work permits. If Congress fails to act before the program expires on March 5, 2018, these undocumented “dreamers” could face deportation back to countries where many of them have never even lived.
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