Four Hours: Celebrating African American Culture In Leimert Park

Owner Marlene Sinclair-Beckford holding jerk chicken with rice and peas, steamed vegetables, festival bread, and plantains at Ackee Bamboo. Image: Francine Orr/LA Times

BY KAILYN BROWN

LEIMERT PARK (LOS ANGELES TIMES) -- Nestled east of Baldwin Hills, the neighborhood of Leimert Park considers itself the heart of black culture in South Los Angeles and pays homage to that heritage every day.
Though residents know that change is everywhere — with the Metro Rail’s Crenshaw/LAX line slated to open in 2020, fears of gentrification are rising, along with real estate prices — they are enjoying Leimert Park as it is while they still can. On the last Sunday of each month, the community turns out to celebrate black music, art, community and food at the Leimert Park Art Walk.
But you don’t have to wait to explore some of L.A.’s most cherished black-owned businesses tucked into the neighborhood.

1 p.m. After finding metered parking on Degnan Boulevard, head over to Harun Coffee at 4336 Degnan Blvd., where celebrities such as singer Rihanna, rapper Dom Kennedy and radio personality Big Boy have been known to stop by. They’re here for more than just the coffee: “More than anything, it’s a cultural hub,”says co-owner Chace Johnson , who formerly managed rapper A SAP Rocky . Johnson, who was a member of a rap group called Self Scientific and worked in the music industry for several years, also hosts free panel discussions and forums with entertainers and influencers at the coffee shop. Once you’ve grabbed some specialties of the house — an iced Kyoto matcha latte and a Mexican hot chocolate or caramel doughnut ( supplied by Donut Farm) that somehow, unbelievably, manages to be vegan — walk into the gallery next door, which displays artwork by a new black artist every two months. Harun also sells merchandise and features clothing from local designers. In fact, your drink was likely delivered by a server wearing a “ Make Crenshaw Great Again ” snapback made by a Crenshaw native whose clothing line is among those sold at Harun.

1:45 p.m. A trip to Leimert Park wouldn’t be complete without indulging in authentic Jamaican cuisine. To do that, head north on Degnan to Ackee Bamboo at 4305 Degnan Blvd., #100. It’s only right to try a traditional dish such as the jerk chicken or oxtail, which is served with rice and beans, plantains, steamed cabbage and festival bread, a slightly sweet fried dumpling. There are also several seafood options, including brown stew, which tastes as though it’s been slow-cooked for hours, red snapper, ackee and salt fish, and jerk shrimp. While you’re at it, you might as well order a Jamaican patty, a kind of flaky hand pie stuffed with your choice of chicken, beef or vegetables. That is, if they are not already sold out.

2:45 p.m. If you haven’t heard people calling out “Hey, Barbara!” at least a handful of times during your stroll, you haven’t walked far south enough to reach the community staple known as the California Jazz & Blues Museum, at 4317 Degnan Blvd. Barbara Morrison, a well-known jazz singer and adjunct associate professor of global jazz studies at UCLA, opened the museum to educate the community on prolific jazz performers and to share historical information about California’s influence on the genre. If Morrison is free, she’ll give you a personal tour of the museum and perhaps share stories of her experiences traveling around the world with legendary artists such as Ray Charles and Dizzy Gillespie. She may even sing a few riffs for you, which will quickly make you understand why she is respected in the jazz community. Morrison’s Performing Arts Center, which holds concerts, is less than 200 feet away, at 4305 Degnan Blvd., #101. Watch barbaramorrison.com for upcoming events.

3:45 p.m. Head south on Degnan Boulevard to Eso Won Books, 4327 Degnan Blvd., a veteran bookstore that specializes in black literature. Anything from a coffee table book of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s artwork to books by Ta-Nehisi Coates (who has called Eso Won his favorite bookstore) and just about anything Toni Morrison has written can be found here. Although fascinating artwork is showcased throughout the store, photos aren’t allowed. Instead, enjoy the jazz playing in the background as you browse the diverse books and partake in the knowledge of owners Tom Hamilton and James Fugate.

4:30 p.m. When you’re done, take a break in Hot & Cool Cafe at 4331 Degnan Blvd., just two storefronts down from Eso Won Books. With weekly community events, which range from open mics to free coding classes, Hot & Cool lives up to its slogan “Coffee and Community.” It’s also known for its unique teas, such as Gold Rush (black tea with mango and passion fruit) or Honey Bush chai tea.

5 p.m. This last stop is a bit of a gamble, so keep your timetable in mind: Back in your car, head east and drive past Worldwide Tacos, at 2419 W. Martin Luther King Blvd. This may look like a typical taco spot, but the wait to try one of the tacos or burritos — which come in more than 100 varieties — can take 15 minutes to three hours. The place is beloved by actress and screenwriter Issa Rae, who featured it on her HBO series, “Insecure.” If you have the time, do yourself a favor and throw it into park. Why the long wait? The owner, Fredrick Sennie, makes everything fresh, to his exacting standards, in the compact kitchen. Also adding to the allure and the wait: unique flavors, which include vegetarian options like vegan orange duck and vegan chili cheese beef; barbecue salmon; lemon pepper shrimp; and even weirder options including blueberry lamb with blue cheese.

Nigerian Scammer FBI Bust: 80 Defendants In US, Nigeria Charged In Cyberfraud Conspiracy To Steal Millions

BY ABC STAFF

LOS ANGELES (ABC 7) -- After search warrants were executed at multiple locations across L.A. County on Thursday morning, federal prosecutors announced a 252-count indictment that accuses 80 people in the U.S. and Nigeria of participating in a "massive conspiracy to steal millions of dollars through a variety of fraud schemes."

The defendants allegedly laundered the funds through a Los Angeles-based money laundering network. Eleven of them were arrested Thursday in Southern California, while three others were taken into custody elsewhere in the U.S., according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California.

Two were already in federal custody on other charges, and one was arrested earlier this week. The remaining defendants are believed to be abroad, most of them in Nigeria, authorities said.

According to the indictment, the accused used business email compromise frauds, romance scams and schemes targeting the elderly to defraud victims out of millions of dollars.

The co-conspirators allegedly contacted Valentine Iro, 31, of Carson, and Chukwudi Christogunus Igbokwe, 38, of Gardena, both Nigerian citizens, for bank and money-service accounts that could receive funds fraudulently obtained from victims.

"These victims are used primarily as money mules, by allowing their bank accounts to be used to transfer stolen funds," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Paul Delacourt.

The criminal complaint says Iro and Igbokwe, who were among the suspects arrested Thursday, conducted schemes that resulted in the transfer of at least $6 million in fraudulently obtained funds.

"The overall conspiracy was responsible for the attempted theft of at least $40 million," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.

An African American Mother And Daughter Journey To Their Family's Past In Ghana

Tani Sanchez and her daughter Tani Sylvester visit the Cape Coast castle, Ghana August 12, 2019. REUTERS/Kweku Obeng

BY ALESSANDRA PRENTICE

CAPE COAST, GHANA (REUTERS) - Halfway across the Atlantic Ocean, the plane carrying Tani Sanchez and her daughter Tani Sylvester on a heritage tour to Ghana crossed paths with a powerful storm.

A sharp drop in elevation hurled flight attendants to the floor. Passengers started screaming and crying.

“‘Oh my God, I brought my mom! What did I do?’” Sylvester, 40, recalled thinking as the plane shook. “It was the scariest thing that has ever happened in my life.”

After a few minutes, the pilot pulled the aircraft to safety above the dark clouds.

Looking back, Sylvester sees the moment of terror as a nudge from the past, an invocation of the suffering of millions of Africans who were crammed into the lightless hulls of ships and sent in the opposite direction during the centuries-long transatlantic slave trade.

“I think my ancestors were telling me, this wasn’t an easy trip for us,” she said.

“They sailed over that same Atlantic Ocean. It was traumatizing and scary for months, and I experienced five minutes of trauma and I was freaking out.”

The two Tanis are among a growing number of African Americans exploring their ancestral roots in Ghana, which has encouraged people with Ghanaian heritage to return in honor of the 400th anniversary of the first recorded arrival of African slaves to English settlements in what would one day become America.

They had set off the previous day from Los Angeles, where Sylvester works for a digital-streaming service. But their family’s journey began nearly two centuries before on a sugarcane plantation in Louisiana – and, before that, the homeland to which they were bound.

THE ‘LITTLE BITTY’ SLAVE

Sanchez’s great-great-grandmother Mary Ann Moss was born into slavery around 1838. Moss was a “little bitty lady” with long hair pulled back in a bun who was tough from growing up as a house slave on a Louisiana sugarcane plantation set on an isolated bluff. After obtaining permission from her master, she married her first husband according to slave custom by jumping across a broom together. He died at his plantation; no one knows how.

After the Civil War, she married a black former Union soldier from the North named Charles Wright who had moved to Louisiana to seek his fortune. Wright so cherished his memories of serving in a Union regiment that he kept his uniform carefully preserved in his home and was often called “Soldier” by family and friends.

The couple prospered after Wright bought his first piece of land, where he established orange groves and grew apricots, pears and pecans. They had six children, but only three survived childhood.

They lived in a well-appointed home filled with old-fashioned furniture and canopy beds and would go to church every Sunday in a stylish buggy pulled by “fine big old red horses.”

TRACING A FAMILY’S HISTORY

These stories from a beloved grandmother about the family’s experiences through slavery, the Civil War and early 20th century America sparked Sanchez’s lifelong quest to discover her ancestry.

Using oral histories, court transcripts, land deeds and census documents, Sanchez, who is an associate professor of Africana Studies at the University of Arizona, gathered enough information to form a clear picture of the past few generations on her mother’s side.

The result is a 300-plus-page book on her family’s history, “‘Didn’t Come From Nothing’ – An African American Story of Life.” All the details of the family’s history here are taken from the book.

For a long time, Sanchez’s efforts to glean insight on earlier generations came to nothing. Like most African Americans, her ancestry was erased by the machinery of slavery. Would-be family historians often reach dead ends because of a lack of personal records from a time when black people were treated as commodities.

The advent of genetic testing gave Sanchez hope that DNA could shed light on the family’s lost origins. The results, some showing a direct link to the Ashanti ethnic group in Ghana through her great-great-grandfather Wright, helped pave the way for the mother-daughter tour this month.

On the eve of the trip, sitting at her kitchen table in California with her mother, Sylvester talked about what the journey meant to her.

“We’re the first people in our family who’ve ever gone back home to Africa,” she said. “The last people that came from Africa, they came in chains. They were slaves, and we’re going back as free people.”

HANDMADE STOOL AND A HOMELAND

Family lore has it that Charles Wright was never enslaved, but contradictory public records muddy the picture. He was born in the 1830s or early 1840s in Maryland or Virginia and in older age looked like the abolitionist Frederick Douglass, according to one of his granddaughters.

He enlisted in the United States Coloured Troops in 1864 and served in Corpus Christi, Texas, before moving to Louisiana.

Very little is known about his early life or his origins. DNA tests now suggest he has an unbroken black male line extending back to the Ashanti people.

He made himself a personal prayer stool that ended up in the possession of grandson Taft Wright. The Ashanti have a tradition of carving wooden stools as seats for their owner’s soul. Sanchez sees Wright’s stool as a clue that he may have been within touching distance of his African past.

FOOTSTEPS AT THE SLAVE RIVER

After arriving in the sprawling, humid Ghanaian capital, Accra, Sanchez and her daughter joined a group of around 40 mostly African Americans. They got to know each other as they were taken around the city by a tour guide who taught them to sing a Ghanaian hymn and how to respond to a traditional call for their attention in the local Akan language.

Mostly strangers before the trip, the group bonded as they followed the torturous route their ancestors may have taken. In the dungeon of a slave fort, they stood together in shocked silence as they heard how the floor beneath their feet was still grouted with centuries of hard-packed human faeces, urine, blood and flesh. If one of the group appeared overwhelmed, others would quickly seek to console them, offering tissues, a hug or a sympathetic ear.

“I have taught introduction to African American studies and I have taught slavery, but there is something about being here and actually walking on the path and looking at the dungeons and looking at the devastation colonization has left – there is nothing like it,” Sanchez said toward the end of the tour as Atlantic waves crashed onto the nearby beach.

The previous day, the group had visited a river farther inland where slaves were forced to bathe before imprisonment on the coast ahead of their journey to the Americas.

They picked their way down the bank past stands of bamboo to the shallow, sun-dappled water, helping the less sure-footed as they went. On the guide’s invitation, Sylvester stepped into the creek, closed her eyes and raised her hands in prayer.

“I felt what my mom was saying about honoring the ancestors, like my ancestors would want me to get into that water and retrace their steps,” she said. “And even just taking off my shoes and feeling the same ground that they walked on, getting into the water, I just feel like I came out of that water a different person.”

Afterward, Sylvester wrote with black marker on a pink memorial wall at the site, “Long journey home,” and she and her mother signed their names: Tani S + Tani S.

QUILT-MAKING AND THE PAST

Born in 1897, Mary Louise Wright had a happy childhood, attending quilting bees and gumbo parties at her grandparents’ house in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She was a favorite of her grandfather Wright, often accompanying him on visits to his orange groves.

Before she turned 20, Mary Louise married Curley Euell, who worked as a lumberjack in the local sawmill. His father had been the victim of a lynching in the area. Euell never spoke about his father or his death.

In 1924, the couple and their four children joined the “Great Migration” of African Americans moving away from the South. Euell had accepted an offer to relocate to Arizona, so the family loaded themselves and their belongings onto a freight car, sleeping on mattresses as they headed west.

They eventually settled in Tucson and bought a house that remained a gathering place for generations.

Quilt-making was an important social activity for Mary Louise throughout her life. Some of the quilts’ patterns or color schemes appeared to hint at an unconscious African influence. In the quilts, Sanchez could see her family’s connection to its forebears across the sea.

“WE ARE ONE”

Once in Ghana, Sanchez was electrified by the sense that she was meeting people whose grandparents’ grandparents’ grandparents may have known her African ancestors.

The tour involved long bus rides on bumpy roads hedged with tattered banana and palm trees. As they journeyed inland to the Ashanti capital of Kumasi and then back to the slave sites on the coast, they passed shops tacked together out of sheet metal, old boards and tarpaulin offering everyday services with a religious flavor: “Great Miracle, fax and printing,” “With God Tailoring” and “Peace Be With You Keycutting.” Street vendors weaved through the traffic, selling chilled drinks and snacks from bowls balanced on their heads. In the distance, a vine-draped tropical forest covered the rolling hills of what the passengers were being told was their homeland.

During a traditional Ashanti “durbar” ceremony of drumming and dance outside Kumasi, a local chief formally welcomed them back to the tribe and proclaimed: “We are proud of you. ... We are one.”

In a small courtyard, musicians in black-and-white robes beat waist-high drums as the chief, his wrist stacked with chunky gold bracelets, performed a ritual dance under a large fringed parasol spun above him by an attendant.

The tour group lined up to greet the chief one by one. After stooping to shake his hand, Sanchez returned to her seat. Almost in surprise, she reached up to catch a tear sliding from beneath her glasses. She pulled a crumpled tissue from her handbag and dabbed her eyes.

“I certainly didn’t expect to cry. I studied this. ... I’m actually crying?” she said afterward.

“I was thinking of my obsession with genealogy and how I’ve been doing it for years,” she said as curious locals stood in the back watching the event. With a friendly smile, one girl in skinny pink jeans pulled her phone out to film a member of the tour dancing to the drums.

“My ancestors would have given anything to go back, anything to escape the horrific situation,” Sanchez said. “And here we are. And I truly believe that they were looking down and they got a kick out of it.”

NOT A SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN

After the move to Arizona, the Wright-Euell family continued to encounter unequal treatment. They weren’t welcome in restaurants and were only allowed to sit in the balcony of cinemas. The children faced insults at school from white teachers and pupils, which their mother advised them to ignore.

Mary Louise’s determination that they receive a good education led her to work for wealthy white families as a maid, eventually putting all six children through university or nursing school.

She had inherited her grandfather’s resolute character and refusal to see herself as a second-class citizen despite the severe restrictions against black people.

In the 1960s, as the Black Power movement was getting into gear, a young Sanchez excitedly told her grandmother about what she had recently learned about African and black American achievements.

The information didn’t surprise Mary Louise. “Well, we didn’t come here empty-handed. We didn’t come from nothing,” she replied.

The phrase would ring in Sanchez’s ears during her years of research into the family’s history. She had a name for her book.

MISSING PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

As Sanchez and her daughter prepared to fly home from Ghana, Sylvester talked excitedly about her hope that black people in the diaspora might eventually take subsidized trips back to Africa similar to the “Birthright” program that offers Jewish youth from around the world a free trip to Israel.

“Everyone has a homeland. People go, ‘Oh I’m from Ireland, I’m from Scotland.’ Being African American, I tell people I’m from New Orleans, like that’s where I was born, you know?” she said.

“There’s something healing about being here, eating the food, meeting the people – it’s the missing piece of the puzzle that connects you to who you really are.”

Sitting side by side, the pair mused over what they would be feeling as they flew back over the Atlantic to the United States. They were still dressed in the white clothes worn for an earlier ceremony, where they had received a traditional name and sipped schnapps from a cup proffered by a local chief wrapped in a robe of densely patterned cloth.

No matter the flight conditions, their ancestors would not be far from her thoughts, Sylvester said.

“They went through all of this hardship so that I wouldn’t have to, but I need to acknowledge that every day that I’m alive.”

Sanchez said she was still processing everything she had seen and learned on the trip, but felt a sense of closure. When asked if she planned to continue her genealogical quest, she replied, “I’m actually kind of satisfied.”

Nevertheless, her book on the family’s history may need to be updated.

After the durbar ceremony in Kumasi, Sanchez seized a chance to talk to the chief and asked if he would be willing to be tested to find out if they share any genetic links. He agreed, and she kissed his hand.

Later she said she hoped to find someone to do the test. “And then find out,” she said. “Why not find out?”

Reporting by Alessandra Prentice; edited by Kari Howard. Additional reporting by Kia Johnson in Washington, D.C., and Rollo Ross in Los Angeles.

The Many Troubles Of Southern Nigerians

BY SIMON ABAH
Prejudices die hard. Since creation, discrimination has always been the bane of human beings and many a people take discrimination too far. “The Lord is with southern Christians more than Northern Christians. Watch Northern Christians, they are not as confident as we, southerners.” A southern Christian made this statement in a restaurant (Climax) near Mater Misericordia Catholic Church in Rumuomasi, Port Harcourt, Rivers State the other day and I couldn’t help but shake my head. It is a fact of life that the average human being is an/a ethnic/racial bigot. Those in the upper class engage in bigotry when it serves their interests. The middle-class deceitfully pretends to be above bigotry in any form but close watchers see streaks rub off quickly, and the lower class carries it as a badge of courage due to poverty, illiteracy or frustration.

In the United States, the deep southern states are regarded with scorn by northern and Mid-western regions of the country, the so-called sophisticated and highly educated regions. In Italy, the Northern part of the country regards the Southern region as mafia hoods. In the UK, the Irish are looked down as drunken louts by the English, Scots and Welsh in turn treat each other in condescending manner. If bigotry can thrive in so called developed nations then one shouldn’t be surprised at the disturbing trend in Nigeria. The average southerner believes that Northerners are a drag on the development of Nigeria. Southerners believe that the unitary system of government was created by northerners for northern ends stifling the economic and political progress of the nation. There is the belief by southerners, many of whom are my friends that the north wants to hold on to power by all means in order to Islamise Nigeria and that Boko Haram and dangerous punks masquerading as herdsmen are foot soldiers who have been commissioned by the northern cabal to carry out the quest of the northern establishment. Many a southerner that I have met believes that northerners are lazy mentally and physically, shifty, parasites, illiterates, poverty stricken beggars, and that the northern cabal decides who people should vote for during electioneering periods. How precise are some of these fingers pointing? Before independence, the northern party situated in the Bornu axis formed an alliance with the NCNC which was watched over by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and voted massively for NCNC in 1959. This action by a northern party dispossessed the NPC of votes, and forced Sir Ahmadu Bello to go into an alliance with the NCNC in order to rule Nigeria.

In 1979, Solomon Lar’s influence saw the people of Plateau State voted immensely for NPP which was overseen by Nnamdi Azikiwe. He was a co-founder of the NPP. In 1993 to the shock of most Nigerians, nine out of 16 northern states voted for M.K.O Abiola who was the presidential candidate of the SDP. It was a David and Goliath contest which saw Abiola defeat Bashir Tofa in his home-zone of Kano State. After the death of General Murtala Ramat Muhammed northern officers literally forced General Olusegun Obasanjo to become Head of State. He had turned the offer down earlier on and offered it to General T.Y. Danjuma who refused it on the ground that he was not the second-in-command to Murtala.

In 2011, the northern oligarchy supported Goodluck Jonathan to defeat Muhammadu Buhari with the condition that he serves only one term. These examples show that the North is not as power hungry as the South projects it to be always. The June 12 presidential elections buried the myth that the North would never support a southern presidential candidate and the sudden death of General Sani Abacha reiterated the fact that a single individual no matter where he comes from cannot bend Nigeria to his will. Ninety per cent of the oil blocs in Nigeria belong to the International Oil Companies and blocs owned by northerners have southerners as major stakeholders. Not counting are many blocs owned by prominent southerners from available research in the public domain. The business investments of most northerners are in the south. Seventy per cent of Nigeria’s economic activities are in southern Nigeria and not in the North. Sixty per cent of Nigeria’s industries are situated in Lagos State alone and the oil and gas which determines Nigeria’s economic fate is situated in the south, which comes to the crux of this piece, would the northern cabal attempt to Islamize Nigeria knowing that such an attempt would plunge Nigeria into a religious war? The diverse tribes in the north have a heavy presence in Nigeria’s security apparatus and history has shown that any attempt to impose a religion on a nation would split the security forces and would the northern oligarchy be ready to endanger their investments in southern Nigeria? Did northerners launch the unitary system of government in Nigeria? The unitary system of government was in the 1961 manifesto of the Nnamdi Azikiwe’s NCNC and both the Sir Ahmadu Bello’s NPC and Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s AG supported confederation. When General Aguiyi Ironsi assumed office after the coup that led to the collapse of the First Republic he set up a committee to recommend to him the direction the country should take, this working group was headed by F.R.A Williams but without waiting for the result of the F.R.A Williams Commission he accepted the report of another team which he set up and included great men such as C.C Mojekwu, Francis Nwokedi and Ben Nwabueze, these three men had been members of the NCNC and were the authors of the unitary system of government. If northerners are that lazy how come they engage in all manner of job in cities in the south? The northerner seems to be more politically aware than most southerners, although the latter lay claim to intelligence, they love betting centres than research on Wikipedia but the so-called daft northerner is informed, what with his small transistor radio which is tuned to BBC and VOA.

Although northern tribes have their issues, and highly antagonistic to one another as seen in many cases, northern governors regularly holding meetings to move the north forward, the main agenda of the north is to maintain the status quo, now ask me, what is the main agenda of the south? The south is divided into three zones all of which have their own schemas. The south-west supports regionalism; the south-east supports restructuring and south-south supports resource control. In spite of the fact that southerners say they are more educated, wealthier, and have more in common amongst themselves, there is no coordination that would enable them set the agenda for the nation.

The South westerners always shout about marginalisation but they have benefitted from every government in Nigeria since independence. The South easterners are at a crossroad, one section calls for an Igbo president and another for a separate country, but can one serve two masters? The South-south mouthed resource control to the Heavens but when Goodluck Jonathan became president the cries became muted. The southern oligarchies do not have a meeting point, we hear of South-east, South-south, and South-west governor’s forum. They all loathe each region and cannot sit on the same table to discuss southern affairs. The Yoruba and Igbo do not trust each other; the South-south despite close filial ties with the Igbo resent them for their perceived arrogance. During the Olusegun Obasanjo’s national conference in 2005 and the Goodluck Jonathan’s of 2014, the three southern zones squandered the opportunity to unite and articulate their various positions which were quite similar. Whilst the northern delegation talked with one voice during the Obasanjo organised national conference, the delegates to the conference from the south-west did not collaborate with their counterparts from the south-east and south-south because a Yoruba was in power.

In 2014, the south-east and south-south paid the south-west in their own coin by refusing to meet with them to determine the way forward, Goodluck Jonathan was president and the south-west which advocated regionalism found their region isolated. The North and the south-south/south-east sang the same tune advocating the maintenance of the status quo. With Jonathan’s term of office over, separatists have begun drumming separate sovereignty, south-south resource control. The south-west in alliance with the north since 2015 may take over the reins of power in 2023 and surprisingly their campaign for regionalism and fiscal federalism isn’t as forceful as it once was. Southerners are the problems of southern Nigeria and not Northern people.

Abah wrote from Abuja.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

LNI: Lebanese Community Endows $1.5m MBA Scholarship For Nigerians In AUB

Pix from left: Mr Elias Nicolas, Consul General of Lebanon; Mr Ajibola Olubando, 2019 Lebanese Nigeria Initiative scholarship awardee and Mr. Ali Safieddine, Vice-Chairman, LNI at the presentation of first LNI Scholarship program awardee held at the Lebanese Consul General's Office in Lagos on Tuesday

BY THE LEBANESE NIGERIA INITIATIVE

LAGOS, NIGERIA (PR NEWS WIRE) -- The good relationship between Nigeria and Lebanon has been strengthened with the endowment of a scholarship scheme by The Lebanese Nigeria Initiatives (LNI), a not-for-profit association by the Lebanese community in Nigeria to award full MBA scholarship to two young Nigerians every year at the prestigious American University Beruit( AUB).

The MBA scholarship endowment worth $1.5m will enable two Nigerians to attend AUB every year for life, except if the university, which is about 300 years old, ceases to exist.

Speaking at the media presentation of Mr. Ajibola Olubando as the first beneficiary of the LNI MBA scholarship in Lagos, the Consul General of Lebanon in Nigeria Mr. Elias Nicolas said the scholarship scheme which adds "to other economic and social development contributions of the Lebanese community in Nigeria" is aimed at further strengthening the existing friendly relations between the two countries. According to the Consul General, the Lebanese community has always seen itself as part of the social fabric of Nigeria, noting that the current program is a sign of its commitment towards the educational upliftment of young Nigerians. He thanked the Chairman of LNI, Mr. Faysal El Khalil and other members of the Board of Trustees for their huge efforts in birthing this noble project.

Mr. Nicolas said Lebanon at the crossroads of three continents and many civilizations along history accommodates several internationally recognized higher institutions with AUB at the top having produced several high calibre scientists, heads of states and prime ministers around the Middle East and beyond.

In his remarks at the event, Mr. Ali Safieddine, Vice-Chairman Lebanese Nigeria Initiative said the endowment was conceived to identify young Nigerians who can acquire requisite knowledge from global institutions who would be willing to come back and invest same in Nigeria for the benefit of the country. Mr.Sefieddine who traced the history of first Lebanese to settle in Nigeria to 1880, thanked Nigeria for giving them opportunity to live peacefully within the communities to do business, saying that this spirit of unity was part of what informed the life MBA endowment fund at American university of Beirut.

He said the beneficiaries while at the American University of Beirut would be ambassadors of Nigeria in Lebanon and when they are back, would be ambassadors of Lebanon in Nigeria as they would be sufficiency immersed in the two culture.

Speaking on the criteria for selection, Mr.Safieddine said the candidate emerged out of numerous applicants who must satisfy the stringent admission requirement of AUB and also be ready and willing to return to Nigeria to use his education to impact the society. He said lots rigour went into the process of selection of the candidates who were interviewed by a panel of the LNI and AUB before it was narrowed to four from which a candidate emerged.

The LNI MBA scholarship awardee, Mr. Ajibola Olubando, a Petroleum and Gas Engineering graduate of University of Lagos, while thanking LNI for the opportunity to study at AUB, said he will use his global education to impact Nigerian society on graduation.

SOURCE The Lebanese Nigeria Initiatives (LNI)

Weekslong Standoffs In Mediterranean Becoming 'New Normal'

In this Aug. 13, 2019 photo made available Monday, Aug. 19, 2019, rescued migrants rest on the deck of the Norwegian-flagged Ocean Viking vessel, operated by two French humanitarian groups, as it sails in the waters between the Italian island of Linosa, southern Italy, and Malta. Another potential migrant standoff looms as the Ocean Viking, carrying 356 migrants, has been sailing for 10 days without being able to dock after Malta refused to find a safe port while Italy hasn't answered the ship's request. (Hannah Wallace Bowman/MSF via AP)

BY COLLEEN BARRY

MILAN (AP) — The Ocean Viking carrying 356 people, mostly Africans, rescued in the Mediterranean off Libya is closing in on two weeks at sea without being assigned a safe port to offload the traumatized passengers — a situation that charity workers decry as “the new normal” as Europe fails to devise a systematic response.

It “is a complete shame. It is inhumane,” Jay Berger, project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders on the Ocean Viking, said by satellite phone Thursday. “There needs to be concrete action. This is not how people should be treated.”

The Ocean Viking conducted four rescues off Libya from Aug. 9-12, and is in its 13th day without being permitted to disembark the rescued people, as dictated by maritime law. The ship, with a stated capacity of 200 passengers, has been sailing between the Italian island of Linosa and Malta, staying out of sight of land as that would only excite the rescued people.

Berger said that the situation on board remains “manageable,” but anxiety is growing about what is going to happen. The passengers are becoming increasingly concerned that they will be taken back to Libya, where many suffered torture and detention, he said.

“The longer we are at sea, the harder it is for them to trust us,” he said. “Already two weeks is way too long.”

So far, there have been no medical emergencies or outbreaks of tension, as was the case on the Spanish rescue ship Open Arms, which disembarked Tuesday night on the Italian island of Lampedusa after a prosecutor ordered the vessel seized as part of investigations into possible charges of kidnapping, failure to provide aid and a safe port.

Unlike the Ocean Viking, the Open Arms had been permitted to enter Italian waters after an administrative court ruled that it could access port. An appeal to that ruling filed by Italy’s hard-line interior minister, Matteo Salvini, is still pending.

During the 20-day-long Open Arms standoff, dozens were evacuated for medical emergencies or because they were minors. The situation spiraled out of control after the vessels anchored within sight of Lampedusa, and 15 migrants jumped in the sea on Tuesday seeking to reach land on their own out of frustration. That triggered a resolution as a prosecutor visited the ship and Spain dispatched a Navy ship to escort the Open Arms back Spain.

The 83 migrants that remained on board until the end will be transferred to five EU countries, but the timing remains unclear.

Berger said the Ocean Viking, operated in coordination with SOS Mediterranee, is determined to abide by all laws, and does not intend to force its way “into any territorial waters in any state.” That was the case with a German ship operated by Sea-Watch, which forced its way into Lampedusa after 17 days at sea with 40 migrants after declaring a state of emergency on board.

“We are trying our best to abide by the law and proper authorities, that is why we are not forcing our way in,” Berger said. But he added that if conditions deteriorate to an emergency, it would be the captain’s call to enter the nearest port.

While Malta has refused the Ocean Viking port, Italy has not responded to its requests. But Salvini has made his position clear that no humanitarian rescue ship will be allowed in an Italian port, winning parliamentary backing for tighter restrictions that include fines of up to 1 million euros for any ship that defies him. That move came just days before Salvini triggered a crisis that led to the collapse of Italy’s populist government.

On board the Ocean Viking, Berger emphasized that while the ship awaits port, there are no humanitarian rescue ships operating in the central Mediterranean Sea, where some 580 people are believed to have died this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.

While that number is lower than last year’s death toll of 1,130 from January through August, the rate of deaths per estimated crossing is higher, according to the IOM.

“If we are not out there saving lives, people will die at sea. This is turning the Mediterranean into a graveyard,” he said. “It shows a lack of care, a lack of decency and a level of apathy projected from the EU member states.”

India Expels 86-Year-Old Spanish Nun Who Helped The Poor

Sister Enedina of the Daughters of Charity congregation walks with villagers after they gave her a send-off. The Spanish nun left India on Aug. 20 after the government refused to renew her visa. (Photo supplied)

BY UCA NEWS REPORTER

NEW DELHI (UCA NEWS) -- Govt gives no reason for rejecting the visa renewal of Sister Enedina, who dedicated her life to the poor for five decades

The Indian government has refused to renew the visa of an elderly Spanish nun who had worked for the country’s poor for five decades.

Sister Enedina, 86, from the Daughters of Charity congregation, had her visa renewal refused on Aug. 11 and was then told she had 10 days to leave the country.

The nun, who trained as a medical doctor, had helped poor people in the country’s east since the mid-1960s. She flew out from New Delhi on Aug. 20 on a flight to Spain.

Sister Martha Pradhan, head of her congregation’s North India Province, said Sister Enedina had been renewing her visa periodically ever since she came to Berhampur in 1965, but the government rejected it this time around.

“She applied online to renew her visa in the first week of August, paid the fees and completed all the formalities … we then received the notice that she had to leave the country within 10 days,” Sister Pradhan told ucanews.com. “We were not told why the visa was not renewed.”

The Federal Ministry of External Affairs deals with visa issues but maintains a policy that it denies visas without stating any reasons.

The development comes amid criticism that the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which came to power for a second time in May riding on a landslide for the pro-Hindu BJP party, has been supportive of hard-line Hindu groups pushing to make India a Hindu-only nation.

Hindu groups have been demanding the expulsion of all foreign missioners from India, accusing them of using social work as a façade for converting Dalit and tribal people to Christianity.

A ministry official told ucanews.com that it cannot speak about specific cases.

“A visa, as a rule, is often denied if it is incompatible with the purpose of the visit as mentioned in the visa application of the applicant,” the official said. “The government, like any other government, believes that the right to grant visas remains the sole prerogative of the host country concerned.”

Considered a mother

Sister Enedina earned bachelor's degrees in medicine and surgery from Madrid Capital Medical College in 1959.

After arriving in Berhampur several years later, she opened a dispensary to cater to the healthcare needs of local people — mostly tribal and socially poor Dalit people.

Five years later, she moved to Mohana village in nearby Gajapati district and began working for the education of Dalit and tribal people.

Sister Enedina’s 54-year missionary career as a doctor, nurse and teacher forced “many in the area to consider her their mother,” Sister Pradhan said.

The provincial nun said Sister Enedina will "live in one of our houses” in Spain.

Bishop Sarat Chandra Nayak of Berhampur said he was saddened by what has happened to Sister Enedina.

“It is unfortunate that such a qualified and trained nun had to leave the country,” Bishop Nayak told ucanews.com. “It indeed is a loss. We don’t have many sisters qualified as doctors who will work in remote areas among the tribals and Dalits.”

Father Madan Sual Singh, director of Jana Vikas (people’s development), a social service wing of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar Archdiocese, said he knew the nun when he was a schoolboy.

“Her hard work for and dedication to the poor were very moving,” Father Singh said. “She would not hesitate to drive and go to the even most remote villages, risking her life where the resources were limited. She learned the local language and people naturally developed a friendship with her.”

The Daughters of Charity was founded in France in 1633 and is based on the spirituality of St. Vincent De Paul. It serves through hospitals, orphanages, old age homes and educational institutions. They are also involved in the pastoral activities of the Church.

The congregation has 60 provinces around the world with 16,179 members working in 90 countries. They arrived in India in 1940. In 10 northern Indian states the congregation has 232 members living in 42 houses and working in 14 dioceses.

Ghana Welcomes Diasporans To Mark 400 Years Of African Resilience

African Diaspora marks 400 years of the slave trade experience in Jamestown, Ghana. Image: Ghana News Agency

JAMESTOWN (GHANA WEB) -- The chiefs and people of Jamestown in Accra on Wednesday received Diasporans who took part in the historical and reconciliatory journey from Jamestown to Jamestown, marking 400 years since their forefathers were taking from the shores of Africa.

The symbolic event was to commemorate the struggle of African slaves shipped from Jamestown Accra-Ghana in 1619 to Jamestown Virginia in America.

Gracing the occasion was President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and some Ministers of state, who welcomed the returnees at Jamestown Mantse Agbonaa.

Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and culture, said Ghana's Pan-Africanism had not been in doubt, as the legacy of earlier leaders remained a worthy cause for Ghana to sustain.

She said the Ministry was glad as it drew close to a successful celebration marking the ‘Year of Return' since its inception in January 2019.

The ‘Year of Return had endorsed 78 events for the year-long celebrations.

The Minister said despite being away, some of the people in the diaspora contributed so much to Africa's growth, adding that, Ghana had received lot of personalities like; Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives, Samuel L Jackson, Micheal J White, AJ Johnson, Kofi Kingston, Debora Cox, Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Danny Glover, among others.

She said the visit should begin a long lasting partnership between the indigenes and those in the diaspora for the benefit of all.

Mrs Oteng-Gyasi acknowledged the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) for spearheading all the events for the Year-long celebration so far.

She also thanked the Panafest Foundation, Office of Diaspora Affairs at the Presidency and the Adinkra group for playing key roles in ensuring that the 400 years celebrations went well, and pledged the support of the Ministry towards their initiatives for a successful development of Africa.

Mr Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the Mayor of Accra, urged the returnees to participate in the remaining activities.

Mr Kwasi Agyemang, Chief Executive Officer of GTA, said Jamestown was the centre of tourism in Ghana, as it had the Lighthouse and the Jamestown Fort, thorough which the first slave ship took off to Jamestown Virginia.

He urged the returnees to explore, interact, partner and establish businesses and institutions that would yield benefits for everyone.

Mr Diallo Sumboy, the Chief Executive Officer of Adinkra group and Organizer of the team, acknowledged President Akufo-Addo for the initiative and the warm reception, adding that, they would not relent in partnering and initiating developmental projects in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

The returnees went through some rituals of the Ga state, such as wearing of the traditional leaves and were also entertained with traditional drumming and singing

SOURCE: GHANAWEB

UN: Don't Worry About Drinking Microplastics In Water

In this May 23 2019 file photo, Southern Connecticut State University professor Vincent Breslin holds a sample of water that contains possible microplastics at the North Haven Water Treatment Plant on Universal Drive. The World Health Organization says the levels of microplastics in drinking water don’t appear to be risky, but that more research is needed into their effects on the environment and health. A WHO report released Wednesday, Aug. 21, said the minuscule plastics are ubiquitous in the environment and have been found in both tap and bottled drinking water. (Bailey Wright/Record-Journal via AP)

BY JAMEY KEATON, MARIA CHENG

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization says the levels of microplastics in drinking water don’t appear to be risky, but that research has been spotty and more is needed into their effects on the environment and health.

Microplastics are created when man-made materials break down into tiny particles smaller than about 5 millimeters (roughly one-fifth of an inch), although there is no strict scientific definition.

In a report published Wednesday, the U.N. health agency said the minuscule plastics are “ubiquitous in the environment” and have been found in drinking water, including both tap and bottled, most likely as the result of treatment and distribution systems.

“But just because we’re ingesting them doesn’t mean we have a risk to human health,” said Bruce Gordon, WHO’s coordinator of water, sanitation and hygiene. “The main conclusion is, I think, if you are a consumer drinking bottled water or tap water, you shouldn’t necessarily be concerned.”

Gordon acknowledged, however, that the available data is “weak” and that more research is needed. He also urged broader efforts to reduce plastic pollution.

The report is WHO’s first review to investigate the potential human health risks of microplastics. It said people have inadvertently consumed microplastics and other particles in the environment for decades without sign of harm.

Andrew Mayes, a senior lecturer in chemistry at Britain’s University of East Anglia who didn’t participate in the WHO report, agreed that microplastics in water don’t appear to be a health worry for now.

“But I wouldn’t want people to go away with the idea that microplastics are no longer important,” because they might be harming the environment, he said. He said stronger measures to reduce plastic are needed.

“We know that these types of materials cause stress to small organisms,” he said. “They could be doing a lot of damage in unseen ways.”

“Even if we stop (adding) plastic to the environment right now, microplastics will increase as larger pieces divide into smaller and smaller pieces,” Mayes said, adding scientists have little understanding of the long-term consequences.

WHO called for further analysis of microplastics in the environment and their potential health significance.

Gordon said that although WHO would continue to monitor levels of microplastics in water, the higher priority is proven risks in drinking water like bacteria that cause typhoid and cholera.

“These are things that cause immediate illness and can kill a million people,” he said.

Cheng reported from London.

‘My Son Wants To Leave Ireland For Good. He’s Not Comfortable With What’s Going On Here’

Oghenetano John Uwhumiakpor: “My 16-year-old son is keen to leave this country; not to study but to go and live abroad for good. He’s not really comfortable with what’s going on here.” Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

BY SOCHA POLLAK

Oghenetano John Uwhumiakpor, who arrived from Nigeria, via Finland, in 2006, says Irish-born black teenagers are ‘suffering an identity crisis’

Oghenetano John Uwhumiakpor was in his late teens when his sister underwent female genital mutilation (FGM). He recalls overhearing as a young child that his older sister would have to go through the cutting procedure ahead of her wedding day but was too young to understand the lifelong implications on her health and wellbeing. However, when the time came for his next sister to be cut, he knew exactly how dangerous the procedure could be.

“I was a very inquisitive child when I witnessed it first; I wanted to know what was going on. We were very close in my family so I could hear people talking. I can remember my sister walking out with two women holding her hands and blood coming down her legs.

“I knew it was wrong. I kept asking why is this happening but they told me to go away, said I couldn’t understand. But I could see the pain in her face. This was not something she got an anaesthetic for. This was something I didn’t want to stand of, a cultural belief I couldn’t agree with. I said to myself in that moment I don’t think my wife should ever do this.”

One of 15 children, Uwhumiakpor grew up in the southern Nigeria’s Edo State and moved to Benin in his early 20s to find work. Shortly before leaving, he met and fell in love with Bridget. Unlike in other cultures where FGM is performed on young children, in Uwhumiakpor’s community the ritual was carried out just before a woman was married. Fearing for her safety, Bridget, who was pregnant with the couple’s first child, decided to seek asylum abroad and travelled to Ireland.

Determined to follow her, Uwhumiakpor eventually made arrangements to fly to Europe but mistakenly ended up in Finland. He spent a year in a Finnish asylum centre before finding a way to Ireland in 2006. He spent three months in the Mosney direct provision centre but after explaining his situation to immigration authorities, was allowed to move in with Bridget, who had already secured permission to remain in Ireland through her son’s Irish nationality (he was born before the 2004 citizenship referendum). Two years later, Uwhumiakpor was also given permission to remain in the country.

While he only spent a short period in the direct provision system, Uwhumiakpor still recalls the frustration of waiting for news on his asylum application. “Direct provision is not humane; it’s not good for any human being because it takes your sense of direction and your sense of focus. It has nothing to do with human dignity. If you imagine a scenario when someone is locked up unjustly, you can’t quantify how that person’s mental state will be affected.”

Uwhumiakpor and his wife have now spent more than a decade living in Balbriggan and have six children aged between 18 months and 16 years of age. He works as a home carer but says he would like to move into social care and use his studies in psychology to help people dealing with drug addiction or domestic abuse.

Uwhumiakpor has also acted as general secretary of the Balbriggan Integration Forum for seven years, a group he helped form in 2013 to promote integration in the north Fingal community. “The narrative today in Ireland is that Balbriggan is one of the most diverse communities in the country. And if the issue of integration is not looked into, it’s going to be one of those things that comes back to hurt the community in the future.”

Aside from Balbriggan’s African community – which includes people from Nigeria, Somalia, Angola, Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopiaand the Ivory Coast – there is also a large number of eastern Europeans living alongside Irish families who have been in the area for decades.

“If they live in segregation that is not a way to bring social community together. There’s so much to be done in terms of social inclusion in our community. People see it as political but it should not be politicised. You can’t just pay lip service. It has to come from the heart.”
Sense of belonging

Uwhumiakpor is worried about young black people’s sense of belonging in this country and believes many Irish-born teenagers of colour are “suffering an identity crisis”. “My 16-year-old son is keen to leave this country; not to study but to go and live abroad for good. He’s not really comfortable with what’s going on here but I’m trying to see how we can change that.”

Uwhumiakpor is calling for the establishment of a cultural centre in Balbriggan to help young people find their roots while embracing their family background. “People have told me that when they go back to Nigeria on holidays their children ask their parents ‘when are we going home’ and they mean Ireland. Nigeria is not their home. But when they come back here they are not treated as if this is their home.”

In May 2019, Uwhumiakpor ran as a People Before Profit candidate for Balbriggan in the local elections. While he only secured 263 first-preference votes, he is glad he took part in the campaign.

“Winning or losing the election; that was never the point. The point is connectivity and understanding how people see the community. I was able to meet with so many residents. One person told me I was the first representative to knock on their door in 47 years; another told me I was the first in 20 years.

“And the way people received me was beyond my imagination. They gave me the belief that I live in a very positive community. So it wasn’t a question about winning, it’s about understanding.”

Asked if he would run for the council again, Uwhumiakpor immediately affirms that he would. He also plans to remain a member of People Before Profit, which he describes as a political movement with the “common man at heart”. “Irrespective of your creed or colour, they stand for everyone. That’s my passion, humanity. Standing up for people is what gives me the energy to do what I’m doing.”

SOURCE: THE IRISH TIMES

Trump Administration Moves To End Limits On Child Detention

In this June 28, 2019 file photo, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan pauses during a news conference in Washington. The Trump administration is moving to end a long-standing federal court agreement that limits how long immigrant children can be kept in detention. The move is almost certain to spark a new court fight over the government’s ability to hold families until their cases are decided. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

BY COLLEEN LONG, AMY TAXIN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is moving to end a long-standing federal agreement that limits how long immigrant children can be kept in detention. A court fight will almost certainly follow over the government’s desire to hold migrant families until their cases are decided.

The current court agreement now requires the government to keep children in the least restrictive setting and to release them as quickly as possible, generally after 20 days in detention.

Homeland Security officials say they are adopting their own regulations that reflect the court’s “Flores agreement,” which has been in effect since 1997, and there is no longer a need for court involvement, which was only meant to be temporary. But the new rules would allow the government to hold families in detention much longer than 20 days.

It is the latest effort by the administration to tighten immigration, President Donald Trump’s signature issue, and is aimed at restricting the movement of asylum seekers in the country and deterring more migrants from crossing the border. The news immediately generated fresh outrage, following reports of dire conditions in detention facilities, and it is questionable whether courts will let the administration move forward with the policy.

Immigrant advocates decried the move and said prolonged detention would traumatize immigrant children.

“The government should not be jailing kids, and certainly shouldn’t be seeking to put more kids in jail for longer,” Madhuri Grewal, policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement.

Peter Schey, a lawyer for the immigrant children in the Flores case and president of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, said if the regulations don’t match the settlement in that case, “they would be in immediate material breach, if not contempt of court.”

“I think all these things are now part of the 2020 campaign,” Schey said.

Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan said Wednesday the regulations create higher standards to govern family detention facilities. The facilities will be regularly audited, and the audits made public.

The regulations are expected to be formally published Friday and go into effect in 60 days absent legal challenges.

They follow moves last week to broaden the definition of a “public charge” to include immigrants on public assistance, potentially denying green cards to more immigrants. There was also a recent effort to effectively end asylum altogether at the southern border.

The Flores agreement is a constant talking point by the president and his administration, which claims it is a loophole that encourages migrants to make a dangerous and potentially deadly journey to the U.S. The district judge overseeing the agreement has already refused government requests to increase the amount of time children can be detained, and advocates moved to block the regulations when the proposed rule was first announced last September.

There has been a drastic increase in the number of families crossing the border — about 475,000 so far this budget year, nearly three times the previous full-year record for families. Most are released into the U.S. while their asylum requests wind through the courts — a practice Trump has derided as “catch-and-release.”

The Flores agreement has been into effect since 1997 but mostly applied to children who came to the country alone. In 2015, U.S. District Court Judge Dolly Ghee ruled the requirements were applicable to children who crossed the border with families, after the Obama administration built family detention centers and started detaining families until their cases were completed.

Part of the issue was that children could not be kept in facilities that weren’t licensed, and no states license family detention centers. Homeland Security officials say by adopting the standards for education, healthy food and cleanliness used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which detains adult immigrants, they are satisfying requirements in lieu of state licensing requirements.

Homeland Security did not say how long it expects families to be kept, but McAleenan said under the previous administration it was about 50 days.

McAleenan said there was “no intent to hold families for a long period of time. The intent is for a fair and expeditious proceeding.”

Asylum cases involving detained families move much more quickly than cases for families released, taking months instead of years to resolve, in part because there are none of the delays that result when immigrants fail to show up for hearings.

The government operates three family detention centers that can hold a total of about 3,000 people. One is being used for single adults, and the other two are at capacity.

McAleenan said he didn’t expect to need more bed space because, together with other efforts to restrict the flow of migrants, he expects fewer people to be coming.

The massive influx of Central American families to the U.S.-Mexico border has vastly strained the system and foiled Trump’s tough talk on immigration, though agreements by Mexico to clamp down on migrants heading north and a new agreement with Guatemala forcing migrants to claim asylum there instead of heading north are expected to reduce the flow.

Trump administration officials have also forced more than 30,000 people to wait out their asylum cases in Mexico. It’s not clear how this change would affect that policy.

The Flores agreement governs more than just how long children can be held in detention, it sets standards of care for children who cross the border alone as well as with families. And lawyers in the case recently spoke out about what they said were deplorable, filthy conditions for children held at border facilities not meant to hold large groups of people for very long.

A report this week by the independent monitor overseeing claims of government noncompliance with Flores rules detailed the extreme overcrowding and poor conditions that immigrant youths faced in detention.

For example, a Border Patrol station in in Clint, Texas, an El Paso suburb, had a stated capacity for 105 children. On June 1, there were 676. Lawyers who visited in June described squalid conditions. Children cared for toddlers, the lawyers said, with inadequate food, water and sanitation.

At a detention center in McAllen, Texas, there were nearly 1,800 juveniles when the entire capacity for both juveniles and adults was 1,500.

The monitor in the Flores settlement visited some facilities, finding that they were as cold as 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius), and “even participants in the inspection and dressed in business clothes often found the temperature uncomfortably cool.”

A federal appeals panel found last week that detained children should get edible food, clean water, soap and toothpaste under the agreement, after a bid to limit what must be provided.

Flores surfaced again in the spring of 2018, when the Trump administration adopted a policy of prosecuting anyone caught crossing illegally. More than 2,900 children were separated from their parents as a result and sent to prison.

Trump eventually backed down and stopped the separation of families. A federal judge ruled children could not be separated from their parents, so immigration officials can’t send adults to immigration detention without their children, and can’t hold families longer than 20 days, which McAleenan and others have said is giving smugglers an opportunity to sell trips north.

Amy Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California. AP Writer Astrid Galvan in Phoenix contributed.