Travel News
Trump orders banks to take a closer look at clients' citizenship in new immigration enforcement move - ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY Fatima Hussein And Ken Sweet
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that requires banks to take a closer look at the citizenship of their customers, a new measure in his administration’s push to clamp down on people living in the country illegally.
The order directs bank regulators and government departments to look for signs that people without legal status are opening accounts or obtaining loans or credit cards. However, the order is less aggressive than banks had expected, as earlier reports suggested the White House was drafting an order that would make collecting customers’ citizenship information mandatory.
In the order, the White House framed the decision that banks would face credit risks if one of their customers were deported and any loans could no longer be repaid. The White House said it would not “permit risks to our financial system posed by the extension of credit or financial services to the inadmissible and removable alien population.”
Since banks have never collected any information about their customers’ citizenship or immigration status, there are no reliable public figures on how much risk these customers pose to the financial system.
A study by the left-leaning Urban Institute estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 mortgages were issued to customers with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs). These ITINs are typically used by undocumented workers in place of a Social Security Number. The Urban Institute estimated that banks were highly reluctant to lend to individuals with ITINs. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are also generally reluctant to insure mortgages for borrowers with an ITIN, making it even less likely for ITIN holders to obtain a mortgage.
The White House has been signaling for weeks that it was planning some sort of executive order that would involve how banks handle their undocumented customers. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last month that “there should be stricter rules” to open bank accounts.
“Why can the unknown foreign nationals come and open a bank account?” Bessent said.
Claiming bank executives were supposed to “know your customer,” he asked, "So how do you know your customer if you don’t know if they have legal or illegal status, whether a U.S. citizen or green card holder?”
In response, the banking industry had been aggressively lobbying for months to stop the White House from issuing an executive order that would have made collecting customers' citizenship status mandatory, arguing it would be expensive and require vast amounts of paperwork. Since the order only offers guidance to the banks instead of a mandate, it appears the banks were able to win over the White House.
Taxi, ride-hailing drivers brace for World Cup traffic and antsy passengers - THE CANADIAN PRESS
by Tara Deschamps
Weeks before global soccer fans are due to descend on Toronto and Vancouver for the World Cup, some Uber drivers were trying to score better working conditions during the tournament.
At a routine meeting, they told the ride-hailing giant they're worried about how they'll contend with the traffic — and tempers — 650,000 expected guests will bring to the Canadian cities in June and July.
"Increased traffic causes some customers to be antsy and nervous and frustrated," said Barry Sawyer, national president at United Food and Commercial Workers, which offers representation to Uber drivers.
"We asked Uber to make sure they communicate with all incoming passengers ... that it's not a drivers' fault the roads are busier because unfortunately, sometimes if the passenger's upset with what's going on out there, they take it out on the driver."
Uber wouldn't say whether it will acquiesce with the request but told a reporter they regularly remind riders and drivers to treat each other with courtesy and respect.
"This is especially important during large-scale events such as the World Cup or the Taylor Swift concerts," spokesperson Keerthana Rang said.
The request offers a window into the conditions gig workers are bracing for when international soccer fans and locals turn to them for deliveries and rides to and from games, airports and viewing parties.
The tournament is expected to amp up demand for ride-hailing and food delivery services, giving workers a chance to earn more, especially if platforms offer incentives to keep couriers out on the road during the busiest periods.
But not all aspects of the games will be worth cheering for.
Some foresee crowds, which may be unruly, impatient and alcohol-fuelled, clogging streets. That would hold up eventgoers and constrain how many jobs gig workers can do — and thus, how much they make.
"There will be more rides, I have no doubt, but I do think the speed at which things are moving is really going to impact whether that translates really into more income," said Kristine Hubbard, managing director at Beck Taxi in Toronto.
"I often liken it to a snowstorm. If you can't get around, neither can a taxi. We're not operating hovercrafts or small planes that can get you above the traffic, so if traffic is at a standstill, so are we."
The 1,200 cabs her company dispatches will be contending with a range of match-day closures to the Fort York-Liberty Village corridor, where most of Toronto's World Cup festivities are taking place.
US directs green card applicants to apply from home countries - PUNCH
The United States has directed Nigerians and other foreign nationals seeking green cards to return to their home countries to complete the application process, except in extraordinary circumstances.
The directive, issued on Friday, was announced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services as part of a broader immigration policy shift under President Donald Trump.
According to the agency, the new rule is aimed at restoring what it described as the “original intent” of US immigration law.
USCIS said applicants seeking adjustment of status must now process their residency applications through US consular offices abroad under the supervision of the US Department of State.
The agency stated, “We’re returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly. From now on, an alien who is in the U.S. temporarily and wants a Green Card must return to their home country to apply, except in extraordinary circumstances.”
USCIS spokesperson Zach Kahler said the policy would reduce cases of migrants remaining in the country after unsuccessful residency applications.
“This policy allows our immigration system to function as the law intended instead of incentivising loopholes. When aliens apply from their home country, it reduces the need to find and remove those who decide to slip into the shadows and remain in the U.S. illegally after being denied residency,” he said.
The agency explained that the policy would affect temporary visa holders, including students, tourists and workers in the United States.
It said such non-immigrants are expected to leave after their authorised stay, adding that their visit should not serve as a pathway to permanent residency.
“Nonimmigrants, like students, temporary workers, or people on tourist visas, come to the U.S. for a short time and for a specific purpose. Our system is designed for them to leave when their visit is over. Their visit should not function as the first step in the Green Card process,” the statement added.
USCIS further said routing applications through consular offices abroad would allow it focus more on other immigration priorities.
It added that resources would be redirected toward cases involving victims of violent crimes, human trafficking, naturalisation requests and other immigration services.
“The law was written this way for a reason, and despite the fact that it has been ignored for years, following it will help make our system fairer and more efficient,” the agency said.
Recall that in December 2025, the Trump administration temporarily halted processing of green card and citizenship applications from Nigerians and nationals of other countries affected by US travel restrictions, according to a CBS News report.
The suspension affected legal immigration applications handled by USCIS and targeted immigrants from selected African and Asian countries.
Many of those affected were already residing legally in the United States and seeking to adjust their immigration status or obtain citizenship.
The administration had also frozen immigration petitions from nationals of 19 countries covered by the travel ban introduced in June, following a security incident involving an Afghan national in Washington DC.
Sallah travellers brave N200,000 airfares to avoid ‘dangerous’ highways - BUSINESSDAY
Domestic airlines are experiencing passenger surge across core northern destinations as travellers rush to connect with families for the Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations.
This holiday-induced traffic spike comes at an operational threshold for the aviation sector, following an upward adjustment of base airfares across major local networks.
Destinations with the most passenger influx include Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Sokoto, and Yola.
A visit by BusinessDay at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) revealed heavily congested check-in queues and packed terminal halls filled with holiday travellers.
Aero Contractors reportedly recorded the longest queues, especially for flights to Port Harcourt and northern destinations, while Rano Air operated above 85 percent capacity on routes to Kano and Kaduna.
Air Peace, Ibom Air, and United Nigeria Airlines have reportedly increased one-way economy fares above N200,000 on major domestic routes due to rising aviation fuel prices. Jet A1 fuel prices were said to hover between N1,900 and N2,000 per litre.
Examples cited in the report include:
- Lagos–Owerri fares rising to about N202,000–N208,000
- Lagos–Port Harcourt fares increasing to around N201,900–N208,300
- Lagos–Abuja fares reaching approximately N201,900–N208,145
- Lagos–Kano fares climbing to about N201,918 on some airlines.
Several passengers interviewed said they preferred expensive flights over travelling by road because of insecurity and kidnappings on Nigerian highways.
Aero Contractors CEO Ado Sanusi stated the airline introduced promotional fares during the festive season to help travellers reconnect with families.
Former Nigerian College of Aviation Technology rector Samuel Caulcrick noted that inflation and insecurity are reshaping travel patterns, with many Nigerians abandoning road travel despite soaring airfares.
One passenger, Abdulrasheed Mohammed, said:
“I’ll rather buy the ticket for this amount than go by road…”
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