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Before his vice president, JD Vance, will visit the semi-autonomous Danish territory, US President Donald Trump reiterated his plans to purchase Greenland.

For international security and safety, we need Greenland. It is required. Trump stated in a Wednesday interview that “we must have it.”

He added, “We need Greenland, you know, at the White House.” And we need Greenland, including Denmark, according to the statement, adding that the US will “as far as we can go.”

Greenland, where calls for full independence from Denmark have long been voiced out, was angered by his comments. 85 percent of the population of the Arctic region has now voiced opposition to resuming its rule.

Other people have noted Trump’s ambitions.

Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, responded to Trump’s tweets on Thursday, saying that his apprehension about Greenland is unsurprising and historical.

In the wake of the world’s desperate search for the resources, Putin explained that the US has long desired the mineral-rich Arctic region.

The Arctic scramble and why Greenland is significant are covered in more detail here.

Is Russia concerned about US control of Greenland?

Putin stated at the International Arctic Forum that he believes Trump is serious about acquiring Greenland and that US efforts will continue to do so in Murmansk, Russia’s largest city within the Arctic circle.

It may appear surprising at first glance, and it would be wrong to assume that the current US administration is making some sort of extravagant statements, Putin said, adding that it is obvious that the US will continue to pursue its “geostrategic, military-political, and economic interests in the Arctic.”

Putin also expressed concern about the transatlantic military alliance between North America and Europe, which includes Russia’s neighbors, Finland and Sweden. Sweden joined NATO in 2024, and Finland joined in 2023.

Russia has never threatened the Arctic, but “we will closely monitor the developments and formulate a plan to combat it by strengthening our military might and modernizing our military base,” Putin said.

Russia’s willingness to cooperate with foreign partners in the Arctic, he added, was “open.”

The more significant the outcomes will be and the more opportunities there are for us to launch international projects in the Arctic with Western nations and friendly nations if they show an interest in joint work.

The US Vice President is in Greenland for what reason?

On Friday, US Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha Vance will make their first appearance in Greenland.

According to a statement from Vance’s office, they will travel to the US’s Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and White House National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to get a briefing on Arctic security issues and meet with US service members.

Mute Egede, the acting head of government in Greenland, stated in an online post on Monday that the country had not actually invited anyone to come in for an official or private visit.

The post read, “We have kindly requested all countries to respect this process, and the current government is a caretaker government awaiting the formation of a new government coalition.”

The Vances changed their travel plan after this. The couple will only travel to the US base while Usha Vance was originally scheduled to attend Sisimiut’s Avannaata Qimussersu dogsled race.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed his approval of this change of course when he stated to Danish radio DR: “I actually think it’s very positive that the Americans are cancelling their visit to Greenlandic society. We are not opposed to them going to their own base in Pituffik, which they will visit.

However, both Denmark and Greenland have expressed concern about Trump’s comments made before his vice president’s trip.

Danish broadcasters were able to hear Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s statement on Tuesday: “I have to say that the pressure being put on Greenland and Denmark in this situation is unacceptable. And we will resist it because of it.

President Trump has a serious attitude. He desires Greenland. Therefore, [this visit] cannot be seen separately from anything else.

Why does the US value Greenland so highly?

Trump has stated at least once that he wants to acquire Greenland, saying that it is essential to US national security, since his inauguration on January 20.

Between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, Denmark has a semi-autonomous territory called Greenland. Former Danish colony occupies the island.

Its capital Nuuk is located 3, 500 kilometers (2, 174 miles) east of Copenhagen, which is located 3, 500 kilometers (2, 174 miles) away from New York (some 2, 900 kilometers or 1, 800 miles).

The US considers its strategic importance because of its location, which provides the shortest route between North America and Europe. Washington would gain access to both its military and ballistic missile early warning system.

The US is interested in installing radars in the waters that connect Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom. The US wants to track Russian and Chinese ships because these waters serve as their entry point.

Additionally, Greenland is a rich producer of rare earth minerals, which are used to create technology. According to a 2023 survey, Greenland contains 25 of the 34 minerals that the European Commission deemed to be “critical raw materials.”

Indigenous Inuit people who oppose the extraction of oil and gas make up the majority of Greenland’s population, 56, 000 people.

The US has long expressed interest in Greenland, but Trump is not the first US leader to do so.

After the US purchased Alaska from Russia, US Secretary of State William H. Seward attempted to negotiate with Russia to purchase Greenland in 1867. The attempt, however, failed. US President Harry S. Truman proposed buying the island in 1946, an offer that Denmark rejected when the island was still a Danish colony.

Is the Arctic in a compulsion to control it?

The Arctic’s vast untapped resources are becoming more accessible as the planet warms as a result of climate change. These resources are now being sought after by nations like the US, Canada, China, and Russia.

Canada made a policy statement outlining its plans to increase its military and diplomatic presence in the Arctic in December 2024. In the area, Russia is also building power plants and military installations.

In response to Western sanctions, Russia and China have been collaborating to develop Arctic shipping routes as Beijing searches for alternatives to its traditional shipping route and reduces its dependence on the Strait of Malacca.

Due to melting ice, the Northern Sea Route (NSR), a maritime route in the Arctic Ocean, is becoming more accessible. Shipping trips can be significantly shorter with the NSR. Due to sanctions from the West, Russia wants to increase trade with Asia and Europe through the NSR. The NSR saw a quarter-fold increase in oil shipments from Russia to China last year.

Images of undocumented Indians being shackled in chains on a military deportation flight from the United States flooded India’s airwaves in February. The shocking images revealed the devastating effects that President Donald Trump’s draconian crackdown on “illegal immigration” would have had on thousands of vulnerable Indian citizens who had fought in vain to enter the country.

During a demonstration outside the New Delhi parliament, opposition lawmakers wore handcuffs, including Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Indian National Congress. They demanded that the Indian prime minister discuss this with the US president ahead of Narendra Modi’s White House visit.

However, Modi responded to questions about the deportations by stating that his government, which was led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was “fully prepared to bring back illegal immigrants.” He continued, “India’s young, afflicted, and poor people are tricked into immigration.” These kids come from very ordinary families, drawn to big dreams and big promises. Many are brought in by a human-trafficking system without understanding their purpose.

The leader of a Hindu nationalist regime known for its muscular jingoism found this response unusually meek and endearing. With ongoing negotiations regarding reciprocal tariffs, it seems as though Modi was merely trying to avoid a Volodymyr Zelenskyy-style bust-up with Trump. Although this may be true, it is also crucial to keep in mind that both Trump and Modi are on the same page regarding immigration.

Modi rely on lofty ideas and claims about the country, just like his American counterpart. The BJP government’s bombastic assertions about India’s economic health are among them.

The Indian economy is currently experiencing a troubling slowdown, but inequality is a more persistent issue that needs to be addressed. The top 1% of the nation’s most populous nation account for 40.1% of the wealth. India was the third-largest country in the world by the end of 2024, behind only China and the US. It also contributed to a whopping 70% of the global rise in extreme poverty. India has the highest population (234 million people) who live in extreme poverty.

This ominous reality manifests itself in the US as undocumented Indian migrants. Their exact numbers are subject to variations. At the end of 2022, according to estimates from the Pew Research Center, there were 700,000 undocumented Indian immigrants in the US, making Indians the third-largest undocumented population group after Mexicans and Salvadoris. According to the Department of Homeland Security, India has 220 000 undocumented immigrants.

This group of undocumented people, regardless of the population’s exact size, disproves the rosy image of a Hindu nationalist-dominated economic powerhouse. This is why Modi is so eager to end this “illegal immigration” saga as quickly as possible. He opposes any conflict with Trump over how the undocumented migrants are treated, which would highlight the flaws in the Indian nation’s rising image.

However, it is not unusual to hear a Trump-like anti-immigration discourse in a Hindu nationalist India. The Indian right has been routinely bringing up the issue of a rumored scourge of undocumented migration, especially from Bangladesh, for a while.

Kiren Rijiju, the then-Minister of State for Home Affairs, claimed there were “20 million illegal immigrants from Bangladesh in India” in 2016. Amit Shah, the home minister, reported that the nation had more than 40 million illegal immigrants in 2018. Right-wing politicians added that there are now close to 50 million undocumented immigrants in India in 2023.

These figures lack any actual proof to support them.

These assertions about the existence of a secretive, Muslim undocumented population, however, have a powerful impact on Hindu nationalists in India and fit well with an Islamophobic discourse about a Hindu nation facing an existential threat from its neighbors.

Right-wing politicians in India can lay blame on the undocumented “outsider” for the economic plight of the country’s economically underprivileged by making unsupported claims about the threat of “illegal immigration” from Bangladesh. According to Shah, “They]Bangladeshi immigrants are eating the grain that belongs to the poor.” In another instance, Shah has referred to undocumented immigrants as “termites” and “infiltrators” who needed to be relocated. Shah also promised that the BJP government would “pick up infiltrators one by one and throw them into the Bay of Bengal” while campaigning in 2019.

These unsupported assertions also stoke Hindu nationalists’ concern that a Hindu nation will face a demographic challenge. For instance, Ashwini Upadhyay, the leader of the BJP’s Delhi division, claimed that the Hindu population’s majority status was in danger during a TV interview.

He claimed that “illegals,” “Muslim] Rohingyas,” and “[Muslim] coverts” were diluting India’s status as a “Hindu nation.”

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also claimed that “illegal immigration” was eroding “demographics” in similar vein. He noted that this cohort was undermining democracy by gaining “electoral relevance,” undermining the country’s health and education sectors, and denying citizens’ employment opportunities. He also warned that these “demographic invasions” would harm the Hindu ethnic identity if left unchecked.

Finally, it’s a common adage in India that “illegal migration” is synonymous with crime. Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar stated in a statement to the lower house of the Indian parliament that “illegal mobility and migration have many other related activities that are also of an illegal nature.” Authorities in India have also claimed that there is a “well-oiled” criminal network that assists undocumented migrants gain residency, employment, fake birth certificates, and eventually voting rights, while Jaishankar here was referring to undocumented Indian migrants in the US. This has resulted in police searches and deportations aimed at Bangladeshis and Rohingya in a manner similar to Trump’s.

Bengali-speaking Muslims from India are frequently the target of these raids. A study conducted a few years ago discovered that more Bangladeshis were emigrating than entering. None of this is relevant in the era of the rise of the right, though. It’s always the shady outsider who is to blame for problems in the nation, whether it’s Trump’s US or Modi’s India.

This mindset fuels the anti-immigration wave in both India and the US. In India, it provided the justification for laws banning Muslims from obtaining Indian citizenship, such as the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act.

Modi won’t run the risk of hurting his relationship with Trump by supporting the rights of undocumented Indians in the US. His views on immigration are the same as Trump’s, and he only harbors contempt for undocumented people, even if they are Indian citizens.

Nigeria: Horseback parades and spirituality

The continent’s largest Muslim population is located in Nigeria, the country with the highest population in Africa.

A number of ethnic groups, notably the Hausas and Fulanis, live in the predominantly Muslim northern regions. In the wake of conflict involving bandits and armed organizations like Boko Haram, the north has become synonymous with instability and violence for the past ten years.

The area is a hub for vibrant cultural practices, though for those who reside there.

The north’s hustle and bustle slow down during Ramadan as most people stay indoors to avoid the heat and concentrate on spiritual pursuits like reading the Quran or attending lectures.

And every year, the Durbar festival is held to mark Eid.

Hausas have been affluent with Durbars for centuries because of their cultural, religious, and equestrian celebrations. The Kano City Durbar, one of the largest events ever held today, sees hundreds of thousands of people dressed up in chic Eid attire escorting to the emir’s palace on horseback.

Muhammad Sani Sabo, a photographer based in Kano, has been keeping track of Durbars since 2014. He also takes pictures of his city’s everyday activities. The 31-year-old says he hopes to depict the north in a more accurate way, making it more than just a poster boy for war, illiteracy, and poverty.

According to Sabo, “there are more stories to tell about the north.” “I am a master of telling all the stories, and I think I can do it better than anyone from Lagos or abroad.”

Women and girls in Kano, Kano, will gather for the 2023 Ramadan celebration. The city hosts lectures and gatherings led by an imam or spiritual guide during the holy month of Islam. The city has a lot of Quran study. Companies or individuals occasionally share gifts or food to highlight the spirit of giving and sharing.

Ado Bayero, the 15th emir of Kano, rides a horse during the Durbar festival in 2024. Hausas are renowned for their excellent horsemanship and warrior prowess. Ancient military parades that proclaimed war readiness were the inspiration of Durbar culture. The Ramadan conclusion is celebrated while the current Durbar festivals highlight that heritage. The emir leads his convoy of warriors, artillerymen, and praise singers as the colorful horseback procession moves forward after the morning prayers.

In April 2024, a Kano family awaits the Durbar procession outside the emir’s palace. Without chic, new traditional attire and, of course, a peek at the emir’s glamorous entourage, Eid, or the Hausa festival, is incomplete.

A Columbia University activist with a green card, a Georgetown University academic with a student visa, a Brown University kidney transplant specialist with a work visa: They are among the people who, despite having legal permission to be in the US, have recently been detained by immigration authorities or denied entry to the US at airports.

President Donald Trump has said he supports legal immigration, and administration officials have given assurances that Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations would focus on people who have committed violent crimes. But some of the highest-profile examples of attempted deportations are people who have legal permission to be in the US.

Immigration experts said people with visas and green cards have been deported under other administrations, but some of the Trump administration’s actions have been unprecedented.

“The Trump administration has jettisoned typical guidelines and procedures and is looking for arcane passages of immigration law to ensure that it can remove anyone it desires, ideally with limited or no due process,” Matthew Boaz, a University of Kentucky immigration law professor, said.

Columbia University graduate and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil was detained by immigration authorities, who said he could be deported and cited a Cold War-era law. Under that law, the secretary of state can make a noncitizen subject to deportation if their presence or activities could threaten US foreign policy interests. The government has not yet provided evidence for how Khalil has threatened US foreign policy.

Immigration authorities have cited the same Cold War-era law while seeking to deport another Columbia University student involved in the pro-Palestine movement. A federal judge temporarily blocked the student’s detention and deportation.

What evidence do government officials need in these cases, and what are people’s rights?

Immigration experts said the government must show proof to deport a green card or visa holder, but the process can be lengthy. For example, Khalil was arrested on March 8 and has been held in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana as his case proceeds. His lawyers say the detention is unlawful and are trying to transfer the case to New Jersey.

For visa holders at US borders or airports, customs officials can choose to deny people entry without evidence.

What are a few reasons a legal permanent resident could be deported?

People with lawful permanent residence, or a green card, can be deported from the US. But they first have the right to plead their case in court. Only an immigration judge has the power to revoke a green card.

There are several reasons green card holders may be eligible for deportation, including criminal convictions such as rape, murder or drug trafficking.

The government can also deport permanent residents if they commit immigration fraud.

After Khalil had been held in ICE custody for about two weeks, immigration authorities updated his charging documents, accusing him of fraud in his 2024 green card application. The government says Khalil failed to disclose his time working with UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees, and other international groups.

Before the government amended Khalil’s charging document, advocacy groups accused the Trump administration of violating Khalil’s right to free speech. After his arrest, Khalil’s lawyers filed a petition alleging that ICE had arrested and detained Khalil “on the basis of his speech” in a violation of the First Amendment, the American Civil Liberties Union wrote.

Drug-related convictions can also be cause for deportation. Fabian Schmidt, a German engineer and green card holder, was detained after flying back to the US on March 7. Schmidt had a decade-old misdemeanour drug and DUI charge, NPR reported.

Another green card holder, Ma Yang, who has lived in the US since she was eight months old, was deported to Laos in the first week of March after pleading guilty to and serving a sentence for being part of a marijuana trafficking operation, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

What evidence does the government have to provide to deport a lawful permanent resident?

The US government must first serve a green card holder with a notice to appear, which is a charging document for immigration cases. In it, the government lists the reasons it believes the person is deportable, Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer, Cornell University immigration law professor, said.

Once someone receives a charging document, an immigration court case is initiated. In court, the US government has the burden of proof and must show through “clear and convincing evidence” – more likely to be true than untrue – that the person can be deported.

The evidence that government lawyers must provide depends on the case. For example, lawyers can use proof of a criminal conviction to show that someone has been convicted of an aggravated felony. Or lawyers could show tax filings to prove someone filed taxes as a nonresident and therefore has abandoned lawful permanent status.

What is the deportation process for people with tourist, student or work visas?

Like legal permanent residents, people with tourist, student or work visas who are already in the US are also given notices to appear if the government believes they are deportable.

Visa holders can be deported for reasons including crime and fraud, if they overstay their visa or if they work without authorisation. Visa holders are afforded the same due process as legal permanent residents, and the government has the burden of proof.

Immigration authorities detained Badar Khan Suri, a graduate student teaching at Georgetown University on a student visa. Suri’s visa has been revoked using the same authority cited in Khalil’s case – that his presence or activities could threaten US foreign policy interests – Politico reported. He is awaiting immigration proceedings.

Visa holders can also be denied entry at an airport or US border, because a visa itself does not grant US entry. Customs and Border Protection officers have the authority to admit people or deny entry. They might deny entry if visa holders have a past criminal conviction, are at risk of overstaying their visas or might be coming to the US to work without authorisation.

For example, in late January, a German tourist who is a tattoo artist was denied after border officials assumed she would illegally work in the US because she was carrying tattoo equipment, The Guardian reported.

Is the Trump administration following the process?

Immigration law experts had differing opinions about whether the Trump administration has followed the legal processes to deport legal permanent residents or visa holders in the US.

“My understanding is, as of right now, they’re following the process,” Boaz, the immigration law professor, said, citing the fact that people have received charging documents and are awaiting court cases. “What’s different is the manner in which it’s being done.”

Boaz said typically people know what type of conduct “would make them a target for removal”, such as not having legal status or having a criminal conviction. That’s not the case under Trump’s administration, as people without criminal convictions and with legal status have been targeted.

Other experts said the administration has deviated from the law.

“Even if the law protects someone from deportation, there is no guarantee today that ICE will abide by the law,” Rebecca Sharpless, University of Miami’s immigration clinic director, said. “People should make choices about things like travel with this reality in mind.”

Immigration agents who arrested Khalil outside his home initially said his student visa had been revoked, although he did not have a student visa, according to the petition filed by Khalil’s lawyers. After Khalil’s wife showed agents that Khalil has a green card, the agents said that was also being revoked.

However, immigration agents can’t revoke legal permanent status; only immigration judges can, after a court proceeding.

“It later came to light that the Department of Homeland Security was charging Mr Khalil” under the Cold War-era provision, the petition said.

The Trump administration also turned away a Brown University doctor at an airport despite a court order preventing it.

Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist with a US work visa, was denied entry at an airport after border officials said they found photos of Hezbollah members on her phone, CBS News reported.

Immigration officers said they had not received a judge’s order until after Alawieh had been deported, CNN reported.

The French government said one of its citizens, a scientist, had been denied entry to the US because his phone had messages where he “expressed his ‘personal opinion’ on the Trump administration’s science policies”, Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister for higher education and research, told The New York Times.

“There’s only specific grounds by which somebody can be refused admission to the United States, and disagreeing with Trump, typically, isn’t one of them,” David Leopold, an immigration lawyer and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said.

What rights do immigrants have when interacting with immigration officials?

People already in the US are protected by the US Constitution. An immigration agent cannot enter people’s homes unless they have a warrant signed by a judge, immigration law experts said. Often, immigration officials have administrative warrants signed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer; those do not carry the same legal weight as a judicial warrant.

To obtain a judicial warrant, immigration officials must “present evidence of a crime to a judge”, Kelley-Widmer said.

At airports, people’s rights vary.