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

Border declines

A spike in people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border without authorization earlier this year has been reversed. Washington officials report a sixth consecutive month of declines in apprehensions in southwestern U.S. states. Apprehensions have fluctuated wildly during the Trump administration.

US Border Apprehensions Drop for Sixth Month The number of people caught entering the US without authorization is settling down after volatile swings in the last 18 months

Returning from refuge

After a decade in exile, some Zimbabwean refugees recently returned to their home country from Botswana, where the government told them they could register for voluntary repatriation by the end of the year or be expelled. Some people say they are afraid to leave, however. One supporter of Zimbabwe's opposition said, "People might think that Zimbabwe, maybe, after the change of government, it has changed. But the government that is ruling is still the same government."

Zimbabwe Refugees in Botswana Return Home, But Face Bleak Future The 135 refugees, facing a Dec. 31 deadline to leave Botswana, say they had no option but to return to Zimbabwe despite an uncertain future

Fighting flu season

Amid heightened concerns for the health of migrants in U.S. custody, the Trump administration is rejecting an offer of free flu vaccinations from a group of physicians.

US Rejects Offer of Free Flu Shots for Detained Immigrants Trump administration continues to reject offers by an American physicians group of free flu vaccinations for detained undocumented immigrants

From the Feds

- A federal judge sentenced a New York man to more than 10 years in prison for his part in a scheme to extort Central American asylum-seekers traveling by bus in the United States, kidnapping them and refusing to release them until they or their families paid fees of more than $1,000.

- The newly named acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf traveled to Guatemala as the United States continues to implement controversial asylum accords with several Central American countries.