Immigrant candidates are beginning to make a run for a range of public officesacross the United States, despite increasing partisan polarization. Ahead of the 2018 elections in November, at least 100 foreign-born candidates are running for US Congress. In New York, Colombia-born dreamer Catalina Cruz is setting her sights on state office.

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopts the ‘Stars and Stripes’ as the American flag. The banner, based on one carried by the Continental Army, consists of alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue background. Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross is said to have designed the flag at the request of Gen. George Washington, but historians have not been able to prove this legend.

A Salvadoran woman who was granted US asylum after being abused by her husband saw that 2016 decision reversed this week, with Attorney General Jeff Sessions ruling that victims of domestic violence are not generally eligible for asylum under US immigration law. The decision applies to all people seeking asylum on the grounds of domestic and gang violence. Lawyers for the Salvadoran woman say they’re looking to challenge the decision which could prevent tens of thousands of immigrants from being granted asylum.

VIDEO: The World Cup, which starts today in Russia, is a festival of world culturesas well as sport. But diversity isn’t always welcomed. Just last month Russian fans aimed racist chants at black players in a match against France. Anti-racism campaigners say far right nationalists are active inside soccer stadiums. And racism fears are keeping some fans away.

June is a celebratory month in the US because it’s graduation season. Millions of high school students will walk across a stage this month in flowing gowns and square caps to receive the diploma they’ve been working toward for at least 12 years. We went to a high school commencement in Baltimore, Maryland, to capture the excitement and anticipation as graduating students look to the future.

VIDEO: A plan by moderate Republicans to force a vote on so-called ‘dreamers,’ — the thousands of young undocumented immigrants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) — has prompted leaders of the Republican-led House of Representatives to promise to hold votes on two immigration measures next week. The move puts the heated issue of immigration back on center stage in a tough election year.

EXCLUSIVE VOA INTERVIEW: Driving west from the city of Maiduguri, Nigeria, the roads get narrower as the towns get smaller. Along the road, VOA passes bullet-ridden buildings and security check points manned by vigilantes. After three hours we end up in a village called Shekau. Here, elders and community leaders take VOA to meet Falmata Abubakar, who they say is the mother of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.