The latest news relating to the political world as it impacts the US Latino community.
Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee held on Monday the second hearing on the immigration reform bill introduced last week by the “Gang of Eight.” The hearing, which lasted more than seven hours, included testimonies from a long list of immigration reform advocates, critics, scholars and elected officials. At times, there were heated discussions over [...]
The Senate group dubbed the “Gang of Eight” released the new bipartisan immigration bill earlier today after being delayed out of respect for the tragedy in Boston. “This bill is clearly a compromise, and no one will get everything they wanted, including me. But it is largely consistent with the principles that I have repeatedly [...]
Colorado passed a bill on Friday allowing undocumented college students to pay less for in-state tuition at public universities. The state’s House of Representatives passed the measure, which is said to benefit around 500 students by its first year. “The governor and I support this bill because we want Colorado to have a strong economy,” [...]
House Steps Up with National STEM Competition Added Focus Can Help Address Disparities in Math and Science Former Astronaut Jose Hernandez makes a strong case for expanding opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and computer science fields in a recent op-ed saying “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize we are trailing [...]
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments last week involving the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Section 5 of the Act is being challenged by Shelby County, Alabama, saying that the provision was necessary in 1695 when there was voter suppression to African Americans, but that discrimination is “non-existent today.” Supporters of the protection of the Voting [...]
With talks in D.C. relentlessly concentrating on the threat of a sequester, I have spent a lot of time thinking back to an event I participated in a few weeks ago. On February 6th I took part in an event that was so obvious in value, yet so rare in practice these days. I sat down [...]
The White House is still drafting their proposal for immigration plans, but a feature from the new plan would allow undocumented immigrants to become legal permanent residents within eight years. Titled the “Lawful Prospective Immigrant” visa, undocumented immigrants could obtain green cards after the eight years. This plan would also provide for “more funding for [...]
While watching President Obama’s inauguration speech, Andrea Delgado felt a surge of optimism. Paradoxically, it was one of Obama’s more somber statements that gave her hope: his acknowledgement that a failure to address climate change would be “a betrayal to our children and future generations.” The President’s message of urgency resonated with her. “Latinos get [...]
The 113th Congress includes a record number of thirty-eight Latinos elected officials. These notable numbers have both policy and political implications for the future of Latino politics in the United States. First though, some demographic facts about the 113th. Demographic Profile The House Representatives includes thirty-five Latino members, another three are members of the United [...]
President Obama is set to announce his gun control plan today and may be expected to use more than a dozen executive orders to impose stricter gun control, a stance favored by Latinos across the country. While nearly 60% of Americans want stricter gun laws, a recent survey by the Pew Research Center says that [...]
