Politics

A poem about Latino angst and belonging in today’s concrete jungles, by the poet B., courtesy of Souletri and MANO magazine

A growing Latino population doesn’t automatically translate to political power. Texas won’t turn blue on its own.

A legal reform might be closer than ever before: activists have found an opportunity to fight for what are called the three “causales” —or three grounds— after a historic government change has led to a revision of the country’s penal code.

The failure by a single Republican to back last Tuesday’s procedural vote simply to begin debate on the For the People Act suggests that, in their eyes, democracy as we’ve known it is no longer worth defending.

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris asserted Friday that the Biden administration had made progress tackling a migration spike that’s drawn fire from Republicans and made fellow Democrats uncomfortable. Her first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border as head of the Biden administration’s response is being closely watched on all sides.

“If the parent and the child have an ITIN [Individual Taxpayer Identification Number], that should suffice for the family to be able to receive the credit,” First Lady Jill Biden’s chief of staff Julissa Reynoso told Latino Rebels.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris will make her first visit on Friday to the U.S.-Mexico border since taking office, following criticism from members of both parties for failing to go earlier despite her role leading the Biden administration’s response to a steep increase in migration.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) — International criticism of Nicaragua’s government grew on Tuesday after another night of arrests in Managua. Fifty-nine countries at the United Nations Human Rights Council signed onto a statement expressing concern over arbitrary arrests and the restriction of fundamental rights.

The collective was formed in 2016 by Johis Alarcón, an award-winning photographer known for documenting movements for social equality and reproductive rights throughout the Americas.

New Yorkers vote Tuesday in primary elections for mayor and other city offices. Eight Democrats face an election where insecurity, gun violence and economic recovery appear to be the issues of most interest. 

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) — Mexico and Argentina recalled their ambassadors to Nicaragua for consultations Monday, a day after President Daniel Ortega’s government arrested yet another presidential contender ahead of the November 7 elections.

“No one else in this race is really advocating for or elevating working-class Black and Brown New Yorkers the way that I am,” she told Latino Rebels.

The U.S. government on Wednesday ended two Trump administration policies that made it harder for immigrants fleeing violence to qualify for asylum, especially Central Americans.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — In consecutive visits this month, Vice President Kamala Harris and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have conveyed to the most important U.S. partner that the Biden administration is taking a more nuanced approach to immigration than its predecessor, but still asking what more Mexico can do.

“Republicans want a pathway to deportation, not citizenship. We demand Democrats go it alone to deliver permanent protections for millions now,” a release from United We Dream said.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Protest leaders in Colombia said on Tuesday that they will stop organizing marches in the country’s largest cities following seven weeks of anti-government demonstrations that have resulted in at least 50 deaths.

The conditions raise concerns about why it is taking more than a month on average to release the children when most have family in the United States.

“I thank the Department of Justice for submitting its assessments of both bills,” the Arizona Democrat said on Monday.

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) — Nicaraguan police have arrested another opposition politician, bringing to six the number detained over the weekend.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s signature border wall project would lose much of its funding as well as the fast-track status that enabled it to bypass environmental regulations under a Biden administration plan announced Friday.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A senior U.S. official said Thursday that less than two weeks ago, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Nicaragua’s foreign minister that the Biden administration would respect the results of free and fair elections in November.