Politics

The political climate continues to get partisan ugly in New Mexico, as Republican governor Susana Martinez faces a re-election bid this November. A few weeks ago, her Democratic opponent Gary King used a quote from Dolores Huerta to suggest that the nation’s only Latina governor lacks a “Latino heart.” Now a new local story pretty […]

The plane lands at Luis Muñoz Marín Airport. The passengers erupt in spontaneous applause. No matter how many times I go back home, it never ceases to amaze me. Puerto Ricans so happy that in only minutes they will walk out and, like returning sons and daughters, defy the ending of the tearful national anthem […]

The following video, which is really a serious video, is not a skit. It is a real campaign developed by one of Mitt Romney’s former ad guys. As you might imagine, such gold (the music, the examples, the oh-so-handsome people) has led to some very creative social media responses. #IAmARepublican is worth checking out this […]

Here is the video clip of what GOP congressional candidate for Virginia’s 10th district Barbara Comstock said this week at a debate: Fedex can track packages coming in here all the time; we can track people who are coming into the country. And we can do that right. There, friends, is this year’s Republican talking […]

A coalition of grassroots immigration rights groups is calling on U.S. Latino voters to hold both Republican and Democratic candidates accountable on immigration during this year’s midterms, going as so far to register as independents and only support only those candidates who will promote “an immediate end to deportations and relief.” In a piece called […]

The following excerpt is from the official Vice President’s pool report for a Hispandering (sorry, Hispanic) Heritage Month event where Vice President Joe Biden spoke: [Biden] said comprehensive immigration reform was needed and that if Congress did not “get it done” before the end of the year, “the President’s going to do it, and he’s […]

UPDATE, September 23, 2014: PR51st has confirmed that it has commissioned the Voter / Consumer Research survey. In an email to our founder, the group said this, “PR51st commissioned the survey. We hope that it will help mainland candidates realize that Puerto Rico’s status is an issue of concern to their constituents, and that it […]

For the last ten years, when faced with internal political and ethical frustrations about teaching, research and community advocacy on campus or in my hometown, Chicago, my correspondence with Oscar López Rivera provides clarity. I write to him because, as I struggle with where I wanted to continue the legacy of those bridge builders that came […]

Give it up to Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) for sharing actual truth about this whole “Is ISIS on the Mexican border?” paranoia crap. As O’Rourke said last week: There’s a longstanding history in this country of projecting whatever fears we have onto the border. In the absence of understanding the border, they insert their fears. […]

Now that Scotland has decided to remain a part of the United Kingdom by saying “no” to a very simple question, “Should Scotland become an independent country?, the wall-to-wall global news coverage of the country’s historic referendum will surely subside. By last week before the vote, everyone I knew in my media circles was talking […]

[View the story “Undocumented Activists Arrested at DC Immigration Protest” on Storify]

Yesterday, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus issued a new resolution for President Obama regarding his decision to delay executive action on immigration relief until after the midterms election, because, you know, politics. The CHC declaration, although forceful in its language, does not got as far as a letter four Democratic representatives shared this week. Here is […]

The following video was shared by DRMAction Coalition. It shows Vice President Joe Biden being asked President Obama’s decision to delay execution action on immigration reform until after the midterms. I think the President made the right decision because I think it would have politicized it so much between now and November that it would […]

Here is the letter Democrats representatives John Lewis (GA), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ), Jan Schakowsky (IL) and Judy Chu (CA) drafted to President Obama yesterday. The President The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President, We write today to address the future of undocumented immigrants in our country. Every day, […]

I am fully aware that by the time I finish writing this piece and you will finish reading it, some will a. accuse me of working for neo-nativist Republican Rep. Steve King (not true) or b. tell me I have no brain and that I should step in line or else I am I just […]

Yesterday, Senator Ted Cruz, you know, the guy born in Canada and whose dad broke the law and bribed his way out of Cuba, released the following video: What is sad to see is how his people use stereotypical images of “bad immigrants” (scaling walls, looking ‘poor,’ being arrested by Border Patrol) and contrasts it […]

We don’t know what is more awkward in the following video from Florida Gov. Rick Scott and his wife, Ann. The deer in the headlights looks into the camera or the Spanish spoken at the end. Because you know, what better way to be culturally sensitive to people than speaking Spanish that makes us want […]

Last year, House Republicans published the following video at the beginning of Hispandering (sorry, Hispanic) Heritage Month: You remember late 2013, right? When the GOP-controlled House was preparing immigration reform principles that were released this past January? Guess they needed to do a YouTube video for their “Latino outreach.” You know, soften the message from […]

Yesterday during’s Mexico’s September 16 Independence Day celebration in Mexico City’s iconic Zócalo plaza —in front of president Enrique Peña Nieto, a cadre of national leaders and a national TV audience— this happened. (H/T Sin Embargo) Social media also included pictures of the flag gaffe. Se cae la bandera nacional previo al desfile -FOTOS http://t.co/faPbrwXdD7 […]

“No Democrat is safe because they chose politics over giving relief to families.” With these words, DREAMer activist Erika Andiola gave voice to the new spirit infusing “Hispanic Heritage” celebrations taking place throughout the country from now until October 15. Andiola made these comments in Iowa, where last Sunday, she and other members of the […]

 “…porque tus anhelos no bastaron para borrar el color de mi piel en las manos del mundo.” -Irma Pineda “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature’s laws wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Funny, it seems to by keeping its dreams; it learned to […]