Voting Rights, Polls, SB 1070, El Salvador And Other Latino Politics News
Eric Holder wades into debate over voting rights as presidential election nears: With the presidential campaign heating up, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. will deliver a speech Tuesday expressing concerns about the voter-identification laws, along with a Texas redistricting plan before the Supreme Court that fails to take into account the state’s burgeoning Hispanic population, he said in an interview Monday.
Poll: Latino Voters Unenthusiastic About 2012 Elections: The current poll found that despite recent intense media coverage of candidates for the Republic nomination most Latino voters are unengaged with the candidates themselves, suggesting a lack of interest and/or that they do not feel included in the conversation.
Justice Kagan Removes Herself From Arizona Immigration Case: She has come under fire from conservatives for not recusing herself from the health care case, since she was solicitor general for Mr. Obama from March 2009 through May 2010. She stopped taking part in cases in March 2010, when she learned that she was under consideration for the high court, in order to preserve her ability to take part in rulings as a justice.
Supreme Court Texas Redistricting Decision Could be Blow for Latinos, Advocates Fear: Voting rights advocates say they are worried that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision Friday to block Texas election maps could be a setback for Latinos – and other under-represented voters – across the country.
Homeland Security Asking Hispanics To Report Crimes: The Department of Homeland Security is asking Hispanics to report suspected crimes to law enforcement through a national campaign that began today called “If You See Something, Say Something.”
Senate Blocks Obama Nominee for Ambassador to El Salvador: The Senate on Monday blocked President Obama’s nominee to be ambassador to El Salvador as Republicans opposed the selection over unfounded rumors that her boyfriend of years ago was a Cuban spy and new outrage over a summertime op-ed on gay rights.
Democrat calls out Marco Rubio for voting against El Salvador ambassador nominee: Annette Taddeo-Goldstein, the (Colombian) Democrat who ran — without the hyphenated last name — against Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Cuban) in 2008 and again unsuccessfully for Miami-Dade County Commission last year, sent out an e-mail blast Monday night condemning Republican Sen. Marco Rubio (Cuban) for voting to block to nomination of Mari Carmen Aponte (Puerto Rican) to serve as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador.
Hispanic bishops letter offers sympathy to illegal immigrants: The nation’s 33 Hispanic Roman Catholic Bishops released on Monday a strongly worded “letter to immigrants” suggesting illegal immigrants deserve thanks from Americans, and calling for “denunciation of the forces which oppress them.”
Latino groups to protest immigration laws at 2012 Super Bowl: Phoenix Latino groups Chicanos Unidos Arizona, Take Back Aztlán and Nuestros Reconquistos will fly Latinos from Phoenix, Los Angeles, and other areas to protest at the 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis on February 5.
State, local policies emerge on illegal immigrants: With more illegal immigrants moving beyond the border states and a lack of federal immigration reform, some states and communities are coming up with their own enforcement policies.
Despite Hansen Clarke and Olympia Snowe, Diversity Lacking in 2012 Elections: The November 2012 elections will have far-reaching implications for individuals and issues beyond the candidate platforms and represented districts. This is particularly true for women and minorities who tend to be underrepresented in American political institutions. Typically these groups fare better under Democrat majorities.
