Monday, November 18, 2024

Xavier Becerra, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Celebrates His Confirmation Anniversary

Last week, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Xavier Becerra, celebrated his one-year confirmation anniversary. Becerra is the first ever Latino to hold this position just as COVID-19 vaccines were first becoming available. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Latinx community at higher rates than other communities. As of last week, the Centers […]

CBPP Reports “Economic Legislation Should Include Health Policies to Boost Coverage, Ease Strain on Families’ Budgets”

In the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States still has made significant progress in healthcare affordability and accessibility. The Biden Administration and Congress can continue to move forward by ending the Medicaid “coverage gap” and keeping the temporary tax credit improvements in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Putting an end […]

DHS Orders Relocation of Detainees at Understaffed & Unsanitary ICE Facility

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has called for all the detainees from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in New Mexico to be immediately relocated because of unsanitary conditions and staff shortages. A “management alert” was issued for the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia, New Mexico, after DHS inspectors found unsanitary conditions […]

“Don’t Say Gay” Bill Significantly Affects Black & Latinx Queer Students

Queer students of color in Florida have been feeling the burden after the passage of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in the State. This bill bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity, stating that “in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in […]

Biden Administration Ends Title 42 Order for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

The Biden Administration partially pulled back a controversial Trump-Era border policy known as “Title 42” after a court ruling last week would’ve forced the administration to restart the expulsion of unaccompanied minors. Title 42 is a public health order that stops migrants from seeking asylum during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, the Centers for Disease […]

U.S. Immigration Officials Use Smartphone App to Monitor Migrants

During the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. officials have been using an expanded smartphone app called “SmartLink” that allows them to track migrants who have been released from detention facilities to ensure that they attend their deportation hearings. Over 125,000 people have been asked to install the application on their phones – which allows immigration officials to […]

Migrants Left Stranded After Policy Change in Immigration Procedures

Last year, overwhelmed immigration officials released thousands of migrants into the U.S. and provided them with a new document called Notice to Report (N.T.R). This document allows those detained at the border to be released pending their immigration court proceedings, but it doesn’t provide them a court date or an identification number – making it […]

Florida State Senate Passes Controversial Immigration Plan

Late last week, the Florida State Senate authorized an immigration plan to increase immigration enforcement that may affect undocumented migrants in the state. The plan can hurt many undocumented migrants seeking asylum and migrant children waiting to be reunited with their families. The controversial plan targets transportation businesses that help bring undocumented immigrants into the […]

The U.S. Can No Longer Deport Migrant Families to Countries Where They Could be Harmed

Last week, a federal court affirmed the government’s authority to expel migrants under the rump-era “Title 42” order but prohibited border officials from deporting families to countries where they might face persecution. Title 42 was first invoked because of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) back in March 2020. […]

Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz Becomes the First Latino to be Awarded Prestigious Herblock Prize

This week, the Latinx community celebrates Lalo Alcaraz, a Mexican- American political cartoonist, and the first Latino recipient of the $15,000 Herblock Prize. He has been recognized for his passion for illustrating problems affecting the Latinx community. The Herb Block Foundation is named after Herb Block, who was known for his cartoon commentaries on domestic […]