skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Border Issues Reign for Texas Voters, Immigration Advocates

play audio
Play

Thursday, September 29, 2022   

A Texas human-rights advocacy and immigration-reform group opened two new community centers this week to help residents better understand their freedoms under the Constitution.

The El Paso-based group Border Network for Human Rights opened offices in Presidio and Del Rio to carry out community education campaigns. Executive Director Fernando Garcia said more allies are needed to end discrimination at the border.

"The fact that constitutional rights are being violated at the border," said Garcia, "and in many cases, members of our border community do not know what their constitutional rights are - legal residents and U.S. citizens."

Garcia argued that more harassment has ensued following implementation of "Operation Lone Star" - a $4 billion project that included deploying thousands of National Guard troops and state police to the border.

His group has addressed racism, discrimination and human-rights violations for 24 years, but Garcia said he hears substantially more reports of abuse - possibly because law enforcement officers lack training.

"We have Border Patrol, we have ICE, we have Customs, we have ATF," said Garcia. "We have multiple agencies and with them we've been having challenges in terms of how they are respecting civil rights of people - it is absurd."

On Wednesday, a poll of likely Texas voters by Quinnipiac University showed the border ranks as the most urgent issue facing the state.

But Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy noted that voters are divided - 51% in favor and 47% opposed - to the governor's decision to use taxpayer dollars to bus migrants to Democratic-led cities and states.

"Is this a taxpayer fund issue? Is this more a human issue?" said Malloy. "Is it about the kids who appear disappointed when they end up somewhere they didn't know they were going? I don't know, but despite the fact that top of mind is immigration and the border - there is a empathy out there. "

On the topic of empathy, Garcia said he has none for politicians shipping migrants out of state.

"They are using families, they are using immigrants for a political show," said Garcia. "That is shameful. I mean, to what extent is it acceptable to play with the lives of people, with the hopes of people, just to promote the political agenda."




get more stories like this via email
more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Almost 2,900 people are unsheltered on any given night in the Beehive State. Gov. Spencer Cox is celebrating signing nine bills he says are geared …


The U.S. teaching workforce remains primarily white while the percentage of Black teachers has declined. However, the percentage of Asian and Latinx teachers is rising.(WavebreakMediaMicro/Adobestock)

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021