skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

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

Trump's emerging team of loyalists is primed for a fast start in his second term; GA activist focuses on zoning violations to advocate for environmental health; Federal tax credits help clinics expand in low-income IL communities; Experts say antibiotic resistance is growing in VT due to 'superbugs.'

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Immigrant rights groups and librarians react to Trump's win. The President-elect names philosophical allies and deregulators to White House positions and Democrats wonder how they can fight Trump policies, given the GOP's congressional majority.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Texas women travel some of the longest distances for abortion care, Californians the shortest, rural living comes with mixed blessings for veterans, an ancient technique could curtail climate-change wildfires, and escape divisive politics on World Kindness Day.

MN organizers: Latino voting power is here to stay

play audio
Play

Monday, November 11, 2024   

The impact Latino voters had in this year's election has caught the public's attention.

Minnesota organizers found success in connecting with this population, and they're monitoring what a Trump administration means for their communities.

Leading up to last Tuesday's vote, Communities Organizing Latino Power and Action, or COPAL, says it carried out its largest civic engagement effort to date.

Organizing Director Ryan Perez said they exceeded outreach goals by making more than 200,000 calls and knocking on the doors of more than five thousand Latino voters.

He suggested this enthusiasm is something all candidates need to take note of for future elections.

"This is a voting bloc that is powerful, that is organized, and you have to win our community support," said Perez, "and it's not a given."

Perez acknowledged national exit polls showing the big gains President-elect Donald Trump made with Latino voters, especially younger males.

But he said Trump's dehumanizing rhetoric toward immigrants wasn't helpful in speaking to all Latinos.

He said he also feels Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign didn't do enough to engage with this voting bloc.

Perez said it's apparent that many Latino voters were drawn to Trump's message on economic matters, and that they're not worried about his deportation threats because they are citizens themselves.

But Perez warned of complicating scenarios if Trump follows through on his campaign promises.

"You know, there's a myth of a-documented-versus-an-undocumented household," said Perez, "when many of these households are mixed-status families where somebody's at risk. "

Perez said family separations have been an issue under both Republican and Democratic administrations.

But the Trump campaign has pledged to quickly get started on the largest deportation effort in U.S. history.

COPAL also tries to ensure Latino voters have a deeper understanding of the issues, and that being engaged can include talking with lawmakers and showing up for public hearings.

Perez said for those feeling despair based on the outcome, it's important to remember that voting patterns and the electorate can quickly change.

But he predicted the Latino vote will only grow stronger.

"So many folks are getting their citizenship for the first time, and becoming first-time voters at any age," said Perez, "and there's enough work being done to bring in those voices."


Disclosure: COPAL MN contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, Environmental Justice, Immigrant Issues, Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Nearly half of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency budget goes into grants to state environmental programs, nonprofits, educational institutions and others. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Florida environmental advocates are concerned about the future after President-elect Donald Trump named former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to lead…


play sound

As President-elect Donald Trump announces immigration hard-liners as his deputy chief of staff and border czar this week, groups supporting …

Health and Wellness

play sound

It is now up to Wisconsin Supreme Court justices to decide the fate of an abortion law from the mid-1800s. A circuit court determined last year an 18…


Someone becomes homeless in the United States every 40 minutes. (Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The faith-based nonprofit Our Calling is working with unsheltered clients in north Texas to create a long-term exit plan to help them rebuild their li…

Environment

play sound

The hills and hollers of Virginia are no strangers to hardship, but few were prepared for the devastation Hurricane Helene would bring. Six weeks …

Colorado has been working to remove cost as a barrier for students, and many certificate and degree programs are zero-tuition. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Gov. Jared Polis has designated seven Colorado colleges and universities as Career Connected Campuses for their work getting more students from all …

Social Issues

play sound

With Thanksgiving just over two weeks away, will Michiganders and shoppers across the country face sticker shock at the grocery store while planning …

Social Issues

play sound

As winter break approaches, Alabama's Summer Adventures in Learning program is encouraging parents to think ahead to summer, particularly as quality …

 

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