Latest news with #LULAC
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iowa Supreme Court overturns ruling, blocks non-English voting materials
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Supreme Court ruled against the League of United Latin American Citizens and overturned a district ruling allowing non-English voting materials. The 2002 'English-only' law requires all official documents to be in English unless necessary to maintain a person's Constitutional rights. In 2008, a district court ruled this applied to election materials, like ballots, and placed a permanent injunction barring the state from using non-English materials. Kimballton water tested safe following days of uncertainty LULAC sought to overturn that ruling a sued Secretary of State Paul Pate in 2021. A district court sided with LULAC in 2023, dissolving the injunction and allowing voting materials in other languages. Pate then appealed the ruling. On Friday, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that LULAC lacked standing in the case and said there was no proof that the organization faced a direct injury to its legal rights. Following the ruling, Pate released a statement saying Iowa would continue to follow federal standards. This includes providing translated versions of official documents and forms in areas where certain population thresholds have been met. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iowa Supreme Court rejects LULAC's lawsuit over English-only voting materials
(Main photo by simpson33 via iStock / Getty Images Plus; seal courtesy State of Iowa) The Iowa Supreme Court has reversed a district court decision that cleared the way for election officials to distribute voter materials in languages other than English. Without directly addressing the merits of Iowa's law restricting the dissemination of government records in languages other than English, the court found that the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa lacked standing to bring its lawsuit challenging the state's application of the English Language Reaffirmation Act. Joe Enriquez Henry, president of LULAC Council #307, said he was disappointed in the court's decision. 'There are over 50,000 registered voters in the state of Iowa whose primary language is not English,' Henry said. 'This issue has an impact not only on Latinos but other ethnic groups and new citizens. This is a constitutional issue. You know, the right to vote is a constitutional issue, and language should never be a barrier to exercising that right. So, for the Supreme Court to say we lack standing to bring this case is totally wrong.' Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said in a statement: 'I appreciate the court's thoughtful consideration of this case. Today's ruling affirms our efforts to administer Iowa election laws securely, fairly, and in accordance with state and federal laws. We remain committed to maintaining a careful balance between protecting election integrity and supporting voter participation among all eligible Iowa voters.' Friday's ruling is tied to a 2007 case in which LULAC was not a party. In that case, a group that included then-U.S. Rep. Steve King, four county auditors, three state legislators and U.S. English Only Inc. filed a lawsuit against Iowa's secretary of state and the Iowa Voter Registration Commission challenging the provision of voter registration forms in languages other than English. The district court dismissed the claims of everyone but the county auditors, ruling only they had the standing to challenge the practice, and in 2008 ruled in favor of the auditors, finding that the Iowa English Language Reaffirmation Act unambiguously required all official government documents to be in English. While noting that language barriers could 'serve as an impediment to voting' and that exceptions outlined in the law 'might justify the use of non-English voter registration forms,' the judge noted that the secretary of state had never raised that argument. The district court enjoined the secretary of state and the Iowa Voter Registration Commission 'from using languages other than English in the official voter registration forms of this state.' Thirteen years later, in 2021, LULAC sued Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, the Iowa Voter Registration Commission, and several county auditors, arguing the law, correctly interpreted, allowed for the dissemination of voting materials in languages other than English. The district court ultimately granted LULAC's requests to dissolve the 2008 injunction. Pate's office appealed, and in addressing the matter, the Iowa Supreme Court said the primary question it faced was whether LULAC had standing to seek dissolution of the 13-year-old permanent injunction issued in the initial case and to seek a court interpretation of a law that did not cause any injury to LULAC itself. In its ruling Friday, the justices concluded the district court's 2008 decision 'had no effect on LULAC's rights, status, or legal relations … LULAC asks us to direct Secretary Pate to administer the law as LULAC wishes and to allow county officials to have the discretion to administer the law as LULAC wishes. In effect, LULAC is asking the judiciary to exercise the executive functions of the government at LULAC's behest. This the court cannot do.' As for LULAC's argument that it had standing in the case due to the injury it suffered by having to spend money translating documents for members, the justices noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has previously ruled that a litigant 'cannot spend its way into standing simply by expending money' in response to a law it is attempting challenge. In finding that LULAC lacked standing to bring its lawsuit, the justices reversed the rulings of the district court and remanded the case back to district court for an order of dismissal. All of the justices concurred in the opinion, except for Justices Thomas D. Waterman and Edward M. Mansfield, who did not take part. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gabe on the Go: Enjoying the view from historic Clark Tower
WINTERSET, Iowa – A limestone structure will celebrate 100 years next year, and it has stood as a prominent fixture for Madison County and Winterset. Around 100 years ago, the Clark family, at one of their infamous family reunions, began planning how to remember the first Clarks to settle in Iowa. They settled on a tower made of limestone mined from where the current tower now stands. More: Gabe on the Go Clark Tower is about 25 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter. A curved stairway winds around the tower. On the front stands a plaque remembering Caleb and Ruth Clark, two of the first settlers in Madison County. They first arrived in the county in 1846. Visitors can explore the first two stories of the tower and climb a ladder to the roof. From the roof, visitors can observe great views of the Middle River valley. Clark Tower can be found in historic Winterset City Park at the back of a long, winding trail. The road closes after sunset and during the winter months. For more information about Clark Tower, City Park, and other recreation areas in Winterset, visit the city's parks and recreation website. Gabe on the Go: Enjoying the view from historic Clark Tower State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst announces bid for United States Congress Smooth REAL ID takeoff for travelers in Des Moines Latino festivals face cancellations; LULAC fights to keep events Watching the Conclave from an Iowa Catholic landmark Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Latino festivals face cancellations; LULAC fights to keep events
DES MOINES, Iowa — Just after Washington, Iowa, canceled its Latino Festival, Ottumwa announced its cancellation. Now, local groups are working to keep festivals around the state going. Latinos for Washington, Inc. announced that their annual Festival Latino of Washington was cancelled on April 24. Two weeks later, on May 7, the group VIVA Ottumwa announced their own cancellation. In a message to the community, the group announced the cancellation, saying in part. This decision was made with our community's safety and well-being in mind. Like many across the country, we are navigating a time of uncertainty that has deeply impacted vulnerable community members. We believe it's our responsibility to act with care and prioritize the peace of mind of those we serve VIVA Ottumwa Latino Festival Facebook Trump's CPB cuts impact Iowa PBS and Iowa Public Radio Washington and Ottumwa aren't the only places that express concerns, Valley Junction says their weekend Cinco De Mayo Festival was impacted. 'We did take a hit on attendance, so we did notice that,' said Larry Kaster, Historic Valley Junction Events and Marketing Manager. 'We have a large number of people that, in past years, would go through the beverage tent with Mexican IDs, and this year we only had one.' The Iowa League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, has been in contact with festival planners around the state and says the concerns are heard, but it's not stopping everyone. 'Muscatine, they're on in. They've had to deal with some hateful rhetoric in that community, but the Muscatine folks are going to do theirs,' said Joe Enriquez Henry, LULAC Political Director. 'We hope that this continues on throughout the state, as we know, the Latino community and the immigrant community are growing.' In Des Moines, the 2025 Annual Hispanic Heritage Event is set to take place September 27th and 28th, and Henry says plans are still a go. 'The festivals will continue, and whatever issues that might pop up or actions or behaviors, we're going to deal with it,' said Enriquez Henry. 'Des Moines is very strong, we having a Latino festival here that has gone on several decades.' Henry says a Des Moines LULAC group will meet this weekend to discuss how to prevent further cancellations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Newsweek
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
What Is Vote Harvesting? Officials Indicted in Texas AG Ken Paxton's Probe
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Six individuals in rural Frio County, Texas — including two Pearsall City Council members and a school board trustee — were indicted on felony charges stemming from a growing election fraud investigation led by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. The case, criticized by Latino civil rights advocates as politically motivated, adds weight to an inquiry that has drawn scrutiny for its aggressive tactics. Announced on May 1, the indictments include Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho, Pearsall City Council members Ramiro Trevino and Racheal Garza, Pearsall ISD Trustee Adriann Ramirez, former Frio County Elections Administrator Carlos Segura, and resident Rosa Rodriguez. Paxton said, "The people of Texas deserve fair and honest elections, not backroom deals and political insiders rigging the system. Elected officials who think they can cheat to stay in power will be held accountable." Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears at a pretrial hearing in his securities fraud case before state District Judge Andrea Beall, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton appears at a pretrial hearing in his securities fraud case before state District Judge Andrea Beall, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at Harris County Criminal Courts at Law in Houston. Associated Press Most of the accused face third-degree felony charges for "vote harvesting," a Texas offense that involves collecting and submitting other people's absentee ballots, often for payment. Several defendants allegedly used Cash App for these transactions. Segura faces a separate charge of tampering with evidence. The investigation gained attention last year after state agents raided the homes of Latino campaign workers near San Antonio, including an 87-year-old woman. None of those individuals have been charged. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), whose members were affected by the raids, previously called for a federal investigation into the state's actions. "This is voter suppression 101," said Gabriel Rosales, LULAC's Texas director. "There's no vote harvesting going on. There's nobody creating these ballots. That's a lie." The indictments followed accusations by Mary Moore, Camacho's opponent in the March 2022 Democratic primary. According to affidavits, Moore claimed Camacho employed a woman who had been collecting ballots in Frio County for nearly 30 years, charging candidates between $1,500 and $2,500 for services including collecting ballots and transporting voters. Court documents indicate Camacho and Ramirez — identified as sisters — targeted elderly residents in a Pearsall subdivision in October 2022. The woman allegedly smuggled ballots under her shirt and switched vehicles to avoid detection. Investigators allege Segura shared information on ballot mailing and delivery schedules with her. Segura dismissed the charges, saying, "The only word I have right now is that it's ridiculous," adding that he was advised not to comment further. The other defendants did not respond to requests for comment. A federal appeals court upheld Texas's stricter voting laws last year, reinforcing penalties that critics argue suppress minority voter turnout. Reporting by the Associated Press contributed to this story.
