Latest news with #LeagueofUnitedLatinAmericanCitizens
Toronto Star
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Toronto Star
AP PHOTOS: Mexican flags at LA protests spark debate over symbolism
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. ——— Over the last week, a sea of green, white and red Mexican flags have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids. The use of Mexican and other Latin American flags during the protests are a form of symbolism many conservatives are calling anti-American — while others argue they're an expression of pride in one's homeland that could not be more American. Whether it be U.S., Mexican or Palestinian flags, the banners reflect a nation of immigrants whose stories have become intertwined with the story of America, experts say. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Kris Hernández, an associate professor of history at Connecticut College, said the flying of foreign flags in the U.S. has always brought awareness to the plight of marginalized groups. Their appearance in the latest protests might symbolize solidarity with their native land or social movements that support Americans of Mexican descent, she said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that those flying Mexican flags at immigration protests were left-wing radicals that attacked law enforcement agents 'removing violent, criminal illegal aliens from the city.' And even fierce Trump critic Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Democrat, expressed his displeasure with the display of non-American flags at immigration protests that have spread to other states. 'Peaceful protests are fine. Violence is not and will only destroy your message,' Kinzinger wrote on X. 'American flags or nothing.' Amid the backlash, many Americans who support the right to protest are encouraging demonstrators to protest against immigration policies with the American flag instead of a foreign one, as way of reclaiming the U.S. flag for all who call the U.S. home. This underscores just how influential the American flag can be, Hernández said. 'What we are seeing ... is that people don't like to see some flags over others,' she said. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Some Latino activists say the Mexican flag is being used by people who were in this land before it was part of the United States. California was part of Mexico until the 1800's. Many Mexican Americans are descendants of people who never crossed a border — instead the border crossed them. Still, their display of the Mexican flag at protests is being twisted into something it's not, said Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens. Hector E. Sanchez, president and CEO of 'Mi Familia Vota,' a non-profit focused on mobilizing Latino voters, said Mexicans have been at the forefront of attacks when it comes to immigration — attacks heightened during both of Trump's campaigns. Sanchez said he wonders why it's not called anti-American when some Americans fly Confederate flags next to the U.S. flag. 'We see a lot of flags celebrating cultural history and heritage,' he said. 'Why is it that the Mexican community is constantly under attack?'
Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
AP PHOTOS: Mexican flags at LA protests spark debate over symbolism
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. ——— Over the last week, a sea of green, white and red Mexican flags have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids. The use of Mexican and other Latin American flags during the protests are a form of symbolism many conservatives are calling anti-American — while others argue they're an expression of pride in one's homeland that could not be more American. Whether it be U.S., Mexican or Palestinian flags, the banners reflect a nation of immigrants whose stories have become intertwined with the story of America, experts say. Kris Hernández, an associate professor of history at Connecticut College, said the flying of foreign flags in the U.S. has always brought awareness to the plight of marginalized groups. Their appearance in the latest protests might symbolize solidarity with their native land or social movements that support Americans of Mexican descent, she said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that those flying Mexican flags at immigration protests were left-wing radicals that attacked law enforcement agents 'removing violent, criminal illegal aliens from the city.' And even fierce Trump critic Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Democrat, expressed his displeasure with the display of non-American flags at immigration protests that have spread to other states. 'Peaceful protests are fine. Violence is not and will only destroy your message,' Kinzinger wrote on X . 'American flags or nothing.' Amid the backlash, many Americans who support the right to protest are encouraging demonstrators to protest against immigration policies with the American flag instead of a foreign one, as way of reclaiming the U.S. flag for all who call the U.S. home. This underscores just how influential the American flag can be, Hernández said. 'What we are seeing ... is that people don't like to see some flags over others,' she said. Some Latino activists say the Mexican flag is being used by people who were in this land before it was part of the United States. California was part of Mexico until the 1800's. Many Mexican Americans are descendants of people who never crossed a border — instead the border crossed them. Still, their display of the Mexican flag at protests is being twisted into something it's not, said Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens. Hector E. Sanchez, president and CEO of 'Mi Familia Vota,' a non-profit focused on mobilizing Latino voters, said Mexicans have been at the forefront of attacks when it comes to immigration — attacks heightened during both of Trump's campaigns. Sanchez said he wonders why it's not called anti-American when some Americans fly Confederate flags next to the U.S. flag. 'We see a lot of flags celebrating cultural history and heritage,' he said. 'Why is it that the Mexican community is constantly under attack?' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
AP PHOTOS: Mexican flags at LA protests spark debate over symbolism
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. ——— Over the last week, a sea of green, white and red Mexican flags have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids. The use of Mexican and other Latin American flags during the protests are a form of symbolism many conservatives are calling anti-American — while others argue they're an expression of pride in one's homeland that could not be more American. Whether it be U.S., Mexican or Palestinian flags, the banners reflect a nation of immigrants whose stories have become intertwined with the story of America, experts say. Kris Hernández, an associate professor of history at Connecticut College, said the flying of foreign flags in the U.S. has always brought awareness to the plight of marginalized groups. Their appearance in the latest protests might symbolize solidarity with their native land or social movements that support Americans of Mexican descent, she said. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that those flying Mexican flags at immigration protests were left-wing radicals that attacked law enforcement agents 'removing violent, criminal illegal aliens from the city.' And even fierce Trump critic Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a Democrat, expressed his displeasure with the display of non-American flags at immigration protests that have spread to other states. 'Peaceful protests are fine. Violence is not and will only destroy your message," Kinzinger wrote on X. "American flags or nothing.' Amid the backlash, many Americans who support the right to protest are encouraging demonstrators to protest against immigration policies with the American flag instead of a foreign one, as way of reclaiming the U.S. flag for all who call the U.S. home. This underscores just how influential the American flag can be, Hernández said. 'What we are seeing ... is that people don't like to see some flags over others,' she said. Some Latino activists say the Mexican flag is being used by people who were in this land before it was part of the United States. California was part of Mexico until the 1800's. Many Mexican Americans are descendants of people who never crossed a border — instead the border crossed them. Still, their display of the Mexican flag at protests is being twisted into something it's not, said Juan Proaño, CEO of the League of United Latin American Citizens. Hector E. Sanchez, president and CEO of 'Mi Familia Vota,' a non-profit focused on mobilizing Latino voters, said Mexicans have been at the forefront of attacks when it comes to immigration — attacks heightened during both of Trump's campaigns. Sanchez said he wonders why it's not called anti-American when some Americans fly Confederate flags next to the U.S. flag. 'We see a lot of flags celebrating cultural history and heritage,' he said. 'Why is it that the Mexican community is constantly under attack?'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Federal trial opens to determine whether Texas discriminated in redrawn redistricting maps
Do Texas' district maps discriminate against some Black and Latino voters? That's what advocates will allege in court Wednesday, while the state will argue that those communities can elect the candidates they want. Some advocates will also argue in a set of cases four years in the making that the state intentionally discriminated — while the state will combat that claim. A panel of three U.S. district judges in El Paso will hear the cases over the next month that allege the state violated federal law in its redistricting process — the once-a-decade redrawing of congressional and state district maps after every U.S. Census to ensure that all districts have approximately the same number of people. The plaintiffs include the League of United Latin American Citizens, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the Texas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. They plan to argue that in 2021, the Republican-majority Legislature deliberately drew its congressional, state House and senate districts in a way that split up voters of color and diluted their political power. The case has been delayed while the parties fought over what information legislative members are required to disclose. Plaintiffs point to data around the racial makeup of the state and those of the districts in their arguments: though whites and Latinos made up nearly the same share of the population in Texas in 2020, the state drew 23 white-majority districts out of 38 total congressional districts, while Latino voters made up majorities in only seven. The remaining eight districts had no majority group. According to the 2020 Census, Texas added 4 million residents in the prior decade and gained two congressional districts. Of the population growth, 95% was among communities of color, with more than half of the growth among the Latino community. 'The inflated number of majority-white districts does not reflect the Census data and does not allow for fair representation,' Marina Jenkins, executive director of the National Redistricting Foundation, an advocacy group supporting the plaintiffs in the congressional case, said at a news conference this week. 'It is clear that Texas' congressional map denies Latino voters an equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect candidates of their choice, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.'' If a court finds that to be true, it wouldn't be the first time: in every decade since the Voting Rights Act was enacted in 1965, Texas has been found by a federal court to have violated federal law by illegally discriminating against voters of color. The law prohibits voting practices that discriminate based on race, color or those who belong to a language minority group. After the 2010 redistricting cycle, for example – in a battle with similar arguments — federal judges ruled that Texas lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Hispanic and Black voters by unnecessarily crowding them into certain districts. The allegations that the state violated the Voting Rights Act don't require the plaintiffs to prove the state intended to discriminate — only that the effect of the maps does so. Some of the plaintiffs are bringing additional claims that the state violated the 14th Amendment by intentionally discriminating against them, which does require proving the state acted in bad faith. Various groups have sued the state since 2021, even before the maps were ratified. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division ordered those groups to consolidate their cases into the one that begins Wednesday. The groups allege the state could have drawn a Latino-majority district in the state senate and congressional districts that encompass Dallas-Fort Worth and Harris counties, but failed to do so. In the House maps, plaintiffs allege the Legislature failed to create Latino-majority districts where there was opportunity to do so in those counties, as well in Central and West Texas, and Bexar, Denton/Wise and Brazoria counties. The NAACP also alleges the state intentionally discriminated against Black voters in all three maps. The state plans to defend the maps on the basis that partisan interests, not race, were the primary factor in drawing the maps. 'The Texas Legislature drew the maps blind to race,' the state's pre-trial brief says. 'The redistricting lawmakers did not mince words: they intended to design maps that advanced partisan interests and other traditional redistricting principles.' The Republican-led Legislature drew the maps, while the advocates who brought the lawsuits are arguing on behalf of Black and Latino voters who historically have aligned with the Democratic party. The state's brief says the legislative record will show both Republican and Democratic lawmakers acknowledged the Legislature's 'partisan motivations for drawing districts' — although in pre-trial proceedings leading up to Wednesday, the Legislature's chief map drawer, Houston Republican Sen. Joan Huffman, declined to share some of the reasoning behind the maps, citing 'legislative privilege,' a protection afforded by the state constitution. The state also plans to argue that population growth was uneven, and that in some areas, such as El Paso County, declining population led to the reduction in the number of House districts where there was a Latino majority. The governor's office and attorney general's office did not respond to requests for comments on the case. Though the Legislature passed the bills creating the maps in 2021, lawmakers that session were unable to ratify the maps due to a Democratic walkout over a separate bill related to election processes. The next Legislature in 2023 then ratified the maps. In the meantime, two primary and two general elections have taken place under those maps. That includes the primary election in 2022, after the Court sided with the state on allowing the map for Senate District 10 to be used. Plaintiffs tried to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but they dismissed the appeal because it was filed too late. For Jenkins, with the National Redistricting Foundation, the impacts of a map that potentially violates the law means less of a voice for some Texans. 'The long-term effects of depriving a community of a seat at the table can be seen in disparities in multiple aspects of life, such as higher poverty and unemployment rates, lower incomes and being underrepresented in public office,' she said at the briefing. 'This case isn't just about the congressional map, it's about representation and living up to the fundamental ideal that should guide our democracy, that every individual has the right to exercise self determination at the ballot box.' First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Epoch Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Texas Charges 6 Over Alleged Vote Harvesting
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued indictments for six individuals allegedly involved in election crimes related to vote harvesting. In a May 7 The charges stemmed from an investigation that started in August 2024, when multiple search The majority of those arrested were charged with vote harvesting, a third-degree felony offense that involves a monetary exchange for collecting and submitting others' absentee ballots. Some of the officials have been '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. No one is above the law,' Paxton said. Related Stories 10/30/2024 10/26/2024 'My office will continue to work with Frio County District Attorney Audrey Louis to protect the integrity of our elections.' At the time the warrants were served, one of the nation's oldest Latino civil rights organizations, the League of United Latin American Citizens, called the attorney general's actions an effort in voter suppression. 'This is voter suppression 101,' he said. 'There's no vote harvesting going on. There's nobody creating these ballots. That's a lie.' Frio County Judge Rochelle Camacho was indicted on three counts of vote harvesting, and former Frio County Elections Administrator Carlos Segura faces one count of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Pearsall City Council members Ramiro Trevino and Racheal Garza were each indicted on one count of vote harvesting. Pearsall ISD Trustee Adriann Ramirez was indicted on three counts of vote harvesting, and Rosa Rodriguez, an alleged vote harvester in Frio County, was indicted on two counts of vote harvesting. The recent arrests are part of a multi-year effort by Paxton to address voter fraud following the 2020 election. A Texas woman, Raquel Rodriguez, Four more individuals were arrested a month later on 150 counts of voter fraud related to the 2018 primary election, according to a In June 2022, indictments from Paxton's office led to a Port Lavaca woman's 'Secure elections are the cornerstone of our republic,' Paxton 'We are completely committed to protecting the security of the ballot box and the integrity of every legal vote. This means ensuring accountability for anyone committing election crimes.'
