A is for America

In Texas, we've seen story after story after story of immigrant parents and children living along the border region who have been detained after medical emergencies forced them to travel through checkpoints. These stories have highlighted something most Americans probably don't know about the border area: that there are interior checkpoints which effectively wall in immigrants who live in places like the Rio Grande Valley. Tania Chavez, an organizer with LUPE, joins us to talk about what happens when immigrants can't leave their immediate town or region, for fear of being detained and deported. (Her interview starts at 11:45.)

In Tennessee, advocates have had a nonstop few weeks, first dealing with the aftermath of a massive workplace raid that detained 97 workers, with 54 still in detention. In the days following, 500 children missed school, and a community worked to come together. Yet the state legislature this week passed an anti-immigrant bill that will make communities less safe by mandating local cooperation with ICE. In the next few weeks, TIRRC and other Tennessee advocates will be mobilizing Governor Bill Haslam to veto the bill. Sign the petition to bring the Morristown workers home https://www.tnimmigrant.org/bringthemhome or donate here https://www.tnimmigrant.org/donate to contribute to the fight. (Stephanie's interview begins at 10:55.)

2018 is an election year, and we spoke to political science professor Melissa Michelson about what some of the best messages and techniques are for getting out the Latino vote. Professor Michelson has conducted more than 300 studies designed to boost voter outreach. Yet many candidates are still treating Latino voter outreach as an afterthought, despite the fact that there are huge gains to be made in this key growing demographic. (Her interview begins at 9:10.)

2018 is an election year, and Texas is — as always — apparently determined to have as few people of color vote as possible. Our Nevada State Director, Mario Carrillo, spoke with Travis County official Bruce Elfant about why it's so hard to register a voter in Texas, why Texas is 50th in the country in terms of voter participation, and why an under-emphasized law requiring Texas high schools to help students register to vote is so important. (Interview begins at 10:20.)

2018 is an election year, and one of this fall's key states will be Nevada, where Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) is facing tough winds in his reelection campaign and right-wing Attorney General Adam Laxalt is running for Governor. Our Nevada State Director, Viri Vidal, spoke with Laura Martin, Associate Director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN) about Nevada's key role in the 2012 and 2016 elections, as well as the current state of new American politics in the Silver State. (Interview starts at 8:30.)

Donald Trump declined to extend deferred enforced departure (DED) for Liberians, which means that thousands of Liberians — some of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades — will become undocumented and face deportation next year. Political Director Matt Hildreth traveled to Fargo, North Dakota to speak with Kennedy, a Liberian immigrant who has lived in the area since 2014, and Kevin, an advocate who reflected on the recent history of immigration in the area and how new Americans have enriched Fargo.

In Texas, one of the most anti-immigrant laws in the nation, SB 4, has been cleared for implementation. Our Texas State Director Mario Carrillo sat down with Zenen Jaimes Perèz to talk about SB 4, what it will mean for the state, and how such a bill came to be passed in the first place. They also discuss Texas’ voter ID law and how extensively Texas Republicans have worked to oppress voters, especially voters of color, in the Lone Star state. Interview starts at 9:30

Conor Lamb won a special election in Pennsylvania this week, and America's Voice published a new report explaining how Republicans have largely been shooting themselves in the foot by attacking immigrants. At Matt Barreto explains, Democrats would do well this fall to lean into the immigration issue, show immigrants and Latino voters that candidates care about them, and avoid running scared of ugly Republican anti-immigrant attacks.

Interview starts at 9:20.

"A is for America" will provide listeners a glimpse into the lives of immigrants and new American voters across the country. We'll be talking to Dreamers who still have DACA and those who don't, progressive writers who engage on immigration and other issues, grassroots organizers who are doing important work in this year's key election districts, experts, advocates, pollsters, and more.

Interview starts at 13:10.

ICE is becoming the political enforcer of Trumpism, and last year arrested 171% more immigrants without criminal records than the year before. Meanwhile, USCIS is sitting on 20,000 DACA renewal applications, even though it means that Dreamers are in danger of losing their jobs and may face deportation. 

music from @daniellaraps