Tiempo with Joe Torres

On this edition of Tiempo, we discuss the potential impacts of federal funding cuts on nonprofit organizations in New York City.

President Donald Trump announced his administration will withhold federal payments to sanctuary cities beginning on Sunday.

The president believes sanctuary cities have policies that limit local law enforcement's ability to cooperate with federal immigration officers. A significant portion of the federal funds go to social services, education and housing, just to name a few.

The decision has a major financial impact for many nonprofits in the Tri-State area.

Joining us to discuss is Dr. Lauren Jen, assistant medical director at Children's Aid, and Pedro Rodriguez, executive director of La Jornada.

We also catch up with the Bronx Council on the Arts, the official cultural agency for the borough.

The organization offers grants, artist residencies and resources, especially for underrepresented groups in the Bronx.

We'll have more on the council and the free workshops and programs it offers coming up.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we discuss the latest on federal immigration crackdowns across the country and in New York City, including the recent detention of a NYC Council employee.

Newly-elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he will not work with federal immigration enforcement agents and will firmly uphold sanctuary city policies.

During a recent visit to New York, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted the results of a series of high-profile ICE operations. Her visit was heavily overshadowed by the shooting in Minneapolis, where an ICE agent fatally shot a 37-year-old mother of three.

Immigration attorneys, advocacy groups and employers can anticipate greater scrutiny from the federal government regarding hiring practices, foreign-born workers, visa applications and more.

Joining us to discuss and provide some counsel on what to expect and how to prepare is immigration attorney Chris Cabanillas.

We also have details on a new college program designed to provide first-generation and low-income students with an affordable and debt-free education.

Small class sizes, dedicated academic advisors, counseling services and additional support like free meals and laptops are among resources being offered to students.

We'll have more on the two-year associate degree program at the University of Mount Saint Vincent.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we take an in-depth look at the capture of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

The couple pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other federal charges in a New York federal court week.

U.S. military forces captured the president and his wife last weekend in a military operation in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. Since then, country officials swore in Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as the interim leader, after what the Venezuelan Supreme Court called Maduro's kidnapping.

Maduro and his wife will remain at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn until their next court date in March.

Joining us to discuss is Alejandro Velasco, an associate professor of Latin American Studies at New York University.

We also take a look at a report from Nielsen focusing on Latino viewer trends in 2025.

The company studies and measures audience behavior across all channels and digital platforms.

The good news is that Latino viewers are driving significant shifts in media consumption, with a high usage of many streaming services. Analysts expect strong ratings for Boricua star Bad Bunny's 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

We talk with the folks at Nielsen to highlight the significant Latino footprint across American sports and pop culture.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we take a closer look at the escalating geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.

The U.S. launched Operation Southern Spear -- a major military campaign to try and dismantle drug trafficking networks. It also began a naval mission to intercept tankers transporting Venezuelan oil.

Anxious uncertainty hangs over many Venezuelan Americans as they watch the escalation of force against their home country. More than 6.8 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2014, and the exodus continues.

Joining us to discuss further on what happening in Venezuela is Niurka Meléndez from Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid.

Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid is a volunteer organization that helps Venezuelan migrants who fled their country and came to the U.S. The organization was previously featured on Tiempo a few years ago during the influex of asylum seekers, many of them from Venezuela.

(Note: This episode of Tiempo was recorded prior to the capture of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a U.S. military operation on Saturday.)

Also on our program, we talk to Dominican novelist Cleyvis Natera about her book "The Grand Paloma Resort."

The book combines fast-paced suspense, class distinctions and colonial history in a memorable seven-day trip to La Republica Dominicana.

The author dedicates the book to the workers. ad laborers who keep Caribbean tourism thriving.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we discuss the findings of a new report on how arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement may be disproportionately impacting the Latino community.

A new report released by the New York Immigration Coalition finds that agents with ICE unfairly target Latinos.

According to research from the coalition and the University of Colorado, nearly 3 in 4 people arrested by ICE agents are Latino. The report say approximately 70% of those arrested by ICE have no criminal conviction or previous record.

The report also found that an increase in immigration enforcement makes it harder for businesses to hire workers and limits potential growth for those businesses.

Joining us to discuss is Mario Bruzzone, vice president of policy at the New York Immigration Coalition.

Also on our program, catching up with Queens Councilman Francisco Moya.

The councilman joins us to discuss a new development that he pushed in Queens designed to bring affordable housing to the borough.

Moya also gives us the latest updates on the new soccer stadium that will serve as the permanent home for the New York City Football Club (NYCFC). Naturally, we will ask him about the impact of the FIFA World Cup coming to our area next summer.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we catch up with the Hispanic Federation about its goals for the new year and its latest initiatives to promote maternal health.

The umbrella organization started in 1990 with a network of over 650 nonprofits. Its focus has always been to strengthen the Latino community through education, economic empowerment, immigration, health and much more.

Speaking of health, the Hispanic Federation is encouraging women to sign up for free maternal health workshops and to showcase their plans for the new year.

Joining us to discuss is Frankie Miranda, president of the Hispanic Federation, and Maria Lugo, senior director for health initiatives at the Hispanic Federation.

Also on our program, we speak to Dominican novelist Cleyvis Natera about her book "The Grand Paloma Resort."

The book combines face-paced suspense, class distinctions and colonial history in a breathless seven-day trip to La Republica Dominicana. The book is also dedicated to the workers and laborers who keep Caribbean tourism thriving.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we catch up with one local school that is on a mission to mentor the next generation of licensed caregivers.

The Ideal School of Allied Health Care on Long Island prepares people for jobs like medical assistants and much more.

The school offers classes in Spanish, and Tiempo has featured the institution before. The institution was founded more than a decade ago by a registered nurse who saw a shortage of caregivers, which impacts the quality of service for patients.

School administrators collaborated with Local 1199 to create the Community Pathways Training Program. The program pays for nearly all the tuition at the school.

Joining us to discuss is Nicole Laborde, CEO and founder of the Ideal School of Allied Health Care, and current students Karla Rubio and Leandro Rodriguez.

Also on our program, more on "¡Wepa!: Puerto Ricans in the World of Comics."

It's an exhibit that highlights the great Boricua legends in comics history. Three decades of comic book collections are currently on display at the New York Public Library.

The exhibit is the largest collection of Puerto Rican comic book creators.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we learn more about a recent state-led international trade mission to Mexico by officials in New Jersey.

Gov. Phil Murphy alongside the statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the nonprofit Choose New Jersey recently spent a three-day, business-oriented trip to Mexico.

The mission focused on deepening economic, educational and cultural partnerships between the Garden State and Mexico. There are more than 2 million Latinos who live in New Jersey, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

Joining us to discuss the trip are Carlos Medina from the statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, and Mariana Diaz Nagore, head consul from the consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick.

Also ahead, a return visit to the show by a Latina educator born and raised in the South Bronx.

La Doctora Elaine Ruiz Lopez founded a charter school in the Bronx. She also wrote a book about the struggles and challenges she faced to open that school.

The book has received lots of recognition and several prestigious awards. We catch up with Dr. Ruiz Lopez about her book coming up.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we discuss how one local nonprofit organization is helping families in need of food aid amid the government shutdown.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, has been put in jeopardy since the shutdown.

The lapse in funding has put more pressure on food pantries and afterschool programs to alleviate hunger for students and families in underserved communities.

In a major development last Wednesday night, President Donald Trump signed a funding bill ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The shutdown lasted 43 days.

According to the latest data from Feeding America, about 1.4 million New Yorkers are facing food insecurity.

The nonprofit New York Edge has food pantries and afterschool programs across the city to help with the ongoing issue of food insecurity.

Joining us is Rachael Gazdick from New York Edge to discuss what the nonprofit has been doing to help during these tough times.

Also on our program: We'll tell you about a new independent film, "The Veteran."

The movie follows the story of a U.S. Marine who faces significant challenges after returning home from deployment in Afghanistan. The film tackles the many struggles veterans face after deployment overseas.

We'll talk with the filmmaker about the work and its significance.

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On this edition of Tiempo, we discuss how one local higher education institution is supporting the diverse needs of its Latino student community.

Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey has a dedicated center to help Latino and first-generation students. In fact, the Hispanic Center has been around for two decades.

The center helps students take advantage of educational opportunities, with programs tailored to meet the diverse needs of Latino students. More than 20% of the student population is Latino at the school's Teaneck campus.

Joining us to discuss is Irene Ojo, Luz Elena Flores and Arianne Alvarez from the Hispanic Center at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Also on our program, celebrating Puerto Rican pride.

November is Puerto Rican Heritage Month, which honors the many contributions that Boricuas have made in the United States.

To kick off the festivities, the Puerto Rican Institute for the Development of the Arts (PRIDA) has scheduled several special events. One of the events is the Puerto Rican Artisans and Authors Fair that celebrates 20 years.

We speak with members of PRIDA about the organization and the special programming in honor of Puerto Rican Heritage Month.

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