Republicans Postpone Vote on Replacement Healthcare Law – Despite final hour maneuvering, President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan were unable to get the majority votes needed among party legislators and opted to postpone voting on the healthcare bill, which would replace the national legislation known as the Affordable Care Act. This represents a humiliating setback for the White House. More details are in this report by Ruben Tapia.
Fraught Confirmation Process for Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee – Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch became a marathon-style referendum on judicial independence in the Trump Era. While Republicans lauded the nominee’s humility and intellect, Democrats politely voiced frustration over answers seen as vague and evasive. Although Gorsuch made no missteps, at the end of the hearings, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer announced his opposition to the nomination and asked his colleagues to use the filibuster. José López Zamorano has the details from Washington.
‘Guatemalan Dream,’ a Seed Sown by the Deported to Halt Migration – More than 35,000 Guatemalans were deported from the United States last year, and that number is expected to grow with tougher immigration laws under the Trump administration. Despite this, trends suggest that poverty, violence and lack of opportunities in this Central American country will continue to drive many young people to seek work and refuge in the north. But not everyone thinks this way. Our correspondent, Maria Emilia Martin, interviewed a group of deported Guatemalans who founded an original project to help young people build their “Guatemalan Dream” as an alternative to migration.
Mexican Politician Confronts Trump from San Francisco – As part of a tour to meet with Mexicans living in major U.S. cities, two-time Mexican presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador visited San Francisco this week. There, the progressive leader once again condemned Trump, denouncing his campaign messages of hate toward immigrants, and called on Mexicans to resist by mounting legal defenses and forming civic committees.
