Immigration Reform Largely Absent from State of the Union – President Obama used his State of the Union address to promote consequential action this year, in a veiled reference to the lack of legislative results from one house of Congress. Obama announced several executive actions, including an order to increase minimum wage for employees of companies with contracts with the federal government. Many applauded the promises. But the brief words Obama dedicated to immigration reform disappointed some community leaders and did not find an echo among Republicans either, who are exploring supporting a limited legalization without a path to citizenship. José López Zamorano reports.
San Francisco Could Limit Student Suspensions – President Obama has called on schools to stop zero tolerance policies for school discipline that have mainly affected African-American and Latino students. Each year, middle and high schools around the country suspend two million students, mostly for minor offenses. The San Francisco Unified School District is considering changing its discipline policy, seeking to reduce suspensions that can be discriminatory. Zaidee Stavely reports from San Francisco.
Armed Citizens in Mexico Spark Debate in California – The Mexican state of Michoacán has captured international attention because of the emergence of armed citizen self-defense groups that are fighting the cartel of the Caballeros Templarios, saying the Army and the police have not protected the population. This confrontation has extended to include one third of the state. This has sparked debate among Michoacanos and Mexican citizens in California. With more details, our correspondent in Los Angeles, Rubén Tapia.
