No End in Sight to Shutdown – Almost two weeks after the federal government shut down most operations, the repercussions are getting worse and no one knows how long it will go on. The shutdown began when Congress could not reach agreement on the budget. A group of Republican congresspeople proposed to defund or delay implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The Senate rejected the proposal. President Obama spoke this week with members of Congress from both parties, in search of a solution that would allow the government to reopen. Meanwhile, the business sector is blaming a group of ultraconservative Republicans of pushing the country into recession and threatens to withdraw support in upcoming elections. Marco Vinicio González reports.
Dozens of Arrests in March for Immigration Reform – In the face of inaction on the part of Republicans in the House of Representatives for comprehensive immigration reform, proponents of reform escalated their actions of civil disobedience. Eight Democratic lawmakers and more than 150 activist were arrested this week outside the Capitol after a march that brought thousands of immigrants and their families to the National Mall. The protesters asked Congress for an urgent response to what they qualified as a national humanitarian crisis. José López Zamorano has more details from Washington, D.C.
Depression Hitting Young Latinas Hard – For more than a decade, it has been known that depression affects the children of immigrants more severely, and in particular, young Latina women. Among the causes of this mental health issue are the challenges of daily life in a new country, as well as immigration issues for many families. Ruxandra Guidi introduces us to a young Latina woman in Los Angeles who was able to find help to control her depression. This story was made possible thanks in part to the Institute for Justice & Journalism.
