Comprehensive Voter Rights Initiative Advances in Senate – After intense debate in a Senate committee, and amid unanimous opposition from Republicans, a broad electoral reform project that grants minimal guarantees to the nation’s voters moved forward. In defense of the initiative, Democratic leaders say it is urgent to counter the wave of bills to restrict the vote that have passed Republican legislatures in several states. José López Zamorano reports from Washington.
Hearings to Legalize Essential Workers Kick Off – Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California opened the first session on Capitol Hill this week to launch a bill aimed at legalizing more than five million undocumented immigrants who are considered essential workers. In an interview on Línea Abierta, Padilla explained the urgency of approving the legislation this year, since 2022 is an electoral year. Padilla emphasized that he seeks to reach agreements with his Republican colleagues, but clarified that if they ultimately do not cooperate, he could resort to resources such as budget reconciliation or ending filibustering. Marco Vinicio González reports.
Cruz Reynoso, Defender of the Rural Poor and Communities of Color, Dies – Justice Cruz Reynoso, the first Latino justice to serve on the California Supreme Court, died this week at the age of 90. During his six-decade-long legal career, he distinguished himself by litigating in defense of farm workers, the poor and communities of color. He also received multiple honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As a law professor and member of the US Civil Rights Commission, Justice Reynoso often provided legal and professional analysis on the program Línea Abierta. We share segments from our archives.
