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Hispanics are now the largest ethnic demographic in Texas, comprising some 40 percent of the population. And candidates vying for seats in November have noticed.

Republicans have invested heavily in courting Latino voters. The Republican National Committee created several so-called Hispanic Community Centers across the state, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke recently visited the Rio Grande Valley with civil rights activist Dolores Huerta.

But what do Latino voters want?

The Texas Newsroom a collaboration between NPR and public radio stations across Texas wants to find out. Reporters from across the state have been asking Latino voters what they hope candidates know about them and their community, along with what they think elected officials should prioritize. Reporters have spoken to people at Astros games in Houston, the Barbacoa and Big Red Festival in San Antonio, and the gubernatorial debate in the Valley. Those interviews have been featured in stories around the state, and we'll continue to roll them out ahead of Election Day.

What voters have told us so far.

Like other voting blocs, Latinos in Texas are not single-issue voters. While campaigns often focus on immigration, especially on the state's southern border, it's not the only issue at the forefront of some voters' minds. Recent polling from the Pew Research Center shows that immigration is one of the key issues for Latinos but so are education, gun control, reproductive rights and the economy.

On a recent afternoon visiting the Bishops Arts District in Dallas, Vicente Reynoso and his partner Ofelia Gonzalez said gun rights, housing and immigration reform top their list of concerns heading into the November elections.

Gonzalez said it's time Texans stop embracing the attitude that nothing can be done on gun reform.

"It's not an excuse anymore to just be like, Oh, we can't do anything about it' or for us to be like Texas is Texas. We're going to keep on being us," she said. "We got to get it under control. I just think it's pretty ridiculous the way we're going about things right now."

Reynoso, who described himself as a centrist gun owner who supports the Second Amendment, thinks lawmakers search for an easy fix instead of addressing gun reform proposals

"There needs to be common sense gun laws. There is no reason I should be able to walk in (to a store) at 18, wait 15 minutes for a background check and walk out that same day with a firearm (and) unlimited amounts of ammo," he said. "I think we keep trying to put band-aids on these very deep issues that we just keep painting over and painting over every few years. I think we need to get to the root of these causes."

On immigration, Reynoso said he'd like candidates to go beyond the broad argument for immigration reform with realistic policy solutions.

"They never really make it clear exactly what they're going to do, they just say immigration reform," he said. "Give a clear plan, don't just throw it in peoples' faces and expect us to eat it up because it happens every four years."

Gonzalez added that she'd like to see fewer people priced out of their current housing due to increasing costs.

"The amount of people that are being left without places to live because of the skyrocketing rent, people that have been in their apartments forever that now can't afford to live where they have always lived," she said. "I don't know what can be done about that necessarily, but I just think it's gotten out of control."

For Patricia Mares, 44, a project manager from Spring, Texas, reproductive rights and school safety top her list of priorities.

"We need to be talking about the safety of our kids in schools, and I think we need to be talking about equal rights for women," she said.

Mares said there is a long list of issues to choose from but she has school-aged children and believes in a woman's right to choose. She'd also like candidates to be honest about their plans instead of offering quick fixes that don't necessarily address an issue.

"We need to focus on, how do we fix things at their core, versus maybe telling people what they want to hear," she said.

Camila Turrubiartes said her stance on abortion solidifies her support for Gov. Greg Abbott. Turrubiartes is originally from Mexico but has been in the United States for 30 years, she said. The Texas Newsroom spoke to her at Dallas' Plaza Latina.

"I am pro-life, and I am in favor of abolishing abortion completely. Right now I support Gov. Greg Abbott and in reality I think he's doing a good job," she said in Spanish.

Turrubiartes said Texas is right to secure its border.

"We are all welcome, but also if President Biden is the one creating all this then there should be a little more help for Texas. Abbott can't do everything," she said.

Turrubiartes aligns with moderates and with Democrats on guns.

"There are a lot of guns, and I am against guns. In reality, there are a lot of assaults" occurring, she said.

For Anjel Perez, who spoke to the Texas Newsroom at Plaza Latina, the state's power grid is on the top of his list of important issues. In 2021 more than 200 people died during a days-long storm that crippled the state's ability to supply most of Texas with heat and electricity. Democrat Beto O'Rourke has made the issue a hallmark of his campaign, and voters like Perez agree more needs to be done.

"There were a bunch of deaths that could have been avoided if our power grid had been better," he said. "A bunch of people died because of the cold, and others died because they had their generators inside and they died because of carbon monoxide poisoning. Little kids died, and it is just horrible to see."

Perez also thinks immigration is a key issue, but he isn't worried about border security. He said instead that the hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers who are fleeing violence or oppression in their home countries need more resources once they get to the United States.

"They are just here waiting and they are not getting their (needs met). These immigrants, they come here seeking asylum, but they don't get fair representation," he said.

What do you want candidates to consider between now and Election Day? Let us know! Click here to tell us what you would like elected officials to now.

Sergio Martnez-Beltrn and Andrew Schneider contributed reporting to this story.

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Everybody wants the Latino vote in Texas. But what do Latino voters want? - Houston Public Media

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) submitted a public commentin response to a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that seeks to significantly alter the physical document examination requirements associated with employment eligibility verification (Form I-9).

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) instituted temporary flexibilities and waived the physical examination of employment and identification documentation for employers facing a sudden and near-total shift to a remote workforce. The Biden administration now seeks the authority, on a discretionary basis, to cement those flexibilities when certain conditions are met.

"Any action taken under the authority provided by this rule, if finalized, will be viewed as an attempt to ease the requirements of employment verification. While a welcome change for employers contending with large-scale remote workforces, it will be abused by bad actors who will hide behind a far easier good faith compliance defense," wrote Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "With the unprecedented numbers of illegal alien apprehensions and encounters along the southern border and the ever-growing crisis that we are presently witnessing, the demand for work is high, and any attempt to diminish verification will be routinely used by smugglers, traffickers, and unscrupulous employers. Any authority used to weaken document verification requirements will erode the intend of the underlying statute aimed at ensuring that only lawful aliens are eligible to work in the United States."

Stein also noted that the proposed rule is arbitrary and overly broad. "It fails to justify any policy determination or provide a reasoned analysis at all. Accordingly, this regulatory amendment appears to be a solution in search of a problem. It is patently unclear why DHS believes that this change is necessary and, assuming arguendo that such authority is necessary, why it must be so broad," said Stein.

"FAIR strongly opposes this proposed rule and urges the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to withdraw it. Instead, DHS should promulgate regulations aimed at enhancing security and anti-fraud measures associated with the employment verification process and continually ensuring that, pursuant to statute, only lawful aliens are able to work in the United States," concluded Stein in the comment.

FAIR's full comment can be accessed here.

Contact: Ron Kovach, 202-328-7004 or [emailprotected].

ABOUT FAIR

Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country's largest immigration reform group. With over 3 million members and supporters nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced.

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)

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Biden Administration's Attempt to Loosen Document Verification Would Clear the Path for Fraud and Unlawful Employment, Charges FAIR - PR Newswire

Public affairs strategist Vanessa Crdenas is set to take over the helm of Americas Voice, a leading immigration advocacy organization, replacing the organizations founder, Frank Sharry.

Crdenas, who has served as acting deputy director of the organization since Sharry announced his retirement in September, will take over as executive director of both Americas Voice (AV) and Americas Voice Educational Fund (AVEF).

Frank Sharrys contributions to this movement cannot be overstated and Vanessa Crdenas is the ideal candidate to shape the next chapter of Americas Voice in our growing and diversifying field, said Henry Fernandez, chair of the AV and the AVEF boards of directors.

Under her leadership, AV and AVEF are well positioned to remain formidable advocates for immigrants and to help the broader pro-immigrant movement use communications and advocacy to build the power necessary for change.

Founded by Sharry in 2008, AV has become one of the key voices on the left for the immigration movement, often bringing together activists, technical experts and advocates to make the case for immigration liberalization.

Crdenas will take over the group amid a changing landscape on immigration, with the issue at the center of political discourse and anti-immigrant rhetoric firmly in the political mainstream.

Call me an optimist, but I do believe that we have a chance to hopefully, finally, after some years do something affirmative on immigration and I really want to be part of that, Crdenas told The Hill.

Crdenas, who was born in Brooklyn to an undocumented Bolivian mother, mostly grew up in Bolivia before returning to the United States as a citizen, albeit one who lived immigrant experiences.

When I was about to go to college my senior year, when I wanted to go to college, I asked my counselor about it, and she looked at me, shes like, Vanessa, you cannot go because you dont have papers. I was like, no, no, no, I was actually born here, Crdenas told The Hill.

That was a key moment for me, because it crystallized what a difference having those papers meant for my life. Because that opened up those opportunities that 80 percent of my peers didnt have, she added.

As a U.S. citizen, Crdenas did go to college and was quickly hired by Sharry upon graduation.

I had the honor of hiring Vanessa right out of college at the National Immigration Forum, and since then have watched her rise with awe, said Sharry.

After the National Immigration Forum, Crdenas worked for a series of progressive outfits, including the Center for American Progress, the World Wildlife Fund, Emilys List and President Bidens presidential campaign.

When AV and AVEF needed help with a new administration and Congress in 2021, we reached out to her and hired her as a consultant to serve as acting deputy director. She has done a terrific job. I know she will be an excellent executive director, and that AV 2.0 will have a bright future under her leadership, said Sharry.

The panorama faced by AV 2.0 is very different from what Sharry has faced since 2008, with a majority of Republicans on the offensive openly proposing reduced immigration, and Democrats mostly pivoting away from the issue.

I think that 100 percent Democrats need to lean in. They need to get this issue off the table with an affirmative agenda that shows that theyre in control and not just reacting, said Crdenas.

We also have to do work about reminding them that America can handle migration. You know, one of the most frustrating things for me is just this narrative that somehow this is a problem that isnt solvable and that its so difficult, said Crdenas, pointing to countries like Colombia or Poland, who have absorbed millions of refugees from Venezuela and Ukraine.

Immigration is a reality of our time. Its a global phenomenon that is going to continue, unfortunately, because of many other things, including climate change and pandemics and so on, but in the United States we have the smarts, we have the tools, the know-how, the resources to tackle this issue, said Crdenas.

Still, immigrant advocates face direct opposition from restrictionist groups whove taken hold of the GOP mainstream immigration agenda with ideas that were once considered fringe.

I think thats why the role of AV is so important at this moment. Because we really are in a moment where we have to remind Americans who we are as a nation, and remind them that the United States is a nation of immigrants, and that immigrants are essential to our nations well-being particularly when it comes to the economy, but also to our culture, to our way of life and that immigrants are here to add, not to subtract, said Crdenas.

Crdenas will take over that messaging job from Sharry, a seasoned communicator who also helped craft some of the comprehensive immigration reform deals that nearly made it to the congressional finish line during his tenure as head of AV.

Frank Sharry, through his vision, hard work and the organizations he founded, strengthened our movement and challenged us to communicate more, more strategically and with more clarity, said Ben Monterroso, an AV and AVEF board member who runs voter engagement at Poder Latinx.

AV and AVEF are his legacy, but a new generation of immigrant leaders is stepping up to take the movement even farther and Vanessa is the perfect example. She is the right leader for the right moment at the right organization to help us all succeed in our mission to improve the country and improve the welcome for immigrants, added Monterroso.

AV and AVEF board member Charles Kamasaki added that Crdenas will both add to the organizations traditions and help it shift directions.

Crdenas told The Hill her reasons for wanting the job are twofold.

One, I would say that because immigration is a really important issue for me, because it affected me personally, it affected my family, my community, and it is something where I feel I can make a contribution. The second reason is because of the lack of Latino leadership that we see in the progressive movement.

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New leader takes over at top progressive immigration advocacy organization - The Hill

Estela Juarez clearly remembers the night an immigration officer knocked on her familys Florida front door and revealed her mothers secret.

After a 2013 traffic stop exposed her undocumented status, Alejandra Juarez, 43, was confronted by the officer, and eventually deported to Mexico in August 2018 in the wake of the Trump administrations strict immigration policies.

Despite my mom being a military wife and having no criminal record she was deported, Estela, 13, told The 74. I think its very important for people to understand how our immigration laws not only hurt undocumented immigrants, but also the whole family.

Transforming her childhood love of journal writing, Estela is now sharing her story as the daughter of an undocumented immigrant in Until Someone Listens, a childrens book co-written with Lissette Norman.

With illustrations by Teresa Martnez, Estela recalls her mothers journey to permanently reside in the United States.

After living apart from her family for over three years, the Biden administration granted Alejandra a one-year humanitarian parole, which was recently extended until May 2023.

In the interim, Alejandra has joined Estelas book tour to not only advocate for her own U.S. residency but also comprehensive immigration reform.

The feedback we got from a lot of hardcore Republicans and former Donald Trump supporters is that when they hear our story from the perspective of a child, it makes them change their mind, Alejandra told The 74. And thats my hope by Estela telling her story, immigration rules can change.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The 74: For Estela, tell me more about Until Someone Listens and why writing a book was the best way to capture your story.

Estela: I know that there are many kids out there with a similar situation as me. I wanted to create a book in a way where it could inspire other children and let them know theres somebody out there thats going through the same situation as you.

What is the key takeaway you would want someone reading Until Someone Listens to understand about your story?

Estela: I would like them to know that my story is one of many. And by reading the book, I hope they understand how our immigration laws really, really hurt families.

You write in your book Some see people like my mom as ugly weeds that need to be plucked out of the dirt. But theyre not weeds. Theyre wildflowers, all with pretty shapes and colors, each one a different kind of beauty. What were your thoughts as you wrote this?

Estela: I know many people think my mom doesnt deserve to live in this country and be with her family over here. She contributes so much to this country yet most people see her as a criminal but shes not a criminal and shes not causing any harm.

After his election in 2016, former President Donald Trump adopted a zero-tolerance policy on undocumented immigrants which placed Alejandra on a high priority deportation list. For Alejandra, tell me more about what was going through your mind when this happened.

Alejandra: The best way to explain to you is that I couldnt believe it. Even when I got deported, I thought that they were going to bring me back. I thought that they were going to say we made a mistake. It took me a year and a half to realize that it really happened. I just couldnt believe it. The cruelty of the Trump administration to do that to a stay-at-home mom with no criminal record and, on top of that, a military wife. I couldnt comprehend it. So much evilness and cruelty.

Your story has been shared through not just a book tour, but also a Netflix documentary and even the Democratic National Convention. With that in mind, whats something about your story either no one asks or no one realizes its important to ask?

Estela: Most people should know that my dad is a military veteran. Despite my mom being a military wife and having no criminal record she was deported. And I think its very important for people to understand how our immigration laws not only hurt undocumented immigrants, but also the whole family.

Alejandra: What nobody asks is how many more people like us are out there. People want to believe that there are only a few of us. There are more than a million undocumented people with an American child. So like Estela mentioned before, our story is the same story of too many.

On the topic of your dad Estela and husband Alejandra, I understand that he is a naturalized U.S. citizen, served in the Marines and voted for Trump in 2016 because he thought he would protect military families. What is your hope for the Biden administration in regards to U.S. immigration policies?

Estela: I know this administration has a good heart and I know that they care about military families. I hope that by hearing my story, they can change those broken immigration laws because thats the only way my mother will be able to stay here permanently. Its not just important for us but many other families to be reunited again.

Alejandra: I have hope for this administration. I believe that they have the heart and the intention to change their broken immigration laws. I know that Congress needs to act. We did Estelas first book tour at two schools and we just came back. The feedback we got from a lot of hardcore Republicans and former Donald Trump supporters is that when they hear our story from the perspective of a child, it makes them change their mind. And thats my hope by Estela telling her story, immigration rules can change.

You speak about your experiences with so much courage and conviction. Where does your strength come from?

Estela: For me, I started to really use my voice and spread the message about my moms story when she was getting deported. I saw how, even after she came back, the trauma she had. It always stays in my mind and really burns my fire to want to continue sharing my story.

Alejandra: I am a very spiritual person and my strength comes from God. Theres no way to fix this unless immigration laws change. I was told by 32 lawyers that there was no way I was going to be able to come back. So the fact that I am back and that I am here thanks to Estelas video that was featured in the Democratic Convention makes me think that things can change. I mean, if I was able to come back even temporarily then maybe theres a way we can fix immigration laws permanently. So that gives me the strength and the courage to know that it can be done.

What advice would you give someone in a similar circumstance thats too scared to share their story?

Estela: If youre too scared to fight, just know that I am over here fighting for you and I wont stop until I see more families reunited. Even if by some miracle my mom is allowed to stay here permanently, I will never stop fighting until immigration laws are changed.

Alejandra: The first thing Id tell them is nothing comes out of being silent. So you have to keep talking. You have to keep writing. One of the things that I have talked to a few kids about when we did school visits is to Google who your local legislator is and send them a letter. By sending them letters we put pressure on legislators to change the laws. The only way you can make sure the laws are going to change is if we put enough pressure and get people to talk.

What do next steps look like as you continue pushing for comprehensive immigration reform?

Estela: Im currently writing another book for the adult and teenage audience that goes into even more detail about my experience being the daughter of an undocumented immigrant. I also hope to see more child authors sharing their story and to see other people get inspired by my story.

Alejandra: I want Hispanic kids to write and read. Thats the main thing. We need to get more educated. I want first and second generation Hispanic kids to be like if she could do it, I can do it too. The fact that we went to a book fair with 50 other authors, only five of them were minorities and Estela was the only child. For me, we need to be an example for kids. And then of course inspire kids to push for immigration laws to change. But the main thing is, we as Hispanic people and as a minority need to get educated and start reading more.

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Torn Apart: 13 Year Old Author Estela Juarez on New Book & Mother's Deportation - The 74

HOME Secretary Suella Braverman has been cut out of immigration reform planning as the PM prepares to relax visa rules as part of her growth push.

Tory MPs with concerns about local businesses being short-staffed have been told to go to the Cabinet Office and Business Department rather than the Home Office in a snub to Ms Braverman.

1

Broadband engineers, butchers and care workers are all in line for the visa bonanza as the Treasury tells No10 it is the quickest way to go for growth.

On Tuesday the PM let rip at squabbling Cabinet Ministers for publicly breaking ranks on the mini-Budget.

She read the riot act to her top team at just their second meeting following an astonishing collapse of discipline where several broke ranks to urge her to keep benefits in line with inflation.

One source said of chief agitator and former leadership contender, Penny Mordaunt, who was one of those who spoke out last week: "She spent the whole time looking up at the ceiling instead."

Ms Mordaunt said last week that she backed "benefits keeping pace" with inflation - and the government should not "try to help people with one hand and take away with another."

The PM was said to have been "frustrated" by her intervention.

Government insiders blamed new Chief Whip, Wendy Morton, for failing to enforce Cabinet discipline - just four weeks into the new Government - saying she's not spent enough time meeting MPs.

One source said: "Its important that the Chief Whip proactively meets colleagues, and gets the chance to hear their feedback or concerns on the governments agenda, before she asks them to vote on it.

"If she is learning from the papers that MPs are unhappy about government policy, that needs to urgently change."

Meanwhile, Ms Braverman has been accused by Tory moderates of freelancing on immigration policy and running her own leadership campaign inside the Home Office.

A source told The Sun: It is clear that there is widespread frustration in Government and in the Party with Suellas freelancing and her consistent blocking of the Government agenda.

She is running a blatant leadership campaign but its having a destabilising effect on the Government. She needs to focus on the day job and stop her antics otherwise she wont last very long."

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Suella Braverman cut out of immigration reform planning as PM prepares to relax visa rules... - The Sun