International
Arizona, the U.S. border trophy that is contested by Democrats and Republicans in 2024
– Arizona, the only ‘hinge’ state that borders Mexico, has become one of the longed-for trophies for White House candidates who know that every vote counts there, after surprisingly opting for the Democrats in 2020 by only eleven thousand votes and with the help of Latino voters.
Both the Democratic campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris and that of former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) are investing valuable resources in Arizona in search of their 11 electoral votes in the midst of a very close national campaign for next November’s elections.
This Friday Harris will hold together with his running mate, the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, a rally in Glendale (Arizona), 14 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of Phoenix, as part of a tour of key states.
It is the fourth visit of the Democrat to that state this year, the first since President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign and supported her in her aspirations.
Harris participated on June 24 in an event that promoted reproductive rights on the second anniversary of the annulment by the U.S. Supreme Court of the Roe v. Wade, who protected the right to abortion, a crucial issue in Arizona.
But in Arizona there are long-standing battles that matter a lot to voters, such as immigration, one of the weapons of Trump’s campaign, and which was taken up last week by Vice-Presidential candidate J.D. Vance, on a visit to Cochise County.
At a conference on the border wall, the Republican senator for Ohio criticized Harris by saying that he had “failed” in his work of containing undocumented immigrants, whom he blamed for leaving schools and hospitals without resources.
But Vance stepped on moving land. The anti-immigrant speech that once promoted the approval in Arizona of SB-1070, one of the toughest state laws against the undocumented, took a toll on the ultra-conservatives, in a state that was one of its safest bastions.
After campaigns promoted by immigrant advocates and Latino organizations to repeal the law, Democrats have been gaining ground in election positions previously intended for Republicans as the two seats of the U.S. Senate.
The red party suffered its loss in 2020 when Biden won the state by 11,000 votes, a victory that did not take place since former President Bill Clinton won in 1996.
A greater registration and participation of Latinos were some of the factors for the Democrat to beat Trump. The electoral authorities endorsed the winner, despite the efforts of the former president’s allies, of whom more than a dozen are accused of electoral fraud, including a Trump lawyer.
Another factor for this change has been a greater participation of young Latinos, who through social networks have been key to spreading the message of the importance of the vote, a loot that Harris wants to capture.
The economy, inflation and security continue to be other important factors that will tip the balance, according to a recent CBS survey.
The most recent HighGround Public Affairs survey, conducted between July 31 and August 5, shows that Vice President Harris has a 2.8 percentage point advantage over former President Donald Trump in Arizona. A technical tie taking into account that the margin of error of the survey of 4.38%.
However, Harris could consolidate if you take into account the eleven percentage points that Democratic congressman Rubén Gallego, who is looking for a chair in the U.S. Senate, in front of Trumpist candidate Kari Lake.
In addition, several Republican figures, including the influential mayor of Mesa, John Giles, have turned their backs on Trump and seem to opt for the Democratic candidate.
International
Supreme Court allows Trump to proceed with massive layoffs at Education Department
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed President Donald Trump to proceed with his plan for massive layoffs at the Department of Education, overturning a lower court injunction that had blocked the effort.
The ruling nullifies a temporary restraining order issued by a federal judge in Massachusetts in response to a lawsuit filed by about twenty states, teachers’ unions, and school districts.
Until now, the order had prevented the federal government from carrying out Trump’s plan, announced at the end of March, to cut one-third of the Department’s more than 4,100 employees this year alone.
The Trump administration, which has acknowledged it cannot shut down the Department since that power belongs to Congress, intends to dismantle the agency so that it only retains core functions, such as managing student aid, scholarships, and loans.
Ultimately, the project aims to reduce the Department’s workforce by half, with the goal of returning education powers to the states and eliminating what the administration considers federal budget waste.
As is common in emergency rulings, the majority of justices did not provide a detailed explanation for their decision, which was opposed by the Court’s three liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the ruling confirms “the obvious: that the President of the United States, as head of the executive branch, ultimately has the authority to make decisions about personnel, agency organization, and day-to-day operations.”
“While today’s ruling is an important victory for students and families, it is a shame that the highest court in the country had to intervene to allow President Trump to move forward with the reforms Americans elected him to implement using the constitutional authorities granted to him,” McMahon added in a statement.
Internacionales
U.S. plans five new ‘Alligator Alcatraz’-style migrant detention centers
The U.S. government announced plans to build five new mega detention centers for migrants, modeled after the controversial facility recently opened in Florida, nicknamed ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ by activists and opponents.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that President Donald Trump’s administration is already in talks with five Republican-led states to replicate the model used in the wetlands of southern Florida. “We are working to expand this strategy to more territories with state governments committed to border security,” she said.
These statements follow remarks by Stephen Miller, Trump’s chief immigration advisor, who urged Republican governors in a Fox News interview to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to facilitate the construction of new centers.
“Pick up the phone, call DHS, work with us to build facilities in your state so we can remove illegals and criminals,” Miller said.
The Florida detention center has faced strong criticism from Democratic lawmakers and human rights organizations due to the inhumane conditions faced by detained migrants. Located in a reptile-infested wetland reserve, the site has become highly controversial.
Last Saturday, a group of Florida federal and state legislators reported that about 750 migrants were “in cages” at the facility after inspecting the site. While Congress members were allowed access, the press remains banned.
Early reports from detainees at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ describe extreme heat, high humidity, scarce potable water, spoiled food, and makeshift tents used as confinement areas. These conditions have been labeled “inhumane” by migrants themselves and civil organizations.
International
Trump gives Russia 50 days to end war in Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed on Tuesday his 50-day ultimatum for Russia to halt its military operations in Ukraine and warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not to launch attacks on Moscow.
When asked whether the 50-day timeline was too long, Trump firmly rejected the idea: “I don’t think 50 days is a long time; it could even be less,” he said.
Trump also deflected responsibility for the ongoing war, once again blaming his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the conflict that erupted following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
On Monday, Trump announced a new round of military aid to Ukraine and threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Russia, as well as secondary sanctions on countries that continue doing business with Moscow, unless a peace deal is reached within the 50-day window.
In response, the Kremlin said Tuesday that it needs “time to analyze what has been said in Washington.”
Trump’s remarks mark a notable shift in tone towards Russia, a country with which he had recently sought closer ties. His frustration appears to stem from President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to cease the bombings during ongoing peace negotiations.
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The US Supreme Court gives the green light to Trump to dismantle the Department of Education