International

An immigration reform, hard to achieve even with Biden’s victory

Now that Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, has won the U.S. presidential election, an immigration reform that legalizes the status of millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. is the hope.

Biden, who during his election campaign pledged to “secure our values as a nation of immigrants” and to “vigorously pursue policies that will safeguard” America’s security and provide “a fair and equitable system that will help grow and improve” the economy, while securing the country’s values, has succeeded, to some degree, in reassuring the day-to-day lives of these people who live in constant turmoil with President Trump’s frequently stated speech of racism and anti-immigration.

However, it is still premature to think about a path towards legalizing 11 million undocumented immigrants, with significant challenges and setbacks, according to immigration law experts and pro-immigrant activists.

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“The scenario doesn’t look good. Because Biden will be working against a Republican-dominated Senate that will try to block any proposal,” attorney Luis Salgado, an immigration law expert, told El Tiempo Latino newspaper.

However, Biden’s immigration plan includes promoting an immigration reform bill in the first 100 days similar to the one approved by the Senate in June 2013 (Initiative S.744), that includes a way to legalize millions of undocumented immigrants who have been living in the United States for a long time, who lack criminal records and who pay taxes.

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Just like the Presidency, the Senate’s vote is vital, since it is Senators who pass the bills and who hold the future of immigrants in their hands.

The November 3 election – without definition in Georgia – resulted in 50 Republican and 48 Democratic senators. Should two Republicans lose in Georgia, the Senate would be left with 50-50. The Vice-President would be the tiebreaker. In this case, it would be Democrat Kamala Harris.

Republicans currently have 53 Senators versus 47 Democrats.

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While there are certain actions that the President-elect could take immediately upon taking office, there are others that will take longer to negotiate and others that will not even move forward.

Internacionales

Parliament approves national celebration for Venezuela’s first saint

Venezuela will declare a National Day of Celebration on the date set for the canonization of Blessed José Gregorio Hernández, following its approval by Pope Francis on Tuesday, the National Assembly (AN) announced on Thursday. The chavista-controlled Parliament passed a resolution marking this occasion as a historic milestone.

According to the approved decree, this decision follows 75 years of anticipation from the Venezuelan people, who have long awaited the official recognition of the miraculous virtues of this revered figure.

The National Assembly also endorsed efforts to promote the life and legacy of Hernández, who will become Venezuela’s first saint. Additionally, a relic of the “Doctor of the Poor” (1864–1919) will be placed in the National Pantheon in Caracas, where Simón Bolívar’s remains rest.

The legislative body celebrated the upcoming canonization as a tribute to a man who dedicated his life to serving others, spreading a message of hope and love.

International

Colombian Education Minister fails master’s thesis for lack of rigor

Colombia’s Minister of Education, José Daniel Rojas, failed his master’s thesis due to a lack of theoretical rigor, according to the National University, a decision that sparked widespread criticism and mockery on Wednesday.

Local media quickly picked up the news, while social media users flooded platforms with jokes, asking, “What’s the ultimate irony for an Education Minister?”

Rojas’ thesis on “Guaranteed Employment in Colombia” for his Master’s in Economic Sciences was graded as failed due to “theoretical weaknesses and lack of conceptual rigor,” the National University (UNAL), the country’s most prestigious public institution, stated in a press release.

“Additionally, the student’s responses to the questions posed during the defense were not considered satisfactory,” the statement added.

International

Trump announces 25% tariffs on EU products, including cars

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that tariffs on European Union (EU) products will be set at 25% across the board.

“We will announce them very soon, and they will be 25% in general terms, applying to cars and all kinds of things,” he stated during his first cabinet meeting at the White House.

Trump reiterated his grievances against the EU, claiming that the bloc “does not accept [U.S.] cars or [U.S.] agricultural products.”

“They take advantage of us in a different way than Canada or Mexico,” he added. The Republican president once again cited the U.S. trade deficit with Europe at “$300 billion,” a figure the European Commission disputes, estimating it at €150 billion ($157 billion) in goods, and only $50 billion when factoring in the U.S. trade surplus in services.

“The EU was designed to screw the United States. That was the goal, and they succeeded. But now I’m the president,” Trump said, adding that European countries might consider retaliating, but “they won’t.”