📢
Welcome.
Axios Latino is the newsletter that summarizes the key news for Latino communities throughout the hemisphere every Tuesday and Thursday.
You can subscribe by clicking
here
.
1. The topic to highlight: Christian nationalism... and Latin
A high proportion of Hispanic Americans who profess Protestant religions also say in a new survey that they are supporters of Christian nationalism, which promotes anti-immigrant positions, talks about a supposed "spiritual war" and says there should no longer be separation between church and state.
Why it matters
: Christian nationalism has gained traction among Republican Party figures, who have used the movement's arguments to decide issues of what can and cannot be taught in schools, how health care should be thought about and what should be done about immigration.
This is despite the fact that the majority of Americans, 7 in 10 surveyed, said they reject the ideas of Christian nationalism or are skeptical about them.
Up close
: The data comes from a survey published this Wednesday by the American Values ​​Atlas of the nonpartisan group Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI).
Fifty-five percent of Hispanic Protestants surveyed, most of whom identify as evangelical, said they hold Christian nationalist beliefs.
Among evangelical-only Latinos the figure is higher, around 66%.
It is the highest proportion for any religious or racial/ethnic group surveyed by PRRI.
While 72% of Latin Catholics said they reject or are skeptical of the ideas of Christian nationalism.
People pray during the "Take Our Border Back" event in Quemado, Texas, on February 3, 2024. Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
Among all racial/ethnic demographic groups, those who most profess Christian nationalist beliefs are Republicans (55%).
That figure is 25% among politically independent Americans and 16% among Democrats.
Context
: Christian nationalism is a set of beliefs that promote white Christianity to dominate most aspects of life in the United States, arguing that doing so is God's calling.
For example, many who hold these beliefs say that the government should declare the United States a Christian nation so that the laws are based on its values, thus putting aside the secularism that makes up pluralistic democracy.
In general, Christian nationalists are against abortion, oppose the recognition of trans rights and see religious diversity as a supposed threat.
In his own words
: "That idea that Christians should exercise dominion over all areas of American society has been quite popular among white and Latino evangelicals," says Robert P. Jones, president and founder of PRRI.
Jones noted that Latino evangelicals are also more likely to identify as racially white on Census forms and in surveys.
Between the lines:
Several right-wing white Christian leaders have been reaching out more to Latino evangelical pastors to infuse them with ideas around Christian nationalism in recent years, according to Katherine Stewart, the author of
The Power Worshipers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism
.
Many Latino evangelicals have been indoctrinated with ideas of Christian nationalism, although they do not necessarily know that this is happening, according to Elizabeth Rios, founder of the Passion Center, a group in South Florida that promotes using faith to promote justice.
"I think this happens because many Latinos are disciples in megachurches where there is a lot of nationalism," says Rios.
For her, nationalism contradicts the message of Jesus since she affirms that he urged his followers to help the poor, the unknown and the sick instead of oppressing them, as well as not to build walls.
2. Blockage of Texas immigration law
A federal judge in the United States issued a preliminary resolution this Thursday that places a temporary block on Texas law SB4, with which the state sought to allow local authorities and judges to arrest and deport migrants if they are suspected of having crossed the border illegally.
These types of procedures are the scope of federal policy, which had sparked disputes over the scope of state versus national powers in the country.
Why it matters
: Civil rights groups and the U.S. Department of Justice, which filed the lawsuit that led to the preliminary ruling, say SB4 is unconstitutional and would cause racial-ethnic discrimination by possibly persecuting Texans just for having Hispanic appearance.
Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott has said he will defend the law and seek to have the case go to the Supreme Court.
Other supporters of the law defend it, saying that the intention is to empower local authorities to go after people who illegally cross the border and that it will not affect those who live in Texas with the appropriate immigration status.
In short:
Abbott sanctioned the law on December 18, after arguing for months that it was to counteract what he considers to be a failure of the federal Administration of President Joe Biden to stop the high flows of migrants on the border with Mexico.
The El Paso County Government, the Texas office of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and others immediately filed a lawsuit saying that SB4 is illegal because only the federal government can issue and enforce immigration laws. .
The Department of Justice also filed a separate lawsuit, although it later joined those of the other groups.
SB4 was going to come into force on March 5.
With this Thursday's decision, that is postponed while the legal cases are resolved.
To wit:
SB4 declares it a state crime to illegally cross the border and a serious crime (or
felony
) to re-enter across the border after having been expelled or returned.
The punishments for these crimes will range from spending 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison.
The law also provides that a judge at the state level can issue an order with which an undocumented person "is returned to the foreign nation from which he or she entered."
Deportation orders can usually only be issued by an immigration judge, whose jurisdiction is federal as it is part of the Department of Justice.
3. The university achievements of Latinas in the United States are on the rise
The number of Latinas living in the United States who have a bachelor's degree has skyrocketed in the last two decades.
However, disparities continue to exist depending on the country of origin of these Latinas, according to a new analysis.
Why it matters
: A bachelor's degree or higher degree is increasingly a requirement for certain jobs, usually opening doors to higher-paying positions that facilitate financial stability.
By the numbers
: The highest rates of educational attainment are among Latinas in the US with Venezuelan (57%), Argentinian (46%) and Chilean (42%) roots, according to an analysis by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute published this Thursday.
Latinas with Central American and Mexican roots have the lowest college degrees.
Only 14% of Honduran Latinas, 14% of Salvadoran Latinas, and 12% of Guatemalan Latinas in the United States have degrees.
That figure is 16% for Latinas of Mexican descent.
A higher percentage of Latinas have college degrees compared to Latino men.
That trend exists among men and women of all races and ethnicities in the US.
Overall, the percentage of Latinas with college degrees rose from 5% in 2000 to 20% in 2021.
In their own words
: Educational attainment disparities among different groups of Latinas are related in part to the reasons why people of those nationalities tend to migrate to the United States, according to Misael Galdámez, co-author of the report and senior research analyst. from the UCLA Institute.
For example, Mexican immigrants often come to the United States driven by economic need, while among Venezuelans it is more common for people to come to the United States through political exile and people in that group usually already have some college education.
Galdámez adds that historically, South American people who immigrate to the US also have a better command of English.
"When you speak English, it becomes easier to obtain a university degree in the United States," says the researcher.
4. Preserving Latino stories in New York
A project that seeks to preserve the history of Latin American and Caribbean communities in New York City has just celebrated its fifth anniversary.
Why it matters
: It is increasingly common for Latino communities to have to leave traditionally Hispanic neighborhoods like Bushwick, Sunset Park or Washington Heights due to gentrification, reports Mariah Espada of Axios.
In this context, the preservation of photographs and videos helps to ensure that the cultural footprint that these groups have had in NY is not erased.
"It has been very important to use this website, our little corner of the internet, to further educate people about where we come from, where we have been and where we continue to be," says archivist Djali Brown-Cepeda, co-founder of NuevaYorkinos.
Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Up close
: NuevaYorkinos turns five and has already added some 90,000 followers on Instagram, where the project has shared more than 1,500 publications with material sent by families of different Latin origins from the five boroughs (or
boroughs)
of the city.
The digital archive has also been accompanied by in-person events, with a dozen exhibitions and installations.
The most recent was Objects of Permanence, a collaboration with New York Fashion Week and stylist Mellány Sánchez.
The exhibition highlighted the historical contributions of immigrants to the fashion and tailoring industry.
Context
: In 2019, Brown-Cepeda and co-founder Ricardo Castañeda, both New York natives, responded to what they felt was an overly stereotypical representation of Latinos in American media by founding NuevaYorkinos.
The idea was to use "old school" elements, such as Polaroid photos sent by the community itself, to enhance the experiences of Latinos and Caribbeans who call NY home.
Those who share their materials with the archive maintain control and copyright over what they submit.
"In contrast, a lot of archival work – in museums or in private collections – is based on appropriating things," says Brown-Cepeda.
"But with us people
choose
to share their stories and they do it every day."
5. Summary of key news in Latin America and the Caribbean
1. The trial against the six Ecuadorians
accused of the murder, in August, of the Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio began this week.
During the first hearings, the Attorney General's Office assured that the defendants are part of the Los Lobos criminal gang and that the attack against Villavicencio was due to his previous work as a journalist.
2. At least 16 Mexicans
running for local and state elected office were murdered in the last year, according to a new report.
Research firm Laboratorio Electoral said the killings have occurred in 13 of Mexico's 32 states, but mainly in Guerrero, where cartels like Jalisco Nueva GeneraciĂłn regularly sow fear.
Political violence has become frequent during electoral periods in Mexico, generally committed by criminal groups that go after candidates they want to remove from the race.
Pachanga Thursday
Every Thursday we publish our Pachanga to highlight reader achievements.
If you or someone you know has just celebrated an anniversary, adopted a pet, or had a job success and wants to celebrate, send an email with information and a photo to
axioslatino@axios.com
Yesenia Alvarado.Photo courtesy of Cassie Mulheron.
Background Illustration by Axios Visuals
Today we extend our congratulations to Yesenia Alvarado Henninger, who was recently elected president of Q Street, a nonprofit association in Washington DC that unites lobbyists and
public
policy advocates who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ communities.
Alvarado will be the first person from the organization in its 20-year history, he tells us.
Thanks for reading us!
We return on Tuesday.
And thanks to Carlos Cunha, Eulimar Núñez, and Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath for helping review and edit.
And a very warm, although sad, farewell to Laurin-Whitney, who begins a new work adventure starting this week, after helping to shape this newsletter since its inception.
She will be greatly missed.
If you want to share your experiences with us or send us suggestions and comments, send an email to
axioslatino@axios.com
.
Do you want to read any of the previous editions?
How newly arrived migrants in the US contribute to reducing inflation
Groups seek to prevent artificial intelligence from being used to misinform about the US elections
Silvia Hector Webber helped enslaved people escape via Texas: meet this heroine
Mosquito vs.
mosquito: scientists modify the most lethal animal in the world to combat dengue, Zika and chikungunya