Archives: Voices

CHN protests planned mass arrests of immigrants: ‘So much is at stake here’

The Trump Administration reportedly plans to carry out mass arrests to speed deportations of thousands of immigrants over the coming days. After shocking the conscience of the nation as we witnessed the grievous and continuing harm to children separated from their parents, the Trump Administration is apparently intent on recklessly tearing more parents from children.

Inside Mexico’s deteriorating migrant facilities: ‘Three days in total darkness’

Much has been written – although perhaps not nearly enough – about the cruel, decrepit, and even dangerous conditions inside migrant detention camps along the southern U.S. border. Now, however, details are emerging about conditions in migrant camps on the other side of the border – conditions exacerbated by the Trump Administration’s immigration policies. And it is a disturbing picture.

Hunger doesn’t take a vacation

It is summer time for schoolchildren, and the living is easy – unless you don’t know where your next meal is coming from. A new report released Wednesday by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) found that far too many children across the country are missing out on the nutrition they need when the regular school year ends, and with it, the National School Lunch Program and a sister program that serves breakfasts.

HUD proposal puts tens of thousands of families at risk; comment period ends Tuesday

The Trump Administration wants to rip apart tens of thousands of families. Through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), it has proposed prohibiting mixed-status families from receiving housing assistance. Mixed-status families are families that include both members who are eligible and ineligible for housing assistance based on their immigration status.

More than 52,000 comments submitted opposing the latest attempt to shrink the poverty line

In May, the Trump Administration announced its latest plan to deny assistance to millions: shrinking the poverty line. Through our webinars, email blasts, direct outreach, and the support of our coalition members and other like-minded groups, CHN helped generate more than 52,000 comments opposing this attempt to redefine the poverty line, submitted from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Miami debates: Did the presidential candidates discuss poverty?

Last month, Voices for Human Needs wrote about an event sponsored by the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. The event featured nine presidential candidates who took turns taking the stage at Trinity Washington University to discuss their plans for fighting poverty in the United States. At the time of the event, it was noted that when presidential candidates gather for traditional debates, poverty does not exactly take center stage. So we wondered what would happen when 20 candidates gathered for two debates last week in Miami; would poverty and economic injustice be a focus of attention?

Breaking news: Media reports say Trump Administration has dropped efforts to include citizenship question in 2020 Census

Moments ago, media outlets — including Huffington Post and The New York Times, reported that U.S. Census forms are being printed and that the Trump Administration has dropped efforts to include a citizenship question. Reports HuffPo: “There will not be a question asking about citizenship on the 2020 census, the Trump administration said Tuesday.

Taxing the (Very) Rich: Finding the Cure for Excessive Wealth Disorder

Once a subject often kept behind the curtain, tax policy has quickly risen to fame recently while more political leaders discuss why tax policy has gone so wrong in our country. And this discussion appears to have led to a shift — perhaps in the direction of no longer benefitting the wealthy and corporations. This was the overarching theme at Taxing the (Very) Rich: Finding the Cure for Excessive Wealth Disorder, the Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) and Institute for Policy Studies’ (IPS) day-long event on Tuesday, June 25, which CHN co-sponsored.

Supreme Court rejects corrupt, manipulative, cynical process to add citizenship question to 2020 Census

Today’s Supreme Court ruling underscores the validity not just of the New York federal court ruling, but also similar rulings by California and Maryland federal courts. The Supreme Court correctly rejected the corrupt, manipulative, and cynical process to add the citizenship question to the 2020 Census. Commerce Secretary Ross should follow the advice of the Census Bureau’s expert staff and drop his effort to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. The clock is ticking.

256 national groups urge Congress to agree to raise limits on domestic spending to meet human needs

Today, 256 organizations representing millions nationwide joined in urging Congress to lift budget caps so that we do not turn our backs on providing vital services. The groups, representing faith organizations, human service providers, and those concerned about needs including health care, housing, nutrition, environmental safety, education, child care and more, called upon Congress to set domestic and international spending for FY 2020 at levels no less than the House totals.