-
Can Proposition 1 help California address its housing crisis?
California’s Proposition 1 would authorize $11.25 billion in bonds for affordable housing, homelessness prevention, and veterans’ homeownership programs. California’s housing crisis continues to put pressure on families struggling to afford rent, save for a home, or remain in their communities. During an America Community Media (ACOM) news briefing, housing experts explained how Proposition 1,…
-
Native voters push for power despite persistent barriers
Tribal sovereignty, voting access and young organizers will shape the Native vote in November’s midterms. Native voters are largely invisible to political parties, pollsters and the media, even though their ballots could help decide close races in states such as Michigan and Alaska, four Native leaders and scholars said Friday. They spoke at an…
-
California officials share key guidance for early voting
Shirley N. Weber outlines registration, ballot return options, voter protections and resources for California’s November 3 election. As California prepares for the November 3, 2026, statewide general election, Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., is urging voters to understand their registration options, review available voting methods and submit their ballots early. During the…
-
Black Vote faces turnout test ahead of 2026 Midterms
Black voters face voting barriers and political disillusionment, while speakers call for stronger engagement and representation. The Black vote could play an important role in determining the outcome of the 2026 midterm elections, but speakers at a recent briefing stressed that political preference alone does not guarantee turnout. While Black Americans remain the most…
-
Ethnic voters face barriers ahead of Midterm Elections
Voting access groups warn communities about identification, registration, language, distance, misinformation, and polling-place barriers ahead. As the November 3, 2026 midterm elections approach, voting-rights advocates are warning that communities of color continue to face practical and structural obstacles that can make casting a ballot more difficult. The concerns were discussed during an American Community…
-
California challenges new Public Charge rule in Court
State officials warn Californians about benefit fears, immigration impacts, legal resources, and ongoing court action. California officials are urging residents to get accurate information before dropping health, food or other assistance programs amid the implementation of a new federal public charge rule. The policy began applying on September 18 to certain adjustment-of-status applications and…
-
Supreme Court blocks new federal mail voting rules
New USPS requirements faced challenge weeks before elections, raising concerns over ballot access and implementation. What if changing how mail ballots are processed could also determine whether some of them reach voters? That was at the center of a legal fight that reached the U.S. Supreme Court just weeks before the 2026 midterm elections.…
-
Rural Healthcare faces an affordability and access crisis
Experts examine coverage losses, hospital closures, rising costs, workforce shortages, and policy pressures reshaping healthcare. Rural healthcare in the United States is facing overlapping pressures that affect both patients and the institutions responsible for providing care. During the conference “Rural Health Care at a Breaking Point: Who Can Afford to Stay Healthy?”, experts examined…
-
Trump expands subjective Public Charge Rule
Advocates urge immigrant families to seek legal counsel and avoid panic On September 18th, the Trump administration will begin implementing a new, highly discretionary “public charge” rule. The policy rescinds the 2022 Biden-era regulation, which had restricted public charge evaluations to cash assistance and long-term institutional care. Under the incoming rule, Department of Homeland…
-
Experts warn AI surveillance dragnet threatens everyone
Panelists detail Flock cameras, DHS data mining and growing resistance efforts nationwide Legal experts, data scientists and community organizers warned on September 10 that artificial intelligence has fused with federal immigration enforcement to create a surveillance system with few remaining limits — one that increasingly ensnares U.S. citizens alongside immigrants. The warning came during…
