Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's the week of August third, twenty twenty five, and
this is what's on the people's news. The Commander in
Cheat orders Texas to redistrict hospitality workers, picket for a
fair way, put a criminal in the White House, and
(00:23):
get a criminal and corrupt government. Being born in America
is no longer safe from mice as immigration judges are fired.
The Steel Day is celebrated in Houston. All that and
more on the People's News. I'm Steve Gallington. This is
the people's News, and the people's News starts now. Republican
(00:51):
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has called for a special session
of the Texas Legislature to address some items that were
left out of the US later that were deemed important. However,
he was upstaged by the orders of the convicted felon
and Commander in Cheat has ordered the Texas governor that
(01:12):
he wants more seats in Congress and has ordered an
off cycle redrawing of district maps in Texas that will
give the Republicans even more power and help the convicted
felon hold on to power in the House. The draft
map has been posted and is past committee. It will
(01:32):
be voted on this week unless Democrats in the state
do something radical like denia quorum to the Republican dominated
state house. Matt Engel is the director of the Lone
Star Project, which is a newsletter following Texas politics. We
asked him about this special session.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Now, sure, sure. I mean, first of all, the circumstances
of the special session are a travesty. Really, it's an
example of profound failure by Governor Abbott and the legislature
to address the real needs of Texans. I mean, we
just had a deadly flood and you had children killed,
(02:14):
families devastated as because this is state government that doesn't
prepare for disaster. Greg Abbott embarrassed himself in every Texan
by when he was simply asked to be accountable, he
said that only losers point fingers. Ironically, he was doing
it while he was putting fingers to the questioner. And
(02:38):
I think that what we're seeing again in Austin is
just the failure of one party Republican control over the
last twenty years. And then you extrapolate that to them
wanting to bring up congressional redistricting and collapsing to pressure
(02:59):
from Washington. Political operatives sent by Trump to tell them
what to do and have Washington operatives decide who's going
to represent Texans in the capital is just extraordinary, and
so I think that we should expect nothing good to
come from this special session. It's an expression of failure.
(03:21):
So it's more of the government taking the opportunity of
advanced situation and making it worse for the most part. Absolutely,
but really his motivation is to just cover up for
himself and his own incompetence. Over and over again. You've
had this governor fail in a crisis, whether it was
(03:43):
a winter storm that knocked out power across the state
of Texas at that time, he mugged in front of
the cameras but never held anybody accountable. And the persons
that ended up paying the price for just the small
reforms that were were done in our electrical grid were
paid for by the citizens of Texas rather than having
(04:05):
the utility companies that failed step up and pay for it.
When you had just the awful shooting and Uvaldi in
which nineteen children were done down in their classrooms and
two of their children their teachers, were killed, Greg Abbott's
first time it was well, it could have been worse,
and so we've got a governor who simply cannot rise
(04:26):
to the occasion, and it's only going to be remedied
when we have a different governor. One thing that they
did say is, I'll bet would it be if they
eliminated FEMA or it could FEMA more than they're talking
about coulding, And how it's his hurricing season and eliminating
(04:49):
or narrowing narrowing the scope of FEMA, how would that
affect Tixons. Well, we saw now that there should have
been FEMA personnel and FEMA assistance on the ground within
twenty four hours. That had been the case in other places.
That had been the case in North Carolina under Biden
and certainly even under Trump's first administration. But what they've
(05:13):
done now is intentionally dismantle and break FEMA so that
it can't respond. So it was more than seventy two
hours before there was any FEMA response on the ground.
I mean, for goodness sake, you had Christine Noam to
impress conferences down in Kerr County before you had real
(05:33):
FEMA relief. That tells you what the priorities are with
the Trump administration and with this governor. It's show and
its TV and it's deflecting responsibility to somebody else. It's
certainly is possible to reform and strengthen FEMA, but that's
(05:54):
not what they want to do. What they want to
do is dismantle it and throw all disastrous than in
the lapse of states. In Texas is a big state,
and we are a state with a lot of resources,
but we also are a state that faces a lot
of natural disasters. We have hurricanes, we have tornadoes, we
(06:15):
have flash floods. The giant state and we have all
kinds of weather and suffer all of the risks of
that weather. And rather than having a partner in the
federal government, you've got Trump with Abbot's help, when dismantle
a major piece of federal infrastructure that's crucial to help
(06:35):
states quickly respond to help people in dire need. Explain why,
Explain why given money to the states would be harmful? Well,
for the most part, as we know states on their own,
there are times when they need more resources. And we
(06:56):
also know that in Texas you've got a governor and
Lieutenant Goving a legislature who won't respond to those most
in need. I mean, for goodness sakes, they're going into
a special session now in order to appropriate money for
flood victims that they already have. We don't have to
have a special session in order to appropriate that money.
(07:17):
There's plenty of money in the Rainy Day Fund, and
there's other discretionary money that Greg Abbott could use and
move that now. He doesn't need the legislature to meet
to do that. But he doesn't want to actually use
discretionary funds that he has available. Instead, he wants to
dig deeper into Texans pockets. And so anybody who thinks
(07:40):
that they won't squander or squirrel away additional federal money
and use that in a way that's helpful of them politically.
I mean, Greg Abbott wasn't asking the legislatures for authority
for everything he did on the border. He was moving resources,
he was moving equipment, he was buying things with funds
that he already had. He wasn't asking the legislature. In fact,
(08:01):
most of the authorization for the border mobilization came after
he had already done it. I just don't I just
don't understand the significance of what, why why I don't
federal government wants to give you of FEMA or tip FEMA.
I don't see why is such a priority for them
(08:23):
to do this. Well, remember, they don't believe in the
federal government to begin with. They don't believe that the
federal government should be a source of support for the states.
I mean, they literally want to go back more than
one hundred years to a time when when almost all
authority and resources were centralized in states, and that's when
(08:46):
they had no help and that's when terrible things happen.
And again in Texas, we're fortunate because we're a big
state with a lot of resources, and if there is
a disaster, then we have the resources to deal with it.
For the most part, it's just a matter of the
will of the political leaders. But there are some states
that a single bad weather event, a single hurricane, could
(09:07):
bankrupt them if they didn't have support from the federal government.
I mean, if a hurricane really hit and did a
lot of damage in Alabama, the state simply doesn't have
the resources to take care of its population. It needs
the federal government. That's true in Louisiana, that's true in Mississippi,
that's true in South Carolina. These are states that simply
(09:30):
don't have the resources to do it, and in Texas
we don't have the leadership that has the ability and
the political will to respond providently to real disaster. So
what are the things to do? Talking about this special session,
(09:53):
I know they wanted to redistrict and they're using that
to try to take from what I've heard, they're trying
to meet stronger Republican districts out of the small areas.
Is that what's going on? I know? I think the
most important thing with redistricting to remember is that when
(10:17):
Republicans engage in partisan gerrymandering, they are engaging in discriminatory
racial gerrymandry. Texas is a state that's already barely forty
percent Anglo, yet Anglos control sixty six percent of the
congressional districts twenty five out of thirty eight districts. Of
(10:41):
the thirteen districts that Democrats hold, all thirteen of them
are districts in which minority voters elect their candidate of choice.
The only way that Republicans can increase the number of
seats won by Republicans is if they further discriminate against
blacks and Hispanics. Texas is the worst racial jurymander in
(11:03):
the country, and they want to make it even worse
than that it is. I don't care if they try
to excuse it as partisan politics again in Texas, it's
the same thing. Partisan jerrymandering is racial juryman. And the
Democrats have enough votes to try to stop this or
(11:25):
is it a done deal, but we don't know. I
think first of all, you have to really expose the Republicans,
expose their motivation, make it clear that they're not engaging
in politics, that they're engaging in racial discrimination, and then
also just expose them for completely surrendering to Washington political operatives.
(11:47):
No person in Texas, Republican, Democrat, or independent, asked anybody
to redraw the congressional lines. Their own members of Congress
don't want their lines change, but they stand salute and
take orders from not just Donald Trump but his political hingement.
And so they were allowing political operatives come in and
(12:08):
dictate two Texans who they send the Congress. And I
think the legislature can expose them to that and create
a circumstances where it's politically untenable for them to go forward,
and if they do go forward with it, expose them
in such a way that their maths are ultimately subject
to being turned over by the courts. I know I
(12:32):
have to I have to ask you in the area,
just ask you about the Curvill situation. There flitting and
we had floods all the time. What's the difference of
this of the situation. What have you seen with the
situation in Cerville. Well, it's a couple of things. First
of all, look, there were some perroic things that happened
(12:53):
in a real tragedy, and there's unbelievable strength by the
people in the Kerrville and kirk Can in the surrounding
communities to deal with a devastating flood. That there wasn't
a lot of warning, but there could have been more
in earlier warning. And so the what compounds that tragedy
(13:15):
is that we found that funding was turned down, that
authorization was not given to build the type of warning
systems that are needed. They haven't done the things to
expand cell service and expand cell service so people would
have gotten the notifications on their phone. It's it's a
real tragedy. And again it's it's sad that we have
(13:40):
to reflect upon and and and attend services for young
children who died, who didn't have to if you'd have
simply had a competent state government working with competent local
officials to make sure that that there with enough notifications
(14:01):
so that some of these lives could have been saved.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
That was matt angle with a lone Star project. The
lone Star Project can be found at lone Star project
dot net. A hearing was held at the University of
Houston to hear from the community. It resulted in a
packed house which heard people from the community as well
as politicians.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
Yea instead of data plane of the days to a
piece of thembled in the White House in his lust we.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Are the King that the governor did not approve.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
The very mess he is now consisting must be changed.
Speaker 4 (14:40):
The displibal theater.
Speaker 6 (14:42):
Will hurt communities in my district targeted and the EOJ
literacy in twenty nine and it is just shameful. So
let me tell you about this from twenty nine. Our
ship value city and culture for a number of differences.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
We're a community. We're a community s faith, family and
hard work and service and nearly seventy five percent laity
of this district was created.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
To apply to what you might say which you ch
Chairman to you Floyd support and any suggestion otherwise that
the Department of Justice is.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Simply in life from Littlebown, from the east end.
Speaker 6 (15:19):
To all the into Pasadenas Blaming Park to tind the
city in southeaston.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
We are in a community in the state. There we
are home to the area's largest year of Merkless celebration
award with the.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
Manatist Championship high school teams and some of the greatest
people will ever have the village of meeting in here, Texas.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
We drive the.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
Dress economy by working the Houston ship Channel, and we
would never ever ever led a con man from New
York tell us Texas what to move where After twenty
ninth Christopher.
Speaker 6 (15:58):
Wissimus, the voice of this community and the pratasty As
considerab the population growth in Texas is because of a
Latino population.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
The Glorian Writes Act for texaserts like between nine common interests.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Priorities and bypro given this or urges, you're reject this part.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
Of San Duriam very rejected. Mounts with the fellow in
the Whitehouse, that's go in the sea and the shard
to support the fathers for breathing and do work with
the favers.
Speaker 7 (16:27):
Please stand out, Professor Yes, as well as thank you.
So I am Hungers Simon Chast.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
That I am also testifying on we have the people
of Texas thirty and finally, all the people that have
any sense or.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
Any compassion in the state of Texas. Now it seems
like we have consistently heard the refrained that Michael Jackson
used to single.
Speaker 8 (16:56):
Why why why?
Speaker 4 (16:59):
And so I just want to be clear because I.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Have an opportunity to see so many people that I
served with an unlike the chair, I actually do recall
a number of things, such as the fact that the
state was wrong by ninety five percent people of color.
I also recall, and I'm old enough to remember when
Texas lawmakers took pride in not being DC. I'm old
enough to remember how you ignored the voices of people
(17:22):
during the last redistricting. I'm old enough to remember that
we were assured that we would have our own map
done from the Texas House in Virginia. Instead, we took
the Texas Senate map.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
I'm old enough to.
Speaker 5 (17:34):
Remember that we were assured that we would have two
new seats, one in the DFWW area and one in
the harrisport Land area. I am old enough to remember
that we acknowledge that the Latino community absolutely was entitled
to another seat another Voting Rights Act. I am old
enough to remember when we fought the current maps, because
while ninety five percent of the growth was doing people
(17:56):
of color, not only did they create two new Anglo
majorities seats that are approximately seven hundred and sixty six
thousand people each that don't care the nineteen eighteenth congressional districts,
and we had to fight to unpair them. I am
old enough to remember that I testified in court about
a month ago, and the States took the position that
they didn't consider race when they created the mass that
(18:19):
we're currently sitting under. I am old enough to remember
that this legislature has consistently been found to be intentionally
racially discriminatory in.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
The joint of this mass every since the Voting Rights
Act was in acts.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
I am also old enough to remember that it was
a great text and been signed the Voting Rights Act of.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
Nineteen sixty five into far So.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
Yes, to combine with the Voting Rights Acts, we should
have sixty percent of the seat that allowed people of
color to effect their representatives that would be twenty four seats.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Instead, we currently only have fourteen. The ultimate measure of
a man is not working stance and moments in times
of challenge and controversy. I am asking you.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Where people in attendance at this hearing were baffled and
angered by the decision of the Republican Texas governor.
Speaker 9 (19:15):
My focus is diversity, equity, inclusion and why there's such pushback.
I think redistricting falls into that because it's supposed to
be inclusive and not exclusive. Why are we still drawing
our maps in a way that excludes people? Why are
we positioning ourselves as a state, as a nation that
does not allow people to get everything that they need
(19:35):
at a moment's whim.
Speaker 10 (19:37):
Why is that so hard?
Speaker 8 (19:39):
And the fact that that Jerey matter is something that's
really in Texas.
Speaker 9 (19:45):
Well, I mean it happens everywhere. I'm actually native of Michigan,
and so it happens there as well. Although Texas is
in the news now, this is not the only state
that practices this technique, and so it's a nation probably.
Speaker 10 (19:58):
How do we solve it?
Speaker 9 (20:00):
There's no one answer. As soon as we start believing
that there is a one trick solution to things.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
That's where we lose.
Speaker 9 (20:08):
We have to be able to encompass many different, diverse, inclusive,
and equitable solutions in order to come.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
To that solution.
Speaker 11 (20:15):
Look, if they were serious about getting our opinions on
these maps, we'd be seeing maps. And they're going to
act like this as a normal redistricting process where you
do the engagement first.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
And then the maps.
Speaker 11 (20:24):
But it's not normal and that would normally happen during
an interim leading up to a regular session. This is
only a thirty day special to get the most important
process relating to these lines done. So no, I don't believe.
And they only limited it to five hours. If they
were serious about getting the voices of the people of
Texas in the room, there would be no limit. We
(20:44):
would take the time to do it right. So this
is a sham. It's wrong, it's racially discriminatory, and they're
going to face consequences at the ballot box.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Do you know, how do you fight?
Speaker 10 (20:54):
How do you fight this?
Speaker 2 (20:54):
Though? Because they at the house at the center and
they have thirty days.
Speaker 11 (20:58):
Yeah, so it's a three pronged approach. We do fight
inside the capitol. We don't take it laying down, we
don't give it to or make it easy. Then it's
at the courthouses, and the courthouses sometimes deliver for us
and sometimes don't deliver for us, but we take it
there and we fight for justice there. And then the third,
maybe most important prong is in the streets. We got
to register our neighbors, our church members, our PTA members,
(21:20):
are you know, our card groups, whoever register them to vote,
talk to them about what's going on, and make sure
that every single one of them turns out because our
state lines aren't changing and we still have one person,
one vote on a state wide race.
Speaker 12 (21:32):
And okay, Wilson into Oh oh, my name's Lillian. I
live in Houston. I live in the Mantras area, and
I think this redistricting is a blatant attempt at gerrymandering
to win more Republican House seats as opposed to reflecting
(21:52):
the people's wishes and the communities that are actively here,
especially in Houston. The lines they have drawn, at least
in the last redistricting were ridiculous, and they even though
we don't have a map, I can I can feel
in the air that they're going to continue to be ridiculous.
So it's it's really honestly shameful that this is something
(22:13):
that we're going up against right now.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Being from Virginia, have you seen this.
Speaker 13 (22:17):
Sec Yes, my the area that I grew up in
in Virginia, Manassas is also a very minority majority area,
and there's been a lot of similar latant movements to
Gerrymander in the area. So unfortunately, this is not a
(22:39):
new thing that I've seen, but the continuation of trying
to change the areas and Jerrymander should be absolutely opposed.
And it's amazing to see so many people out here
trying to fight for that, trying to fight for justice.
Speaker 12 (23:00):
Democracy, for democracy.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
How do you fight this when Republican control of the House,
and see, how do we fight?
Speaker 12 (23:09):
It's mainly we have to show up. We have to
make our voices heard. A lot of the times it
feels like a losing battle, especially in kind of the
blue areas like Houston, where it's it feels like we're
being drowned out from the red majority. But being here
is really important. Being able to speak out and not
being afraid that your voice will be drowned out is
(23:31):
incredibly important because the louder we are together, the less
they can drown us out.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
US Congresswoman Lizzie Panel Fletcher of the Texas seventh District
spoke out to KPFT about this as a threat to
our democracy.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
People.
Speaker 14 (23:47):
This is about the voters, that people getting to bake
their voices heard, getting to decide who represents them. That's
what's on the line here. It is fundamental to the
very basics of our democracy that we are able to
choose our representatives and not the other way around.
Speaker 15 (24:05):
I think enough people in Texas are even aware this
is happening right now. I feel like, you know another
pis are going here.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
I haven't heard that much outrage so far. I wonder
whether you think people are even.
Speaker 10 (24:15):
Aware that this is going on.
Speaker 14 (24:16):
Well, I think it's part of our job to make
sure that they're aware. But to that point, the governor
has just called a special session, and then the governor
added this to the special session late, and frankly, the
legislature should be addressing the real needs of Texans and
people may not know what's going on because I haven't
heard a single Texan ask the Texas Legislature or anyone,
(24:39):
including Republican representatives None of them are asking to redraw
the congressional map. People are worried about flooding and recovering
in the Hill Country. People are worried about some of
the legislation that he vetoed that they want the state
to address. Those are the kinds of things that have
been on the call. Those are the things that Texans
care about. They are not asking Governor or Abbot to
(25:01):
redraw the congressional map. Donald Trump is asking. And so
my message to Governor Abbott and to Texas Republicans is
don't do it. You don't have to take up these maps.
You don't have to redraw these lines for this reason
to create five new GOP seats, that is President Trump's request.
They should be standing up for Texans. They should be
focused on doing what Texans care about and what's right
(25:22):
for Texans, and redrawing the congressional maps is not it.
Speaker 16 (25:26):
I heard the whole redistricution was on the special session
all along with the flooding aspect is added all the
way after if all this has happened. So that's something
that's something that was after O factor. That was something
that that was something that Republicans in in Texas they
always had to discret district Regin and plan well flooding.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Now they're saying they wants letting in.
Speaker 14 (25:47):
In terms of official announcements, our state legislators are better
equipped to answer the question. But as I understand, Governor
Abbot called the special session on a limited number of issues,
and he only added red restricting to the special session
after the fact. He called the special session after the
legislature adjourned, and redistricting was not on that original call.
(26:11):
But you've heard President Trump this week get in front
of TV reporters and say, we just want five more
seats in Texas, and it's not It is a Texas issue,
and it's important for us and for Texans to understand
and to fight back. It is also important to know
that Texas is a cautionary tale. This might not be
the only place, and probably won't be the only place
that President Trump makes that kind of demand. So this
(26:33):
is really about our democracy, our democratic system, making sure
that people, the citizens of this country, the voters in
this country, can make their voice heard at the ballot box.
And partisan jerrymandering in Texas is racial jerymandering. It dilutes
the voices of minority voters and makes it impossible for
people to get the representation that they want by having
(26:56):
the politicians and the operatives pick the voters instead of
the voters picking their representative.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
The public was heard, but Texas Republicans weren't listening, as
the Texas House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting called for
a vote at midnight on Saturday. In the dead of night,
forward this map to the full House. Now that HP
four is passed out of committee, it will go to
the full House this week for a vote. Republicans in
(27:24):
the state need to remember Uvaldi, Remember al Paso, Remember
Kerrville County. Remember the seven hundred million dollar giveaway of
your tax money to white, urban rich families. Remember pregnant
women being drowned in the Rio Grande. Remember all these things.
(27:47):
When you go to vote in the midterm elections and
vote the Republicans out of office, they are no longer
representing you.
Speaker 2 (27:56):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
This is Steve Gallington, producer and host of the People's News.
The People's News is people powered News. We are free
to report the unvarnished and unspun truth and challenge the
status quo of corporate propaganda and social media advertising disguised
as real news. Shiny new one hour episodes of The
(28:17):
People's News drop each Sunday on The People's News Podcast.
Thanks for listening. Housekeepers, cooks, laundry attendants, banquet servers and
other hotel workers are still battling for a raise two
to twenty three dollars an hour at hotels across the city.
Most of these workers have to work two or three
(28:38):
jobs to survive the cost of living with the millions
and millions of dollars that will be coming in next
year for the FIFA World Cup. Unite workers and supporters,
including other members of Unite here Local twenty three, such
as hotel workers from the Marriott Marquee, food and beverage
workers employed by OTG at George Bush Internet National Airport,
(29:01):
and levy workers at the George R. Brown Convention Center United.
Yesterday in front of the Hilton of the Americas, we
talked to Francesca kiro Guiro, organizer and president of the
Texas chapter of Unite Here twenty three.
Speaker 10 (29:16):
Yeah, So we have a picket schedule later today at
the Hilton Americas with the hotel workers in downtown. So
it includes Hilton America's workers and Marriott Marquis, as well
as convention center workers, the Georgia Brown and Airport Bush
Airport concession workers and basically workers are coming together to
(29:42):
fight for things like a living wage.
Speaker 17 (29:45):
Right.
Speaker 10 (29:45):
We're fighting for at least a twenty three dollars minlan wage.
Just as the cost of living continues to rise in Houston.
The wages that people are being paid now by these
very very profitable companies, it's not enough to serve, rive
and to raise a family. So workers are coming together
to fight as one to change, you know, the standards
(30:08):
in in Houston and show you know that workers, hospitality
workers deserve to make living wages for the work and
the service that they provide.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
In the city. Your negotiations right now, how the negotiations going.
Speaker 10 (30:28):
Yes, we just recently started last month in June, and
they're I mean they're moving, but I mean the fact
that we have a picket, uh kind of says something.
You know, they're not moving enough for for the workers.
These are very urgent and trying times for the workers,
(30:52):
so they don't have time to wait and drag on negotiations.
That's why a lot of workers overwhelmingly are like supporting
to take public action such as, you know, a picket
line to show the company that we're serious about our demands.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
What how hard is it organizing right now in this
environment where you know, you have a lot of immigrants
that are that are working in these jobs, and the
administrations the federal government right now is under the text
of the immigrant community. And also you have an administration
that has been blatantly hard on unions and the working class.
Speaker 10 (31:32):
Yeah, it's definitely been challenging, especially you know, considering that
the percentage of our membership is immigrants of various you
know statuses and and or come from mixed households. So
it it's definitely been challenging. But but the workers have
(31:54):
really been sticking together and supporting each other. You know,
we're connecting books with different resources that that we can.
So it's definitely you know, there's definitely like fear, but
I think people's you know, willingness to to fight, uh
and just there you know, their their anger with the
(32:18):
current crisis that we're facing that working people are facing.
Is like overcoming the fear and driving them to you know,
to show up to something like a picket line or
to negotiations, regardless of you know the attacks that we
as a union or we have immigrants are are receiving
(32:39):
from our administration.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Yeah, because twenty dollars is not a lot to ask for,
especially when you have big events like the World Cup
coming next year and other conventions, large conventions that are
that are coming to Houston, and the money that's going
to be made. We're talking, We're just talking talking millions
and dollars coming into the into the Houston economy. And
(33:05):
he's holding all these people using the hotel industry for
one and for companies right now, all you're asking is
twenty three dollars an hour and then looking at the
benefits that they're going to be making, be making millions.
Speaker 10 (33:24):
Absolutely.
Speaker 13 (33:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (33:25):
I mean we've seen these companies, particularly Hilton and Marriott,
like they're making record profits. You know, they just had
a record breaking year last year. We're over for fifty
I think it's fifty four million visitors came through the city.
So you know, our members in particular, they're the ones
kind of they're the first spaces that they see. Uh,
(33:46):
these visitors seek, you know, whether they are serving coffee
at the airport or cleaning rooms, checking them in at
the front desk. At the at the hotels. So uh,
the workers are literally seeing like the millions and millions
rolled into the city and meanwhile, you know, they're living
check to check or having to pick up second or
third jobs. So you know, we definitely see twenty three
(34:10):
at least the twenty three dollars minimum wage is more
than more than fair, and it's it's what's just and
right for the workers who help produce you know, these
record breaking profits for these companies.
Speaker 2 (34:26):
People outside Why you look at twenty three dollars an
hour and companies are more promnent give you twenty four
dollars an hour, But where are the benefits? What other
benefits are you asking for? Also, because I'm saying that
because they'll take they'll give you the twenty three, but
you what are you've giving up?
Speaker 10 (34:45):
Well, we're not looking to give up anything, but you know,
there are other just basic things that maybe people don't
think about, but just basic respect issues. I mean, we've had,
we've definitely had some cases of like English only type
uh policies that are going on in these hotels. So
(35:06):
we're we're fighting those battles with you know, internally and
definitely want to make it known that like a company
like Hilton that's you know, uh not not the vast majority,
but like a large percentage of their workforces immigrants, and
they speak multiple different languages and uh some workers have
(35:29):
been you know punished for for speaking their language. And
uh so you know, we're we're you know, obviously the
economics these like are life changing wages that we're fighting for,
but also just the basic respect and dignity on the
job workload as well as a big issue since the pandemic,
(35:51):
we've seen staffing be cut in a lot of these
crucial departments like a housekeeping, like laundry, restaurants, and they
we have not staffed back up to pre COVID levels,
So that means that people are doing two three people's jobs,
you know, only earning one low salary. So we're looking
(36:11):
to address those.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Issues as well, all right, And lots of people find
out more about your about the protests and about what
you guys are doing, and if they want to get involved, well.
Speaker 10 (36:22):
Yeah, I mean I would say, if you know, if
you're a guest, I want to these hotels and you
ever see like a picket line like today, you know, definitely,
you know, it would be great to have some encouragement,
you know, stop by and ask talk to a worker
about what it's like to work in these you know,
very luxurious hotels. What's it like behind the scenes. You know,
(36:45):
we're you know here Local twenty three. So of course
you can follow on social media and yeah, and I
would say, I would say, yeah, continue to you know,
pay attention to the news and like think about, you know,
the work when you are passing through these these airports
and staying at these hotels. You know, talk to the
(37:07):
workers see what you know, how what's it like to
work at these places and what they go through to
make sure that they the guests are having, you know
as smooth and a nice time while they're visiting our city.
Speaker 1 (37:18):
That was Francesca Kiragiro, organizer and president of the Texas
chapter of Unite Here twenty three. Negotiations between the hotels
and workers are ongoing. The picket was not a protest
against the hotels themselves, but organizers want people to remember
them when they stay in those places. Hi, this is
(37:40):
Steve Gallington, producer and host for The People's News. One
of the things that I got in preparation for going
to the No King's rally on June fourteenth was a
presentation from the ACLU which I want to repeat the
information from for you in light of the convicted felon
opening up Alligator Alcatraz and the Republican House and Senate
(38:05):
passing this big, ugly, expensive, devastating bill. Among those things
is one hundred and thirty five billion dollars for increased
secret police activity or ICE funding. And so you have
rights when dealing with the police or ice no matter
(38:25):
your immigration status. Number one, if they do not have
a warrant, an arrest warrant or a search warrant, you
do not have to open the door for the police
or ice. You do not have to answer any questions
about status or country of origin. The right to remain
silent is protected under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.
(38:49):
You have the right to ask to see a lawyer.
You have the right to refuse searches of your person
and your car if the police do not suspect a crime.
This is the fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Never sign
anything without knowing what it says. And you have a
(39:12):
right to record what happens. And if you're hearing this,
and you can speak and read Spanish. The People's News
would love for you to read the script in Spanish
so we can accompany that with this as well. So
be safe out there, look out for each other, and
we will get through this together. The criminal and corrupt
(39:35):
Trump administration continues its war on immigrants and war on
anybody who is not white. The International Federation of Professional
and Technical Engineers, which represents immigration court judges as well
as other professionals, said in a news release that fifteen
judges were fired without cause this past Friday and another
(39:57):
two on Monday. The union said they were working in
courts in ten different states across the country California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts,
New York, Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. This is added
on top of the illegal move of denying bond for
those stuck in detention and holding people that are American citizens.
(40:20):
We talked to Kate Lincoln Goldfinch, immigration attorney and owner
CEO of Lincoln Goldfinch Law in Austin, Texas.
Speaker 18 (40:29):
Well, it's the exact wrong move based on what we need.
We have a backlog in the immigration courts of three
and a half million cases and the jump administration is
firing the very people who move those cases forward, and
in very messy ways. I mean, some judges have gotten
notified via email in the middle of their hearing that
they must leave their bench, and it's you know, it's
(40:54):
only going to exacerbate the court backlog.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
What there is any reason given for the these firings
or just blatantly partisans.
Speaker 18 (41:08):
They're not giving any reason to the judges about why
they're being fired. But it does appear that the judges
who are being fired tend to be the ones who
are more moderate or dare I say friendly, the ones
who you know, might grant some cases. Those are the
ones that the Trump administration tends to go after a
lot of the judges who remain, or former prosecutors or
DHS attorneys who are very very difficult to practice in
(41:31):
front of.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
What about the aspect of now we're dealing with bond
here is also being affected.
Speaker 18 (41:42):
So the administration's position is that immigrants who enter the
country without a visa are ineligible for bond. That's a
new and radical interpretation of existing law and case law.
And it will have to see, you know, certain judges
might accept this argument, others won't. And I anticipate federal
litigation on this issue, so maybe the federal courts will
(42:05):
step in and tell the Trump administration they can't you
know that this isn't a legal interpretation. But for right now,
bonds are you know, even harder to get. And they've
always been very difficult, and any immigrant who wants a
bond has to prove they're not a flight risk and
they're not a danger to the community, and they have
to pay an amount. And you know, you don't pay
(42:26):
a percentage of an immigration bond like someone doesn't the
criminal contacts. You pay the full amount. So they've always
been very challenging, and now they're even more challenging.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
And is this making from immigration because the whole aspect
of all this is like it's gonna stop. It's going
to stop illegal immigration from coming from or legal immigrants
from coming over to the United States, and it's going
to put and we're going to stop the criminals and
the and the Trump administration Steel is on this, Uh,
we're going after the criminals, We're going after the rapist.
(43:00):
And he keeps saying that, but the people are being
picked up or working.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
People, that's right.
Speaker 18 (43:06):
The statistics show that more than seventy percent of the
people that the Trump administration has supported have no criminal
history whatsoever. And you know, anecdotally, in my own practice,
I can tell you I do a lot of removal
defense and detained work, and the vast majority of my
clients who have been caught up have no criminal history whatsoever.
Many of them are children, many of them are families.
(43:28):
They're being separated, they're being tortured in these facilities and
in the way that they are treated, and they have
they are not criminals. They're just hard working people who
came here, many of them fleeing violence, some of them
just to have a better life for their children. But
they're the very kinds of people that we need in
this country, who you know, keep our ecogomy of floats,
(43:49):
They take care of our elderly, they take care of
our sick, they build our buildings. You know, in the
state of Texas, one in five doctors is an immigrant,
one in four nurses is an immigrant. Into home healthcare
workers as an immigrant, I mean, these are critical people
to the functioning of our society, and we're already starting
to feel the pinch from these actions by the Trump administration.
(44:12):
And it's only going to get worse.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
He's also saying, you see the backlash because of the
he's trying to have no amnesty for amsty for farm workers.
Now the farm workers are being affected by these raised
by ice. That's right.
Speaker 18 (44:29):
This is another sector that's going to be heavily impacted.
The way that we get our food is going to change,
and fruits and vegetables are going to become much more
extensive as a results of all of these rates.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
Have you seen any of the of all these rays
they've had on farms, on plants, processing plants, et cetera.
Have you seen any prosecution of the businesses themselves.
Speaker 18 (44:59):
No, they don't go after the employers by and large,
They're mostly going after the workers. And that's that's historically
been true. You know, the business interests have lobbies and
they have more say in Washington, and so these actions
go after the little guys who have no voice. But
I will say, you know, because of what everybody's seeing,
(45:22):
the American population is not aligned with what the Trump
administration is doing. People are banding together, people are rising up,
and I don't think that this will stand for very long.
Based on what I'm seeing out in the community.
Speaker 2 (45:35):
But he's also nice. And I'm just going on what's
going on in Los Angeles with using the National Guards
to try to help booster ICE enforcement, saying that they
need that they need this because of attacks on ICE agents.
Speaker 18 (45:54):
Yeah, unfortunately, the Trump administration is using National guardsmen, military
force is some states are acquiescing, like Texas, of course,
and Congress passed more funding is part of the big
beautiful bill to do to double the enforcement budget for EYES.
So we're only going to see more enforcement and more detention.
(46:16):
But I think that what is going to start to shift,
I hope, is the way that people are being apprehended
and treated in detention. This business of playing clothes officers
who are masked essentially kidnapping people on the streets, and
the separation of family and these things that are occurring
are getting a lot of attention and pushback right now,
(46:36):
and I think that that's what needs to happen. That's
what people who are posted to this need to be doing,
is talking about it, calling members of Congress, sharing it
on social media, and not getting to sensitize to the
horrors that we're seeing on a daily basis so that
it doesn't get normalized.
Speaker 2 (46:52):
It seems. It seems though it is getting normalized, and
the trouble administration is getting even more bolder on there
because of the court system, and they have in the
course system, so it seem like you're on a roll
with what they can do now.
Speaker 18 (47:10):
The Trump administration is definitely empowered and emboldened and aggressive,
and they definitely have control of the executive branch and
the legislative branch, and pretty strong hold on the judicial branch.
All of that is true, and yet the vast majority
of the American people are not okay with what is happening.
(47:31):
And we have the power to vote, and we have
the power to organize and to speak up, and we
can't get disillusioned and just give up on what's happening
because we see so much power concentrated in two of
the three branches of government. We have to keep fighting.
Speaker 2 (47:48):
And I have to ask you about this birthright citizenship
because people now are being detained even though they're Americans.
Speaker 18 (47:56):
Well, those two things are unrelated. Birthright citizenship is an
attempt by the Trump administration to revoke a right that
people born in the United States have of US citizenship
that has been blocked by the Lower federal courts under
a class action at this point, and everyone who knows
about the Constitution and the laws of this don't anticipate
(48:18):
that birthright citizenship.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
Will go away.
Speaker 18 (48:20):
We are seeing some US citizens get picked up in
raids by and large. When that occurs, it is an
error or an oversight by the agents, and so those people,
once it's discovered that they are US citizens, they get released.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
That was Kate Lincoln Goldfinch, immigration attorney and owner CEO
of Lincoln Goldfinch Law in Austin, Texas. She can be
reached at Kate at Lincoln Goldfinch All put Together dot com.
The fourteenth of July was Besteel Day. It's a French
national day of celebration remembering the storming of the Beastille
(49:00):
on the fourteenth of July and seventeen eighty nine, a
major event in the French Revolution, as well as a
Fete de Federachon celebrated the unity of the French people
on the fourteenth of July in seventeen ninety. Celebrations are
held throughout France and former French colonies around the world.
(49:20):
Here in Texas it is celebrated also as France was
the first country to recognize Texas as an independent nation.
Thousands of jobs in the Houston area are from French
companies and businesses and they add millions to the Texas economy.
The Steel Day was celebrated in Houston on a Sunday
instead of a Monday. It was the last days of
(49:41):
Valerie Barban, Consul General of France in Houston, as she
finished her four year term in the position.
Speaker 17 (49:49):
Yes, fletcha Capacti Day is the best opportunity to celebrate
the friendship between France and the United States and also
between Prince and Jesas. In particular, we have a long
history of friendship. Friends who was across the oldest aline
of the honor ship and friends of the first country
(50:13):
to recognize the independence of the recomping up Texas.
Speaker 4 (50:16):
A lot of people, a lot of people don't nowhere
these couple of times. It's important.
Speaker 16 (50:22):
How important is that still day?
Speaker 4 (50:24):
It's times right now?
Speaker 17 (50:27):
Yeah, for me, it's very important to celebrate Basti Day
in particular now to reconnect the communities and to give
up the people to people diplomacy because on the ground
her friendship is real and we want we like to
act together. So I want to showgain all these concrete
friendship on the ground between Timnates.
Speaker 1 (50:49):
Those in attendance talked about the importance of the day.
Speaker 15 (50:53):
So many think now it's an extraordinary huge number of people,
ten thousand French French expats in Houston, so we're one
of the largest francophon communities in America. We're so proud
of that.
Speaker 8 (51:06):
And when people they don't know that Texas was one
of France, was one of the first nations to recognize
Texas independence France.
Speaker 12 (51:15):
That's something that's a resident.
Speaker 8 (51:18):
Now, how does French culture and must still they resonate
to today's culture.
Speaker 15 (51:26):
Oh, difficult to define it because America is so diverse,
Houston is so diverse, and everyone has their own relationship
to France. But I think that not only has it
been a steadfast ally of the United States, not only
is it still an extraordinary business partner, particularly in the
Texas region. It's no mistake that the French ambassador always
(51:48):
comes to Houston within the first two weeks of his
or her appointment in Washington, because there's so much business
having to do with Texas, the second third largest port
in the country. Uh And of course French culture is
so extraordinary French food, French wine, French.
Speaker 8 (52:05):
Movies and also total is based in here, Yes, exactly, Yes,
it is brilliant.
Speaker 15 (52:11):
So we have many ties.
Speaker 2 (52:12):
Yes, yes, the.
Speaker 19 (52:13):
Appreciate okay, standisless and actually our work with the University
of Houston and also our airport with AILSA as Houston
as well. And I'm here for Basil Day, yeah.
Speaker 8 (52:25):
Tell us a relationship with but still day, especially dealing
with the community, you know, talk about that.
Speaker 1 (52:31):
Yeah, so well.
Speaker 19 (52:32):
Bassie Day is a national the national day that we
have actually on the fourteenth of July, and we're celebrating
this every year, celebrating also the French Revolution. Absolutely, and
the fun thing is like this is happening today. We're
on Sunday, which is Houston Day, so to day is
Houston Day, but it's also like Basil Day for us,
(52:52):
and it's extremely meaningful. And as you can see, there's
a lot of people from the French community, but not
only because like we racing diversity of Houston and you
have a lot of French speakers from all over the
place who are right here at the audience. Is great
to see, like ah, this sense of community and you
see the turbulence is going on around around the world
(53:13):
right now, especially basically the United States.
Speaker 8 (53:17):
But how does that fact you being a french Man,
a French national.
Speaker 19 (53:22):
Well, what you see, well, well, as a matter of fact,
you know, like.
Speaker 1 (53:29):
We all we all do with.
Speaker 19 (53:33):
The reality of the current context and someone you know,
like I'm a I'm a French teacher. So it's always
great to keep on positive and seeing that, you know,
no matter what's going on, there's always like people who
are willing to embrace other culture, learning for languages. And
this is what actually I do appreciate about Houston and
(53:55):
you talked.
Speaker 8 (53:56):
We talked about music for a gen. We talk about
the hip hop and breakdancer and how that how France
in the United States were kind of mixed up together,
you know people and people took that their underground music
for heart, especially in the ghettos.
Speaker 2 (54:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 19 (54:13):
Absolutely, Well, you know, like a hip hop is universal
and I personally grew up in Paris area during the nineties,
so we already got like exposed with like a French
hip hop. But somehow people from Marseilles, from the south
of France, from Paris, they were the one connecting with
(54:33):
the hip hop culture in New York and then bring
it to France and now hip hop is really part
of the French heritage, like we have like so many
talents you name it, like graffiti artists, uh breg, dancer,
DJ and also MC. As a matter of fact, like
when you look at the French charts, the number one
(54:54):
would be rappers and they're making it so you know,
hip hop is universal. Is also great to see that
is now paving the way of the hip hop ALSOLEGA
and also international music.
Speaker 8 (55:06):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (55:06):
This is Steve Gallington, producer and host for the People's News.
One of the things that I got in preparation for
going to the No King's rally on June fourteenth was
a presentation from the ACLU, which I want to repeat
the information from for you in light of the convicted
felon opening up Alligator Alcatraz and the Republican House and
(55:31):
Senate passing this big, ugly, expensive, devastating bill. Among those
things is one hundred and thirty five billion dollars for
increased secret police activity or ICE funding. And so you
have rights when dealing with the police or ice, no
(55:51):
MATTERI or immigration status number one, if they do not
have a warrant an arrest warrant or a search warrant.
You do not have to open the door for the
police or ice. You do not have to answer any
questions about status or country of origin. The right to
remain silent is protected under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.
(56:16):
You have the right to ask to see a lawyer.
You have the right to refuse searches of your person
and your car if the police do not suspect a crime.
This is the fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Never sign
anything without knowing what it says. And you have a
(56:38):
right to record what happens. And if you're hearing this
and you can speak and read Spanish, the People's News
would love for you to read the script in Spanish,
so we can accompany that with this as well. So
be safe out there, look out for each other, and
we will get through this together. The People's News is
(57:03):
a production of Steve Gallington and Richard Hannah, and is
protected by copyright laws. All the information broadcast on air
and online, as well as published in both print and
or online, including articles, audio clips, illustrations, graphics, photographs, and videos,
are protected by these copyright and other state and federal
intellectual property laws. Therefore, you may not use our content
(57:26):
in any prohibited way, including reproducing, publishing, transmitting, selling, rewriting, broadcasting,
or posting on the Internet without the expressed written permission
of the People's News. Prohibited use also includes publication of
our material in printed or electronic grochures, newsletters, or flyers,
as well as all website or email distribution. To obtain
(57:49):
permission to use copyrighted material, email Steve Gallington at Steve
atgallington dot com. Thank you.