WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representatives of leading civil rights organizations testified in two U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee hearings yesterday about the need to expand and strengthen the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA)...
Read MoreSAN ANTONIO – The Texas Secretary of State will reform the way it identifies voters for investigation of U.S. citizenship and withdraw the election advisory sent to all counties earlier this year, according to a settlement...
Read MoreLOS ANGELES – Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund), issued the following statement today marking one year until the constitutionally mandated decennial...
Read MoreCHICAGO – Voters across Chicago face critical decisions on April 2, 2019. There are numerous races that will be decided by Tuesday’s municipal elections, including mayoral, treasurer, and 15 aldermanic seats – eight of...
Read MoreLOS ANGELES – A districting plan under consideration by an elementary school district in northern San Diego County must be rejected because it does not ensure Latinos a sufficient opportunity to elect candidates of their choice...
Read MoreSan Antonio, TX – Texas counties that challenge the eligibility of voters simply because they were not U.S. citizens in the past run the risk of lawsuits under the U.S. Constitution and federal laws, according to a letter sent...
Read MoreLOS ANGELES – Leo Estrada, associate professor emeritus of urban planning at UCLA and a fierce advocate for voting rights, civil rights, and political representation for Latinos, died on Nov. 3 after a lengthy illness....
Read MoreThrough our work on the U.S. Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on Racial, Ethnic and Other Populations, the California Complete Count Committee, the Illinois Complete Count Committee, and other entities, we’re pushing back on the Trump administration’s efforts to thwart a full and accurate 2020 Census count.
Read MoreLos Angeles, CA – Please attribute the following statement on the Trump executive order disbanding a commission formed to investigate non-existent voter fraud to Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF...
Read MoreMALDEF was a driving force behind the 1975 federal Voting Rights Act renewal that extended protections to Latinos and the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA), which made it easi-er for protected groups to prove that their votes are being diluted. We engage with community groups to keep them up to date on their voting rights.
Read MoreThe deadline to apply to serve on California’s new Citizens Redistricting Commission has been extended to February 16, 2010 at 5 p.m. We still need qualified Latinos to apply. Please submit your application online to...
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Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund