Linea Abierta Programming: March 17, 2025

MONDAY, MARCH 17

PROGRAM #10715 12:00 PM PT

Los Angeles Fires: The Displaced. The recent wildfires in Los Angeles hit Latinos harder than other communities. Thousands of Latino households, workers and small businesses ended up displaced and many without disaster plans or insurance coverage. What are the challenges faced by Latino families in the disaster area? What help is available for the displaced who are not insured? How hard are Latino workers being impacted by the loss of their job? How critical will Latino workers be in rebuilding the burned areas?

Guests: Eduardo García, Senior Advisor for Policy and Public Affairs, Latino Policy and Politics Institute at the University of Southern California Los Angeles-UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Lorraine Valle, Lead Public Affairs Specialist, FEMA Region, San Juan, PR; Andres Colmenares, Spokesperson, 211 LA, Los Angeles, CA; Swany Barahona, Organizer, Pasadena Job Center, National Day Laborer Organizing Network-NDLON, Pasadena, CA.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 18

PROGRAM #10716 11:00 AM PT

Extra Edition: Colon Cancer Rises in Younger Adults. For Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and as cancer tops the deaths among Latinos in the US, a leading colorectal surgeon discusses the alarming rise of colorectal cancer in younger adults, the importance of screening to detect cancer early and lifestyle changes to reduce cancer risk. Why are we seeing more colorectal cancer cases in younger adults and how can we encourage people to get screened? If someone receives a colorectal cancer diagnosis, what should they know about treatment options? In another story, a Latina patient shares her personal experience performing a simple at-home test for colon cancer screening. She now wants others in her community to know about this affordable option and dispel fears about these medical exams.

Guests: Dr. Roberto Rodriguez-Ruesga, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Colorectal Surgeon, Texas Oncology, Dallas, TX; Rosa Miguel, Participant Member, Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team, Los Angeles, CA.

State Funding to Defend Immigrant Families. After hearing from constituents in California’s Central Valley, leading state assembly members discuss the challenges that immigrant communities are currently facing and comment about their plans to protect immigrant families from the federal crackdown, including efforts to continue making Medi-Cal accessible to immigrants despite the threat against Medicaid funds, more funding for legal services to make legal aid available to immigrants, and the renewed effort to let undocumented workers apply for unemployment benefits.

Guests: California State Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno; California State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Holister; California State Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno.

PROGRAM #10717 12:00 PM PT

Standby Guardian for Your Kid. Fearing detention and deportation, immigrant parents are inquiring about ways to get guardians for their children. What happens to a child if the parent is deported? Does guardianship override parental rights? How can I protect my child if I am detained or deported?Legal experts join this program to share tips on how to make a plan, and choose a legal guardian to take care of your child.

Guest: Lazaro Salazar, Attorney, Legal Counsel for Mexican Consulate in Fresno, Fresno, CA.

DACA: New Ruling. A US Appeals Court’s ruling regarding the future of the DACA program officially went into effect. The decision would allow for first-time applications to be adjudicated across all 50 states, including Texas. What are the specifics? What does it mean for work permits? What’s the next move from the Trump administration?

Guest: Karen Fierro Ruiz, Federal Advocacy and Policy Manager, United We Dream, Seattle, WA.

Priests in Civil Disobedience. After the Trump administration gave the green light for immigration arrests at churches, a number of priests and faith leaders have called to resist the order by engaging in civil disobedience. How are faith leaders protecting their parishes? A Catholic priest who serves a largely immigrant grey explains his call.

Guest: Father Joaquin Arriaga, Catholic Priest, St. Agnes Mission Church and St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Fresno, CA.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19
PROGRAM #10718 12:00 PM PT

Social Security: On the Chopping Block. The Social Security Administration is undergoing a massive reorganization and up to half of its workforce could be laid off. What does this mean for seniors and disability benefits? And as Musk called Social Security “a Ponzi scheme” and Trump claims the program is a scam, what’s a myth and what’s true about Social Security?

Guests: TBA.

English Only: Token or Consequential? President Trump signed an order designating English as the official language of the US in order to “promote unity and streamline communication.” Some dismiss this as a bureaucratic, symbolic move. Others see pernicious consequences ahead. What are the new requirements and the practical changes under this order? What are the expected long term repercussions?

Guests: TBA.

Plan to Close All Environmental Justice Offices. The Trump administration is ready to eliminate Environmental Protection Agency offices responsible for addressing the higher levels of pollution facing poor and minority communities, such as “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana. Low income and minority communities often live near highways, power plants, industrial plants and other polluting facilities, and often report higher rates of asthma, heart disease and other health problems. Who will protect vulnerable communities from pollution and climate change?

Guests: Elice Rojas-Cruz, General Manager, Climate Power En Acción, Brooklyn, NY

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THURSDAY, MARCH 20
PROGRAM #10719 11:00 AM PT

Thirty Years, Thirty Voices: Dolores Huerta. (Program Repeat). In this special edition celebrating 30 years of Línea Abierta, pioneering civil rights leader Dolores Huerta reflects on the past three decades and talks about how Proposition 187 ended up spawning a generation of young Latino activists as well as the role grassroots organizing can play in overcoming fear and pitfalls in times of mass deportations. The program, originally aired on March 10, 2025, includes fragments of archival interviews with Huerta from the early days of Línea Abierta.

Guest: Dolores Huerta, Pioneering Labor and Civil Rights Leader, Bakersfield, CA.

PROGRAM #10720 12:00 PM PT

Sin Fronteras. This is a program of “Sin Fronteras,” a special series to serve audiences in Mexico City and other Mexican state capitals with breaking news and analysis about major developments impacting Latinos in the US.

Tariffs and the Economy. As Trump escalates threats against US trading partners and as stocks continue falling, there is talk of a recession in 2025. How are tariffs impacting the US economy?

Guests: TBA.

Khalil’s Detention, Free Speech, and Green Cards. The detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist at Columbia University who faces deportation, has ignited a national debate about free speech rights and the right of green-card holders to due process. What are the next steps in the detention of Khalil? Who’s next? Legal experts discuss the legal and political ramifications.

Guests: TBA.

Wartime Powers to Deport People? President Trump ordered a report on the US-Mexico border which could determine whether he invokes or not the Insurrection Act, an obscure wartime law that would allow him to deploy US military troops and declare martial law to carry out “the largest deportation campaign in US history.” What are the possible scenarios?

Guests: TBA.

Taxpayer Anxiety Over DHS Threats. Officials at the IRS rejected a request from the DHS to provide information on hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who paid taxes. Still, many taxpayers are expressing anxiety about their plans to file this year’s tax returns. How strong are the IRS privacy rules? Could the White House force the IRS to turn over records? What would be the consequences?

Guests: TBA.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 21
PROGRAM #10721 12:00 PM PT

Mexico Edition. This week, Mexico celebrated two holidays: The anniversary of the Mexican Oil Expropriation, when President Lazaro Cardenas nationalized the entire oil industry and faced the threat of foreign companies and governments, and created the state-owned oil company PEMEX. And the Day of Benito Juarez, Mexico’s first indigenous president and a central figure in Mexico’s liberalism who went down in history as a champion of the laws that enshrined the separation of church and state and his resistance to French intervention. Historians examine the legacy of Juarismo and the Cardenas experience and vision, in light of today’s political reality.