Línea Abierta Programming: Week of May 4, 2026

Celebrating 45 Years of Radio Bilingüe

MONDAY, MAY 4
PROGRAM #11128 12:00 PM PT

A Devastating Blow to Voter Rights. In its ruling on Louisiana v. Callais, the Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s congressional map and dealt a severe blow to a cornerstone of the National Voting Rights Act. Civil rights organizations say the decision gives local and state governments free rein to ignore minority voters, and have unanimously condemned the ruling as an attack on the political representation of Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities. What does this ruling mean? What will its effects be at the national level? And how will it shape the November elections?

May Day: The Aftermath. Unions and pro-immigrant coalitions marked May Day by calling for a national economic blackout — urging people to skip school, stay home from work, and refuse to shop. The call to action was inspired by a similar movement in Minnesota, born out of public outrage over ICE raids. What happened on that day? Where were the main epicenters? And what will its ripple effects be?

The Future of TPS Hangs by a Thread. The Supreme Court heard arguments on the Trump administration’s attempt to eliminate Temporary Protected Status for Syrians and Haitians. The Court’s ruling could affect the 1.3 million beneficiaries of the program from 17 countries. What could be the ultimate impact of stripping legal status from millions? What arguments were made before the Court? What future awaits those who could be affected? And what is the current reality for these communities today?

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TUESDAY, MAY 5
PROGRAM #11129 11:00 AM PT

A Maternal Health Desert in California. In the Central Valley — the richest agricultural region in the country — thousands of women face serious barriers to prenatal and obstetric care, while rising rates of teen pregnancy among Latinas are deepening a public health crisis. On the eve of World Maternal Health Day, the voices of young women and the data behind the numbers explain why Latinas continue to bear the brunt of this gap in the nation’s most prosperous state. This program originally aired on January 22, 2025.

PROGRAM #11130 12:00 PM PT

Tejano Conjunto Festival Celebrates “El Flaco.” The Tejano Conjunto Festival marks its 44th edition in San Antonio, Texas, dedicated to honoring the memory of accordion legend “Flaco” Jiménez, who passed away last year. Regarded worldwide as an ambassador of conjunto music, musicians from Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, and Japan are gathering in San Antonio to pay tribute to the master. In this special program, festival founder Juan Tejeda and Max Baca, director of Los Texmaniacs, share their memories of El Flaco, the meaning of this tribute, and the importance of the next generation. This is a holiday edition commemorating 5 de Mayo.

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6
PROGRAM #11131 12:00 PM PT

Florida and Its New Electoral Map. Florida’s Republican-controlled legislature has approved a new congressional map designed to add four Republican seats to the U.S. House, as part of the national redistricting push demanded by Trump. This brings the number of states rushing to redraw their political maps to eight. Although the map is widely acknowledged to fall short of the state’s constitutional requirements, its architects are counting on the Supreme Court’s recent ruling to support them. How does the national electoral map now look? And what does this mean for November?

Progressive Candidate Wins Big in Congressional Race. Union organizer Analilia Mejia won a special election for the U.S. House of Representatives under the Democratic banner, further narrowing the already fragile Republican majority. Her platform centers on affordability for the working class, increased funding for child care, higher taxes on top earners, a higher minimum wage, and the abolition of ICE. How big was her win? How did she pull it off, and which voters put her over the top? And what does her victory mean for other races heading into November?

The Race for California Governor Heats Up. Primary election ballots begin arriving in California voters’ mailboxes this week, and the latest polls show Latino candidate Xavier Becerra emerging as a frontrunner in the gubernatorial race. Where do the candidates stand on the key issues? And what are the possible scenarios heading into the primary?

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THURSDAY, MAY 7
PROGRAM #11132 11:00 AM PT

Reyna Grande’s Memories. In her new book Corazón Migrante, Mexican American writer Reyna Grande brings together essays that trace her life as a brown woman in the United States — exploring writing as salvation, memory, the 43 missing students of Ayotzinapa, the cruelties of the border, and menopause. A voice that does not flinch from pain or violence, whether within families or the systems that surround them. A conversation about survival, identity, and resistance. This is an edition of the series “Thirty Years, Thirty Voices.”

PROGRAM #11133 12:00 PM PT

DHS Reopens. President Trump signed the bill funding most of the Department of Homeland Security — but not its immigration enforcement operations — after receiving final House approval, ending the longest shutdown in the history of any federal agency. Meanwhile, more than 1,000 employees have left the DHS, leaving it weakened just weeks before the FIFA World Cup kicks off. In what condition does DHS reopen? Which functions have been affected? And will ICE’s mass raid operations continue?

A Special Tax on Billionaires? A citizen and labor union initiative proposing a tax on billionaires — aimed at preventing cuts to education and health services — appears to have gathered enough signatures to land on the November ballot. At the same time, a top Google executive is backing two counter-initiatives that would ban new taxes on individual financial assets. Under California law, if both measures pass, the one with the most votes wins.

Budget Cuts Threaten Immigrants Living With HIV. In San Francisco, the majority of Latino immigrants living with the virus are gay men — nearly half of whom have no health insurance and a third of whom speak Spanish as their first language. For decades, community organizations have provided them with free, culturally responsive treatment. Now, the city’s proposed cuts are threatening those services. What is at stake? And who is accountable for this community? This is a special report produced through the Ethnic Media Collaborative, with support from the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.

A New Humanitarian Attempt to Reach Gaza. Dozens of vessels carrying more than 3,000 people are once again attempting to break the Gaza blockade and deliver international humanitarian aid. The Global Sumud Flotilla is sailing at a critical moment, under warnings that rising tensions with Iran could harden Israel’s response to any interception. While the world’s eyes are fixed on Tehran, what is happening on the ground in Palestinian territory? Will the flotilla make it through? And who is accountable for the civilian population in Gaza?

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FRIDAY, MAY 8
PROGRAM #11134 12:00 PM PT

Mexico Edition. Despite the dominant narrative of a “war on drugs,” DEA agents are colluding with drug cartels in the countries where they operate, embedded in a “culture of structural corruption,” as revealed by thousands of secret police documents examined by the Associated Press. What is being done to confront this culture? Meanwhile, the United States has charged the governor of a Mexican state and other officials with aiding accused drug traffickers. Mexico is demanding “irrefutable evidence” before moving forward with extradition requests. Analysts weigh in on these and other news stories.