CHAI TALK: How Can Biden Win Over Latino Voters?

I talk to Julio Ricardo Varela of The Latino Newsletter about President Biden's new policy to protect undocumented immigrants, and if it's enough to win skeptical Latino voters.

The Left Hook is introducing a new interview segment called Chai Talk where I’ll be engaging with subject matter experts for short conversations, generally less than 30 minutes, on a specific topic.

For our premiere interview, I’m excited to chat with my old friend and colleague, journalist and analyst Julio Ricardo Varela, an MSNBC columnist and creator of the new The Latino Newsletter.

He has written a fantastic new piece for MSNBC on President Biden’s bold new policy to give legal protection to undocumented spouses of US citizens. It will affect nearly 500,000 people and comes on the 12th anniversary of DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which protects some immigrant children from deportation.

However, President Biden is also under fire from civil rights groups and progressives for issuing a restrictive executive order in early June that will prevent migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Julio and I unpack how Democrats and President Biden can finally message on progressive and humane immigration reform and stop treating immigrants as political pinatas every election. Julio gives his insights as to how Democrats can win over some skeptical Latino voters and also explains the phenomenon of “Latinos for Trump.”

Watch Chai Talk! (You don’t have to drink chai while watching but it might enhance the cultural experience.)