Civil rights activists are concerned that changes proposed to Puerto Rico’s civil code, such as limiting adoption rights to heterosexual couples and giving “unborn children” rights, could set back years of equality struggles and harm vulnerable communities, El Nuevo Día reports. Measures in a bill currently being considered in the Puerto Rican House of Representatives do not recognize U.S. federal legal advances in the past decade, such as same-sex marriage sanctioned by the Supreme Court. The existing Puerto Rico Civil Code, approved in 1930, is in the process of being reformed. Link to original story →

As the relationship between China and the U.S. turns icy, several Chinese Americans working for government entities such as the NOAA, NASA, and the NSA are either under investigation or have been forced to leave on suspicions that they might be spying for China. Samuel Mok, former CFO of the U.S. Department of Labor during the Bush administration, shared advice for surviving the spy-phobic era at a forum hosted by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations in Washington, D.C., reports World Journal. One approach: “”Do not contact foreigners, let alone the Chinese. Do not travel abroad.” Link to original story →

José Ignacio Zepeda, who survived a kidnapping and a bombing during the El Salvador civil war (1980-1992), gained legal status in the U.S. last month thanks to the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA), passed in 1997, after being undocumented for 18 years without knowing that he was eligible, La Opinión reports. “Finally I can think and plan for the future,” said Zepeda, 33, who lives in Los Angeles. “Up until now, I couldn’t even save for a 401(k). I thought, ‘What for? If I get deported I will lose everything.’”   Link to original story →

The next “Hugs Not Walls” event in El Paso, at which families separated by the U.S.-Mexico border meet in a neutral spot along the Rio Grande, is being moved to another location due to border wall construction work, El Diario de El Paso reports. The sixth edition will move from Barrio Chihuahuita to the Anapra-Sunland Park border stop, where the Border Patrol will allow families to meet for three minutes. “This might be the last event, or maybe not, but we will keep fighting to keep ‘Hugs Not Walls’ going,” said Fernando García, director of Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR).   Link to original story →