Now that I’m back writing for The Latino Newsletter after a month off, I wanted to use today’s post to highlight a couple of media pitches I received this week, the kind I didn’t assign out, but still noted (with actual ink) in my reporter’s notebook because they felt newsworthy for our audience.

Both of the items are from Massachusetts, where The Latino Newsletter’s main newsroom is based.

Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) filed a civil rights complaint this week on behalf of José Pineda, a legally present immigrant who says he was wrongfully arrested and held for two days by ICE agents in Burlington, a Wednesday press release notes.

Pineda, who lives in East Boston with his wife and daughter, holds lawful humanitarian status in the U.S. and was on his way to work on May 27 when ICE officers surrounded his vehicle with unmarked cars. Despite showing proof of legal status, agents mocked him, telling him that if he wasn’t born in the United States, he had no rights.

“There was no reason why ICE stopped him other than his being Latino,” the release says at one point.

ICE officers allegedly chained Pineda, confiscated his Social Security card, work permit, and $600 in cash. Agents placed him in what the complaint describes as a filthy, overcrowded cell at the agency’s Boston Field Office in Burlington. Pineda was allegedly held for two days without food, sleep, or access to hygiene. At times, he was packed into a cell with as many as 60 other people and could not sit or lie down. His money was never returned.

“Mr. Pineda was racially profiled and targeted based solely on his national origin,” said Victoria Miranda, a senior attorney at LCR. “The officers confiscated his Social Security card and work authorization card, indicating that they were aware of his legal status at the time of arrest.”

The complaint accuses ICE of violating Pineda’s constitutional rights and seeks damages under the Federal Tort Claims Act. It also alleges false arrest, excessive force, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Here is the full complaint.

A group of veteran Latino political operatives launched a new political action committee this week aimed at boosting Latino voter engagement across Massachusetts. The Latino Agenda Independent Expenditure PAC is chaired by Cesar Ruiz, with Tomas Gonzalez as PAC Director, Ingrid Harik as Treasurer, and Tom Kiley as General Counsel. Senior advisors include political consultants Italo Fini and Andrew Melendez.

Fini forwarded the media release about the announcement to The Latino Newsletter.

“The Latino Agenda, run by and for Latinos, will serve as a critical tool to inspire voter engagement, education, and support Latino political leaders,” said Ruiz. “Nearly 1.5 million Latinos call Massachusetts home, yet Latino voter turnout remains in the single digits in presidential elections and even less in state and local elections. This is a clear sign of disengagement as well as an opportunity to activate Latino voter power, which The Latino Agenda intends to do.”

In the release, the group pointed to persistently low Latino voter turnout in cities like Lawrence, Holyoke, and Springfield —and the 2024 spike in Donald Trump’s vote share in those same communities— as evidence of political disengagement.

“Latino voters don’t feel empowered,” Gonzalez said. “Political parties, traditional consultants, and candidates don’t spend significant resources on our community, and in turn, Latinos don’t vote because they aren’t mobilized. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to end.”

The PAC’s mission is to engage, empower, and mobilize Latino communities statewide through year-round organizing, leadership development, and direct support of Latino candidates. The organizers say they’re building long-term infrastructure —not just boosting turnout for a single cycle— and want to see more Latinos in elected office at all levels of government.

If you like the idea of a reporter’s notebook type of post, let us know. You can email me here anytime. I read them all. I really do.

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Congrats to 9 Millones: We are fans of 9 Millones out of Puerto Rico, and we are sending our congratulations on their fifth anniversary! They sent over their impact report, a testament to the power of building independent, local journalism from the ground up. ¡Enhorabuena!

My Latest for MSNBC: Earlier today, I filed my latest opinion for MSNBC, where I dig a little deeper into Equis’ latest Latino polling and what it all means. You know, what I have been writing about for the last few years.

Julio Ricardo Varela is the founder of The Latino Newsletter. He is also its current part-time publisher and executive director. Email him here.

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