Democracy Now! Audio Democracy Now! 2025-12-05 Friday
8 snips
Dec 5, 2025 
Ari Berman, a voting rights correspondent, discusses how the Supreme Court's ruling on Texas congressional maps could dilute the voting power of Black and Latino communities. Omero Lopez, legal director at ISLA, highlights the impacts of federal immigration operations in New Orleans, prompting local advocacy for immigrant protections. Jelani Hussain, from CAIR Minnesota, addresses the risks faced by the Somali-American community amid political targeting. Dan Kovalik shares details on a legal petition regarding U.S. military actions affecting a Colombian family.
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Court Greenlights Texas Map
- The Supreme Court allowed Texas to use a congressional map that could cost Black and Latino voters representation.
- Ari Berman says the decision effectively helps President Trump gain up to five House seats by masking racial gerrymanders as partisan ones.
Partisan Claims Mask Racial Gerrymanders
- The Roberts Court has limited federal review of partisan gerrymandering, letting states claim partisan motives to evade racial-gerrymandering rules.
- Ari Berman warns this creates a playbook for states to redraw maps mid-decade to benefit one party.
Voting Rights Act Under Strain
- The Voting Rights Act once dismantled Jim Crow barriers and secured federal protections for voters of color.
- Ari Berman says the Roberts Court has repeatedly weakened those protections, making it harder to challenge discriminatory maps and practices.
