Annotations for Speaker: Maria Martin

Never in this nation's recent history had Latino organizations been so vocal in opposing a president's nomination to the cabinet. Coming together under the banner of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda to oppose John Ashcroft had been such organizations as the National Council of La Raza, the League of United Latin American Citizens, LULAC, and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, MALDEF.

Marisa De Mayo is the regional council for MALDEF in Washington.

Raul Izaguirre of the National Council of La Raza had made the case that Ashcroft's record on issues such as racial profiling, he voted against keeping statistics on it, showed, in Yzaguirre's words, a consistent, aggressive, even hostile opposition to the fundamental civil rights of Hispanic Americans.

NCLR's rights president, Cecilia Muñoz, had concerns about the attorney general's record regarding legislation affecting immigrants.

Lupe Saldana, who served on the Bush-Cheney transition team, says those Latinos who have concerns about the new attorney general really have nothing to worry about.

In John Ashcroft's home state of Missouri, his Senate confirmation received mixed reviews from Hispanics there.

Tony Ramirez holds a favorable view. About 15 years ago, he says, when Ashcroft was Missouri's governor, he was responsive to the concerns of the state's then small Latino community.

Dr. Cristina Lindal of Columbia, Missouri, is a university employee, the host of the radio program La Hora Latina, and a self-described Hispanic advocate.

For his opponents, John Ashcroft's confirmation by the U.S. Senate indicates how little representation minorities have in that upper body of the Congress. Again, Marisa de Mayo of MALDEF.

The Department of Justice, which regulates immigration through the INS, as well as legislation such as the Voting Rights Act, is especially important to Latinos. Angelo Falcón of the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy says that now that Ashcroft has been confirmed, Latinos need to mobilize. To dispel the idea held by many Republicans, the Latino organizations represent fringe, liberal interests.

After John Ashcroft's confirmation by a 58 to 42 vote in the U.S. Senate, El Paso Congressman Silvestre Reyes, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, issued a statement declaring his readiness to work with the new attorney general. I take Mr. Ashcroft at his word and hope that he will enforce the law of the land fairly, judiciously and equitably.

All over the country, Latinos and other Americans share Reyes' hopes. All over the country, Latinos and other Americans share Reyes' hopes.