Jose de la Isla, guest commentary

WASHINGTON — Americans increasingly are convinced — incorrectly — that President Barack Obama is a Muslim, and a growing number are thoroughly confused about his religion.

SALT LAKE CITY — The perception of Mormons in the U.S. changed very little even though the religion received unprecedented attention this year with Republican Mitt Romney running for president.

Democrats could get a crucial leg-up from Latinos - if they can motivate them to vote.

SAN FRANCISCO — If you're about to warn your teenager about the dangers of texting or talking on the phone while driving, a new report suggests you look in the mirror first.

An idea that has so far escaped our state’s politicians in the long and weary immigration debate has surfaced relatively early in the gun-violence debate: comprehensive reform.

WASHINGTON — With college enrollment growing, student debt has stretched to a record number of U.S. households — nearly 1 in 5 — with the biggest burdens falling on the young and poor.

WASHINGTON - The GOP convention gave President Bush a double-digit lead, but the race has settled into a virtual tie with voters still worried about the economy and Iraq, according to polling by the Pew Research Center.

There's no telling who might show up for Easter Sunday services today. A new study of 35,000 Americans' religious habits suggests people raised Lutheran or Baptist, for example, will not necessarily be showing up for worship at churches bearing the names of denominations that gave them their early Christian indoctrination.

Floyd and Mary Beth Brown: With the secret filming in ACORN offices by twenty-something journalists James O'Keefe and Hannah Giles, they have caught America's attention. These brave young people have done the type of gutsy journalism that used to be the domain of once-powerful "60 Minutes" on CBS. 

The state's senior U.S. senator said Thursday that eventual approval of a comprehensive immigration plan with Republican votes will enable the GOP to once again compete for Latino votes in Arizona.

WASHINGTON — This may be the year Congress decides what to do about the millions of immigrants living illegally in the U.S. And this may be the week when a bipartisan group of senators makes public details of the overhaul plan it has been negotiating for months.

Legal and illegal immigrants are far less likely than nativeborn Americans to be incarcerated for crimes, according to a new statistical analysis of 2000 Census data.

WASHINGTON — The government's monthly jobs report has become Washington's most anticipated and studied economic indicator, pounced upon by politicians, economists and journalists for snap judgments as the presidential election nears. But in the real world, most everybody else just looks around and figures things out for themselves.

VIENNA, Austria - President Bush on Wednesday accused Iran of dragging its feet on a Western incentive package aimed at getting Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment activity.

So, weeknight reruns of the animated sitcom “The Simpsons” are outdrawing five out of the six Phoenix 10 p.m. TV news shows.

A dramatic increase in public and media interest in the Mormon Church has compelled church leaders to carry out a multipronged effort to better inform the public about the church and to dispel misconceptions.

May 21, 2005

Breaking with Republican leaders in the Senate, U.S. Sen. John McCain says he is not requesting hearings into the constitutional amendment that grants automatic citizenship to babies born in the United States, and doesn't support changing the Constitution.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Monday he's encouraged that some states are allowing the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public colleges.

SAN JUAN, Texas — When Ruth Garcia's twins are born in two months, they'll have all the rights of U.S. citizens. They and their six brothers and sisters will be able to vote, apply for federal student loans and even run for president.

If Joy Burke were born three days earlier, she'd be able to vote in November's general election. "I'm missing it by three days - I'm really disappointed," said Burke, a senior at Tempe's Marcos de Niza High School. "I think it would really benefit the high school if a lot of kids get to go vote."

More than 100,000 people swelled the streets of downtown Phoenix on the morning of April 10 to demonstrate for fair immigration reform.

TUCSON — With the scrawl of a pen, GOP Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona awakened the dormant but explosive issue of illegal immigration, sending shock waves across the political spectrum in an election year when both parties had hoped to sidestep the topic.