INSIDER
Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
Read full article: Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes officeWith Donald Trump returning to the White House, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both recently signaled new openness to winding down the state’ border security operation.
Texas’ 90,000 DACA recipients can sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage — for now
Read full article: Texas’ 90,000 DACA recipients can sign up for Affordable Care Act coverage — for nowThose enrolled in the federal program shielding them from deportation can enroll through Jan. 15, but a lawsuit and Trump’s anti-immigration stance threaten to eliminate eligibility.
“Uncharted territory”: Trump’s anti-immigration plans could take center stage in Texas
Read full article: “Uncharted territory”: Trump’s anti-immigration plans could take center stage in TexasTexas is positioned better than any state to help Trump carry out his ambitious anti-immigration agenda. But it is also vulnerable to those policy’s impacts.
Texas buys two ranches near the border, including a huge property next to Big Bend National Park
Read full article: Texas buys two ranches near the border, including a huge property next to Big Bend National ParkA Starr County property was purchased to build border wall, while Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said the state has many options for a sprawling ranch in West Texas.
Former Eagle Pass detective sentenced to 10 years in prison for running migrant stash houses
Read full article: Former Eagle Pass detective sentenced to 10 years in prison for running migrant stash housesHazel Eileen Diaz received nearly $40,000 in cash and money transfers for letting human smugglers use her rental properties.
Republican John Lujan defeats Democrat Kristian Carranza in competitive race for Texas House District 118
Read full article: Republican John Lujan defeats Democrat Kristian Carranza in competitive race for Texas House District 118With 100% of Bexar County’s 302 voter precincts reporting, KSAT 12 is projecting Republican incumbent John Lujan III as the winner of the State House District 118 race.
Texas State nonprofit fills in gaps in rural counties left by a lack of county medical examiners
Read full article: Texas State nonprofit fills in gaps in rural counties left by a lack of county medical examinersMany remains are taken back to Texas State University’s campus where the scholars involved with Operation Identification perform different processes to identify individuals.
At debate, Mayra Flores shrugs off concern about mandating South Texans carry passports
Read full article: At debate, Mayra Flores shrugs off concern about mandating South Texans carry passportsDuring a tense debate with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, Flores attacked Gonzalez for being soft on border security, then suggested requiring residents to prove citizenship in some instances was appropriate.
South Texas ICE processing center approaches full capacity as DPS continues to apprehend immigrants
Read full article: South Texas ICE processing center approaches full capacity as DPS continues to apprehend immigrantsTexas Department of Public Safety troopers with Operation Lone Star found more than 300 people attempting to cross into the United States illegally in just one week.
Union warns San Antonio firefighters ‘watch your six’ over Tren de Aragua gang activity on North Side
Read full article: Union warns San Antonio firefighters ‘watch your six’ over Tren de Aragua gang activity on North SideThe San Antonio Professional Firefighters Association's president said there's "concentrated, increased activity" at specific apartments. He said the union issued the warning because the city hasn't given firefighters and paramedics an official heads up.
How a school voucher supporter won in a Texas House district with almost no private schools
Read full article: How a school voucher supporter won in a Texas House district with almost no private schoolsGov. Greg Abbott said the primary showed Texans want vouchers. In House District 18, an ad blitz and immigration fears may have played a larger role.
Attorney General Ken Paxton targets El Paso nonprofit that offers legal services to migrants
Read full article: Attorney General Ken Paxton targets El Paso nonprofit that offers legal services to migrantsAttorney General Ken Paxton has investigated at least five organizations this year that do immigration-related work.
Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico borderReporters from both organizations spent a day documenting the reality on the border. Here’s a summary of what they found.
Many Americans say immigration is out of control, but 24 hours on the Texas-Mexico border showed a new reality. Will it last?
Read full article: Many Americans say immigration is out of control, but 24 hours on the Texas-Mexico border showed a new reality. Will it last?The Texas Tribune and The Associated Press visited five locations along the 1,254-mile span to separate the facts from the political narrative during a heated election year.
16 immigrants found in fake wall inside trailer in South Texas
Read full article: 16 immigrants found in fake wall inside trailer in South TexasA Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper pulled over a truck that was towing a trailer on Thursday afternoon in Kenedy County, in South Texas, according to a social media post from a spokesperson for DPS.
Dan Patrick asks Senate to consider bills to unmask protesters, change runoff elections
Read full article: Dan Patrick asks Senate to consider bills to unmask protesters, change runoff electionsThe new list includes many right-wing priorities, and would escalate Republicans’ wars against diversity, equity and inclusion programs and review laws to keep noncitizens off voter rolls.
17 people found hidden in ‘cloned Lowe’s truck’ being transported into the US illegally
Read full article: 17 people found hidden in ‘cloned Lowe’s truck’ being transported into the US illegallyThe Texas Department of Public Safety found 17 migrants hidden in a fake Lowe’s Home Improvement store truck. Texas DPS South video shows the moment those 13 men and 4 women were found.
Group of Texas Democrats asks DOJ to investigate Texas over possible voter rights violations
Read full article: Group of Texas Democrats asks DOJ to investigate Texas over possible voter rights violationsThe request by the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter to the Department of Justice follows a similar request by a Latino civil rights organization.
Judge rejects Ken Paxton’s bid to question leader of Brownsville migrant aid organization
Read full article: Judge rejects Ken Paxton’s bid to question leader of Brownsville migrant aid organizationThe AG’s office sought to depose the leader of Team Brownsville, which provides water, shelter and basic necessities to asylum-seeking migrants.
Judge in Texas pauses Biden program offering legal status to spouses of U.S. citizens
Read full article: Judge in Texas pauses Biden program offering legal status to spouses of U.S. citizensBiden announced the program in June and Republicans in 16 states filed suit. The federal judge issued an order that puts the program on hold for at least two weeks.
Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights group
Read full article: Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights groupPaxton’s office claimed the group broke rules prohibiting political activity by nonprofits, but the judge rejected the case outright.
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Houston immigrants’ rights org over political speech
Read full article: Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Houston immigrants’ rights org over political speechAttorney General Ken Paxton has targeted similar organizations that aid migrants at the border. The lawsuit appears to be the first to focus on political speech and rules that govern nonprofits.
Abbott order will require Texas hospitals to collect patients’ immigration status
Read full article: Abbott order will require Texas hospitals to collect patients’ immigration statusThe executive order from the Texas governor will require hospitals to track the cost of care for undocumented migrants, in order for the state to push for federal reimbursement.
Texas attorney general says Biden must continue border wall construction after court deadline passes
Read full article: Texas attorney general says Biden must continue border wall construction after court deadline passesTexas sued to stop an executive order issued by President Biden on his Inauguration Day to stop border wall construction and divert funds that had already been allocated for the project.
Texas’ floating barrier in the Rio Grande can stay for now, appeals court says
Read full article: Texas’ floating barrier in the Rio Grande can stay for now, appeals court saysAfter Texas deployed the barrier, a panel ordered it removed. The full appeals court says it can stay while a lower court hears a case on the merits.
El Paso County officials say it’s time the state pays for Operation Lone Star arrests
Read full article: El Paso County officials say it’s time the state pays for Operation Lone Star arrestsCounty officials issued a disaster declaration Tuesday, saying the state’s mass arrests at the border have cost the county millions of dollars and overwhelmed its criminal justice system.
Texas attorney general can’t question Catholic Charities director over migrant services, court says
Read full article: Texas attorney general can’t question Catholic Charities director over migrant services, court saysWednesday’s ruling is the second time a Texas judge has ruled against the attorney general for investigating shelters helping migrants.
Advocates focus on humanity one year after 12 migrants were found in semitruck in Bexar County
Read full article: Advocates focus on humanity one year after 12 migrants were found in semitruck in Bexar CountyFriday marks one year since 12 migrants were found in a semitruck off Interstate 35 near Von Ormy in southwest Bexar County.
Immigration is taking center stage in Texas’ Senate race. Here’s what Colin Allred’s and Ted Cruz’s records show.
Read full article: Immigration is taking center stage in Texas’ Senate race. Here’s what Colin Allred’s and Ted Cruz’s records show.Poll after poll shows Texas voters rank immigration and the border as the most pressing issues.
Border Patrol agents recorded the fewest monthly migrant apprehensions since 2021 on southern border
Read full article: Border Patrol agents recorded the fewest monthly migrant apprehensions since 2021 on southern borderMigrant apprehensions in Texas decreased by nearly one-third in June, the first month of a new order by President Joe Biden that widely limited asylum claims.
GOP-led states have pledged hundreds of troops and spent millions of dollars to help Texas secure the border this year
Read full article: GOP-led states have pledged hundreds of troops and spent millions of dollars to help Texas secure the border this yearThe federal government has deployed National Guard to the border for years, but more than a dozen states have dug into their own budgets to send even more personnel
Eagle Pass residents have mixed feelings about sharing their city with the National Guard
Read full article: Eagle Pass residents have mixed feelings about sharing their city with the National GuardTexas has sent thousands of soldiers to the border as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s multibillion-dollar initiative Operation Lone Star. No border town has felt their presence more than Eagle Pass.
‘I think it’s an impediment’: Chief Patrol Agent of Del Rio sector discusses Border Patrol’s relationship with DPS
Read full article: ‘I think it’s an impediment’: Chief Patrol Agent of Del Rio sector discusses Border Patrol’s relationship with DPSFor dozens of miles, Border Patrol agents travel up and down along the Rio Grande.
Border Patrol’s Del Rio sector chief speaks with KSAT about slowing migrant crossings, relationship with Texas DPS
Read full article: Border Patrol’s Del Rio sector chief speaks with KSAT about slowing migrant crossings, relationship with Texas DPSIn a wide-ranging exclusive sit-down interview with KSAT, Chief Patrol Agent Robert Danley shares insight into his nearly seven months on the job, including how and why migrant crossings have changed, how laws impact the work done by agents, and Border Patrol’s relationship with Texas DPS.
At half a mile a week, Gov. Greg Abbott’s border wall will take around 30 years and $20 billion to build
Read full article: At half a mile a week, Gov. Greg Abbott’s border wall will take around 30 years and $20 billion to buildThe state has built about 34 miles of wall spread out across at least six counties on Texas’ 1,254-mile border with Mexico.
‘I hope it never happens again’: San Antonio doctor recalls Quintana Road tragedy on two-year mark
Read full article: ‘I hope it never happens again’: San Antonio doctor recalls Quintana Road tragedy on two-year markFirst responders found more than 60 migrants in a tractor-trailer on June 27, 2022. 53 of them were pronounced dead.
Texas National Guard is shooting pepper balls to deter migrants at the border
Read full article: Texas National Guard is shooting pepper balls to deter migrants at the borderMigrants in Mexico said they’ve been shot by the rounds, which leave bruises and disperse a chemical irritant. The state says Guard members are trained not to aim directly at people.
Half a million immigrants could eventually get US citizenship under a new plan from Biden
Read full article: Half a million immigrants could eventually get US citizenship under a new plan from BidenPresident Joe Biden has ordered an expansive election-year step to offer relief to potentially hundreds of thousands of immigrants without legal status in the U.S. It comes after the Democratic president's own aggressive immigration crackdown at the southern border earlier this month.
Judge weighing whether to close El Paso shelter that aids undocumented immigrants
Read full article: Judge weighing whether to close El Paso shelter that aids undocumented immigrantsTexas argues that Annunciation House is breaking state law by harboring undocumented immigrants, something the shelter's lawyers called "utter nonsense."
‘We see tanks driving by daily’: Eagle Pass residents reflect on President Biden’s executive order on immigration
Read full article: ‘We see tanks driving by daily’: Eagle Pass residents reflect on President Biden’s executive order on immigrationEagle Pass residents share differing views on President Joe Biden's recent executive order regarding border crossings.
Texas immigrants’ rights groups sue Biden administration over asylum restrictions
Read full article: Texas immigrants’ rights groups sue Biden administration over asylum restrictionsBoth Democrats and Republicans have criticized the order, which limits asylum requests when illegal border crossings ramp up.
San Antonio legal experts try to digest Biden Administration’s new immigration policy days after it takes effect
Read full article: San Antonio legal experts try to digest Biden Administration’s new immigration policy days after it takes effectJust days after President Joe Biden dropped a new executive order limiting asylum seekers, San Antonio legal experts are trying to digest what exactly this means for Texas.
President Biden’s executive order raises questions over frequency of illegal crossings amid Bexar County smuggling bust
Read full article: President Biden’s executive order raises questions over frequency of illegal crossings amid Bexar County smuggling bustBexar County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered 26 migrants in a suspected human smuggling operation on Thursday. News of the operation comes less than 48 hours after President Joe Biden’s executive order that limits asylum seekers went into effect.
Brandon Herrera to request recount in primary runoff against U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales
Read full article: Brandon Herrera to request recount in primary runoff against U.S. Rep. Tony GonzalesHerrera said he doesn’t expect the results to change, “but I feel I owe it to my volunteers, voters, and supporters to leave no stone unturned.”
Why Mexico’s historic President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum could see policy pushback in the U.S.
Read full article: Why Mexico’s historic President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum could see policy pushback in the U.S.Political experts share insight on the implications of the unprecedented Mexican presidential election.
“Why now?”: Biden’s new immigration policy to limit asylum seekers faces quick criticism in Texas
Read full article: “Why now?”: Biden’s new immigration policy to limit asylum seekers faces quick criticism in TexasPresident Joe Biden’s new executive order, unveiled Tuesday, will restrict the number of asylum seekers allowed to cross the border when crossings reach a certain level.
SA Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Sheriff Javier Salazar among local officials at White House for immigration announcement
Read full article: SA Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Sheriff Javier Salazar among local officials at White House for immigration announcementSan Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg will be among the Texas mayors in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for President Joe Biden’s announcement about the Texas border.
Gov. Abbott welcomes Texas National Guard soldiers to new operating base in Eagle Pass
Read full article: Gov. Abbott welcomes Texas National Guard soldiers to new operating base in Eagle PassGov. Greg Abbott was in Eagle Pass on Friday to welcome Texas National Guard soldiers at Texas’ Forward Operating Base.
Common Grounds: Opposites Tony Gonzales, Brandon Herrera face off in final stretch of Congressional runoff
Read full article: Common Grounds: Opposites Tony Gonzales, Brandon Herrera face off in final stretch of Congressional runoffIn the first episode of "Common Grounds," we explore the U.S. Rep. District 23 Republican runoff race between two-term incumbent Tony Gonzales and YouTube show host and gunmaker Brandon Herrera.
A Houston woman applied for a green card. She was banned from the U.S. for a decade.
Read full article: A Houston woman applied for a green card. She was banned from the U.S. for a decade.Claudia González was 15 when she crossed the border into Texas to reunite with her mother. Now she’s back in Mexico, separated from her 15-year-old son and her husband in Houston.
‘Dreamer’ applauds expansion of health insurance access under new Biden rule
Read full article: ‘Dreamer’ applauds expansion of health insurance access under new Biden ruleMore than a third of immigrants covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, are uninsured, according to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services.
Some migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard from San Antonio to get legal status, multiple reports say
Read full article: Some migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard from San Antonio to get legal status, multiple reports saySome of the 49 migrants who were flown to Martha’s Vineyard from San Antonio in 2022 can legally work in the US and can’t be deported because they are considered crime victims, according to multiple reports.
Migrant apprehensions are down at the Texas border. Have state policies had an impact?
Read full article: Migrant apprehensions are down at the Texas border. Have state policies had an impact?Abbott has credited his Operation Lone Star for a recent drop in migrant encounters on the Texas-Mexico border.
Años antes de que los caracterizaran como criminales, los residentes de Colony Ridge buscaron ayuda del estado
Read full article: Años antes de que los caracterizaran como criminales, los residentes de Colony Ridge buscaron ayuda del estadoLos residentes presentaron más de 60 quejas en contra de Colony Ridge. No obtuvieron muchas soluciones del estado.
Texas Democrats call on colleges to set aside financial aid money for immigrant families affected by FAFSA glitch
Read full article: Texas Democrats call on colleges to set aside financial aid money for immigrant families affected by FAFSA glitchStudents whose parents do not have Social Security numbers have been blocked from completing the federal financial aid form.
Texas National Guard member charged with human smuggling after high-speed chase near the border
Read full article: Texas National Guard member charged with human smuggling after high-speed chase near the borderAuthorities said the 26-year-old turned around at a Border Patrol checkpoint and fled from police in Kinney County.
LISTEN LIVE: 5th Circuit Court of Appeals takes up controversial Texas immigration law
Read full article: LISTEN LIVE: 5th Circuit Court of Appeals takes up controversial Texas immigration lawThe 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on Wednesday morning in the case of SB 4, the controversial immigration law that would allow state police to arrest migrants.
More than 200 migrants arrested after rushing an El Paso border gate
Read full article: More than 200 migrants arrested after rushing an El Paso border gateMore than 200 migrants have been arrested on misdemeanor rioting charges in connection with a late March border breach in El Paso that the local district attorney said injured Texas National Guard members.
House Speaker Dade Phelan’s immigration record central in bid to oust him
Read full article: House Speaker Dade Phelan’s immigration record central in bid to oust himThe Beaumont Republican’s foes are trying to paint him as soft on the border, even after last year’s passage of far-reaching laws and record border funding.
Migrants with disabilities struggle to access the U.S. asylum system, advocates say
Read full article: Migrants with disabilities struggle to access the U.S. asylum system, advocates sayMigrants with disabilities can’t access the asylum system the way others can, according to a complaint that advocacy organizations filed against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security earlier this week.
Enforcing Texas’ new immigration law may be challenging, even for authorities that support it
Read full article: Enforcing Texas’ new immigration law may be challenging, even for authorities that support itA new law allowing local authorities to deport migrants remains tied up in court. Even if it goes back into effect, logistical challenges could complicate enforcement.
What Bexar County, other South Texas law enforcement agencies are saying about Senate Bill 4
Read full article: What Bexar County, other South Texas law enforcement agencies are saying about Senate Bill 4Texas has faced skeptical questioning at an appeals court hearing over a new law that would allow it to arrest and deport people who enter the U.S. illegally.
Disagreement and confusion on display in hearing over Texas’ new immigration law
Read full article: Disagreement and confusion on display in hearing over Texas’ new immigration lawThe Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments about whether to allow back into effect a law allowing state and local authorities to deport migrants.
Court action on Texas' migrant arrest law leads to confusion at the US-Mexico border
Read full article: Court action on Texas' migrant arrest law leads to confusion at the US-Mexico borderA dizzying volley of courtroom maneuvers over a Texas law that would allow the state to arrest and deport people who enter the U.S. illegally is sowing confusion at the nation’s border with Mexico.
Texas’ new immigration law is blocked again
Read full article: Texas’ new immigration law is blocked againHours after the U.S. Supreme Court had allowed Senate Bill 4 to go into effect, a federal appeals court let an earlier injunction stand. SB 4 lets Texas police arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border.
Supreme Court permits Texas police to arrest people who illegally cross the border as the SB 4 legal clash continues
Read full article: Supreme Court permits Texas police to arrest people who illegally cross the border as the SB 4 legal clash continuesThe ruling allows Texas to start enforcing SB 4 while a lawsuit over its constitutionality remains pending before a federal appeals court.
How Texas' plans to arrest migrants for illegal entry would work if allowed to take effect
Read full article: How Texas' plans to arrest migrants for illegal entry would work if allowed to take effectA law that would allow Texas law enforcement to arrest migrants suspected of illegally entering the U.S. is back on hold.
Vicente Gonzalez compares Latino Trump supporters to “Jews for Hitler”
Read full article: Vicente Gonzalez compares Latino Trump supporters to “Jews for Hitler”The South Texas Democrat said Latinos who support former President Donald Trump are voting against their self interest, but Republicans recoiled at the comparison.
Supreme Court extends pause on Texas law that would allow state police to arrest migrants
Read full article: Supreme Court extends pause on Texas law that would allow state police to arrest migrantsThe Supreme Court has extended a pause on a Texas law that would allow state police to arrest migrants accused of crossing into the U.S. illegally.
The path to staying in the U.S. legally is getting more costly for migrants
Read full article: The path to staying in the U.S. legally is getting more costly for migrantsIt's going to cost migrants in the U.S. more to stay in the country legally starting in April. The U.S. Citizenship Immigration Services Department will change the fees to more than 100 applications.
15 people detained in possible human smuggling operation on West Side, SAPD says
Read full article: 15 people detained in possible human smuggling operation on West Side, SAPD saysAt least 15 people were detained following a suspected human smuggling operation on the city’s west Side late Thursday night, according to San Antonio police.
San Antonio has no clear backup plan as Migrant Resource Center’s funding dwindles
Read full article: San Antonio has no clear backup plan as Migrant Resource Center’s funding dwindlesWith federal funding to support the Migrant Resource Center drying up, the City of San Antonio doesn’t appear to have a clear backup plan yet for how to keep the shelter for asylum-seekers open.
San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg joins President Biden, other South Texas mayors in Brownsville
Read full article: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg joins President Biden, other South Texas mayors in BrownsvilleSan Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg met with President Joe Biden Thursday in Brownsville in what he called a show of support.
As Biden and Trump visit the border, many Texas residents feel ignored
Read full article: As Biden and Trump visit the border, many Texas residents feel ignoredWhen the two presidents used the Texas-Mexico boundary as a backdrop for the national immigration fight, residents felt they were left out of the conversation.
Texas law allowing police to arrest migrants suspected of being in country illegally blocked by federal judge
Read full article: Texas law allowing police to arrest migrants suspected of being in country illegally blocked by federal judgeSenate Bill 4 was Texas’ latest attempt to deter people from crossing the Texas-Mexico border amid a surge in migration.
Judge blocks Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants who illegally enter US
Read full article: Judge blocks Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants who illegally enter USA federal judge has blocked a Texas law that would allow police to arrest migrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally.