Ken Paxton sues to revoke an El Paso nonprofitโs state registration after it didnโt immediately hand over client records
Annunciation House, a network of shelters that serves migrants, sought relief from the attorney generalโs demand to immediately release information about its clients. Paxton accused the religious group of smuggling humans across the southern border.
Abbottโs immigration rhetoric criticized again after interview response about shooting migrants
Asked how far Texas could legally go to secure the border, Gov. Greg Abbott said the state isnโt shooting people who illegally cross the border because the Biden administration would charge officials with murder.
VIDEO: Family of 5 migrants crosses Rio Grande as congressional delegation holds nearby press conference at Texas border
A family of five migrants was captured by KSAT photojournalist Gavin Nesbitt crossing the Rio Grande Wednesday as U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other congressional Republicans held a nearby press conference about immigration.
Vouchers, border security, abortion: The issues you heard about in 2023 will continue to be hotly debated in 2024
After nearly a yearโs worth of legislative sessions, several issues are poised to dominate Texas politics this year. Hereโs a look at how things ended on several fronts last year โ and where theyโre headed next.
U.S. Department of Justice says itโll sue if Texas enforces new law punishing illegal border crossing
The state has until Jan. 3 to say it wonโt arrest people accused of unauthorized entry from Mexico. If not, the Biden administration will sue, saying immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility.
Feds sue Colony Ridge developer, accusing it of preying on Latino homebuyers
Federal authorities accused the Houston-area developer of targeting Latino home buyers with predatory loans and false promises. The housing development drew the attention of state lawmakers after right-wing publications claimed it is a magnet for undocumented immigrants.
Border police chief, Bexar County sheriff weigh in on new law making illegal border crossings a state crime
Senate Bill 4, recently enacted into law after being signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, will give local law enforcement the authority to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally. However, enforcing the law will be up to each law enforcement department.
โWe do not anticipate any changesโ: Sheriff Javier Salazar reacts to Gov. Greg Abbottโs signing of Senate Bill 4
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar is one of several leaders across Texas reacting to Senate Bill 4, a new law that will give state and local police the authority to arrest people they suspect of being undocumented anywhere in the state.
Immigrants in abusive relationships usually threatened with deportation, so they never get help
Immigrants are a specific group of abuse survivors that are typically threatened with the same thing that keeps them from getting help โ deportation. They are told they have nowhere else to go, but a local mom wants victims to know there is somewhere to go.
Appeals court halts ruling that Border Patrol can legally cut Texasโ border concertina wire
Less than a week after a Del Rio-based federal judge ruled against Texas in the ongoing fight over the stateโs razor wire, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused that decision while it reviews the case.
Texas Legislature sends $1.54 billion bill for border barriers to Gov. Abbott
Senate Bill 3 would also appropriate $40 million for state troopers to patrol Colony Ridge, a housing development outside of Houston, and allow the state to send money to local jurisdictions to offset the cost of enforcing another immigration-related bill.
As Texas tries to end federal โparoleโ program for some immigrants, a Nicaraguan waits to see if he can stay
A Texas judge will decide the fate of a Biden administration program that allows people from four countries to live and work in the U.S. for up to two years. A man who sponsored his friend for the program has fought to save it.
Texas Legislature tries again with bills making illegal border crossings a state crime
Immigration experts say the most recent proposals would raise constitutional challenges in the U.S. and Mexico, as federal courts have repeatedly ruled that immigration law enforcement falls under federal jurisdiction.
Fighting between legislative leaders imperils Texas border security bills
The governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker generally agree on building more border barriers and making illegal border crossings a state crime. But disagreements over strategy and personal animosity mean those measures face long odds this special legislative session.
Texas GOP lawmakersโ border and education wishlist would expand state budget by $2.7 billion โ and counting
If bills now being considered pass, lawmakers will be left with $3.3 billion to take care of unforeseen costs over the next two years. Some experts worry that Texas canโt sustain its massive spending on the border and public education.
State Senate approves bill to spend $1.5 billion for border walls, more policing of Liberty County development
Along with the money to build more border barriers, Senate Bill 6 would devote $49 million to beef up law enforcement of the Colony Ridge development thatโs become a target of far-right media.
Federal judge orders immigration agents to stop removing Texasโ concertina wire on the border
Border Patrol agents have cut through the stateโs wire to free migrants or take them into custody. Judge Alia Moses will hear arguments from Texas and the Biden administration next week to determine whether her temporary order will continue past Nov. 13.
How Texas lawmakers are trying to deter illegal immigration and secure the border
Two Texas House members and an immigration lawyer sat down with Matthew Watkins, the Tribuneโs managing editor of news and politics, to discuss the current state of Texasโ border and immigration bills that lawmakers are weighing during the special session.
Biden administration settles lawsuit over Trump-era migrant family separation policy
If the settlement is approved, the federal government would be prohibited from adopting a similar policy for the next eight years. Affected immigrants would be allowed to be in the country legally and receive work permits and other benefits.
Immigrating legally means navigating a system both political parties say is broken. Hereโs why itโs so difficult.
After her brother was gunned down in 2012, Jessica Mejรญa and her mother wanted to legally migrate to the U.S. But like millions of migrants who want to move to the U.S., they discovered how difficult it is.