INSIDER
āUncharted territoryā: Trumpās anti-immigration plans could take center stage in Texas
Read full article: āUncharted territoryā: Trumpās 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 policyās impacts.
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. Hereās 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.
Texas immigrantsā rights groups sue Biden administration over asylum restrictions
Read full article: Texas immigrantsā 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.
āWhy now?ā: Bidenās new immigration policy to limit asylum seekers faces quick criticism in Texas
Read full article: āWhy now?ā: Bidenās new immigration policy to limit asylum seekers faces quick criticism in TexasPresident Joe Bidenās new executive order, unveiled Tuesday, will restrict the number of asylum seekers allowed to cross the border when crossings reach a certain level.
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 GonzĆ”lez was 15 when she crossed the border into Texas to reunite with her mother. Now sheās back in Mexico, separated from her 15-year-old son and her husband in Houston.
Enforcing Texasā new immigration law may be challenging, even for authorities that support it
Read full article: Enforcing Texasā 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.
Disagreement and confusion on display in hearing over Texasā new immigration law
Read full article: Disagreement and confusion on display in hearing over Texasā 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.
Texasā new immigration law is blocked again
Read full article: Texasā 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.
New study: Texasā undocumented immigrant population remained relatively stable in 2021
Read full article: New study: Texasā undocumented immigrant population remained relatively stable in 2021The Pew Research Center analyzed unauthorized immigrant data from 2021 finding that thereās been a significant shift in migrantsā country of origin and where they choose to live in the U.S.
How Texas lawmakers are trying to deter illegal immigration and secure the border
Read full article: How Texas lawmakers are trying to deter illegal immigration and secure the borderTwo Texas House members and an immigration lawyer sat down with Matthew Watkins, the Tribuneās managing editor of news and politics, to discuss the current state of Texasā border and immigration bills that lawmakers are weighing during the special session.
Biden administration settles lawsuit over Trump-era migrant family separation policy
Read full article: Biden administration settles lawsuit over Trump-era migrant family separation policyIf 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.
Child dies while en route to Chicago as part of Gov. Greg Abbottās migrant busing program
Read full article: Child dies while en route to Chicago as part of Gov. Greg Abbottās migrant busing programAfter a 3-year-old began showing signs of distress, the bus of asylum-seekers traveling from Brownsville to Chicago pulled over and an ambulance was called. The child later died at a hospital in Illinois.
At Texas-Mexico border, Ron DeSantis unveils immigration platform with Trump in mind
Read full article: At Texas-Mexico border, Ron DeSantis unveils immigration platform with Trump in mindThe Florida governor calls for deputizing local law enforcement to police the border and deport migrants, saying his plan is āmore aggressiveā than the former presidentās proposals.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn wants the U.S. to train Mexican troops to fight drug cartels
Read full article: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn wants the U.S. to train Mexican troops to fight drug cartelsThe Republican from Texas introduced the legislation after meeting with Mexicoās president and calling for more cooperation between the two countries.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigation finds multiple failings in the death of 8-year-old girl in federal custody
Read full article: U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigation finds multiple failings in the death of 8-year-old girl in federal custodyAfter discovering that contracted medical staff ignored the motherās pleas to take the girl to the hospital as her condition declined, the federal agency said it is taking action to ensure an in-custody death ānever happens again.ā
8-year-old girl dies while in federal custody on the border
Read full article: 8-year-old girl dies while in federal custody on the borderThe child and her family were in custody at a border station in Harlingen before she was transported to a local hospital. The death comes less than a week after the expiration of Title 42, which had allowed authorities to quickly expel migrants from the U.S. during the pandemic.
Border migrant encounters have dropped by half since Title 42 ended, federal official says
Read full article: Border migrant encounters have dropped by half since Title 42 ended, federal official saysFederal officials had about 10,000 encounters with migrants per day at the U.S.-Mexico border before the emergency health order ended late Thursday. Since Friday they have had about 5,000 encounters per day.
After Title 42ās end, Texas DPS pauses Austin patrols so officers can head to the border
Read full article: After Title 42ās end, Texas DPS pauses Austin patrols so officers can head to the borderDespite no major influx in border crossings, state troopers will be relocated to border cities. Austin and the Texas Department of Public Safety faced criticism for the racial disparities in state trooper arrests in the capital.
Border didnāt see a āmajor influxā of migrants when Title 42 ended, federal official says
Read full article: Border didnāt see a āmajor influxā of migrants when Title 42 ended, federal official saysAlthough migrants lined up by the hundreds in El Paso and other border crossings as the public health order was winding down, a Biden administration official said there wasnāt a rush to the border when Title 42 was lifted.
Title 42 ends with migrants lined up and border cities braced for the unknown
Read full article: Title 42 ends with migrants lined up and border cities braced for the unknownLong lines formed again next to the border wall in El Paso ā a scene repeated in other parts of the southern border ā as migrants anticipated the end of a policy that has allowed immigration agents to quickly expel them.
Migrants waiting to cross the border say governmentās app for asylum-seekers is a mess
Read full article: Migrants waiting to cross the border say governmentās app for asylum-seekers is a messHundreds of migrants have waited on the U.S. bank of the Rio Grande for days to be apprehended. Others say they want to follow the rules to enter legally ā if they could just get the government phone app to work.
As U.S. prepares to end rapid expulsions of migrants, a Venezuelan family decides to risk crossing the border
Read full article: As U.S. prepares to end rapid expulsions of migrants, a Venezuelan family decides to risk crossing the borderA Venezuelan couple with two children waited in Mexico for weeks for a chance to claim asylum. They decided to cross the border after a relative died in a detention center fire and other family members successfully made it across.
As Title 42 comes to an end, El Paso declares state of emergency
Read full article: As Title 42 comes to an end, El Paso declares state of emergencyEl Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser said asylum-seekers are camping out on the sidewalks and staying at shelters in Ciudad JuƔrez, Mexico, under the false notion that they will be allowed to enter the U.S. once Title 42 expires.
New Biden plan will let people in Latin American countries apply to legally enter U.S., Canada or Spain
Read full article: New Biden plan will let people in Latin American countries apply to legally enter U.S., Canada or SpainAs it prepares for the end of Title 42, which lets U.S. officials rapidly expel migrants, the Biden administration said it will open centers in Guatemala and Colombia where people can apply to legally enter the three participating nations.
U.S. Supreme Court cancels arguments over Title 42, the pandemic-era policy to quickly turn away migrants
Read full article: U.S. Supreme Court cancels arguments over Title 42, the pandemic-era policy to quickly turn away migrantsThe case is expected to become moot in May when the Biden administration lifts the nationās COVID-19 emergency order. Once that order lifts, Title 42 is expected to automatically end.
Texas heat-related deaths reached a two-decade high in 2022 amid extreme temperatures
Read full article: Texas heat-related deaths reached a two-decade high in 2022 amid extreme temperaturesA Texas Tribune analysis of state data found that at least 279 people in Texas were killed by heat last year, and a large portion of those deaths were likely migrants who died after crossing the border.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy says heāll use debt ceiling threat to push through his border security plan
Read full article: U.S. Rep. Chip Roy says heāll use debt ceiling threat to push through his border security planThe debt ceiling has long been a political tool to force partisan agenda items across. But Roy is facing some resistance within his own party on his border plan.
Ahead of El Paso visit, Biden says U.S. will allow 30,000 migrants from four countries to enter monthly
Read full article: Ahead of El Paso visit, Biden says U.S. will allow 30,000 migrants from four countries to enter monthlyMigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela will be allowed entry and given work permits. The administration will also expand the use of Title 42 to expel more migrants to Mexico.
With rifles and razor wire, National Guard and state troopers are blocking migrants at the border in El Paso
Read full article: With rifles and razor wire, National Guard and state troopers are blocking migrants at the border in El PasoAs cities on the Texas-Mexico border continue preparing for a possible influx of migrants and Title 42 remains in limbo, a shallow spot in the Rio Grande where thousands have recently crossed became the scene of a standoff Monday.
U.S. Supreme Court allows rapid removal of migrants to continue as legal challenge plays out
Read full article: U.S. Supreme Court allows rapid removal of migrants to continue as legal challenge plays outTitle 42, an emergency health order invoked at the start of the pandemic, allows immigration agents to quickly remove migrants from the country. It was scheduled to be lifted on Wednesday.
Anticipating a surge in border crossings amid cold temperatures, El Paso declares a state of emergency
Read full article: Anticipating a surge in border crossings amid cold temperatures, El Paso declares a state of emergencyWith Title 42 ending Wednesday, El Paso officials expect the number of migrants crossing the border could double. Declaring a state of emergency should open more options to provide migrants shelter from below-freezing temperatures.
Federal health order allowing rapid removal of migrants must end Wednesday, court rules
Read full article: Federal health order allowing rapid removal of migrants must end Wednesday, court rulesThe Biden administration attempted to end Title 42 earlier this year before a federal judge blocked the move. A different federal court has now ordered that the federal health order be lifted.
U.S. judge in Amarillo halts Biden administrationās attempt to end āremain in Mexicoā policy
Read full article: U.S. judge in Amarillo halts Biden administrationās attempt to end āremain in Mexicoā policyThe Biden administration stopped enrolling new asylum seekers into the Trump-era program in August.
In El Paso, migrants are sleeping on the streets after thousands crossed the border last weekend
Read full article: In El Paso, migrants are sleeping on the streets after thousands crossed the border last weekendA Nicaraguan fisherman planned to spend the night in a parking garage with other migrants, then a good Samaritan offered him a place to sleep. The city is struggling to handle a sudden influx of migrants that has overwhelmed local resources.
An Afghan soldier fleeing the Taliban spent months reaching the U.S. to request asylum. He was arrested at the Texas border.
Read full article: An Afghan soldier fleeing the Taliban spent months reaching the U.S. to request asylum. He was arrested at the Texas border.Abdul Wasi Safi was trying to reach his brother, who immigrated legally to Houston after helping the U.S. military. Legal experts say Wasi may have to serve a criminal sentence before he can pursue asylum.
U.S. canāt quickly expel migrants under pandemic-era health rule, federal judge says
Read full article: U.S. canāt quickly expel migrants under pandemic-era health rule, federal judge saysTitle 42 was invoked early in the pandemic by the Trump administration and continued under President Joe Biden. Since then, immigration officials have used it more than 2 million times to turn away asylum-seekers at the border.
āThanks, and God bless youā: Asylum-seekers allowed to enter U.S. after āremain in Mexicoā ends
Read full article: āThanks, and God bless youā: Asylum-seekers allowed to enter U.S. after āremain in Mexicoā endsTwo weeks after a federal judge allowed the Biden administration to end the Trump-era Migrant Protection Protocols, U.S. judges are beginning to allow migrants to stay in the country as their asylum claims are pending.
Supreme Court rules Biden administration can end āremain in Mexicoā policy, sending case back to a Texas court
Read full article: Supreme Court rules Biden administration can end āremain in Mexicoā policy, sending case back to a Texas courtThe Trump administration created the Migrant Protection Protocols, also called āremain in Mexico,ā in 2019 before the Biden administration canceled it in 2021. The ruling sends the case back to a Texas federal court.
Judge blocks Biden administration from lifting public health order used to quickly expel migrants
Read full article: Judge blocks Biden administration from lifting public health order used to quickly expel migrantsThe administration was set to end Title 42, a pandemic-era rule aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, on Monday. A lengthy legal battle is likely.
Her daughters are U.S. citizens. A federal health rule wonāt let this Guatemalan mother enter the country with them.
Read full article: Her daughters are U.S. citizens. A federal health rule wonāt let this Guatemalan mother enter the country with them.After drug cartel members began demanding monthly payments, she took her daughters to the border to seek asylum. Theyāve been waiting in a JuĆ”rez shelter for more than a year.
Hereās what you need to know about Title 42, the pandemic-era policy that quickly sends migrants to Mexico
Read full article: Hereās what you need to know about Title 42, the pandemic-era policy that quickly sends migrants to MexicoThe public health order that expels migrants to Mexico was launched early in the pandemic, and the Biden administrationās intention to end it has sparked a legal battle.
Judge orders Biden administration to send Central American migrants to Mexico rather than their home countries
Read full article: Judge orders Biden administration to send Central American migrants to Mexico rather than their home countriesThe Louisiana judge said heāll hold a hearing in May to decide whether to block the administration from halting Title 42, the Trump-era health order that quickly sends all migrants back to Mexico.
U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on whether Biden can toss Trumpās āremain in Mexicoā policy
Read full article: U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on whether Biden can toss Trumpās āremain in Mexicoā policyThe Biden administration had ended the policy that forced 70,000 migrants to wait in Mexico. But a federal judge in Texas forced the administration to restart the program in December.
Top U.S. border official says busing migrants out of Texas complicates federal officialsā jobs
Read full article: Top U.S. border official says busing migrants out of Texas complicates federal officialsā jobsThe U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner said Gov. Greg Abbott isnāt coordinating with the agency as Texas sends migrants far from their immigration proceedings.
First bus of migrants arrives in Washington, D.C., from Texas under Abbottās new controversial plan
Read full article: First bus of migrants arrives in Washington, D.C., from Texas under Abbottās new controversial planAbout 30 people from Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua traveled to the U.S. capital as part of Gov. Greg Abbottās new plan in response to the end of Title 42.
Gov. Greg Abbottās plan to bus migrants to Washington, D.C., will be voluntary
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbottās plan to bus migrants to Washington, D.C., will be voluntaryAbbott said heās responding to the Biden administration announcement that it will lift a pandemic-era emergency health order that allowed immigration authorities to turn away migrants at the border, even those seeking asylum.
Texas Republicans pushed Biden administration to keep rule that turns asylum-seekers away at the border
Read full article: Texas Republicans pushed Biden administration to keep rule that turns asylum-seekers away at the borderThe Biden administration will drop the policy that critics have called an inhumane rule.
Bidenās latest border moves spur criticism that heās continuing wall construction
Read full article: Bidenās latest border moves spur criticism that heās continuing wall constructionThe administration says itās filling in wall gaps for agent safety and flood control, and documents suggest an environmental assessment for 86 miles of wall in South Texas is a stalling tactic.
Feds seek to protect rare Texas plant in the path of border wall construction
Read full article: Feds seek to protect rare Texas plant in the path of border wall constructionThe U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a rule earlier this week to list the prostrate milkweed, which lives along the Texas-Mexico border, as an endangered species. The rare plant is threatened in part by border security activities, scientists say.
āI thought he was going to kill meā: Migrants say return of Trump-era border policy will put asylum seekers in danger
Read full article: āI thought he was going to kill meā: Migrants say return of Trump-era border policy will put asylum seekers in dangerA Cuban woman sent to Ciudad JuĆ”rez after seeking asylum in El Paso was raped as she waited for her U.S. court date. She worries more migrants could be victims of violence as the Biden administration revives the "remain in Mexico" program.
The number of undocumented immigrants in detention centers has increased by more than 50% since Biden took office
Read full article: The number of undocumented immigrants in detention centers has increased by more than 50% since Biden took officeA Texas construction worker whoās been locked up for 11 months is one of an increasing number of undocumented immigrants detained since Biden took office ā despite the presidentās instructions to prioritize more dangerous immigrants.
U.S. to reopen land borders with Mexico to vaccinated travelers starting in November
Read full article: U.S. to reopen land borders with Mexico to vaccinated travelers starting in NovemberThe borders were closed to nonessential travel in March 2020, which hurt businesses in Texas border cities that rely on Mexican shoppers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protectionās closure of Del Rio bridge disrupts businesses and jobs on Texas side of the U.S.-Mexico border
Read full article: U.S. Customs and Border Protectionās closure of Del Rio bridge disrupts businesses and jobs on Texas side of the U.S.-Mexico borderFederal officials have halted traffic so they can process thousands of Haitian migrants seeking asylum. The closure has made it difficult for the Texas cityās binational employees and business owners to keep normal operations going.
Border patrol agents criticized for treatment of Haitian migrants in Del Rio as U.S. tries to dissuade more from coming
Read full article: Border patrol agents criticized for treatment of Haitian migrants in Del Rio as U.S. tries to dissuade more from comingHomeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned would-be migrants that āyour journey will not succeedā and promised to investigate the actions of mounted agents at the Rio Grande.
Biden administration speeds up deportation flights for Haitians in growing Texas migrant camp
Read full article: Biden administration speeds up deportation flights for Haitians in growing Texas migrant campThe situation in Del Rio spiraled this week as more than 15,000 migrants, many of them from Haiti, arrived at the border in recent days, settling in a makeshift camp as they waited for CBP agents to process their petitions to stay in the U.S.
Asylum-seeking families and children made up nearly half of July border crossings: āThis is young mamas and daddies trying to save their familiesā
Read full article: Asylum-seeking families and children made up nearly half of July border crossings: āThis is young mamas and daddies trying to save their familiesāMigrant crossings on the U.S.-Mexico border reached a 21-year high in July. This video takes you to the epicenter: Texasā Rio Grande Valley, where more crossings are happening than in any other region in the country.
Texas judgeās order to revive āremain in Mexicoā policy misinterprets immigration law, migrant advocates say
Read full article: Texas judgeās order to revive āremain in Mexicoā policy misinterprets immigration law, migrant advocates sayAdvocates say the policy that forced 70,000 non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are pending will create dire conditions for migrants if itās revived.
Justice Department sues Texas over Gov. Greg Abbottās order for law enforcement to pull over vehicles with migrants
Read full article: Justice Department sues Texas over Gov. Greg Abbottās order for law enforcement to pull over vehicles with migrantsOn Wednesday, Abbott issued the order, allowing Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to reroute civilian vehicles back to their origin point or a port of entry, or seize the vehicles, if police suspect the driver is transporting migrants who have COVID-19.
U.S. attorney general blasts Texas Gov. Greg Abbottās latest border directive and threatens a legal battle
Read full article: U.S. attorney general blasts Texas Gov. Greg Abbottās latest border directive and threatens a legal battleOne day after Abbott told state troopers to pull over vehicles with migrants suspected of having COVID-19, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the governor's order violated federal law.
Immigration and border security remain top concerns of Texas voters, UT/TT Poll finds
Read full article: Immigration and border security remain top concerns of Texas voters, UT/TT Poll findsImmigration and border security continue to top Texas voters' list of most important problems facing the state. It is a particular concern of Republican voters.
In first trip to U.S.-Mexico border as vice president, Kamala Harris focuses on causes of immigration
Read full article: In first trip to U.S.-Mexico border as vice president, Kamala Harris focuses on causes of immigrationHarris toured Border Patrol facilities in El Paso and met with local groups that aid migrants, but Republicans continued to attack her for not visiting the Rio Grande Valley, where a large number of border apprehensions are happening.
Texas border wall project receives over $450K in donations, a week after Gov. Greg Abbott announced plans
Read full article: Texas border wall project receives over $450K in donations, a week after Gov. Greg Abbott announced plansGov. Greg Abbott pledged $250 million in state funds for a Texas-Mexico border wall and is soliciting donations to fund the rest.
Kamala Harris to visit El Paso on Friday in first trip to U.S.-Mexico border as vice president
Read full article: Kamala Harris to visit El Paso on Friday in first trip to U.S.-Mexico border as vice presidentFormer President Donald Trump plans on touring Texasā southern border with Gov. Greg Abbott later this month.
Texas empties prison to prepare to detain immigrants arrested during ramped-up border enforcement
Read full article: Texas empties prison to prepare to detain immigrants arrested during ramped-up border enforcementThe prison ā Dolph Briscoe Unit in Dilley ā will have capacity for about 1,000 people.
Gov. Greg Abbott announces Texas is providing initial $250 million ādown paymentā for border wall
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott announces Texas is providing initial $250 million ādown paymentā for border wallThe governor did not specify how long the wall would be or where it would be built. He directed the Texas Facilities Commission to hire a program manager to begin that research.
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to build a border wall, but does Texas have the ability ā or money ā to do so?
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott wants to build a border wall, but does Texas have the ability ā or money ā to do so?Critics have denounced Abbott's proposal as "political theater" that won't pass legal muster. But the two-term Republican governor says it's time to secure the border.
Join ProPublica and The Texas Tribune for a conversation about President Bidenās border policy
Read full article: Join ProPublica and The Texas Tribune for a conversation about President Bidenās border policyA panel of experts will discuss the policy decisions that have created confusion at the border, what to expect in the coming months and possible paths to reform.