Donald Trump visits Texas to tour “unfinished border wall” on U.S.-Mexico border with Gov. Greg Abbott
The former president is touring the border Wednesday with Abbott, who has promised to build a state-funded border wall. Full Story
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James Barragán was a politics reporter for The Texas Tribune with a focus on accountability reporting. Prior to joining the Tribune, James worked as a statehouse reporter for The Dallas Morning News and previously had stints at the Austin American-Statesman and the Los Angeles Times. In 2021, he was a finalist for the Toner Prize for Excellence in Local Reporting for his coverage of Texas politics during the COVID-19 pandemic. James was selected as a 2023-24 Nieman Fellow at Harvard. A Southern California native, James received his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Los Angeles. He was based in Austin and is a native Spanish speaker.
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![Texas Lt Gov. Dan Patrick, left, Gov. Greg Abbott, and former President Donald Trump attend a border security briefing to discuss further plans in securing the southern border wall on June 30, 2021, in Weslaco.]()
Credit: Brandon Bell/Getty Images via POOL -
In first trip to U.S.-Mexico border as vice president, Kamala Harris focuses on causes of immigration
Harris 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. Full Story
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![U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with members of the U.S. Border Patrol as she visited an El Paso central processing center on June 25, 2021.]()
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Texans oppose permitless carry, but support expanding Medicaid and restricting transgender student athletes, UT/TT Poll finds
The Legislature gaveled out at the end of month after passing bills on abortion, guns, police budgets and the Texas power grid. Here's how Texas voters feel about the results. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol on June 10, 2021.]()
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott is using a disaster declaration to help fund a border wall. Democrats say it’s an overreach of executive powers.
The disaster declarations give the governor broad power to suspend state laws and regulations that hinder a jurisdiction’s recovery from a disaster and to allow the use of available resources to respond to the disaster. Full Story
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller running for reelection, instead of challenging Gov. Greg Abbott
Miller was seen as a potential challenger to Abbott because of his vocal criticism of the governor's restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19 last year. Full Story
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![Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller spoke with Evan Smith on Feb. 16, 2021.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune -
Critics denounce Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick’s “invasion” rhetoric on immigration, saying it will incite violence
“If people die again, blood will be on your hands,” U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, wrote in a tweet. Full Story
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott announces Texas is providing initial $250 million "down payment" for border wall
The 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. Full Story
Credit: Sophie Park/The Texas Tribune -
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to build a border wall, but does Texas have the ability — or money — 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. Full Story
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![A segment of the border fence in the Rio Grande Valley.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond for The Texas Tribune -
Republicans think they can take South Texas — especially after a win in McAllen
Statewide officials are campaigning in the Democratic stronghold and GOP groups are now targeting statehouse districts. Full Story
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![Newly-elected McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos at City Hall on June 11, 2021.]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Lawyers prosecuting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s fraud case challenge decision to move trial back to his home county
Last month, a divided three-judge panel ruled that the case should move back to Collin County. Prosecutors are asking the full 1st Court of Appeals to review and reverse that ruling, potentially further delaying the 6-year-old case. Full Story
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![Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks to the Gun Owners of America assembly.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich for The Texas Tribune
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