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Julián Aguilar reported for the Tribune from 2009 to 2021, most recently on politics and on the Texas-Mexico border. He focused on immigration reform and enforcement, voter ID, international trade, border security, and the drug trade. His political coverage has included local, legislative and congressional races in Texas, as well as local and national elections in Mexico. Before joining The Texas Tribune, he was a freelance writer for the Fort Worth Weekly, a government and crime reporter for the Laredo Morning Times, and a political writer for the Rio Grande Guardian. A native of El Paso, he has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Texas and a master's degree in journalism from the Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism at the University of North Texas.
Months after her husband was killed in Mexico, Lorena Acosta finally laid her husband to rest on Monday in West Texas. Acosta hopes to use her personal tragedy to spotlight what she said are deep-seated problems within law enforcement south of the border. Full Story
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The number of immigrants apprehended while attempting to cross the United States' southern border rose last year, but most of the increase can be attributed to immigrants coming from countries other than Mexico. Full Story
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Texas' recent designation as one of six test states for a federal project that seeks to expand the use of drones is spotlighting how far apart border lawmakers are on using more unmanned aircraft for border security. Full Story
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Local government officials are eyeing extra revenue from Mexicans crossing the Rio Grande to save on items after a sales tax increase in Mexico's border regions. But cross-border traffic could deter some of the potential customers. Full Story
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Either the incumbent is too questionable to support or the challenger is too promising to pass up. For the progressive Lone Star Project, both are true in the race for El Paso’s House District 76. Full Story
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Campaign paychecks to a University of Texas student who sparked a national outrage with plans for a mock immigration sting on campus are at the middle of the latest Abbott vs. Davis showdown. Full Story
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George P. Bush, a Fort Worth attorney and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, continues to amass a sizable war chest in his campaign for Texas land commissioner. In six months the GOP front-runner hauled in about $773,000. Full Story
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In the wake of more violence and a resolution urging the U.S. to grant asylum to Mexicans, activists are urging lawmakers to review aid aimed at helping to end that country's drug war. Full Story
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In El Paso's House District 76 race, newcomer Cesar Blanco has a fundraising edge over state Rep. Naomi Gonzalez and former state Rep. Norma Chávez in the Democratic primary, according to the most recent filings. Full Story
The Federal Aviation Administration has selected Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi as a test site to further study the uses of unmanned aircraft systems. Full Story
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