Tony Gonzales, Chip Roy clash over mass deportation plans
Gonzales’ warning that mass removals of undocumented immigrants are unfeasible got pushback from Roy, who said everyone in the country illegally must be deported. Full Story
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![From left: U.S. Reps. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio, and Chip Roy, R-Austin.]()
Credit: The Texas Tribune -
Rural Texas officials and civic leaders discuss economic development, health care and water supply in smaller communities
The Tribune’s rural symposium highlighted the challenges the state’s far-flung regions face — and the opportunities they offer. Full Story
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How some Texas parents and historians say a new state curriculum glosses over slavery and racism
Education officials say the materials were designed to be age appropriate but critics argue they repeatedly omit key context and oversimplify history. Full Story
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![A U.S. History classroom at Akins High School in Austin, on October 2018.]()
Credit: Rachel Zein for The Texas Tribune -
A West Texas lawmaker wants to redirect millions of tax dollars to plug abandoned wells, curb emissions
The proposal comes after the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency said it needs more money to plug wells that are in some instances erupting. Full Story
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![State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, listens to Jazmin Cazares as she testifies before the House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety at the state capitol in Austin on June 23, 2022.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Federal appeals court affirms ruling that Caldwell County must hold public bail hearings
The Texas Tribune, the Caldwell/Hays Examiner and Mano Amiga challenged the county’s policy of barring the press and public from bail hearings, saying it violated the First Amendment. Full Story
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Texas can schedule Robert Roberson’s execution — but lawmakers still expect his testimony first
Roberson was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in a “shaken baby” case that many say led to an innocent man’s death sentence. Full Story
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![Robert Roberson seeks a new trial for the 2003 conviction of the murder of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, in Palestine, Texas on August 14, 2018.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Texas names new higher education chief
Wynn Rosser will be in charge of guiding the state’s postsecondary education policies. He currently leads a foundation focused on rural East Texas and previously worked at Texas A&M. Full Story
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![Wynn Rosser, then CEO of the Greater Texas Foundation, during a symposium on higher education at Baylor University in 2015.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Roberson’s execution
The state’s highest civil court ruled that legislators can’t use subpoenas to block death row inmates’ executions, but suggested there’s still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel. Full Story
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![Former Detective Brian Wharton testifies during a Criminal Jurisprudence hearing on death row inmate Robert Roberson on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Austin, TX. Wharton was an investigator in the case of the death of Nikki Roberson and has expressed his doubts of Roberson's guilt and agrees with stopping his execution. With his scheduled execution drawing closer, a hearing debating the certainty of Robreson's guilt and there is a bipartisan push to stay his execution. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
Brazos County election officials feel the strain of unrelenting scrutiny from right-wing skeptics
Voting went well in the presidential election, but Trudy Hancock and her staff are still fielding questions. And the answers don’t seem to matter. Full Story
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![BRYAN, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 5: Central county station workers aggregate election results at the Brazos Center in Bryan, Texas on November 5, 2024. Photo by Montinique Monroe for Votebeat]()
Credit: Montinique Monroe for Votebeat -
Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
With 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. Full Story
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![People in Piedras Negras, Mexico, are seen taking photos, through recently-installed concertina wire, of the U.S. side as Border Patrol agents patrol Rio Grande in Eagle Pass on Nov. 8, 2021.]()
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“Actually innocent”: Judge recommends overturning death row inmate Melissa Lucio’s conviction, sending case to Texas high court
The Cameron County judge also found the state relied on false testimony during her capital murder trial, according to court documents. Full Story
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![State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, D-Dallas, speaks at a rally organized at Dallas City Hall to free Melissa Lucio on April 7, 2022.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
Why Democrats’ abortion messaging failed to resonate in Texas, despite unpopular bans
Texas’ strict abortion bans made it “ground zero” for Democrats hoping to rile up their base, but voters prioritized economic issues. Full Story
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![Protesters marched from the federal courthouse to the Texas Capitol in opposition to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, in Austin.]()
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Texas lawmakers target property taxes, abortion and gender transition care in first bills for the 2025 session
Tuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next year’s legislative session. Full Story
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![Members vote to approve an anti-voucher amendment brought by state rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, during a marathon session on the House floor to approve HB-1 at the Capitol in Austin on April 06, 2023.]()
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Texas’ uneven population boom is creating ghost towns in many rural counties
Local leaders and rural revitalization experts say Texas’ smallest towns can survive — despite a shift to urban and suburban counties — but it will take investments. Full Story
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![Cornudas, Texas with a population of less than 20, hosts a chili cook-off hoping to draw over 1,000 visitors on September 28, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Texas colleges pitch quick credentials as a first step toward higher wages. But students often fall off the path.
Short-term certificates can only take a few weeks to get but don’t always lead to better earnings or higher degrees. Full Story
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![Angela Ramirez poses for a portrait in Austin on Nov. 13, 2024.]()
Credit: Lorianne Willett/The Texas Tribune -
How Ted Cruz pulled off a decisive win and kept his White House hopes afloat
Cruz won over Latino voters and targeted Colin Allred’s support of transgender rights to win a third term. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a debate for the U.S. Senate with U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, hosted by WFAA on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.
Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune via POOL -
Gov. Greg Abbott wants to freeze tuition at Texas colleges and universities for another two years
The governor’s directive extends a tuition freeze for Texas’ public universities that was approved in the last legislative session. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
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U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul briefly detained after appearing intoxicated at airport
A nervous flier, the House Foreign Affairs chief said he made a “poor decision” to mix Ambien and alcohol before his flight home to Texas on Nov. 4. Full Story
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![U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, speaks to reporters outside a House Republican Caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Oct. 12, 2023.]()
Credit: Julia Nikhinson for The Texas Tribune -
John Cornyn loses longtime bid to be next Senate majority leader to John Thune
Cornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate. Full Story
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![U.S. Sen. John Cornyn speaks to reporters after a briefing on Ukraine and additional funding requests at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023.]()
Credit: Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via REUTERS -
A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workers
Texas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional. Full Story
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![Tammy Thompson, left, and Katherin Youniacutt, right, pose for a portrait the night before filing a lawsuit against the state of Texas to try and reverse the 2019 law that prevents convicted felons from becoming licensed social workers.]()
Credit: Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribune