The latest border news from The Texas Tribune.
Many in El Paso say the conditions are just right for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform with bipartisan support. And they say that some lawmakers' demands for more border security first ignore reality. Full Story
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Two years after legislation to ban "sanctuary cities" was made a top priority, immigration legislation is barely discussed at the state Capitol. It’s put some lawmakers in a weird spot — especially when some of their own recently came out in support of what’s a no-no in politics — amnesty. Full Story
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Democratic Texas House members on Wednesday filed an immigration resolution that could serve as a litmus test for Republican support for reforms being suggested at the national level. Full Story
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The Texas agriculture commissioner on his book and campaign to highlight what he sees as a crisis on the border, his opinions on which immigration policies work and which don't, and why Americans shouldn't believe it when they are told the border is secure. Full Story
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El Paso again ranks as the safest city of its size, according to a report released the same day that Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano visited the border city. Full Story
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A decision by the Texas Railroad Commission has paved the way for an open-pit coal mine to begin operating on the Texas-Mexico border. Opponents of the plan are weighing their options, which include making a request for another hearing. Full Story
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State Rep. Lance Gooden says he will carry legislation to make it illegal to use a drone to capture video or photographs of private property without the consent of the property’s owner or occupant. Full Story
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized about 1.7 million pounds of narcotics in Texas in fiscal 2012, about 270,000 pounds more than their counterparts in Arizona, New Mexico and California combined. Full Story
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President Obama on Tuesday offered his own plan for immigration reform, and his proposal earned both praise and criticism in Texas. Full Story
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Eight U.S. senators unveiled a plan Monday for an overhaul of the country’s immigration system. Reaction in Texas ranged from praise to concerns over the plan’s border-security component. Full Story
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Some Mexican and American officials hope that the gun control debate might spur laws that curb the flow of illegal weapons over the United States' southern border. But others say that changing gun laws in the U.S. would not change gun behavior in Mexico. Full Story
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Republicans and Democrats say the appointment of Eduardo Medina Mora as Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. opens an opportunity for the nations to forge a new relationship. Full Story
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Officials on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border have reported a decrease in holiday season tourism, likely due to the persistent threat of Mexican drug violence. But Mexico's new president hopes to do something about that. Full Story
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A former U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent says that a new security policy announced in Mexico signals a growing focus on sovereignty and a shift from some initiatives considered priorities by the United States. Full Story
New President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico recently announced a plan targeting violence in the country. As the country and analysts wait to see results, some aren’t placing bets that the situation will improve soon. Full Story
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Weeks after Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto's inauguration, a group of activists in Texas is organizing a new effort they say will serve as a watchdog to monitor Mexico's treatment of its citizens. Full Story
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Plans for a coal mine in Eagle Pass took a step forward last month and could get final approval in January. But opponents of the proposal, who say the project raises serious health concerns, say they haven't given up the fight. Full Story
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Twenty years after NAFTA was enacted, stakeholders met in Texas to discuss its future. A who's who of business leaders touted NAFTA's success. But critics say the pact created an unbalanced economy and displaced workers. Full Story
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Days before taking office as the next president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto will visit the White House on Tuesday to take part in a discussion likely to focus on trade, the economy and transnational violence. Full Story
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Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. said Thursday that a new initiative would let certain Mexican cargo trucks bound for America be inspected south of the border and be allowed to circumvent lines at U.S. ports of entry. Full Story
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