Root on Rick Perry's controversial new ad, Tan on the fallout, Aaronson's map of where the food stamps go, my interview with Stephen Colbert's campaign finance lawyer, Aguilar on the drop in the number of illegal immigrants crossing into Texas, Hamilton on the growth of unregulated colleges, Galbraith's interview with S. David Freeman on the environmental failures of public power, Grissom on the newest state agency and and Hamilton and M. Smith on a sudden change at the top of UT's law school: The best of our best content from December 5 to 9, 2011.

A sour economy, increased border law enforcement and skyrocketing smuggling fees are keeping more would-be crossers at home. But you wouldn't know it from the presidential campaigns.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst released more interim charges he wants Senate committees to consider before the upper chamber gavels in January 2013. And it should be a surprise to few that there's a sustained focus on the Texas-Mexico border.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst released a list today of border security-related issues he wants Senate committees to consider in advance of the 2013 legislative session.

Mayors of cities along the Texas-Mexico border intent on protecting the images of their communities are drawing vastly different conclusions about a proposal that would bring in equipment from overseas war zones to bolster border-security efforts.

In this edition of the Texas Tribune Weekend Insider, reporter Julian Aguilar explains the challenges and temptations facing business owners on the border. And reporter Morgan Smith takes us to West Texas, where school districts have benefited from the wind energy boom.

The French photographer on why he documented the construction of the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and what he learned as he trekked through four states photographing the multi-billion dollar effort.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced this week it deported more immigrants during the 2011 fiscal year than it did in any year since the agency's 2003 inception. 

Gov. Rick Perry’s suggestion he might be in favor of sending the U.S. military into Mexico to quell cartel-related violence elicited a variety of reactions, from outright dismissal to praise that he had brought the issue to the forefront of the presidential campaign. 

The former head of the U.S. Armed Forces Southern Command said Monday that if the U.S. does not provide more support to Mexico, that country's next presidential administration may have no choice but to make a deal with cartel leaders.

As Gov. Rick Perry adjusts to his front-runner status for the Republican presidential nomination, his opponents are planting seeds of doubt about how tough the border state’s longest-serving governor has been on illegal immigration.

Gov. Rick Perry repeated a familiar claim at the GOP debate: Texas' border cities, he said, are unsafe because the federal government has failed to secure the U.S.-Mexican border. But are they? 

Mexican journalist Alejandro Hernandez Pacheco was granted asylum last week by the U.S. government. His attorney says it's a sign U.S. officials are no longer confident the Mexican government can protect its citizens from drug cartels.

Former city councilman Beto O'Rourke's decision to run is no big surprise. But it sets up another big political brawl in this city known for bruising Democratic melees.

DAY 30 of our month-long series on the effects of new state laws and budget cuts: During a legislative session where hardly any services were spared the budget ax, funding for border security actually increased.

A new reporting requirement for firearms dealers in four border states, including Texas, intended to curb the flow of weapons into Mexico has prompted a veteran San Antonio gun dealer to file suit against the federal government.

The Obama administration announced today it will begin reviewing the case files of the estimated 300,000 illegal immigrants in deportation proceedings to determine which should be released from custody.

The federal government’s top border official fought back this week against heightened criticism of President Obama’s border security policy, while U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes said Rick Perry's bid for the White House made him want to "throw up."