The Evening Brief: Aug. 15, 2012

Culled:

•   Illegal Immigrants Line Up by Thousands for Deportation Deferrals (The New York Times): "Long lines of illegal immigrants hoping for the opportunity to stay in the United States without fear of being deported stretched for blocks in cities around the country on Wednesday as they sought to apply for a new federal initiative that allows young immigrants to defer deportation."

•   Rubio in Houston calls Obama "a painful disaster" (Houston Chronicle): "Before an audience of Hispanic Republicans gathered in Houston, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio offered a preview of his remarks at the Republican National Convention, labeling President Barack Obama 'a painful disaster for millions of Americans' and challenger Mitt Romney as both a successful businessman and 'a successful person.'"

•   Pa. voter ID law gets approval of state judge (The Washington Post): "A Pennsylvania judge ruled Wednesday that a new Republican-supported state voter ID law could be implemented for Election Day, despite objections that it was a partisan attempt to hurt President Obama and could cost thousands of voters the right to cast ballots.

New in The Texas Tribune:

•   Caravan From Mexico to Fault U.S. Drug Policy During Visit to Texas: "Mexican poet Javier Sicilia will bring a caravan to Texas this month to publicly condemn American drug policies and Mexico's approach to fighting drug-related crime."

•   Shootings Don't Spark Calls for Gun Restrictions: "Despite recent high-profile shootings in Texas and other states, advocates on all sides of the gun-control debate say there is little chance for change to gun laws."

•   Report: Students Should Keep Debt in Mind When Deciding on Major: "College students hoping to have an easier time paying off their student loans may want to consider carefully which major they pursue, according to a new report prepared for the Legislature."