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T-Squared: Thank you for helping us fund more coverage of families divided

Two weeks ago, we asked readers to help us raise $35,000 to send two reporters to the Rio Grande Valley to ramp up our coverage of the family separation crisis. As of today, we’re thrilled to report we’ve raised nearly $75,000.

by Emily Ramshaw

Families from Guatemala and Honduras wait for their opportunity to apply for asylum. The said the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents on the American side of the bridge have not given them much information other than they need to wait here.
Families from Guatemala and Honduras wait to apply for asylum at the Texas-Mexico border. Credit: Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribune

There's no other way to say it: We are absolutely humbled by the outpouring of support for our crowdfund to expand The Texas Tribune's border coverage.

Barely two weeks ago, we asked readers to help us raise $35,000 to send two reporters to the Rio Grande Valley to ramp up our coverage of the family separation crisis along the Texas-Mexico border. As of today, we’re thrilled to report that we’ve raised nearly $60,000 in pledges and gifts — plus a $15,000 match made possible by the generosity of The John and Florence Newman Foundation.

Please accept my personal thanks for your support — we do not take for granted what being a member-supported newsroom means or what a difference your contributions make to our ability to pursue fearless journalism in the public interest.

With your help, here are just a few things our reporters are doing, from our Austin headquarters to El Paso to our new outpost in the Rio Grande Valley:

  • Building sources with law enforcement, prosecutors’ offices, defense attorneys, immigrant families and their advocates
  • Tracking court dockets and dogging federal courthouses to see how the federal government’s since-reversed “zero tolerance” policy continues to play out at the border
  • Getting copies of immigrant detention contracts and subcontracts, poring over congressional testimony and reviewing civil lawsuits
  • Conducting jailhouse interviews and heading out on ride-alongs with the U.S. Border Patrol
  • Tapping deep into the world of smugglers and traffickers
  • Holding state and local leaders accountable for their rhetoric and oversight roles in immigration and border security matters

Credible, high-quality journalism doesn’t come free. Thank you for making it possible.

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Emily Ramshaw’s staff photo

Quality journalism doesn't come free

Perhaps it goes without saying — but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. At a time when newsroom resources and revenue across the country are declining, The Texas Tribune remains committed to sustaining our mission: creating a more engaged and informed Texas with every story we cover, every event we convene and every newsletter we send. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on members to help keep our stories free and our events open to the public. Do you value our journalism? Show us with your support.

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