Allegations include guards attacking victims in camera “blind spots” and telling them that “no one would believe” them in ICE detention centers, which imprison about 50,000 immigrants each year at a taxpayer expense of $2.7 billion.
Aug 14, 2020 12:00 pm
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Texas 2020 Elections
Democrats, local election leaders fear Donald Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting foreshadow voter suppression
Changes at the U.S. Postal Service have raised concerns about whether ballots will be delivered on time, but local officials and Democrats stress that mail-in voting remains a vital and safe way to cast a ballot.
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Texas 2020 Elections
USPS warns Texas that some mail-in ballots may be delayed in November
It is unclear how many Texas voters may be affected should delays occur. Texas was among 46 states that received a warning from the United States Postal Service, according to The Washington Post.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas officials blame coding errors and a system update for recent COVID-19 testing data issues
Earlier this week, Texas disclosed more than 124,000 previously unreported COVID-19 tests, at a time when the proportion of positive tests results was drawing attention.
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Immigration
Advocates urge a legal review of Trump’s immigration policies after report finds two top officials are not eligible to serve
A federal report determined that two Department of Homeland Security officials, including the acting secretary, aren’t legally qualified to hold those posts.
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Coronavirus in Texas
The crushing isolation of nursing homes during the pandemic
Texas eased restrictions on visitation in long-term care facilities last week, but many families remain unsure if they will be allowed to visit. For those cut off from their loved ones for almost five months, isolation is becoming another very real threat.
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Police brutality in Texas
Texas’ largest cities spend more on police than anything else. Activists want more of those funds spent on the social safety net instead.
Austin officials slashed their police department’s budget this week as other Texas cities are rethinking how general fund dollars are spent — and whether spending so much to combat crime addresses the poverty that can cause it.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Analysis: Shopping for students without schoolrooms, Texas is spending $250 million to narrow the digital divide
In a state where an estimated 30% of the state’s 5.5 million public school students don’t have the right technology for online learning, switching to virtual classrooms is daunting. And expensive.