Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico border
Reporters from both organizations spent a day documenting the reality on the border. Here’s a summary of what they found. Full Story
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Alejandro Serrano writes about Texas politics and government, with a focus on immigration and education issues. Since joining the Tribune, he has helped investigate the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, lived for half a year in Eagle Pass during a temporary assignment covering immigration and documented a variety of major occurrences in the state from Houston, where he used to live. He previously covered education for the Houston Chronicle and breaking news for the San Francisco Chronicle. The Long Island, New York, native received his bachelor's degree in journalism from Northeastern University. He is based in Austin and speaks fluent Spanish.
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![A private border wall that extends nearly three miles is seen in Mission, Texas on Aug. 9, 2024.]()
Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune -
Many Americans say immigration is out of control, but 24 hours on the Texas-Mexico border showed a new reality. Will it last?
The Texas Tribune and The Associated Press visited five locations along the 1,254-mile span to separate the facts from the political narrative during a heated election year. Full Story
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![Christina Smallwood, foreground, and Andrés García, Border Patrol agents and Public Affairs officers look for migrants underneath the vehicular McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge in Hidalgo, Texas, early Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.]()
Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune -
Ken Paxton sues Travis County to block voter registration efforts
The Texas attorney general filed a similar lawsuit earlier this week against Bexar County, which includes San Antonio. Full Story
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![Voter registration forms at a booth on the campus of UT-Austin on Oct. 11, 2022.]()
Credit: May-Ying Lam for The Texas Tribune -
Group of Texas Democrats asks DOJ to investigate Texas over possible voter rights violations
The request by the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter to the Department of Justice follows a similar request by a Latino civil rights organization. Full Story
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![A bipartisan testing crew uses voting machines and tabulators during a state-mandated logic and accuracy test on Sept. 21 at the Hays County government building in San Marcos. Texas law requires public testing of the voting machines before and after every election.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Judge rejects Ken Paxton’s bid to question leader of Brownsville migrant aid organization
The AG’s office sought to depose the leader of Team Brownsville, which provides water, shelter and basic necessities to asylum-seeking migrants. Full Story
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![Asylum seekers wait in line to get a meal provided by Team Brownsville near the Gateway International Bridge in Matamoros, Mexico on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. Most of the people have been sent back under the Migrant Protection Protocols, MPP, also known as “Remain in Mexico” program along with some Mexican nationals awaiting their turn to seek asylum in the U.S.]()
Credit: Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Latino leaders label voter fraud investigation “nonsense,” call for federal, state reviews
At a news conference, Texas House candidate Cecilia Castellano did not address any of the allegations Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office laid out in search warrant affidavits. Full Story
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![Cecilia Castellano speaks at a League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) press conference on Mon. August 26th, to discuss a series of raids conducted by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Castellano is the Democratic candidate for state House District 80.]()
Credit: Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribune -
Warrants detail allegations that led to search of Democratic candidate for Texas House
The Texas attorney general’s office searched the home of Cecilia Castellano and a Democratic legislative aide. It said it’s investigating vote harvesting. Activists called it “intimidation.” Full Story
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![Mail-in ballot application.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Judge rejects Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to shut down Houston immigrant rights group
Paxton’s office claimed the group broke rules prohibiting political activity by nonprofits, but the judge rejected the case outright. Full Story
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![Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, speaks during a press conference to announce the Drive-Thru Eviction Aid Fair on Jan. 14, 2021, outside of the George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Federal Building in Houston.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ busing of migrants hits a speed bump as fewer enter country
The bus trips to Democrat-run cities stopped after June as the number of migrants apprehended across the southwest border plummeted. Full Story
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![A bus with dozens of migrants, including included several family units, leaves a shelter and heads to New York City on Aug. 31, 2022, in El Paso. The city and county of El Paso are sponsoring (to be reimbursed by FEMA) the voluntary trips to relieve pressure on local resources and shelters.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Houston immigrants’ rights org over political speech
Attorney General Ken Paxton has targeted similar organizations that aid migrants at the border. The lawsuit appears to be the first to focus on political speech and rules that govern nonprofits. Full Story
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![Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune