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Julián Aguilar reports on politics and border affairs from the Texas-Mexico border. His focuses include immigration reform and enforcement, voter ID, international trade, border security, and the drug trade. His political coverage has included local, legislative and congressional races in Texas, as well as local and national elections in Mexico. Before joining The Texas Tribune, he was a freelance writer for the Fort Worth Weekly, a government and crime reporter for the Laredo Morning Times, and a political writer for the Rio Grande Guardian. A native of El Paso, he has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Texas and a master's degree in journalism from the Frank W. Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism at the University of North Texas.
The Government Accountability Office found that the government spent $66 million in taxpayer money over five months to hold an average of 28 people per day at the tent encampment near El Paso. Full Story
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The center serves more than 400 people with disabilities and it employees about 1,400 staff members. Full Story
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About 60 detainees in the South Texas ICE Processing Center staged an uprising this week. Some detainees say fear of infection sparked the incident; Immigration and Customs Enforcement disputes that account. Full Story
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement is requiring lawyers to wear personal protective equipment to detention facilities. That could keep the equipment out of the hands of medical personnel — or make it harder for lawyers to see their clients, some say. Full Story
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The potential collapse of cross-border commerce has added border store owners to the ranks of Texas restaurateurs and other small businesses who don’t know how they’ll be able to make ends meet. Full Story
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The border will be closed for all crossings other than commercial trade and specified reasons such as medical care and education. Full Story
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Fear and anxiety within the immigrant community is spreading as detainees fear an outbreak of the new coronavirus in detention facilities. Full Story
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It was business as usual Monday on the Migrant Protection Protocols docket in federal immigration courts, and groups that work in them are raising concerns about the risk to migrants and court staff. Full Story
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A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the agency does not conduct enforcement operations at medical facilities “except under extraordinary circumstances.” Full Story
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Demand for airline travel rebounded quickly after outbreaks of swine flu, SARS and MERS. But the new coronavirus, so far, is less predictable. And it’s not clear when airlines can expect to recover after Trump's European travel ban takes effect. Full Story
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From cross-border trade with Mexico to oil and gas exports, Texas could soon start feeling economic impacts as the virus spreads and affects global supply chains, trade experts say. Full Story
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The latest project will include a 30-foot-tall bollard wall, roads, lighting, cameras and other technology, Customs and Border Protection announced. Full Story
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The temporary closing of the Paso Del Norte international bridge capped off a day of confusion and chaos after a federal appellate court blocked the Migrant Protection Protocols. Full Story
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The lawmakers concede there is no major present-day outbreak of the deadly strain in Mexico, South America or Central America but note that “it can be presumed that we will see the virus spread further.” Full Story
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Webb County hasn’t seen the buildup of barriers that El Paso or the Rio Grande Valley has since 2006. But change is coming, and it's coming quickly. Full Story
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Patrick Crusius, the alleged gunman in the Aug. 3 massacre at a Walmart store, already faces state capital murder charges for the racially motivated shooting spree that also wounded dozens. Full Story
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President Donald Trump touted economic and military successes. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Austin was among Democrats who walked out. Afterwards, U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar rebutted Trump's speech from El Paso. Full Story
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As lawmakers, immigration attorneys and advocates call for the end of the Migrant Protection Protocols, the Department of Homeland Security announced it would expand to include Brazilians. Full Story
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The student recently traveled to Wuhan, China, where the deadly virus originated. Full Story
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"Resettlement funding cannot simply be reallocated to other problem areas such as homelessness," said the CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Full Story
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