The bodies are found in abandoned fields, along river banks and in hastily dug graves. They end up in the central morgue’s Department of Forensic Anthropology, a wrenching testament to the human toll of decades of violence.
Jay Root
Jay Root is an award-winning journalist who reported for the Tribune from 2011 to 2020. He covered the dramatic collapse of Gov. Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential campaign and went on to write an ebook about it called “Oops! A Diary from the 2012 Campaign Trail.” Root also broke the story that put the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, on the path toward criminal indictment, co-wrote an exposé that brought an end to privately funded prosecutions in Travis County, and authored a series of watchdog articles that prompted a wave of firings and resignations at two major state agencies.
In 2017, Root co-directed “Beyond The Wall,” a film exploring border politics in the age of Trump, which won a national Edward R. Murrow award for best news documentary. Root’s latest film, “Border Hustle,” was released in early 2019 and reveals how desperate migrants have become cash cows on both sides of the border.
Previously, for a dozen years, Root was Austin bureau chief of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where he chronicled the rise of then-Gov. George W. Bush, wrote about cartel violence in Mexico and covered Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. During a three-year stint at the Associated Press, Root was twice named AP Staff Reporter of the Year for his watchdog reporting, including a story that sparked felony charges against a sitting state representative.
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Bordering on Insecurity
To Die or to Leave: Migrants Flee the Murder Capital of the World
Meet some of the Central Americans who are fleeing violence and abject poverty at home, only to endure shakedowns and abuse on their way to an uncertain future in the United States. This mini-documentary is part of our Bordering on Insecurity project.
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Bordering on Insecurity
Central Americans Fleeing Poverty, Gang Wars Driven to U.S. Border
The challenge of securing the southern U.S. border is changing dramatically as fewer Mexicans cross illegally, but more Central Americans arrive seeking refuge from the terror and chaos of their home countries.
Posted inState Government
Trump and Clinton Finally Face Off (Podcast)
This week on The Ticket: Ben Philpott and Jay Root record the podcast during the first presidential debate — and before a live audience at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin.
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Bordering on Insecurity
Austin Poised to Become First True “Sanctuary City” In Texas
With the likely election of a new Democratic sheriff in November, Austin is poised to become the first true “sanctuary city” in GOP-ruled Texas if Travis County stops cooperating with federal immigration policies.
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Bordering on Insecurity
Focus Shifts to Border Patrol Agent’s Brother
New disclosures in the capital murder case involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent point to the central role allegedly played by the agent’s younger brother, described in court papers as a Gulf Cartel “commander.”
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Bordering on Insecurity
Indicted Border Patrol Agent’s Brother Strikes Deal in Beheading Case
The brother of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with capital murder in a gruesome beheading that authorities say was a Mexican cartel hit struck a surprise deal Thursday to cooperate with prosecutors in their case against his siblings and other defendants.
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The Ticket
“Chachi Loves Trump” and Other RNC Searches (Podcast)
This week on The Ticket: KUT’s Ben Philpott talks with a couple of people on the ground in Cleveland at the GOP national convention including a Data Editor at Google who is tracking real-time reaction to the speeches.
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Bordering on Insecurity
Help Us Report on the Texas-Mexico Border by Sharing Your Experience
Is the Texas-Mexico border your home? Help us tell the real story about life on this unique stretch of the Lone Star State.
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Bordering on Insecurity
Revisit our Border Corruption Series
In the last week, we’ve published several investigations into what happens when border watchdogs turn criminal — from smuggling drugs and immigrants to getting mixed up with Mexican cartels. Revisit our Bordering on Insecurity project.