Federal officials said this week that a change to how the federal government decides asylum cases is meant to stamp out fraud. But immigration attorneys and human rights watchdogs said the policy would probably do more harm than good.
Julián Aguilar
Julián Aguilar reported for the Tribune from 2009 to 2021, most recently on politics and on the Texas-Mexico border. He focused on 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.
Posted in
Demographics
Texas lawmakers hope Trump’s State of the Union speech clarifies his immigration plan
After the release of a framework of the White House’s plan on immigration and border security, President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech will preview how much he is willing to compromise to get something to his desk.
Posted in
Economy
AG Paxton says he will consider suing to end DACA if court case drags on
In an amicus brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday stated that if the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program still exists in June, his office would consider filing suit to eliminate the program.
Posted in
Immigration
Sen. John Cornyn: There’s a deal to be had on DACA, border security
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said on Tuesday that there was a “deal to be made” on DACA and border security now that the federal government has resumed operating. But he said that extending a March deadline that ends the deferred action program wouldn’t be a wise move.
Posted in
Economy
U.S. Rep. Will Hurd announces “narrow and bipartisan” bill to save DACA
Republican U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, on Tuesday said he would file legislation to protect young undocumented immigrants from deportation and beef up border enforcement. The move comes as federal lawmakers face a Friday deadline to pass a measure to keep the federal government functioning.
Posted in
Economy
In Texas and beyond, some watch Mexican presidential campaign with free trade concerns
Free trade and security concerns are just two of the issues Texas business leaders are looking at as Mexico is less than six months away from electing its next president.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Lt. Gov. Patrick wants AG Paxton to look into San Antonio immigrant smuggling case
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday asked Attorney General Ken Paxton to look into a December human smuggling case in San Antonio. Patrick wants to know if how the chief of the San Antonio Police Department handled the case violated Texas’ immigration enforcement law.
Posted in
Economy
Trump administration policy shift could force tens of thousands of Salvadorans to leave Texas
The federal government announced Monday that the Temporary Protected Status for Salvadoran immigrants will not be renewed after being in place since 2001. There are more than 260,000 Salvadoran immigrants with the status in the United States, including more than 36,000 in Texas.
Posted in
The Taking
How a South Texas bureaucrat became a multimillionaire amid the rush to build a border fence
A decade ago as the federal government rushed to construct 60 miles of barrier in the Rio Grande Valley, it entrusted the chief of a little-known local agency to execute a compromise project. What it didn’t know was that he — and his family — stood to make millions from it.
Posted in
Politics
Federal board to reconsider asylum request of Mexican reporter and son
A Mexican reporter and his son who were on the verge of deportation earlier this month will be able to appeal their denial of an asylum claim, their lawyer confirmed on Thursday.
