Senate Bill 36, a priority bill for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, would create an office within the Department of Public Safety focused on immigration enforcement, organized crime and threats to state infrastructure.
Department of Public Safety
Posted in
Criminal Justice
More than 40 people arrested at Texas home amid Tren de Aragua investigation
Authorities did not say how the individuals arrested in Hays County may be tied to the Venezuelan gang. It was also unclear what criminal charges people may face, though drugs were seized.
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Criminal Justice
Feds target “criminals and illegal immigrants” in Houston-area development, Abbott says
The Colony Ridge development has long been under scrutiny from conservative lawmakers, think tanks and influencers who cast it as a hotbed for undocumented immigrants and cartel crime.
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Criminal Justice
Gov. Greg Abbott directs DPS to bolster anti-terrorism efforts after New Orleans attack
The governor is calling for an expansion of in-state anti-terrorism programs and an increase in federal partnerships.
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State Government
Texas driver license offices reopen after systemwide outage
The outage appeared only to affect the Texas public safety department. Driver license offices reopened after the New Year’s Day holiday.
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Criminal Justice
Freeman Martin selected to lead the Texas Department of Public Safety
Martin, a senior official, takes the helm of the agency on Dec. 1, replacing retiring director Steve McCraw.
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2024 Texas Elections
Judge tosses Ken Paxton’s lawsuit targeting Bexar County’s voter registration effort
The county told a state district court judge that the applications were already mailed out and any ruling would be moot.
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Health care
State health department blocks transgender Texans from changing sex on birth certificates
The agency quietly rolled out the policy change on its website last week, days after DPS blocked changes to the sex listed on a Texas driver’s license.
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Criminal Justice
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw retiring after 15 years as state’s top law enforcement officer
The longtime head of the Department of Public Safety will step down at the end of the year.
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Health care
Transgender Texans blocked from changing their sex on their driver’s license
The Texas Department of Public Safety rule change surfaced in an internal email that also asks driver license staff to compile the names of people seeking a gender marker change.
