Texas immigration law: Here’s what to know about SB 4
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to enforce its illegal entry law amid an ongoing lawsuit. Full Story
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![Texas National Guard members install a sign, meant to detract migrants from crossing the Rio Grande, at the bank of the river in Eagle Pass, on Jan. 17, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Supreme Court declines to intervene in lawsuit over West Texas A&M drag shows
The decision means university President Walter Wendler could cancel an on-campus drag show next week. He canceled a previous show last year. Full Story
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![Students rallied against the university president’s decision to cancel a drag performance at West Texas A&M University on March 23, 2023.]()
Credit: David Bowser for The Texas Tribune -
Texas sues Colony Ridge development for fraudulent real estate practices
Residents of the Houston-area development, who were maligned by Republicans last year, have complained about the developer for years. Full Story
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![A sign outside of the Colony Ridge development on Oct. 10, 2023, in New Caney, Texas.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
El Paso judge blocks Ken Paxton’s efforts to subpoena Annunciation House
The judge questioned Paxton’s true motives to investigate the shelter, saying there is “a real and credible concern” the state has a predetermined goal of shutting down Annunciation House. Full Story
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![205th District Judge Francisco Dominguez speaks during a motion hearing with in the 205th District Courtroom in El Paso on Thursday, March 7, 2024.]()
Credit: Gaby Velasquez/El Paso Times/USA TODAY Network via REUTERS -
Texas Supreme Court refuses to hear ethics lawsuits brought by conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan
In 2014, and following a two-year investigation, the Texas Ethics Commission fined Sullivan $10,000 for failing to register as a lobbyist. Full Story
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![Michael Quinn Sullivan of Empower Texans speaks at a conservative grassroots rally for property tax relief and reform at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.]()
Credit: Juan Figueroa/The Texas Tribune -
El Paso judge says he’s concerned that Ken Paxton has “ulterior political motives”’ in migrant shelter probe
The judge will make a ruling soon on whether Annunciation House is obligated to release all the documents the attorney general’s office has demanded. Full Story
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![Ruben Garcia, director of Annunciation House, sits at the witness stand answering questions from Jerome Wesevich, a lawyer with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid representing Annunciation House, during a motion hearing with Judge Francisco Dominguez in the 205th District Courtroom in El Paso on Thursday, March 7, 2024.]()
Credit: Gaby Velasquez/El Paso Times/USA TODAY NETWORK via REUTERS -
Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine narrowly survives heated primary centered on judicial ethics
Devine will face 281st District Judge Christine Vinh Weems in November’s general election. Full Story
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![Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine listens to Douglas Alexander make oral arguments in the cases Abbott v. City of San Antonio, Abbott v. Jenkins, and Abbott v. Harris County, Feb. 22. 2023 in Austin. The cases were consolidated for oral arguments, as they all concern whether an executive order barring local mask mandates falls within the scope of authority granted to the Governor under the Texas Disaster Act.]()
Credit: Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman via REUTERS -
Ken Paxton successfully ousts three Republican criminal appeal court judges
Three incumbent judges with nearly a century of criminal law experience fell victim to Paxton’s political revenge tour after they ruled against the attorney general in a 2021 voter fraud case. Full Story
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![The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on Jan. 15, 2020.]()
Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune -
Texas prosecutor disciplined for allowing murder charge against woman who self-managed an abortion
The State Bar of Texas has fined and suspended Starr County’s district attorney for pursuing a murder indictment against 26-year-old woman after she self-managed an abortion. Full Story
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![The Starr County seal on Jan. 12, 2022.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas law allowing police to arrest migrants suspected of being in country illegally blocked by federal judge
Senate Bill 4 was Texas’ latest attempt to deter people from crossing the Texas-Mexico border amid a surge in migration. Full Story
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![Migrants traverse the bank of the Rio Grande at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, on Jan. 19, 2024.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune -
Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw testifies before grand jury investigating Uvalde school shooting
McCraw, the state police chief, traveled to Uvalde to appear before a grand jury considering criminal charges against officers for their botched response to the 2022 school shooting. Full Story
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![Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw testifies during the Homeland Security & Public Safety committee hearing at the state Capitol in Austin on Feb. 28, 2023. McCraw emphasized the drug and human smuggling crisis at the border, and answered questions concerning the training that DPS officers undergo in relation to school shootings.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas executes Ivan Cantu for Dallas murders despite doubts of his guilt
Faith leaders and jurors from the original trial launched a public campaign to reconsider recanted testimony in Cantu’s case. Texas courts declined. Full Story
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![Ivan Cantu poses for a photo on Jan. 31, 2024. Cantu is locked in a room for visitation and uses a telephone to speak to a reporter.]()
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In leaked audio, Supreme Court Justice John Devine railed against “brainwashed” GOP colleagues
Devine, a former anti-abortion activist, faces a heated primary challenge that has focused on questions about his ethics. Full Story
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![Texas Supreme Court Justice John Devine, far left, with fellow judges on the House floor in Austin in 2013.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Gov. Greg Abbott signals support for IVF in Texas after Alabama ruling
Abbott stopped short of calling on the Legislature to take actions to protect IVF after a Alabama court ruling threw fertility treatments into legal limbo in that state. Full Story
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![Gov. Greg Abbott speaks about the recent 88th Legislative Session to an audience at the Texas Public Policy Foundation offices in Austin, on June 2, 2023. Abbott recounted policy victories in regards to fentanyl and the border crisis, as well as limiting gender affirming care and banning DEI practices in higher education. Abbott ended the event by promising to call a special session for school choice, after the current special session for property tax resolves.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Does the First Amendment apply to social media moderation? The U.S. Supreme Court will decide.
In 2021, Texas passed a law restricting large social media companies from banning political posts or users. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a legal challenge to the state law. Full Story
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Travis County to launch $23 million project to keep mentally ill from jail
Next month, mentally ill individuals accused of committing minor crimes will be “diverted” to a new 25-bed facility instead of jail cells in Travis County. Full Story
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![Tamara Needles moderates a panel including Andy Brown, Ann Howard and Sally Hernandez about the launch of Travis County’s Mental Health Diversion Pilot and the plans for a permanent Mental Health Diversion Center.]()
Credit: Maria Crane/The Texas Tribune -
Does UT Tyler Health Science Center’s deal with private equity shield doctors from malpractice suits?
A lawsuit claims UT Tyler Health Science Center is trying to pull the veil of governmental immunity over doctors who do all of their work for a for-profit, private equity-backed health care system. Full Story
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![Michelle Simington shows a photo of her father in law before he passed away at 71. By the time Mike learned he had prostate cancer, it had spread to his bones.]()
Credit: Greta Díaz González Vázquez for The Texas Tribune -
Judge says Texas school district can punish Black student for length of his hairstyle
After a short trial, a Texas judge ruled that Barbers Hill school officials are not violating a new state law prohibiting hair discrimination. Full Story
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![Darryl George with members of his family. Barbers Hill school district has punished George for his hair.]()
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A Texas school has punished a Black student over his hairstyle for months. Neither side is backing down.
In a test of Texas’ new CROWN Act prohibiting discrimination based on hairstyles, a judge said the Barbers Hill school district can limit the length of male students’ hair. Full Story
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![Darryl George has been punished by the Barbers Hill school district for his hair.]()
Credit: George family/social media -
Child welfare officials move to reduce Texas judge’s oversight of embattled foster system
The request to remove several court orders marks the first time the state has made any major attempt to get out from under an injunction issued in the 13-year-old case. Full Story
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![The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services offices in Austin on Nov. 14, 2019.]()
Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
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