Despite explosive growth turning Tarrant into a racially diverse swing county, two new political maps will leave it with whiter, more Republican representation.
Courts
Stay up to date on Texas courts with in-depth coverage of major rulings, judicial elections, criminal justice, and the judges shaping state law from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Politics
As Guatemalan kids sit in planes in Texas, judge orders they stay in the U.S., for now
Hours before the hastily scheduled court hearing, about 50 children were escorted to planes at Harlingen’s Valley International Airport, a hub for deportation flights.
Posted in
Higher Education
What to know about Texas ending in-state tuition for undocumented students
College access experts urged affected students not to withdraw from school while they assess their options.
Posted in
Redistricting Texas 2025
Fresh off Texas Senate’s approval, new congressional map is target of lawsuits
One lawsuit, filed by LULAC on behalf of 13 Texas residents, states that the redrawn districts in the new map are racially discriminatory and violate voter protection laws.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Bill giving attorney general authority to prosecute election crimes heads to Abbott’s desk
The measure comes four years after the state’s highest criminal court ruled the agency could not bring election cases without an invitation from local prosecutors.
Posted in
Redistricting Texas 2025
The Texas redistricting fight has been the backdrop for the Trump administration to test a new legal strategy
The administration has been testing a strategy of using the courts as leverage to force political outcomes. In Texas, the state’s leaders and conservative activists have been willing, if not eager, collaborators.
Posted in
Robert Roberson
Death row inmate Robert Roberson claims judicial misconduct in bid for new trial
A new petition claims Anderson County judges acted unconstitutionally multiple times in both Roberson’s case and in recognizing custody of his daughter.
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Demographics
Fifth Circuit halts West Texas A&M drag show ban as free speech lawsuit continues
In a split decision, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the school’s prohibition on drag performances, finding students are likely to prove it violates the First Amendment.
Posted in
Immigration
Lawsuit settled in 2022 shooting death of a migrant in West Texas, but no criminal charges filed yet
The victims sued the employer of the alleged shooter, the former warden of a migrant detention center. Three different prosecutors have so far opted not to file criminal charges.
Posted in
Redistricting Texas 2025
Nicole Collier, Texas lawmaker who slept at statehouse, files lawsuit challenging police escorts
The Fort Worth Democrat was confined in the Capitol overnight after refusing to be shadowed by state police, a requirement for lawmakers who had left the state over the GOP redistricting plan.