demographics

DOT Announces Cross-Border Trucking Provisions

By Julián Aguilar April 8, 2011

The U.S. Department of Transportation released preliminary details today on a program that would again open up U.S. roadways to Mexican truckers. Full Story

Credit: Andrew Atzert
Two New Texas Latino Seats in Congress?

By Ross Ramsey April 7, 2011

The public version of drawing new congressional maps for Texas started this morning with committee hearings and the unveiling of a proposal from a coalition that insists at least two of the four new districts should have Latino majorities. Full Story
Circumcision Questions, Other Inquiries Mulled for Some Passport Applicants

By Julián Aguilar April 6, 2011

Were you circumcised at birth and was it a part of a religious ceremony? If so, who was there and why? It may sound far-fetched, but some applicants for U.S. passports may soon have to answer such questions. Full Story
MALC Files Redistricting Lawsuit

By Ross Ramsey April 5, 2011

There aren't any maps yet, but now there are two Texas redistricting lawsuits. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus has filed suit to block the use of what it calls flawed census data in drawing new political maps for legislative, congressional and State Board of Education districts. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Ben Hasson
Fight Brewing Over Seized Drug Money

April 5, 2011

The Texas Department of Public Safety says it has seized as much as $140 million of the $28 billion that moves annually from the U.S. into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. Mario Carrillo of KUT News and ReportingTexas.com reports on what happens to that seized money and how some would like to see it used. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Ross Ramsey April 2, 2011

Tan's wall-to-wall coverage of the budget (with more from the rest of the Trib crew, interviews with some of the freshmen seeing this up close for the first time and a map of how it works), Philpott on the similarities between budget worries in Texas and those elsewhere, M. Smith explains school finance, Ramshaw on the dwindling insurance options for orphans, Grissom on legal fights over the drugs used for state executions, Aguilar on the run-up to the debate over sanctuary cities, Stiles maps the diversity of Texas counties, Galbraith on efforts to recycle plastic bags and Hamilton on calls for "entrepreneurship" at the University of Texas: The best of our best content from March 28 to April 1, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Muliadi Soenaryo
Proposed Guest-Worker Program Gets Mixed Reviews

By Julián Aguilar March 30, 2011

Proposed legislation that would establish a state-run guest worker program would legally satisfy the state’s appetite for cheap labor but not grant amnesty to people already in Texas illegally, according to the bill’s author. Full Story
House Lawmakers Prepare for Intense "Sanctuary Cities" Debate

By Julián Aguilar March 30, 2011

House lawmakers are gearing up for a battle as emotional and time-consuming as Voter ID when they take up legislation addressing another one of Gov. Perry’s emergency items — abolishing sanctuary cities, which could hit the House floor as soon as next week. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / John Carleton / Marjorie Cotera
U.S. Offers $5 Million Reward in ICE Murder Case

By Julián Aguilar March 30, 2011

The U.S. government announced today it is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information that leads to the arrest and possible conviction of the assailants who murdered a U.S. federal agent in Mexico last month. Full Story
Security Spokesman Touts Mexico's Gains in Drug War

By Mose Buchele, KUT News March 29, 2011

The Mexican government's chief spokesman on security issues spoke at the University of Texas on Monday about drug violence south of the border. But as Mose Buchele of KUT News reports, not everyone there was comforted by his presentation. Full Story

Credit: Christian Frausto Bernal
Several Texas Counties Among Most Diverse

By Matt Stiles March 28, 2011

Fort Bend County, home of Sugar Land, is almost as diverse as the Bronx in New York. Several other Texas counties rank high on the list. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Matt Stiles
Latino Leaders Eye Redistricting Changes

By Ben Philpott, KUT News March 25, 2011

Organizations from across the country have come together at the annual National Latino Congreso in Austin to strategize on legislation affecting the Latino community. And as Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, all eyes are on redistricting this year. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich
On the Records: Mapping U.S. Population Growth by County

By Matt Stiles March 25, 2011

The U.S. Census Bureau released its final batch of state-by-state redistricting data this week, making it possible to visualize population growth by race and Hispanic origin across the country. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Matt Stiles
Illegal Minors Continue to Stream Toward Border

By Mario Carrillo March 22, 2011

With strict immigration bills awaiting debate in the Legislature, thousands of unaccompanied minors continue to head toward the U.S. border. Mario Carrillo of KUT News and Reporting Texas looks at why they come — and what happens if they're caught. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Garza: Pascual Made the "Right Decision"

By Julián Aguilar March 20, 2011

The former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, South Texas native Antonio Garza, said he thinks his successor’s resignation this weekend was the right move if he felt he was no longer up to task. Full Story

Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Ross Ramsey March 19, 2011

Grissom on threats to re-entry programs for criminals, Hamilton on the tempest over the direction of UT, E. Smith's interview with Joe Straus, Stiles and Chang's new lobbying app, M. Smith and Weber on where state officeholders send their children to school, Aaronson on allowing new nuclear power plants, Aguilar on how Hispanic Republicans are handling immigration issues, Ramshaw talks abortion with Planned Parennthood's Cecile Richards, Tan and Dehn on tapping the Rainy Day Fund and Galbraith on San Antonio and its water: The best of our best content from March 14 to 18, 2011. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Ben Hasson
Officials Say Mexico Could Be Used by Terrorists

By Julián Aguilar March 17, 2011

A top adviser to President Barack Obama conceded last week that terrorists seeking to unleash havoc in the United States could use Texas’ porous border. But some security experts say that isn't likely to happen. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
GOP Lawmakers Call for Reform, Guest-Worker Program

By Julián Aguilar March 15, 2011

Calling on Washington to fix the country’s “discriminatory” immigration system, Hispanic Republicans in the Texas Legislature also fired off the first salvos in what could be a divisive battle within the party over immigration legislation. Full Story
Sanctuary Cities Bill Passes First Hurdle

By Julián Aguilar March 14, 2011

Legislation banning “sanctuary city” policies in Texas was voted out of the House State Affairs Committee today, sending the controversial bill to the full House for consideration. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Jacob Villanueva
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith March 12, 2011

Conversations about the coming Hispanic majority and the 82nd session from our New Day Rising symposium, M. Smith on the latest tort reform battle, Galbraith on greater scrutiny of the gas industry, Ramsey on whether lawmakers will cut their own pay and benefits, Ramshaw and Aguilar on what's holding up abortion sonogram legislation, Aguilar on the ag commissioner's controversial new website, Philpott on what $9.8 billion in public education cuts looks like, Hamilton on a snippy exchange of higher ed letters and Grissom on the latest court decision in the Hank Skinner case: The best of our best content from March 7 to 11, 2011. Full Story