A state judge ruled that a statement Border Patrol Agent Joel Luna voluntarily gave authorities can be used in his murder trial. Sparring over evidence marked the first day of his trial in South Texas, in a case that has stoked concern about alleged law enforcement corruption on the U.S. side of the border.
Demographics
Explore population trends, diversity, and data shaping Texas communities, politics, and policy.
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Bordering on Insecurity
Border Patrol agent’s murder trial begins this week
The capital murder case began in 2015 with the discovery of a headless body floating off South Padre Island. The trial of two men charged in the case — a U.S. Border Patrol agent and his Mexican-born brother — begins today in South Texas.
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Demographics
How Tarrant County flipped from blue to red and how it could flip back (audio)
Tarrant County’s steadfast conservatism is bucking a national trend. There’s a lot that went into turning it Republican decades ago. Flipping it blue could take just as much work — and time.
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Demographics
Could demographic shifts turn Tarrant County blue? (audio)
A suburban Tea Party in Tarrant County sees itself as essential to keeping the state red. And some Republican officials do, too. But the GOP may have to confront demographic changes for that to hold true.
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Demographics
What Does Racial Justice Mean in the 21st Century? (video)
Full video of Peniel Joseph’s keynote address on “What Does Racial Justice Mean in the 21st Century?” from The Texas Tribune’s Symposium on Race and Public Policy, held at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin on January 13-14, 2017.
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Criminal Justice
Six years later, fight over anti-sanctuary cities bill has changed
Bills targeting “sanctuary cities” failed to pass the Texas Legislature in 2011 and 2015, but similar efforts this session have better chances of making it to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
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Demographics
Houston police chief urges better mental health care for officers
Art Acevedo, the newly hired head of the police force in Texas’ largest city, acknowledged at a Tribune symposium on Saturday the difficulty of finding new funding for the effort but argued for its importance.
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Criminal Justice
DeRay McKesson on race and policy in the age of Trump (video)
Full video of Evan Smith’s 1/13 conversation with civil rights activist and educator DeRay Mckesson at our symposium on race and public policy.
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Demographics
Race in Education in Texas (video)
Check out full video from our conversation on race and education at the Texas Tribune symposium on race. Panelists include former Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams, Congressman Joaquin Castro, Paul Quinn College President Michael Sorrell and San Antonio ISD Assistant Superintendent Olivia Hernandez.
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Demographics
U.S. halts Cuban immigration program
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday it was ending the “wet foot/dry foot” policy, in place since the mid-1990s, that had allowed Cubans who arrived at U.S land ports to be given immediate legal status.
