The new law would authorize police to arrest people they suspect crossed the Rio Grande between ports of entry. Abbott also signed a bill earmarking more than $1 billion for more border barriers.
Immigration
In-depth reporting on border issues, policies, communities, and the impact of immigration across the state, from The Texas Tribune.
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State Government
Texas DPS absolves its leaders of wrongdoing after investigating migrant mistreatment claims
A DPS medic assigned to the border was so disturbed by what he saw that he blew the whistle. The agency now says its leaders on the ground didn’t break the law or violate agency policy.
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State Government
Appeals court halts ruling that Border Patrol can legally cut Texas’ border concertina wire
Less than a week after a Del Rio-based federal judge ruled against Texas in the ongoing fight over the state’s razor wire, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals paused that decision while it reviews the case.
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State Government
Texas must remove floating barrier from Rio Grande, Fifth Circuit Court orders
The appeals court upheld an earlier ruling by an Austin federal judge to remove the 1,000-foot-long barrier the state deployed near Eagle Pass.
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Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Legislature sends $1.54 billion bill for border barriers to Gov. Abbott
Senate Bill 3 would also appropriate $40 million for state troopers to patrol Colony Ridge, a housing development outside of Houston, and allow the state to send money to local jurisdictions to offset the cost of enforcing another immigration-related bill.
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State Government
Texas is on the verge of making illegal border crossings a state crime. Here’s what you need to know.
Gov. Greg Abbott says he will sign Senate Bill 4, which would make it a state crime to cross the border between ports of entry, allow police to arrest people who do and require judges to order them to return to Mexico.
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State Government
Judge denies Texas’ request to stop feds from cutting border razor wire
Judge Alia Moses ruled in the federal government’s favor but chided the Biden administration for not allowing migrants to use international bridges to claim asylum.
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Demographics
New study: Texas’ undocumented immigrant population remained relatively stable in 2021
The Pew Research Center analyzed unauthorized immigrant data from 2021 finding that there’s been a significant shift in migrants’ country of origin and where they choose to live in the U.S.
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State Government
As Texas tries to end federal “parole” program for some immigrants, a Nicaraguan waits to see if he can stay
A Texas judge will decide the fate of a Biden administration program that allows people from four countries to live and work in the U.S. for up to two years. A man who sponsored his friend for the program has fought to save it.
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Politics
Gov. Greg Abbott endorses Donald Trump during border trip
Abbott made the presidential endorsement after he and Trump served meals to service members deployed for Operation Lone Star, Abbott’s sprawling border security mission.