The Biden administration guaranteed attorney access for all migrant screenings. Most donโt have it
As the Biden administration prepared to launch speedy asylum screenings at the border this spring, authorities pledged a key difference from a Trump-era version of the policy: Migrants would be guaranteed access to legal representation.
US arrests 4 Mexican nationals in 2022 deaths of 53 migrants trapped in hot tractor-trailer
U.S. authorities have announced the arrests of four men they say were part of a human smuggling effort last year that ended in the deaths of 53 migrants, including eight children, who were left in a tractor-trailer in the scorching Texas summer.
Appeals court to decide if First Amendment should have protected Laredoโs โbig crazy ladyโ from arrest
Priscilla Villarreal was arrested over her Facebook postings. In a rare proceeding, the entire 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will weigh whether she can sue, a case that could have major ramifications for citizen journalists like her -- and professional ones.
Why some Texas cities and counties had to return millions of dollars meant to help renters during the pandemic
For some local relief programs, a lack of staffing, political support and effective community outreach got in the way of spending federal funds to prevent evictions, a new report found. More than $30 million went unspent and had to be returned.
Gov. Greg Abbott eases state inspections at one commercial bridge, as trade remains snarled across the border
The move provides little relief as trade between Texas and Mexico is hampered along the border because of Abbottโs order. The Colombia bridge is just one of 13 commercial crossings between the two countries and the only one connected to Nuevo Leรณn.
International trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbottโs new inspections
Commercial traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge stopped Monday and a similar protest affected traffic into and out of El Paso. The blockades could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores.
Webb County, a Democratic stronghold, is set to welcome Texas Gov. Greg Abbottโs controversial migrant arrests
The county is the most populous to embrace the Republican governorโs โcatch-and-jailโ policy to arrest people accused of crossing the border illegally for state crimes, including trespassing.
After weeks as one of the nation's worst COVID-19 hot spots, Laredo leaders see no easy way out
Health care worker Mary Carreon administers a COVID-19 vaccine to an elderly patient in Laredo on Feb. 1. During an emergency city council meeting last week, Laredo officials passed a motion to request that the federal government send National Guard troops to help distribute vaccines. Treviรฑo, the Laredo health authority, has repeatedly argued against stricter measures because of the economic damage they can cause. Martinez, the city council member, said many residents live paycheck-to-paycheck and donโt have savings to help them survive a city lockdown. โThe little carnita asadas, the barbecues โ as a result, we have high numbers of infections, and so one begets the other.โRichard Chamberlain, the cityโs health director, said the best way out of the cityโs COVID-19 crisis is through vaccinations.
Volunteers stepping up in hard-hit Laredo to administer COVID-19 vaccine
The city of Laredo, which has been overwhelmed by COVID-19. The 36-year-old is volunteering to administer the vaccine through the local fire department to help stifle the virusโ spread. Start your day with a quick take on the latest Texas politics and policy news. Subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Amazon Echo or RSS. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism.
Texas deploys more help to hard-hit border as COVID-19 deaths mount
FILE - In this July 27, 2020, file photo, notes to medical personnel are hung in an area as they prepare to ender a COVID-19 unit at Starr County Memorial Hospital in Rio Grande City, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)AUSTIN, Texas (AP) โ A raging coronavirus outbreak in Laredo, now one of the biggest hotspots in the U.S., is leading to hundreds of new cases a day around the border city as Texas again reported more than 400 new COVID-19 deaths Friday. Overall hospitalizations in Texas continued showing potential signs of stabilizing, but the rising toll of new deaths continued to be the worst since the pandemic began. More than 1,200 new deaths have been reported in the past three days alone as January is already set to go down as the deadliest month of the pandemic in Texas. Abbott said Laredo has received more than 29,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Efforts to stop Trumpโs border wall construction could extend long past Inauguration Day
The lawsuit alleges the administration violated the Fifth Amendmentโs due process clause, which provides for equal protection under the law. Still, Flores worries that the border barrier may not be among Bidenโs immediate priorities, which could allow the Department of Homeland Security to continue moving forward until it gets new marching orders. โEnding the transfer of future funds doesnโt mean in itself that wall construction stops,โ she said. Meanwhile, the Trump administration shows no signs of slowing progress on one of his most high-profile campaign promises. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection online tracker of border wall construction indicates a 69-mile stretch of new barrier is under construction in Webb County, and another 52-mile project is in the โpre-constructionโ phase.
Trump called the USMCA the best trade deal ever. Analysts say it's not likely to help Texas during the pandemic.
Trump called it the the best and most important trade deal ever made by the USA in a December 2019 tweet, then repeated his frequent claim that NAFTA was the countrys worst trade deal. Through June of this year, about $243 billion in trade passed between the United States and Mexico, according to WorldCity. The majority passed through the Laredo and El Paso customs districts, which handled $87.9 billion and $19.6 billion in trade, respectively. "So, across the Texas border region, we've seen total trade decline," Contreras said. U.S. vehicle imports, he said, have sunk to an 18-year low.
Immigration judges sue Trump administration alleging their free speech rights have been violated
Ulysses S. Romero for The Texas TribuneHundreds of the country's immigration judges filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that the Trump administration is muzzling their right to free speech. Part of the job of an immigration judge is to educate the public about the immigration courts and the role they play in society, Judge A. Ashley Tabaddor, president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, said in a statement. There is significant public interest in these changes and in their effects on the independence of immigration judges and the process afforded migrants who appear before them, the lawsuit states. Immigration judges are uniquely positioned to inform the public on these issues.The judges are also blocked from speaking publicly about the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the immigration system and on detained migrants. Most of the countrys immigration courts have continued to hear cases involving detained migrants despite calls to temporarily shut the courts down because of the risk of COVID-19 infection.
This City Council in Texas is forcing residents to cover their noses and mouths outside homes
Starting April 2, Laredo residents will have to cover their mouth and nose when entering any building that is not their home, according to the Laredo Morning Times. This includes offices, public transit and outdoor gas stations, per a Laredo City Council vote. Those in violation of the order, which will continue through April 30, could face a fine of up to $1,000 if their mouth and nose arenโt covered with a mask, bandana, scarf or other fabric. The Laredo City Council also voted to extend the cityโs curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to pertain to all citizens, not just juveniles. Greg Abbottโs statewide order, residents can still exercise and walk pets after 10 p.m. as long as they comply with social distancing guidelines.
Long delays at border bridges bring anxiety for businesses as Holy Week begins
This week is one of the busiest shopping seasons on the border, but after hundreds of federal agents were diverted from international bridges to help with a surge of migrants, retailers and other businesses are fretting about how hours-long wait times will impact them.