RIO GRANDE VALLEY

U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays out of Louisiana ordered that Title 42 remain in place while a lawsuit led by Arizona and Louisiana goes to court. These states and 22 others argue that by attempting to phase out Title 42 the administration failed to consider the effects of its removal on border states. “I have made my concerns regarding the lifting of Title 42 very clear. Greg Abbott continued his criticism of President Joe Biden’s border policies in his reaction to Friday’s ruling. “We remain vigilant in fighting the lifting of Title 42 expulsions.”

The heat index reached over 100 degrees throughout the Rio Grande Valley this weekend.

The Rio Grande Valley could get some much needed rain beginning Sunday as a cool front makes its way to the area. Although there won’t be much of drop in temperatures, the rain chances will increase to 40% Sunday and Sunday night and Monday and to 20%, according to AccuWeather. The high temperatures will be in the low 90s Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The National Weather Service in Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley states, “High pressure overhead in the middle layers of the atmosphere will relinquish its hold on Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley as the weekend arrives and progresses. Willacy County is also abnormally dry.

As Chick-fil-A expands in the Rio Grande Valley, the company is starting to search for the next group of franchise owners and operators. Anyone who has a passion for service and would like to apply to be an owner/operator, Chick-fil-A will be hosting an information session Thursday, May 26 via webinar, the eatery said in a release. Chick-fil-A owners and operators come from a variety of career backgrounds and are entrepreneurs who live and work in the communities they serve. You can learn more about the Chick-fil-A franchise opportunity online at https://franchise-chickfila.icims.com/connect?eventId=129385&shareLink=1

One year later, Corpus Christi Veterans started competing at the varsity level. Sharyland Pioneer advanced to the UIL Class 5A state tournament in 2019, one year after Corpus Christi Veterans accomplished the same feat in 2018. Corpus Christi Veterans won the first best-of-three area round series 2-1 in 2018. Sharyland Pioneer returned the favor with a 2-1 series win in 2019. Game 1 tickets for 8 p.m. tonight at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi are available at milb.com/corpus-christi/tickets/high-school-baseball.

A woman was arrested Tuesday after being busted attempting to smuggle four people from the Rio Grande Valley into the Houston area, the Wharton County Sheriff's Office said.

After leading the Bulldogs to back-to-back district titles and back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances, Flores is The Monitor’s 2021-22 All-Area Boys Basketball Coach of the Year. I’ve had great groups here in my eight years as the head coach at McAllen High School,” he said. Whether the Bulldogs were in front or trailing during late-game situations, Flores kept his composure, which translated to his players. My father’s a coach, brothers are coaches, my uncle, my cousin — we’re a family of teachers and coaches,” Flores said. “It’s humbling to be a part of it and I’m glad I’m able to coach these guys.”[email protected]

There was a total lunar eclipse Sunday night. Did you miss it? Not to worry, because our wonderful readers snapped some photos for you!

COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the Rio Grande Valley swung up and down this week while county officials reported six more COVID-related deaths and more than 550 new cases.

HARLINGEN — Harlingen High sophomore Jazmine Thompson has solidified herself as one of the best throwers in the Rio Grande Valley and Region IV. Thompson qualified for the Class 6A UIL state track & field meet as a regional champion in the shot put and runner-up in the discus. Thompson has achieved a lot this season, but her coach, Hickel Woolery, said Thompson is still a work in progress. Thompson has an opportunity to place in the shot put at the state meet. “I am really proud of my team this season, they did amazing things this season,” Thompson said.

How Rio Grande Valley residents will get their water now and in the future is a question with no easy answer. It’s a question of competing interests between cities and farmers, Texas and other states, and the United States and Mexico.

The first lunar eclipse of 2022 is set for Sunday evening and should be highly visible here in the Rio Grande Valley, clouds permitting.

The Rio Grande Valley is known for many things — both positive and negative, both earned and undeserved. It’s known for its poverty, heavy immigration traffic and official corruption that plagues many public boards and commissions.

A Rio Grande Valley resident will be returning to the Housing and Health Services Coordination Council. The council works to increase state efforts to offer service-enriched housing through increased interagency coordination. “I am honored for the reappointment to the Housing and Health Service Coordination Council, which purpose is to increase state efforts to offer service enriched housing through increased coordination of housing and health service,” Delauney said. Previously, she served as president of Brownsville Crime Stoppers and director of Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. Other appointments to the Housing and Health Services Coordination Council included Joycesarah McCabe, of Pumela; Jennifer Gonzalez, of Dallas; and Kenneth Darden, of Livingston.

Recent price increases in the Rio Grande Valley have outpaced the national average.

This Mother’s Day, several new mothers in the Rio Grande Valley are not just celebrating their babies but that together, mother and child gave the gift of saving a life.

Election night results in the May 7 city and school district races in Hidalgo and Cameron counties will be updated at myrgv.com throughout the evening.

COVID-19 hospitalizations across the Rio Grande Valley are continuing a downward trend, hitting a low of 35 total hospitalizations this week.

Saturday’s forecast suggests heat indices of 104 degrees in Brownsville, 108 degrees from Harlingen to McAllen, 110 degrees in San Manuel in northern Hidalgo County, and 112 degrees in Rio Grande City.

Cheap regulated and unregulated medication is available over the counter at Mexican pharmacies, including abortion-inducing drugs that are strictly regulated in the U.S.

Hidalgo County's top official is asking President Biden to visit the Rio Grande Valley before he “makes any substantial changes to the current border policy."

In addition to local city and school elections, Rio Grande Valley voters also have constitutional amendments on their May 7 ballot. Recent legislation lowered school tax rates for homeowners, but did not take into account those elderly and disabled homeowners with frozen taxes. The average homeowner will pay $175 less in school property values using the statewide average rate of $1.17/$100, it estimates. “I want to thank Lieutenant Governor Patrick for making both property tax Senate bills a priority, as all homeowners with homesteads will save money on their property tax bills. Bettencourt said last year that the state’s budget surplus would pay for the first year of tax relief.

McDonald's wants to express its gratitude to the educators across the Rio Grande Valley by offering them free coffee for Teacher Appreciation Week.

UTRGV has now drawn 30,569 fans (not including the dogs) through 20 home dates, the highest total since prior to 1990. Junior Chris Mondesi finished 2-for-4 with his first home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Graduate student Jacob Hirsh went 2-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and one run scored. Freshman Vela alum Isaac Lopez finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. UTRGV and Tarleton complete this three-game series at noon today.

Sunday marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of McAllen’s historic Cine El Rey. Throughout its history, the old theater has seen its fair share of famous names illuminated on its iconic marquee; names like Carlos Guzman, Laura Canales, Freddy Fender, Ernesto Guerra, Wally Gonzalez and many, many others. “To me, Cine El Rey means a whole lot more than just a building,” Luis Muñoz, who owned the theater in the early 2000s, said. Cine El Rey, dubbed the “Mexican Apollo,” opened its doors May 1, 1947, as a cinema showing Spanish-language films — showcasing films from the era known as “Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema.”With its growing popularity, the theater would become a hub for Hispanic culture in the Rio Grande Valley. Muñoz, who oversaw the theater’s renovation in 2001, recalled the stories shared with him by many in the community who were impacted in one way or another by the old theater.

COVID-19 hospitalizations throughout the Rio Grande Valley slightly dipped this week only to rise again by Friday’s end.

The road for Andrea Mosqueda has taken her from the hallways of San Benito High School, to the lecture halls of Yale University, and now to the bustling streets of New York City.

Another group of throwers is looking to take the next step towards etching their name among the Valley’s greats, with 16 RGV athletes slated to compete in the shot put and discus during the Region IV-5A and 6A track and field championships.

Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents discovered 40 people illegally present in the United States inside a large metal container trying to cross the Falfurrias checkpoint Tuesday, according to a news release. K-9 units alerted agents to a truck pulling a flatbed trailer carrying large metal-sided boxes. When agents removed the vent, they found 40 people sitting inside the box, according to the report. While the driver was a U.S. citizen, the 40 people inside the box were determined by agents to be Central American and Mexican nationals, according to the release. All of them were placed under arrest and the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office took custody of the truck, trailer, firearm and ammo, as well as the driver.

6 Texas made its first trip to the Rio Grande Valley in 51 years and handed the UTRGV Vaqueros a 7-2 loss Tuesday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg. Gotta thank the Valley for coming out and supporting us,” UTRGV head coach Derek Matlock said. The atmosphere was unbelievable, we have a lot of fans down here, as well,” said Texas head coach David Pierce. We’re going to grind it out.”The Vaqueros are back in action at 6 tonight against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Chapman Field in Corpus Christi as part of the South Texas Showdown rivalry series. UTRGV is slated to resume Western Athletic Conference play with a three-game series against Tarleton beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at UTRGV Baseball Stadium.

Border Patrol agents arrested Edward Eugene Iglehart at the Falfurrias checkpoint after authorities found a woman in the country illegally hidden in the trunk of his vehicle. “Iglehart stated he is a personal chef and down in the valley cooking for some people,” the complaint states. “Iglehart then showed the agent a cooking pot which appeared to have not been used in quite some time. “The agent asked Iglehart if he had any luggage or belongings in the trunk of the vehicle,” the complaint states. Iglehart stated he was in Houston for a day and could not believe someone was in the trunk,” the complaint states.

Two brothers and an accomplice accused of stealing more than $2 million in multiple burglaries throughout the Rio Grande Valley were arraigned Monday afternoon at the Edinburg Police Department.

Thunderstorms from two different directions are bearing down on the Rio Grande Valley today, with the possibility of severe weather coming from both systems. To the north, a slow-moving cold front was working its way through Central Texas at around noon today. “And as these two features slowly move toward South Texas, we’ll start to see the potential for some severe thunderstorms,” she added. “But we’re more concerned about the potential for flooding.”Farris said today’s severe weather could begin around dinnertime. Severe weather is already affecting North and Central Texas, where Abilene and Dallas were hit hard Sunday night.

We get it. More waves of immigrants are headed to our southern border, including Rio Grande Valley ports of entry. And we’re not ready.

HARLINGEN — The Harlingen South Lady Hawks water polo team capped off an undefeated season with a Rio Grande Valley tournament title. Because water polo is a team sport, you have to communicate, coordinate, rely on teammates and have each other’s back. That is something important for these kids to learn.”The coach of the year also is also happy about the physical impact water polo has on the swimmers. The situation depends, but the senior would like to continue water polo. Water polo will only have a 6A CLASS.

SANTA ROSA — The track & field season continues to wind down in the Rio Grande Valley, and athletes from District 32-3A and 31-3A competed Friday with the goal of making it to the regional tournament next week.

COVID-19 hospitalizations had dropped to 47 on April 14 only to rise to 50 total patients on April 15. While still relatively low, health officials urge the public to remain cautious and said they expect cases to rise following the Holy Week last week. Officials at the state level also urge caution, adding that cases are expected to rise following the holidays. “We are undoubtedly going to see a rise,” said Dr. Emilie Prot, regional medical director for Public Health Region 11. On Monday, airlines and other transit officials eased mask requirements after a federal judge in Florida struck down the mask mandate.

To support the medical needs of the women in the Rio Grande Valley, in 1997, RGRH opened its first Women’s Clinic. The medical team at the Rio Grande Women’s Clinics provides complete prenatal care for women, including fetal monitoring and ultrasounds. Additionally, the Rio Grande Women’s Clinics provide a broad range of outpatient services for women, such as; well-woman exams, STI treatment, and FREE pregnancy tests. Every woman will also have full access to the services offered at Rio Grande Regional Hospital, such as diabetes management, maternal/fetal services, mammograms, and more. The dedicated team at the Rio Grande Women’s Clinics is proud to provide exceptional one-on-one individualized care to their patients.

Rio Grande Valley girls Class 5A and 4A golfers wrapped up their seasons Thursday at their respective regional golf tournaments. Sharyland High finished fifth in the Region IV-5A tournament. Lopez finished tied for 10th and was only one stroke behind the last individual qualifying space. Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Rebecca Rodriguez (175) finished 28th, and Alli Ysaguirre (182) came in 33rd. Mission Veterans Memorial’s Kayla Rodriguez (190), Lillian Marroquin (200), Madison Davis (195), Amy Perez (235) and Victoria Olivarez (257) ended up 10th.

Welcome Home RGV partnered with the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Data and Information Systems Center to compile the report. The report showed that this season Winter Texans and visiting family and friends contributed an estimated $1.2 billion in expenditures to the local economy. The report broke down those numbers as $825.3 million spent by winter visitors and $360.9 million “was spent by their guests for food, travel, entertainment, lodging, etc.,” according to the report. “The winter Texans of today are a lot younger than they’ve ever been. Even though the 2021-22 Winter Texan season has come to an end, Collier said the Valley is now entering the “converted Texan” season, a term given to Winter Texans who decided to remain in the Valley permanently.

The full and often unchecked power of the prosecutor was on display when a South Texas woman was charged with murder for a self-induced abortion.

The law went into effect in September, a week before Mexico’s Supreme Court dissolved a Coahuila state law that made abortion a crime. Now some Texans further along in their pregnancies are going there for abortion-inducing drugs.

What motivated you to apply to join Teach For America and choose to teach in the Rio Grande Valley? After that day, I knew I wanted to make an impact for children through the education system where I was born and raised. What has been one of the most surprising things you’ve come to learn about education during your time as a classroom leader? My hope is that my students will learn to be leaders for themselves and for the future. As a middle school teacher, I am dealing with kids that are experiencing many changes physically, emotionally, and mentally.

HARLINGEN — Rio Grande Valley girls golfers competed in the opening round of their respective regional tournaments Wednesday. Harlingen High’s Reagan Ramirez (93), Edinburg North’s Emilia Rodriguez (95), PSJA’s Kassandra Monroy (101) and Los Fresnos’ Camila Calderon (113) also competed from the Valley. Sharyland High is in fourth place in the Region IV-5A tournament, one stroke behind third place after the first day. She is in ninth place and one stroke behind the final individual qualifying place. La Feria’s Savannah Mendez (117), Vanessa Gonzalez (130), Maria Pizano (130), Jada Morales (133) and Leanna Perez (134) finished the day in 15th.

McAllen Memorial missed out on a chance to qualify for the state tournament by two strokes, finishing fourth in the Region IV-5A golf meet. Dylan Villarreal (150) finished the tournament in seventh place after shooting a 73 on Tuesday. Villarreal finished three strokes behind the individual qualifying places. Donna High’s Elias Lara (164), Anthony Sanchez (167), Damian Ocanas (179), Joey Reyna (184), Nick Mata (184) finished 11th as a team. La Feria’s Joshua Gonzalez (184) and Hidalgo’s Aaron Castillo (212) also competed from the area.

The annual Texas tax-free emergency items sale is this weekend from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to midnight Monday.

The city of Pharr and the Texas General Land Office are reminding residents throughout the Rio Grande Valley that there is still funding available to help those impacted by the 2018-2019 floods.

The first step in hiring an air conditioning contractor should be checking the TDLR website at www.tdlr.texas.gov, the agency suggested. “Hiring a licensed contractor helps ensure the safety of your family and property. >> Check air filters and replace as necessary. >> Start Indoor Blower and perform static pressure test to ensure proper air flow. >> Check system for proper refrigerant charge, trim charge as necessary.

The Texas jobless rate dipped slightly in March as the state set new employment highs for non-farm jobs.

Easter has always been big business for cascaron vendors in Edinburg and throughout the Rio Grande Valley. 2022 has not been the exception.

It’s not a typically crack down. But federal officials at the U.S. ports of entry in the Rio Grande Valley want to remind the public about limits to importing cascarones.

The winner of the special election will replace former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, who resigned last month to work for Akin Gump.

“As we have a cold front coming in from the northwest, sometimes the air out ahead of it and immediately behind it can get compressed so much that it actually helps heat things up quite a bit.”It requires very dry air, Reese said. “Typically we have a dry line move out ahead of the front, and that also helps heat things up because the drier air is able to heat up faster,” he said. “If you want to see possible record-breaking heat, get a dry cold front, no rain, dry line out ahead of it to help dry things out, and then some compressional heating, and then some really warm temperatures aloft,” he said. Abnormally dry conditions currently begin west of Harlingen toward La Feria, Weslaco and the boundary between Cameron and Hidalgo counties, Reese said. “Once you start getting up west of Edinburg-McAllen, that’s when you start getting into the moderate drought,” Reese said.

“As we have a cold front coming in from the northwest, sometimes the air out ahead of it and immediately behind it can get compressed so much that it actually helps heat things up quite a bit.”It requires very dry air, Reese said. “Typically we have a dry line move out ahead of the front, and that also helps heat things up because the drier air is able to heat up faster,” he said. “If you want to see possible record-breaking heat, get a dry cold front, no rain, dry line out ahead of it to help dry things out, and then some compressional heating, and then some really warm temperatures aloft,” he said. Abnormally dry conditions currently begin west of Harlingen toward La Feria, Weslaco and the boundary between Cameron and Hidalgo counties, Reese said. “Once you start getting up west of Edinburg-McAllen, that’s when you start getting into the moderate drought,” Reese said.

The Rio Grande Valley, often seen as a reliable vote against abortion, has a long history of advocacy to increase access to the procedure.

One of the highlights of my long legal career was the honor of serving as César Chavez’ lawyer for 18 years and for the United Farm Workers, AFL-CIO here in Texas during its organizing campaigns. I also had the opportunity of marching with César on twin 60-mile marches in South Texas, from Brownsville and Rio GrandeCity that met in San Juan, to raise farm labor wages.

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.

A special election will determine who finishes Vela’s term, and while the winner will only serve for a short period, Republicans are already eyeing the contest to show momentum in South Texas.

Democrats in the region still had higher turnout, but Republicans celebrated the narrowing of the gap. Despite the improvement, nearly 87% of registered voters in the Rio Grande Valley did not vote in the primary, similar to the rate in 2018.

The administration says it’s filling in wall gaps for agent safety and flood control, and documents suggest an environmental assessment for 86 miles of wall in South Texas is a stalling tactic.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a rule earlier this week to list the prostrate milkweed, which lives along the Texas-Mexico border, as an endangered species. The rare plant is threatened in part by border security activities, scientists say.

The National Butterfly Center, along the U.S.-Mexico border in Mission, has been the target of conspiracy theorists since 2019.

The Brownsville Democrat said his resignation will be effective Jan. 31. That sets up a potential special election to finish his term, though whoever wins would only serve for a short time.

The Republican governor officially announced his reelection campaign Saturday in McAllen, while likely Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke campaigned in El Paso.

Republicans including former state Sen. Don Huffines of Dallas and former Texas GOP chair Allen West are challenging Abbott for the Republican nomination.

The U.S. government has withdrawn from settlement negotiations to end lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who were forcibly separated under the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance border policy.

Construction is expected to begin soon on a 1.7-mile portion of the Texas border wall.

The number of people caught illegally crossing our southern border or deemed inadmissible to the United States has dropped for the third straight month.

The number of people caught illegally crossing our southern border or deemed inadmissible to the United States has dropped for the third straight month.

Lucio announced Thursday that he is not seeking reelection after three decades in the Senate.

The Brownsville Democrat, who made the announcement Thursday, has served in the upper chamber since 1991.

Garza, a former lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, had been running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, is now running for Vela's seat after redistricting made Gonzalez's seat more competitive for Republicans.

Texas lawmakers made Gonzalez’s current 15th Congressional District more competitive for Republicans. The representative now plans to run in the 34th District, which is safer for Democrats.

Designed more than a century ago, the Rio Grande Valley’s canal system in South Texas was built to irrigate the booming agricultural industry that once dominated the local economy.

The likely new district comes as Texas Republicans continue to try to make new inroads in South Texas after the 2020 election.

With proposed maps out, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, says he might switch to a neighboring district where U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, is retiring. The initial maps are also sure to impact decisions in regional legislative races.

Border wall opponents say President Joe Biden broke his promise to halt border wall construction when Homeland Security started building a wall and calling it a levee.

Migrant crossings on the U.S.-Mexico border reached a 21-year high in July. This video takes you to the epicenter: Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, where more crossings are happening than in any other region in the country.

Several border leaders continue to call on President Joe Biden to pause the release of asylum-seeking migrants into the United States. These calls for help come as many border communities are struggling under the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Justice Department sued Abbott and Texas after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “dangerous and unlawful.”

One day after Abbott told state troopers to pull over vehicles with migrants suspected of having COVID-19, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the governor's order violated federal law.

While final details have not been hashed out, Galveston and Montgomery County officials announced they will send local resources to the southern border.

Here are things to know for Thursday, June 24:

Many local officials and business leaders along the border say that the rhetoric is misplaced and that the broader needs of their communities can often get lost.

With Texans finally stepping out in public again, we asked photographers across the state to give us a look at people enjoying themselves after the long shutdown.

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the U.S. border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults are coming without families.

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the U.S. border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults are coming without families.

Data just released by Customs and Border shows the number of encounters along our southern border continues to rise and reached a level not seen since the year 2000.

The Biden administration is holding tens of thousands of asylum-seeking children in an opaque network of some 200 facilities.

The number of immigrants apprehended along the southern border rose to levels not seen in nearly 20 years. The sharpest increase in apprehensions came from February to March, according to Customs and Border Protection data.

The Biden administration has struck an agreement with Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala to temporarily surge troops to their borders in an effort to reduce the tide of migration to the U.S. border.

Migrant families will be held at hotels in the Phoenix area in response to a growing number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, another step in the Biden’s administration rush to set up temporary space.

U.S. authorities say they picked up nearly 19,000 children traveling alone across the Mexican border in March.

Overwhelmed and underprepared, U.S. authorities are releasing migrant families on the Mexican border without notices to appear in immigration court or sometimes without any paperwork at all.

Migrants are processed at the intake area of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley, in Donna, Texas, Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Oscar Escamilla, acting executive officer of the U.S. Border Patrol in the Rio Grande Valley, said 250 to 300 kids enter daily and far fewer leave. Border Patrol agents asked them if they had a contact in the U.S. and allowed the child to call that person. The Border Patrol generally is not supposed to detain children for more than three days, but Health and Human Services lacks space. More than 2,000 kids have been at the Donna facility for more than 72 hours, including 39 for more than 15 days.

ROMA, Texas – As darkness sets on the Rio Grande, U.S. Border Patrol agents hear pumps inflating rafts across the river in Mexico. More than 16,000 unaccompanied children were in government custody as of Thursday, including about 5,000 in substandard Customs and Border Protection facilities. Unaccompanied children are supposed to be held by CBP no more than 72 hours, but they are often held longer because U.S. Health and Human Services lacks space. A group of Republican senators on Friday visited the Rio Grande Valley, which is the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, and toured a holding facility. CBP reported that it took 681 unaccompanied children into custody Wednesday, a total that excludes Mexicans, who are typically returned immediately.

As soon as the sun sets, at least 100 migrants crossed through the Rio Grande river by smugglers into the United States. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)ROMA, Texas – As darkness sets on the Rio Grande, U.S. Border Patrol agents hear pumps inflating rafts across the river in Mexico. Roma, a town of 10,000 people with historic buildings and boarded-up storefronts in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, is the latest epicenter of illegal crossings, where growing numbers of families and children are entering the United States to seek asylum. More than 16,000 unaccompanied children were in government custody as of Thursday, including about 5,000 in substandard Customs and Border Protection facilities. A group of Republican senators on Friday visited the Rio Grande Valley, which is the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, and toured a holding facility.

Every border patrol sector from Texas to California is reporting increases in apprehensions. “This many people coming into our country illegally does put a burden on our system,” said border patrol agent Jesse Moreno. Moreno said Texas’ Rio Grande Valley has been hit particularly hard by large groups of immigrants crossing at once. Pimentel has long helped immigrants released from border patrol custody by providing a respite center with food, medical care, and assistance in understanding immigration court documents. Catholic Charities of the RGV has also started testing immigrants released in McAllen for COVID-19.

Migrants apprehended crossing the Rio Grande in Brownsville were flown to El Paso for processing and then deported to Ciudad Juárez. CIUDAD JUÁREZ — As he stood on the international bridge that connects this border city with El Paso Tuesday afternoon, Javier Leyva had to be told where he was. Migrants that were flown from Brownsville and deported to Ciudad Juárez in Mexico waited at the Juárez Migrant Assistance Center on Wednesday. The former president’s policies forced tens of thousands of migrants back into Mexico, which filled shelters in border cities like Ciudad Juárez and stressed social service agencies who help migrants. She had tried to cross into the U.S. through Ciudad Juárez before, but was sent back.

A lack of broadband internet access isn't just a rural problem in Texas. Greg Abbott has designated broadband access as one of his priority items for this legislative session and lawmakers have filed several bills to promote broadband access in Texas. Much of the debate has focused on the lack of infrastructure to connect rural areas with broadband internet. A February report from the Texas Comptroller’s Office found that almost 90% of non-Hispanic whites in Texas have broadband access, compared to 80% of Black Texans and 78% of Hispanic Texans. Ad“Federal resources have been allocated to rural areas and rural areas in the United States are mostly white.