Over the weekend, U.S. immigration officials processed and released more than 1,700 migrants into El Paso,…
Category: Texas Blue News
Gov. Greg Abbott calls for five-year mandatory sentence for human smugglers
Abbott is making his pitch ahead of the upcoming legislative session.
Ope, sorry: Midwestern House Dems push for leaders between the coasts
Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell and her allies are done being polite about Democrats' lack of leadership…
3 numbers that show how Raphael Warnock won the Georgia runoff
The GOP is coming to terms with the consequences of its recent aversion to mail voting,…
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills…
Critics are pouncing on Harris County’s election fumbles, real and concocted, to fuel legal challenges
In the latest fallout from Election Day woes, a GOP judicial candidate is suing to overturn…
Chronically understaffed Texas prisons set stage for prison bus escape and massacre of family
Investigative reviews by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and independent consultants found the severely short-staffed…
Delayed Texas maternal mortality report to be released next week, state says
Due in September, the report was delayed to allow a full review of 2019 cases, the…
Private RNC member emails reveal anger at Trump, frustration with McDaniel’s response to him
In missives sent to all 168 members, several committeemen expressed horror with the Nick Fuentes dinner.…
Texas drag shows become a right-wing target amid rising extremism
LGBTQ Texans say lawmakers and right-wing figures are misrepresenting what happens at all-ages performances to propagate…
U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady leaves Washington after 26 years of placing policymaking over headline-making
Brady condemned the divisiveness that has taken hold of American politics, saying social media is the…
Democrats elected a big class of young governors. They might be the future of the party.
These new state executives say they're "the next generation of national leaders," and they're willing to…
Texas hits 1,000 days under Greg Abbott’s public health disaster as a new COVID-19 wave and legislative session loom
After more than 92,000 deaths and 8 million reported COVID-19 cases in Texas, the state remains…
Texas state court throws out lawsuit against doctor who violated abortion law
The court's ruling does not overturn the 2021 law, which banned abortions after about six weeks…
Houston native Brittney Griner, a WNBA star, released from Russian custody in prisoner swap
The Texas basketball star was first detained in February and was recently moved to a Russian…
On the margins of downtown San Antonio, a maligned neighborhood mobilizes to save itself
Born of segregation and redlining, the near West Side has long been mostly Latino, mostly low-income.…
Gov. Greg Abbott bans TikTok on state phones and computers, citing cybersecurity risks
Following the lead of several other GOP governors, Abbott said banning the social media platform, which…
Texas House Democratic Caucus elects Trey Martinez Fischer as its new chair
Martinez Fischer replaces Rep. Chris Turner of Grand Prairie, who has led the caucus since 2017…
In defamation lawsuit against Beto O’Rourke, lawyers debate whether Kelcy Warren is a public figure
Warren, a Dallas pipeline tycoon, sued O'Rourke in February over accusations he made on the campaign…
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…
Travis County judges can’t hear appeals from migrants arrested under Texas border security push, court rules
The Court of Criminal Appeals scuttled nearly 450 cases, saying migrants arrested for trespassing in Kinney…
A boil-water notice in Houston made national news. In rural Texas, it’s a way of life.
Rural communities face compounding reasons they can't improve their water infrastructure, including inflation and a lack…
Cruz: “Of course” Trump was wrong to call for terminating Constitution
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz condemned the comment by the former president, but he also said that…
Gov. Greg Abbott says he will nominate retiring state Sen. Jane Nelson to be secretary of state
Nelson planned to retire from the Senate after 30 years in office. But her nomination will…
True or false: Colorado is a swing state
Last month Sen. Michael Bennet won reelection over his Republican challenger, Joe O'Dea, resisting some of…
What happened when Biden and the Royals came to Boston
Union members in Dorchester held a phone bank Biden could use to show his solidarity with…
Cheney calls Trump ‘enemy of the Constitution’ after he proposes terminating it
A number of other Republicans condemned the message, but most stopped short of criticizing Trump himself.
‘One of the oldest hatreds’: Netanyahu sees new source of antisemitism
"There are many, many blessings of the internet age, but it comes also with a curse.…
Bolton teases presidential run, calls Trump statement on Constitution ‘disqualifying’
The former national security adviser, speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press NOW," said he'd consider running…
How Austin’s housing crisis has shaped the race for a new mayor
The capital city's mayoral race is something of a test case in how the state's rising…
Greg Abbott and Dan Patrick diverge ahead of the legislative session on property taxes, power grid
The dueling approaches are coming into focus as lawmakers prepare to return to Austin for the…
Ted Cruz sides with Bernie Sanders to give rail workers more sick days
Cruz split with Sen. John Cornyn in a vote to expand paid sick days for railroad…
Photos: “We don’t feel safe here.” A transgender teen and their family flee Texas.
Texas policies targeting access to health care for transgender youth forced one family to leave the…
Justice Department tried to hide report warning that private border wall in Texas could collapse
The report confirms a ProPublica and Texas Tribune investigation that found the privately built fencing could…
Alex Jones files for bankruptcy after juries award Sandy Hook parents almost $1.5 billion
A handful of the Texas-based conspiracy theorist's companies already filed for bankruptcy. Earlier this year, a…
Losing Republican candidate wants Texas House to void results of his race
Mike May, who lost to Houston state Rep. Jon Rosenthal by 6,000 votes, wants the Texas…
TribCast: How much will Texas spend on tax cuts?
On this week's episode, Matthew speaks with James and Karen about property taxes and Lt. Gov.…
Feds often hand migrants over to state police rather than process immigration claims, complaint says
State police often rely on federal immigration officials to lock up migrants on state trespassing charges,…
Feds arrest Texas man charged with threats to Boston doctor who cares for transgender children
The 38-year-old Hill Country man faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
Hundreds of Texas Methodist churches vote to split from denomination after years of infighting over gay marriage and abortion
Those leaving are frustrated that the church has taken positions they feel are too liberal.
Republican Caucus backs Dade Phelan as Texas House speaker
Republican members of the Texas House endorsed Phelan's bid for reelection in a nonbinding vote on…
John Scott, Texas’ top elections official, to step down at end of year
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Scott as secretary of state in October 2021, and he served in…
A Texas program that backs school districts’ bond debt is about to reach its limit — and it could mean raising taxes
Under the state's Permanent School Fund's Bond Guarantee Program, schools get the best interest rate on…
Houston’s at-large City Council districts deprive Latinos of fair representation, lawsuit alleges
The League of United Latin American Citizens sued the city Monday, asking a federal court to…
Texas lawmakers ask state agency to delay power market redesign until after 2023 legislative session
In a Monday committee hearing, lawmakers questioned whether a Public Utility Commission proposal to redesign Texas'…
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills…
Donald Trump dined with white nationalist, Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes
The former president hosted Fuentes and Kanye West at Mar-a-Lago. He said it was "quick and…
‘A deranged Anti-semite’: GOP outraged at Ye’s latest horror show
"I like Hitler," Ye told right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, later adding: "I love Jewish people,…
Uvalde officials say local prosecutor impeded investigation into police response to shooting
In a lawsuit filed Thursday, the city of Uvalde says the district attorney is restricting information…
By tradition, the minority party gets to chair some Texas House committees. Some in the GOP want to end that.
Republican critics say conservative priorities will always be hamstrung if Democrats, who are in the minority…
Trump’s Jan. 6 supporters feted at his Mar-a-Lago campaign launch
Several MAGA personalities and Trump world figures with ties to the Jan. 6 rally were fixtures…
Musk says granting ‘amnesty’ to suspended Twitter accounts
Online safety experts predict the move will spur a rise in harassment, hate speech and misinformation.
A growing number of Texas rural counties are declaring local immigration “disasters”
The latest county to make a disaster declaration is an eight-hour drive away from the Texas-Mexico…
El Paso DA Yvonne Rosales a no-show in Walmart shooting hearing
The district judge has asked the embattled district attorney, who resigned Monday, to appear in court…
Migrants flown from Texas to Massachusetts sue “Perla,” who recruited them for flights
The flights, financed by Florida at the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, were filled by Perla…
Texas lawmakers have a $27 billion surplus, but a spending cap complicates their goal of lowering property taxes
Texas homeowners have some of the highest property tax bills in the nation, a byproduct of…
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick prioritizes property tax relief, electric grid fixes and border security for 2023 legislative session
Patrick, who presides over the Senate and wields tremendous power over legislation, said lawmakers have an…
Republican requests recount after loss in battleground race for state Senate seat in South Texas
Adam Hinojosa finished 659 votes behind Democrat Morgan LaMantia in a race that garnered 175,415 total…
Texas’ rural hospitals are — once again — at grave risk of closing
A rural hospital hasn't closed in Texas since the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020. That…
An Afghan soldier fleeing the Taliban spent months reaching the U.S. to request asylum. He was arrested at the Texas border.
Abdul Wasi Safi was trying to reach his brother, who immigrated legally to Houston after helping…
Suspect in Vanessa Guill?n’s killing pleads guilty
The 20-year-old Fort Hood soldier's murder prompted nationwide outrage and calls to reform the way the…
Houston officials say state made the call on water boil notice
For more than 24 hours, nearly everyone in the nation's fourth-most-populous city had been asked to…
U.S. Supreme Court wrestles over Biden’s immigration enforcement policy
The Biden administration instructed immigration agents to focus on deporting undocumented immigrants who have been convicted…
Texas grid still vulnerable to extreme winter weather, ERCOT estimate shows
Changes to Texas' power grid have improved ERCOT's ability to keep power flowing during major winter…
Stephen F. Austin State University moves to join the University of Texas System
Regents said they chose the UT System because of its access to the Permanent University Fund,…
Mother of 10-year-old Uvalde shooting victim sues school district, police and gun manufacturer
The lawsuit accuses Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the shooter's weapon, of marketing that primes "young…
Amid fallout from the Uvalde shooting, Texas DPS wants $1.2 billion for academy and active-shooter training facility
DPS is asking lawmakers to approve a $467 million active-shooter facility as a "down payment" for…
Texas judge rules Alex Jones must pay Sandy Hook parents full $49 million in defamation case
The judge opted not to apply a $750,000 cap Texas imposes on punitive damages, questioning its…
Herschel Walker, running for U.S. Senate in Georgia, still gets tax break on $3 million Texas residence
Under Texas law, homeowners can claim a homestead exemption only on their primary residence. The GOP…
Biden administration quietly approves huge Texas oil export project
The Sea Port Oil Terminal would be 30 miles off the Texas coast and is one…
An East Texas town must boil its water on Thanksgiving as officials seek a solution to aging infrastructure
Zavalla lost all water for several days. The Texas Department of Emergency Management has sent pallets…
Houston boil water notice forces schools to shut down
Millions of Houston residents are expected to be under a boil water notice until Tuesday after…
Jewish Texans see surge in antisemitism as a precursor to fascism
Extremism experts and historians sound alarms as politicians, media personalities and celebrities amplify antisemitic conspiracies that…
Facing possible removal for alleged incompetence, El Paso District Attorney Yvonne Rosales resigns
The first-term DA was under fire for the office's mishandling of criminal cases and for potentially…
Houstonians say the city fumbled sounding the alarm on boil water notice
Many residents in the nation's fourth-most-populous city heard that they couldn't drink tap water from friends…
In after-hours notice, Gov. Greg Abbott announces another leadership change for the Department of Family and Protective Services
Former DFPS commissioner Anne Heiligenstein was tapped by Abbott in June to serve as the agency's…
Fort Worth Star-Telegram journalists go on strike, citing unfair labor practices
In response to the open-ended strike, the McClatchy-owned newspaper has revoked their health care benefits and…
Beto O’Rourke returned $1 million check from FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried
O'Rourke's campaign said they gave the money back before the company's scandals became widely public, because…
ACLU calls for civil rights investigations into two North Texas school districts over anti-transgender policies
Frisco ISD's new bathroom policy and Keller ISD's ban on books that reference gender fluidity violate…
Tom Brady, Steph Curry and other celebrities face Texas investigation for endorsements of bankrupt crypto firm
This probe is part of the state's wider investigation into FTX's multibillion-dollar bankruptcy.
Prison contractor MTC accused of billing Texas millions for inmate treatment programs it didn’t provide
Before being released on parole, most Texas prisoners must complete treatment programs like life skills or…
New Congress will feature few leadership roles for the many Texans in the U.S. House
Texans will chair some powerful committees in the House, but their roles in top leadership elections…
Texas attorney general attempts to toss out late-cast Harris County votes
A court ordered Harris County to keep its polls open late on Election Day, but Attorney…
Second migrant bus from Texas arrives in Philadelphia
Immigrant advocates wonder if buses with migrants from the Texas border will keep coming this week…
TribCast: The future of rural Texas
In this week's episode, Texas Tribune regional editor Nic Garcia guest-hosts from Texas Tech University for…
Tell us who’s shaking up race, politics and policy in America
POLITICO will highlight 40 people who had the biggest impact in 2022 -- and we want…
Pence commends leaders of both parties for Jan. 6 handling
Pence said that House and Senate leaders insisted that they had to reconvene that day.
Pelosi had ‘a career to be proud of,’ former GOP speaker says
"It's an impressive legacy," former House Speaker Paul Ryan said.
Cryptocurrency firm FTX’s fall pains industry, but Texas stays optimistic
FTX's bankruptcy has been a painful setback for the industry. But many legislators, investors and enthusiasts…
More Texans turn to home schooling after the pandemic showed them what learning outside of schools could be like
Some new home-schoolers disagree with how race and sex are taught at schools. Others cite safety…
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz confirms he will seek a third term in 2024
Speaking to the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas, the Texas Republican said he would seek…
Trump lashes out at special prosecutor announcement, says he will not ‘partake’
"For six years I have been going through this, and I am not going to go…
Sen. Markey vs. Musk’s Twitter: The freed bird might get its wings clipped
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has been an outspoken critic of changes to Twitter under Elon Musk,…
Texas Guard to send tank-like military vehicles to the border
A document obtained by The Texas Tribune and Army Times shows that the Vietnam-era M113 armored…
Here’s why we still don’t know what went wrong in Harris County on Election Day
The state's biggest county has no central system for tracking problems, so it still can't say…
Texas energy officials’ proposal to overhaul the power grid is drawing skepticism
In the wake of the deadly 2021 winter storm, the Texas Legislature ordered an overhaul of…
Gov. Greg Abbott embraces “invasion” language about border, evoking memories of El Paso massacre
In the days since Abbott was reelected for a third term, he has embraced the word…
A 2019 force-feeding of an Indian asylum-seeker at an El Paso ICE facility was caught on tape
The footage, obtained by The Intercept, lifts the veil of secrecy on a practice condemned by…
Texas oil and gas agency investigating 5.4 magnitude earthquake in West Texas, the largest in three decades
The quake was the third largest in Texas history, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. An…
“I’ll still be sharing Lexi’s story”: Mother of Uvalde victim vows to remain politically engaged
Some parents and family of the students killed at Robb Elementary in May campaigned for Democrats.…
Texans affected by pollution from concrete plants push state agency to tighten regulations
As the state's environmental agency weighs new pollution limits on the plants, several lawmakers have filed…
The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics
Every week political cartoonists throughout the country and across the political spectrum apply their ink-stained skills…
The latest victim from House GOP’s election night: impeachment
Some Republicans had eagerly awaited their chance to impeach President Joe Biden and members of his…
UT System approves commitment to free speech, even if most students find that speech “offensive” or “immoral”
The Board of Regents adopted the Chicago Statement, a free speech policy created by the University…
Acting Uvalde police chief during Robb Elementary shooting resigns
Lt. Mariano Pargas was one of the nearly 400 law enforcement officers who responded to the…