https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/alejandro-serrano/The latest news by Alejandro Serrano.enWed, 19 Mar 2025 17:21:47 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/19/texas-critical-race-theory-ban-lawsuit-coppell-schools/The attorney general office’s lawsuit is based on an undercover video published in February by a conservative activist group.By Alejandro SerranoWed, 19 Mar 2025 17:21:47 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/19/texas-critical-race-theory-ban-lawsuit-coppell-schools/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Coppell ISD for allegedly breaking the state's "critical race theory" ban.The Texas flags hangs at a classroom, on Aug. 7, 2024.Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/17/texas-legislature-immigrants-ice-partnerships-sheriffs-requirement/Some sheriffs worried that Senate Bill 8 could create an unfunded mandate, while civil rights advocates warned about possible racial profiling.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 17 Mar 2025 13:33:28 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/17/texas-legislature-immigrants-ice-partnerships-sheriffs-requirement/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/17/texas-jim-hogg-operation-lone-star-booking-facility-closing/The state opened the facility in Jim Hogg County in 2022.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 17 Mar 2025 10:42:35 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/17/texas-jim-hogg-operation-lone-star-booking-facility-closing/A pedestrian films a video of Texas National Guard soldiers repairing concertina wire along the U.S.-Mexico border on Feb. 29, 2024 in Brownsville.A pedestrian films a video of Texas National Guard soldiers repairing concertina wire along the U.S.-Mexico border after a migrant swam north across the Rio Grande to the United States Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Brownsville. President Joe Biden visited Brownsville on Thursday, receiving briefings from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, USCIS, and ICE along the border before giving remarks at the Brownsville Border Patrol Station.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/texas-immigration-migrant-detention-centers/The feds are adding thousands of beds to hold families in Texas, which reportedly holds the most immigrants of any state at its 21 detention centers.By Alejandro SerranoFri, 14 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/14/texas-immigration-migrant-detention-centers/The South Texas Family Residential Center, an immigrant detention center in Dilley, about 70 miles southwest of San Antonio, is being reopened to hold migrant families facing deportation.The South Texas Family Residential Center is an immigrant detention center in Dilley, about 70 miles southwest of San Antonio.Laura Skelding for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-fema-federal-grants-immigrants/A letter sent this week claims the grant recipients, including many Texas cities and counties, may have illegally “induced” undocumented immigrants to enter the country.By Uriel J. García, Alejandro Serrano and Berenice GarciaThu, 13 Mar 2025 16:12:36 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-fema-federal-grants-immigrants/Migrants walk from a Department of Homeland Security tent facility in front of the McAllen bus station to Catholic Charities RGV Humanitarian Respite Center on April 22, 2021.Migrants walk from a DHS tent facility in front of the McAllen bus station to Catholic Charities RGV Humanitarian Respite Center on April 22, 2021.Jason Garza for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-paxton-investigation-dallas-sanctuary-city/Attorney General Ken Paxton said a recent statement by Dallas’ interim police chief raised concerns that the city might be violating a state law against so-called sanctuary city policies.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 13 Mar 2025 13:57:35 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/13/texas-paxton-investigation-dallas-sanctuary-city/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton at a rally at the Tarrant County Republican Party Headquarters in Fort Worth on January 6, 2025. Paxton announced Thursday that his office is investigating the city of Dallas for allegedly violating Texas' ban on so-called sanctuary cities.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton addresses the crowd during a rally at the Tarrant County Republican Party Headquarters in Fort Worth on January 6, 2025.Photo by Emil T. Lippe for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/12/texas-legislature-immigration-bills/From requiring law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal officials to forcing state contractors to use E-Verify to spot undocumented workers, here are the bills that could reshape the state’s immigration policies.By Alejandro Serrano and Uriel J. GarcíaWed, 12 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/12/texas-legislature-immigration-bills/Migrants apprehended by state troopers after crossing the Texas-Mexico border are brought to the International Bridge in Eagle Passand handed over to Border Patrol custody on May 28, 2022.People who were apprehended by state troopers after crossing the border were brought to the International Bridge in Eagle Pass, where they were handed over to Border Patrol custody on Thursday, May 28, 2022.Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/06/texas-dilley-immigration-detention-center-families-reopen/The Biden administration shuttered the Dilley facility last year because of high operating costs. It’s expected to hold immigrant families under the Trump administration.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 06 Mar 2025 10:26:08 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/06/texas-dilley-immigration-detention-center-families-reopen/The South Texas Family Residential Center, an ICE detention center in Dilley, in 2020. After being shut down by the Biden administration, the facility is being reopened by the Trump administration.South Texas Family Residential Center, an ICE detention center in Dilley on Sept. 30, 2020.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/27/texas-immigration-courts-judges-fired/The move raises concerns about large case backlogs that have persisted for years.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 27 Feb 2025 14:04:34 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/27/texas-immigration-courts-judges-fired/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/25/texas-colony-ridge-raids-arrests-immigrants-ice/The development outside of Houston has long drawn the ire of Texas Republicans who claim it’s a haven for undocumented people.By Alejandro SerranoTue, 25 Feb 2025 16:36:51 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/25/texas-colony-ridge-raids-arrests-immigrants-ice/Tom Homan, President Donald Trump's immigration adviser, at a Thanksgiving dinner event for Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and National Guard troops in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.Tom Homan, President Donald Trump's "border czar" appointee, at a Thanksgiving dinner event for Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and National Guard troops in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/24/texas-houston-colony-ridge-immigration-operation/The Colony Ridge development has long been under scrutiny from conservative lawmakers, think tanks and influencers who cast it as a hotbed for undocumented immigrants and cartel crime.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 24 Feb 2025 11:03:30 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/24/texas-houston-colony-ridge-immigration-operation/The Colony Ridge development in New Caney on Oct. 9, 2023. Gov. Greg Abbott announced that federal and state law enforcement would conduct and operation in the development targeting "criminal and illegal immigrants."An overhead view of the Colony Ridge development in New Caney on Oct. 9, 2023.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/texas-senate-teacher-pay/Teachers with three and five years of experience would qualify for raises under Senate Bill 26. Instructors in smaller school districts would get bigger pay bumps.By Jaden Edison and Alejandro SerranoTue, 18 Feb 2025 16:42:05 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/18/texas-senate-teacher-pay/Senate Bill 26, filed Tuesday, would give raises to teachers based on their experience and performance.Third grade teacher Eran McGowan watches students demonstrate their answers to the class at the Eddie Bernice Johnson STEM Academy in Dallas, Texas on Feb. 5, 2024.Azul Sordo for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-greg-abbott-hisd-bellaire-high-school/The governor also called on lawmakers to prohibit the practice at all schools.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 17 Feb 2025 13:56:16 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-greg-abbott-hisd-bellaire-high-school/Gov. Abbott speaks to parents during an event hosted by the Parent Empowerment Coalition at Covenant Christian Academy in McAllen on April 12, 2023.Gov. Abbott speaks to parents during an event hosted by the Parent Empowerment Coalition at Covenant Christian Academy in McAllen on April 12, 2023.Michael Gonzales for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-extreme-cold-weather-power-grid-wildfire-flood-risk/Gov. Greg Abbott said the state’s power grid “has never been stronger than it is now” and should weather the cold without issues.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 17 Feb 2025 12:23:11 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-extreme-cold-weather-power-grid-wildfire-flood-risk/Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference about Texas’ emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm that struck Texas on Feb 13, 2021. On Monday Abbott said the state power grid will be able to handle expected freezing weather arriving this week.Gov. Greg Abbott speaks at a press conference regarding Texas’ emergency response to an unprecedented winter storm gripping Texas on Feb 13, 2021.Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-undocumented-immigrants-trump-deportation-demographics/The estimated 1.7 million undocumented people in Texas are now targets of the Trump administration’s nationwide immigration crackdown. Here’s what we know about them.By Yuriko Schumacher and Alejandro SerranoMon, 17 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/17/texas-undocumented-immigrants-trump-deportation-demographics/There are estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants in Texas. That's one in 20 Texans.There are estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants in Texas. That's one in 20 Texans.Yuriko Schumacher/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/12/texas-charities-migrants-attorney-general-investigation-appeal/Three Republican judges heard oral arguments Wednesday after a lower court blocked Attorney General Ken Paxton’s efforts to depose the charity’s leader.By Alejandro SerranoWed, 12 Feb 2025 17:01:29 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/12/texas-charities-migrants-attorney-general-investigation-appeal/Migrants are greeted by Sister Norma Pimentel in front of the Catholic Charities RGV Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen on April 22, 2021.Migrants are greeted by Sister Norma Pimentel in front of the Catholic Charities RGV Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, on April 22, 2021.Jason Garza for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/05/texas-border-security-immigration-spending-operation-lone-star/Texas’ border spending exploded after Joe Biden’s election, then state leaders signaled a new willingness to reduce it when Trump won. That didn’t last long.By Alejandro Serrano and Jasper SchererWed, 05 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/05/texas-border-security-immigration-spending-operation-lone-star/Texas National Guard members on the banks of the Rio Grand at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Jan. 16, 2024.Texas National Guard members load a raft to a pickup at the bank of the Rio Grand at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, on Jan. 16, 2024. Texas has closed off Shelby Park, cutting access to federal agents to part of the Texas-Mexico border and escalating tensions between the Biden administration and Gov. Greg Abbott.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/03/texas-national-guard-immigration-arrests/Gov. Greg Abbott said that the agreement was effective immediately.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 03 Feb 2025 10:06:40 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/03/texas-national-guard-immigration-arrests/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/29/texas-immigration-lubbock-police-traffic-stop-ice-deportation/Advocates worry that rapidly shifting federal and state immigration initiatives will prompt more city police to funnel migrants without criminal records to federal agents.By Alejandro SerranoWed, 29 Jan 2025 16:12:33 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/29/texas-immigration-lubbock-police-traffic-stop-ice-deportation/Jose Alvaro, his wife Ashley and their three children at their home near Lubbock on Tuesday. Jose Alvaro, who is undocumented and has applied for a green card, is in danger of being deported following a traffic stop that led to police calling federal immigration officials.Jose Alvaro (his first and middle name), his wife Ashley, children 6-month old Jose, 1-year old Arrceli and 4-year-old Antonio at their home near Lubbock, Tx. on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Jose Alvaro is in danger of being deported and working with an attorney to stay home with his family.Mark Rogers for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/27/texas-abbott-soldiers-border-patrol/The 400 members of a special tactical unit left bases in Houston and Fort Worth on Monday morning, according to the governor’s office.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 27 Jan 2025 11:14:37 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2025/01/27/texas-abbott-soldiers-border-patrol/Gov. Abbott speaks to DPS Troopers and National Guard troops at a Thanksgiving dinner event in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.Gov. Abbott speaks to DPS Troopers and National Guard troops at a Thanksgiving dinner event in Edinburg on Nov. 26, 2024.Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune