https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/alejandro-serrano/The latest news by Alejandro Serrano.enFri, 11 Oct 2024 19:48:01 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/11/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-investigations-request-to-examine/A federal judge said Texas’ “request to examine” statute amounts to unconstitutional search and seizure, Bloomberg reported.By Alejandro Serrano and Kayla Guo, The Texas Tribune, and Vianna Davila, The Texas Tribune and ProPublicaFri, 11 Oct 2024 19:48:01 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/11/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-investigations-request-to-examine/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/28/texas-eagle-pass-shelby-park-rally/Residents say they can no longer access the park after the state seized it against the city’s wishes in January.By Alejandro SerranoSat, 28 Sep 2024 17:55:04 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/28/texas-eagle-pass-shelby-park-rally/Protesters march toward Shelby Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. A rally was held near Shelby Park protesting the current occupation of the park by the Texas Department of Public Safety as part of Operation Lonestar. The park, which became a global focal point for illegal border crossings, was once open to the public but is now closed to the public and heavily fortified.Protesters march toward Shelby Park on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. A rally was held near Shelby Park protesting the current occupation of the park by the Texas Department of Public Safety as part of Operation Lonestar. The park, which became a global focal point for illegal border crossings, was once open to the public but is now closed to the public and heavily fortified.Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/26/texas-ken-paxton-las-americas-investigation-lawsuit-immigrants/Attorney General Ken Paxton has investigated at least five organizations this year that do immigration-related work.By Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune, and Vianna Davila, The Texas Tribune and ProPublicaThu, 26 Sep 2024 10:07:35 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/26/texas-ken-paxton-las-americas-investigation-lawsuit-immigrants/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention on May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention on May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/25/texas-24-hours-border-takeaways/Reporters from both organizations spent a day documenting the reality on the border. Here’s a summary of what they found.By Berenice Garcia, Uriel J. García, Jakob Maurer and Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune, and Juan A. Lozano and Elliot Spagat, Associated PressWed, 25 Sep 2024 11:52:03 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/25/texas-24-hours-border-takeaways/A private border wall that extends nearly three miles stands in Mission, on Friday morning, Aug. 9, 2024.A private border wall that extends nearly three miles is seen in Mission, Texas on Aug. 9, 2024.Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/25/texas-border-24-hours-trump-harris-migrants/The Texas Tribune and The Associated Press visited five locations along the 1,254-mile span to separate the facts from the political narrative during a heated election year.By Berenice Garcia, Uriel J. García, Jakob Maurer and Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune, and Juan A. Lozano and Elliot Spagat, Associated PressWed, 25 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/25/texas-border-24-hours-trump-harris-migrants/Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, clockwise: A Venezuelan migrant family arriving in El Paso; the Rio Grande and Shelby Park in Eagle Pass; Andrés García, Border Patrol agent and public affairs officer at the border wall near Mission; a Customs and Border Protection officer and K-9 inspecting trucks at the Port of Laredo.Christina Smallwood, foreground, and Andrés García, Border Patrol agents and Public Affairs officers look for migrants underneath the vehicular McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge in Hidalgo, Texas, early Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/06/texas-ken-paxton-travis-county-voter-registration/The Texas attorney general filed a similar lawsuit earlier this week against Bexar County, which includes San Antonio.By Alejandro Serrano and Alejandra MartinezFri, 06 Sep 2024 10:55:37 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/09/06/texas-ken-paxton-travis-county-voter-registration/Voter registration forms at a booth on the campus of UT-Austin on Oct. 11, 2022.Voter registration forms at a booth on the campus of UT-Austin on Oct. 11, 2022.May-Ying Lam for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/30/texas-voter-rights-violations-investigation-request/The request by the Texas Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter to the Department of Justice follows a similar request by a Latino civil rights organization.By Alejandro SerranoFri, 30 Aug 2024 19:08:30 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/30/texas-voter-rights-violations-investigation-request/Voting access and election integrity are central to a partisan clash in Texas. One result is a request from a group of Democrats who have asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate steps by the state Attorney General.A bipartisan testing crew uses voting machines and tabulators during a state-mandated logic and accuracy test on Sept. 21 at the Hays County government building in San Marcos. Texas law requires public testing of the voting machines before and after every election.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/29/texas-attorney-general-deposition-migrant-aid-group-brownsville/The AG’s office sought to depose the leader of Team Brownsville, which provides water, shelter and basic necessities to asylum-seeking migrants.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 29 Aug 2024 19:09:50 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/29/texas-attorney-general-deposition-migrant-aid-group-brownsville/Asylum seekers wait in line to get a meal provided by Team Brownsville near the Gateway International Bridge in Matamoros, Mexico on Oct. 13, 2019.Asylum seekers wait in line to get a meal provided by Team Brownsville near the Gateway International Bridge in Matamoros, Mexico on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. Most of the people have been sent back under the Migrant Protection Protocols, MPP, also known as “Remain in Mexico” program along with some Mexican nationals awaiting their turn to seek asylum in the U.S.Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/26/texas-latino-leaders-ken-paxton-voter-fraud/At a news conference, Texas House candidate Cecilia Castellano did not address any of the allegations Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office laid out in search warrant affidavits.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 26 Aug 2024 12:59:45 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/26/texas-latino-leaders-ken-paxton-voter-fraud/Cecilia Castellano speaks at a League of United Latin American Citizens news conference on Monday to discuss a series of raids conducted by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Castellano is the Democratic candidate for state House District 80.Cecilia Castellano speaks at a League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) press conference on Mon. August 26th, to discuss a series of raids conducted by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Castellano is the Democratic candidate for state House District 80.Chris Stokes for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/24/ken-paxton-vote-harvesting-raid-lulac-cecilia-castellano/The Texas attorney general’s office searched the home of Cecilia Castellano and a Democratic legislative aide. It said it’s investigating vote harvesting. Activists called it “intimidation.”By Alejandro SerranoSat, 24 Aug 2024 21:49:01 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/24/ken-paxton-vote-harvesting-raid-lulac-cecilia-castellano/Copies of mail-in ballot applications.Mail-in ballot application. Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/23/texas-attorney-general-lawsuit-immigrant-rights-group-ruling-houston/Paxton’s office claimed the group broke rules prohibiting political activity by nonprofits, but the judge rejected the case outright.By Alejandro SerranoFri, 23 Aug 2024 17:32:23 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/23/texas-attorney-general-lawsuit-immigrant-rights-group-ruling-houston/Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, speaks during a 2021 press conference about an eviction aid fair outside of the George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Federal Building in Houston.Cesar Espinosa, executive director of FIEL Houston, speaks during a press conference to announce the Drive-Thru Eviction Aid Fair on Jan. 14, 2021, outside of the George Thomas “Mickey” Leland Federal Building in Houston.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/22/texas-buses-migrants-slowdown/The bus trips to Democrat-run cities stopped after June as the number of migrants apprehended across the southwest border plummeted.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 22 Aug 2024 17:43:31 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/22/texas-buses-migrants-slowdown/A bus with dozens of migrants leaves an El Paso shelter and heads to New York City on Aug. 31, 2022. The city and county of El Paso sponsored the voluntary bus trips to relieve pressure on local shelters that summer.A bus with dozens of migrants, including included several family units, leaves a shelter and heads to New York City on Aug. 31, 2022, in El Paso. The city and county of El Paso are sponsoring (to be reimbursed by FEMA) the voluntary trips to relieve pressure on local resources and shelters.Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/16/texas-paxton-attorney-general-lawsuit-immigrants-rights-fiel-houston/Attorney General Ken Paxton has targeted similar organizations that aid migrants at the border. The lawsuit appears to be the first to focus on political speech and rules that govern nonprofits.By Alejandro SerranoFri, 16 Aug 2024 15:03:08 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/16/texas-paxton-attorney-general-lawsuit-immigrants-rights-fiel-houston/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP convention in May. His office has targeted a Houston immigrant rights group, asking a judge to shut it down over political speech.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton speaks during the Texas GOP Convention Thursday, May 23, 2024 in San Antonio.Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/01/texas-border-wall-money-biden-paxton-lawsuit/Texas sued to stop an executive order issued by President Biden on his Inauguration Day to stop border wall construction and divert funds that had already been allocated for the project.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 01 Aug 2024 16:46:39 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/08/01/texas-border-wall-money-biden-paxton-lawsuit/The border wall in a remote part of southern New Mexico. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office said the federal government must resume wall construction after it failed to appeal a judge's decision in a Texas lawsuit.The border wall as seen from a US CBP helicopter in a remote section of southern New Mexico on December 14, 2021.Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/17/abbott-texas-republican-convention-border-security/The Texas governor used his time on the Republican convention stage to praise Trump on border security and to challenge the Democratic president.By Robert Downen and Alejandro SerranoWed, 17 Jul 2024 21:00:48 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/17/abbott-texas-republican-convention-border-security/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/16/texas-border-migrant-apprehensions-decrease/Migrant apprehensions in Texas decreased by nearly one-third in June, the first month of a new order by President Joe Biden that widely limited asylum claims.By Alejandro SerranoTue, 16 Jul 2024 15:28:52 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/16/texas-border-migrant-apprehensions-decrease/Migrants walk through the mostly dry river bed of the Rio Grande toward concertina wire guarded by Texas National Guard soldiers along the U.S.-Mexico border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on May 27, 2024.Migrants walk through the mostly dry river bed of the Rio Grande to concertina wire guarded by Texas National Guard soldiers along the U.S.-Mexico border in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico on May 27, 2024. Migrants trying to cross into El Paso, must first make it through an area between concertina wire and the border wall, and not be caught by Texas National Guard soldiers, in order to turn themselves in to Border Patrol.Paul Ratje for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/15/uvalde-school-shooting-records-sheriff-district/A group of news organizations including The Texas Tribune had sued for access to the records.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 15 Jul 2024 13:56:56 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/15/uvalde-school-shooting-records-sheriff-district/Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, was the site of a 2022 shooting that left 19 children and 2 adults dead, shot by a teenage gunman.Robb Elementary in Uvalde, on July 11, 2022.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/15/texas-mexico-border-national-guard-migrants-eagle-pass/Texas has sent thousands of soldiers to the border as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s multibillion-dollar initiative Operation Lone Star. No border town has felt their presence more than Eagle Pass.By Alejandro SerranoMon, 15 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/15/texas-mexico-border-national-guard-migrants-eagle-pass/The state took control of Shelby Park in Eagle Pass despite city leaders' objections to use it as a staging area for Operation Lone Star.Operation Lone Star activity at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass on Jan. 18, 2024.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/02/texas-el-paso-annunciation-house-ruling/Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has accused Annunciation House, which operates a network of migrant shelters, of human smuggling.By Alejandro Serrano and Robert Downen, The Texas Tribune, and Vianna Davila, The Texas Tribune and ProPublicaTue, 02 Jul 2024 11:26:09 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/02/texas-el-paso-annunciation-house-ruling/A crowd gathers a press conference at Annunciation House in El Paso on Feb. 23, 2024. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the migrant shelter, accusing it of operating a stash house and human trafficking. A judge on Tuesday ruled in favor of Annunciation House, which has been providing aid and shelter to migrants in El Paso for decades.A crowd of people gathers in support of Annunciation House during the press conference. Earlier this week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, announced a lawsuit against the migrant shelter Annunciation House for allegedly operating a stash house and human trafficking. Annunciation House has been providing aid and shelter to migrants in El Paso, Texas for more than 40 years. February 23, 2024Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/28/texas-uvalde-shooting-arredondo-indicted/Former schools police chief Pete Arredondo faces 10 criminal charges, while former school district officer Adrian Gonzales faces 29 counts.By Alejandro SerranoFri, 28 Jun 2024 10:53:19 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/06/28/texas-uvalde-shooting-arredondo-indicted/Hundreds of flowers, toys, and candles surround the crosses in memorial of the 21 victims of the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde on June 9, 2022.Hundreds of flowers, toys, and candles surround the crosses in memorial of the 21 victims of the school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, on June 9, 2022.Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribune