Texas offers Starr County ranch to Trump for mass deportation plans
Gov. Greg Abbott also announced that the state is adding more floating barriers to the Rio Grande. Full Story
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![The Rio Grande seen through dense brush nearby the Starr-Camargo bridge in Starr County, which connects Rio Grande City with Camargo, Tamaulipas.]()
Credit: Meghan Dhaliwal for The Texas Tribune -
UNT faculty slam university for removing references to race and equity in course names
Professors and instructors say the university is preemptively censoring itself after administrators removed references to race and equity in dozens of College of Education course titles and descriptions. Full Story
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![A student walks through the Library Mall at the University of North Texas in Denton on March 22, 2022.]()
Credit: Emil Lippe for The Texas Tribune -
A West Texas lawmaker wants to redirect millions of tax dollars to plug abandoned wells, curb emissions
The proposal comes after the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency said it needs more money to plug wells that are in some instances erupting. Full Story
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![State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, listens to Jazmin Cazares as she testifies before the House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety at the state capitol in Austin on June 23, 2022.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
Texas can schedule Robert Roberson’s execution — but lawmakers still expect his testimony first
Roberson was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in a “shaken baby” case that many say led to an innocent man’s death sentence. Full Story
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![Robert Roberson seeks a new trial for the 2003 conviction of the murder of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, in Palestine, Texas on August 14, 2018.]()
Credit: Shelby Knowles for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ top elected officials signal Texas could cut border spending after Trump takes office
With Donald Trump returning to the White House, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have both recently signaled new openness to winding down the state’ border security operation. Full Story
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![People in Piedras Negras, Mexico, are seen taking photos, through recently-installed concertina wire, of the U.S. side as Border Patrol agents patrol Rio Grande in Eagle Pass on Nov. 8, 2021.]()
Credit: Verónica Gabriela Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribune -
Why Democrats’ abortion messaging failed to resonate in Texas, despite unpopular bans
Texas’ strict abortion bans made it “ground zero” for Democrats hoping to rile up their base, but voters prioritized economic issues. Full Story
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![Protesters marched from the federal courthouse to the Texas Capitol in opposition to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, in Austin.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
A push to change a 2019 Texas law that bars certain felons from becoming social workers
Texas prohibits people with assault convictions, among other felonies, from becoming social workers. A new lawsuit says the ban is unconstitutional. Full Story
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![Tammy Thompson, left, and Katherin Youniacutt, right, pose for a portrait the night before filing a lawsuit against the state of Texas to try and reverse the 2019 law that prevents convicted felons from becoming licensed social workers.]()
Credit: Ilana Panich-Linsman for The Texas Tribune -
Texas lawmakers file bills ahead of 2025 legislative session
Tuesday marked the first day lawmakers could file bills for next year’s legislative session. Full Story
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![Members vote to approve an anti-voucher amendment brought by state rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, during a marathon session on the House floor to approve HB-1 at the Capitol in Austin on April 06, 2023.]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Supreme Court removes temporary block to Robert Roberson’s execution
The state’s highest civil court ruled that legislators can’t use subpoenas to block death row inmates’ executions, but suggested there’s still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel. Full Story
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![Former Detective Brian Wharton testifies during a Criminal Jurisprudence hearing on death row inmate Robert Roberson on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 in Austin, TX. Wharton was an investigator in the case of the death of Nikki Roberson and has expressed his doubts of Roberson's guilt and agrees with stopping his execution. With his scheduled execution drawing closer, a hearing debating the certainty of Robreson's guilt and there is a bipartisan push to stay his execution. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune]()
Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune -
A growing and aging population is forcing Texas counties to seek state EMS funding
Although Texas counties are not required to provide ambulance services, many are digging deep to pay for their own fleet or to contract out services. Full Story
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![The interior of a CareFlite ambulance vehicle outside the Johnson County County Commissioners office in Cleburne on November 8, 2024.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune -
How “wildly successful” anti-trans ads fired up Texas voters for Republicans
The barrage of ads focused on trans kids playing youth sports motivated the Republican base as Democrats struggled to respond. Full Story
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![People line the railing on all three levels of the outdoor rotunda of the state Capitol in Austin, and wave signs during the "Fight for our Lives" rally in opposition of anti-LGBTQ bills on March 27, 2023.]()
Credit: Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribune -
How zebra mussels and a Lake Texoma pump station spurred Texas to redraw its border with Oklahoma
The two states agreed to a land swap to ensure that a Dallas-area water district’s pump station lies wholly within Texas. Neither state gained in size from the small change. Full Story
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![A raw water pump station at Lake Texoma on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013. The station is bisected by the state line between Texas and Oklahoma, complicating the transportation of water to its intended destination in Texas.]()
Credit: Laura Buckman for The Texas Tribune -
How to stay politically engaged in between election cycles
From engaging with representatives to joining advocacy groups, there are numerous ways to continue participating in democracy and shaping policy after the polls close. Full Story
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![An Irving City Council meeting on Aug. 01, 2024 in Irving, Texas.]()
Credit: Ben Torres for The Texas Tribune -
Texas Legislature will approve school vouchers and boost public education funds next year, Abbott says
Last year, Abbott refused to give public schools a major raise without passing a voucher program. His tone was more conciliatory after Election Day. Full Story
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![Governor Greg Abbott speaks about school choice during a visit to the Kingdom Life Academy private school on Wednesday November 6, 2024, in Tyler.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Texas voter turnout falls in 2024 election despite record registration numbers
A historic 18.6 million Texans were registered to vote in the 2024 election, and 61% cast ballots, a nearly 6% drop from the 2020 presidential race. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line to cast their ballots in the 2024 presidential election at the Esperanza Acosta Memorial Library. Voters waited in line in upwards of two hours in El Paso, Texas on November 5, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribune -
Republicans maintain majority on the Texas State Board of Education
Republicans Tom Maynard, Pam Little, Aaron Kinsey and Brandon Hall prevailed in contested races. Democrat Gustavo Reveles won in the District 1 race. Full Story
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![State Board of Education chambers during the SBOE hearing on the controversial Mexican-American studies textbooks in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 13. Scholars who have reviewed Mexican American Heritage have pointed out that the textbook is riddled with factual errors, promotes offensive ethnic stereotypes and disparages Mexican Americans and their contributions to this country.]()
Credit: Martin do Nascimento for The Texas Tribune -
Abortion, the economy, immigration and transgender rights: Voters across Texas explain their vote
Texans from across the state went to the polls early with plenty on their mind. The Texas Tribune partnered with other news organizations to hear from a diverse cross-section of voters. Full Story
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![Political signs outside the polling site at the Lark Branch Library in McAllen on Oct. 22, 2024.]()
Credit: Verónica Gabriel Cárdenas for The Texas Tribune -
Election Day updates: South Texas continues dramatic shift toward Donald Trump, GOP
Texas might not be a swing state, but many of its races will have major consequences to the national political landscape and on the lives of everyday Texans. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line at the Houston Community College Southeast voting location in Houston on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024.]()
Credit: Mark Felix for The Texas Tribune -
9 million Texans voted early in 2024. Here’s how that compares to previous years.
The turnout rate dropped more than 8 percentage points compared to four years ago — a high-water mark for the Lone Star State. Full Story
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![Voters visit the Gilmer Civic Center during the first day of early voting on Monday October 21, 2024, in Gilmer.]()
Credit: Michael Cavazos for The Texas Tribune -
Electoral misinformation in Texas: What you should know to avoid it.
Disinformation spikes during major U.S. elections. Experts urge verifying sources, fact-checking and careful content sharing. Full Story
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![Voters wait in line at the Lakewood Branch Library in Dallas on Feb. 25, 2022, the last day of early voting in the Texas primary. Dallas County voting centers’ hours were extended till 10 P.M. on the last day of early voting to make up for early closures due to icy weather.]()
Credit: Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribune