U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson visits border, demands that Biden administration crack down on illegal immigration
Johnson and 60 GOP House members went to Eagle Pass and said they won’t support financial aid for Ukraine or Israel unless the president backs their proposals to secure the border.
U.S. Justice Department sues Texas to halt new state law targeting illegal immigration
Senate Bill 4 allows Texas police to arrest immigrants who cross the border between ports of entry. The federal government says the law is unconstitutional.
Former U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores accused of cribbing others’ pictures of Mexican food as her own cooking
Flores, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez for her old seat, is being accused of routinely stealing stylish photos of Mexican campfire cooking and passing them off as her own idyllic life on a ranch.
Texan Bitcoin miners profit by using less electricity; advocates say all Texans should get the same chance
Bitcoin miner Riot Platforms made headlines over the summer for making millions by selling pre-purchased power back to the grid. The news highlighted how the grid can benefit businesses more than consumers.
Texans receiving federal food assistance caught in crosshairs of congressional funding fight
Over 227,000 Texans could get turned away from the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children next year unless Congress allocates more money for the program, advocates and the White House warns. But partisan divisions are obscuring the path forward on government funding.
Emergency rooms not required to perform life-saving abortions, federal appeals court rules
The Biden administration reminded hospitals of their obligation to perform life-saving abortions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Texas sued, arguing it was an overstep that mandated abortions.
More than a third of state agencies are using AI. Texas is beginning to examine its potential impact.
Amid fears that AI could heighten bias or affect privacy, the state is forming an advisory committee to recommend how the technology is deployed. “We’re gonna have to set up some rules,” the committee’s founder says.
A new way to fund Texas community colleges focuses on student success, not enrollment
A historic $683 million investment in community colleges rewards community colleges for getting students to complete a degree or certificate, transfer to a four-year university or participate in college courses as early as high school.
Vouchers, border security, abortion: The issues you heard about in 2023 will continue to be hotly debated in 2024
After nearly a year’s worth of legislative sessions, several issues are poised to dominate Texas politics this year. Here’s a look at how things ended on several fronts last year — and where they’re headed next.
Former U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Black Democratic trailblazer, dies at 88
Johnson, the first Black woman elected to any seat in Dallas and the first Black Dallasite to serve in Congress, was a towering figure in Texas politics.