Border

Fear at immigration court as ICE arrests migrants there for a hearing

The race to be San Antonio’s next mayor was narrowed from a field of 27 to two. What to know before the runoff election on Saturday.
Arrests outside of immigration court have happened in El Paso, Dallas and San Antonio. Why activists say this tactic encourages migrants to break the law.
Texas is set to become the next in a handful of states to ban lab-grown meat for human consumption.
It’s Texas vs. Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series championship, with Game 1 tonight.
And: We’ll explore Lucas Schaefer’s “The Slip,” a new novel set in late ’90s Austin and propelled by a mysterious disappearance.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

As the clock winds down, Texas lawmakers scramble to pass key bills

A look at the behind-the-scenes dealmaking happening at the Texas Capitol with less than two weeks until lawmakers gavel out on June 2.

How proposed cuts to SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, would impact Texans.

Apple has a plan to make it possible to use your laptop, phone and even smartwatch with brain control. Tech reporter Omar Gallaga says it’s no gimmick and could bring serious accessibility benefits.

Plus: A new coach, a new star – and a bumpy takeoff for the Dallas Wings.

10 years later, still no convictions in Twin Peaks biker shootout

A bipartisan bill on abortion has passed the Texas Senate and is making its way through the House. Why lawmakers agree it’s necessary.

It’s been a decade now since a deadly shootout involving rival biker gangs at a Twin Peaks in Waco. What an investigation reveals about how the case was handled.

Thousands of Brazilians live in Central Texas. How they’re feeling about those from their country being targeted for deportation.

Plus: We’ll take you to the Kentucky Club in Juárez, a beloved border bar and one of the last of its kind.

An Austin book club has been reading the same novel for more than a decade

Texas gets a lot of flack for its culture wars – but some note a change at the Capitol this legislative session.
More than a year after the state took over Shelby Park in Eagle Pass during the peak of illegal border crossings, it has now reopened to the public – and residents have bittersweet feelings.
After a big push from the Trump administration, Mexico promises to make good on water treaty deliveries to Texas. But farmers fear it’ll only be a drop in the bucket.
And: “Finnegans Wake” by James Joyce is so dense and experimental, one reading group in Austin has been working on it for more than a decade – and they’re still not even close to done.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

Judge rules Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act was unlawful

A South Texas ruling prevents the deportation of some detainees. What it means for the Trump administration’s strategy.
Houston’s large Afghan population is closely watching efforts to unwind programs providing them legal status in the U.S. Why many say they can’t return to their home country.
Some Texans will be headed to the polls tomorrow for local elections. A preview of some of the biggest races and initiatives, including one that would create a new company town.
Efforts to change what people can buy with food stamps, or SNAP assistance, are underway on a couple of levels.
A remembrance as this week marks 50 years since the fall of Saigon.
And: A new way to enjoy Texas Monthly – with a new series on PBS.

Remembering the ‘People’s Pope’

The Supreme Court halts deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. We’ll have the latest on the case involving migrants held in Texas.
He was called a “monster” by one of the survivors of the El Paso Walmart mass shooting. We hear from victims and relatives of those killed as the gunman is sentenced.
Pope Francis once made a high-profile visit to the Texas-Mexico border where he celebrated Mass on the banks of the Rio Grande. Residents on both sides of the river remember the People’s Pope.
How the tariff war with China could affect Texas.
And we talk to the South Texas author of the new novel “Futbolista”

Long-awaited historical marker will recognize Sherman Riot of 1930

The Justice Department announces the arrest of a Salvadoran gang member as questions grow about deportations and presidential power. NPR’s Sergio Martinez-Beltran gets us up to speed on the Trump administration’s deportation push, and the pushback.
Five years after COVID, why some health officials in Texas are worried about whether we’re ready for future pandemics.
Why the future of farming may be looking up – as in vertically.
And: This weekend, a historical marker will be unveiled at the Grayson County Courthouse to recognize the Sherman Riot of 1930.

Navy destroyer headed to the southern border region

A U.S. Navy destroyer armed with tomahawk missiles enroute to the gulf waters off the coast of Texas. What’s this all about?

Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom with word that the Texas government appears to be maintaining a list of people asking for information about changing the sex on their driver’s licenses. Who’s compiling this list and what is it being used for?

Five years after the declaration of a pandemic, what’s happened with vaccination rates?

And an AI service used by millions for free is about to go behind a paywall.
Plus, why Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor is busy making his list and checking it twice.

Why did the Mavericks trade Luka Doncic?

With a de facto North American trade war set to begin tomorrow, Presidents Donald Trump and Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico announce a one-month delay on tariffs in exchange for added troops at the border.

What we learned in Gov. Greg Abbott’s State of the State address, where he announced some unexpected priorities.

And: A surprise deal by the Dallas Mavericks to trade away star Luka Doncic is sending waves of disbelief among Dallas fans and pro basketball nationwide.

Texans weigh in on how to spend the state’s $24 billion surplus

If Texans were in charge of the state’s budget, how would they spend the money? A new survey from the Hobby School of Public Affairs sheds light on priorities.

We know many state lawmakers are prioritizing a school voucher effort that would give money for private education directly to families – and the proposal has moved forward in the Senate.

Some Texas business are already feeling indirect impacts of deportation efforts.

And: With Texas attracting more data centers, -what’s being done to ensure the energy grid can handle it?

Abbott wants feds to cover Texas’ border costs

Gov. Greg Abbott wants the federal government to reimburse the state for more than $11 billion spent on Operation Lone Star, and some lawmakers from both sides of the aisle support the request.

Texas leads the nation in wind energy jobs, but a White House executive order to pause new wind projects has some in the industry concerned.

As the Trump administration ramps up deportations of unauthorized immigrants, many farmers are bracing for the impact on agriculture.

Luring Buc-ee’s beyond Texas: Cities across the U.S. are offering the company tax breaks and other big incentives.

And: New state data shows a growing number of minors are traveling out of state for abortions.

Will Corpus Christi’s water restrictions be enough to stem emergency?

A dramatic move at the Texas Capitol upends a decades-long tradition of power sharing as conservative Republicans succeed in banning Democrats from chairing legislative committees.

The end of the CBP One program for asylum-seekers following President Donald Trump’s inauguration has left many with questions about their future.

And: Growing demand and industrial expansion have left Corpus Christi facing a water emergency.

US military sending troops to southern border

The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the country’s southern border, under orders from President Donald Trump. But what will they be doing, exactly, and what are the limits on what they can do?

Half a trillion dollars have been pledged for a new AI venture called Stargate, and the first project is a data center in Abilene.

And: Sherman, Texas, is experiencing a silicon rush, with two massive microchip factories under construction – one by Texas Instruments and another by Global Wafers.

Inside the Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum

At least five bills have been filed in the Texas Legislature so far to require Texas voters to show proof of citizenship. A look at the implications.

How education could take center stage in the upcoming 89th Texas legislative session.

Attorney General Ken Paxton files a motion to prevent testimony at the Capitol from death row inmate Robert Roberson.

And: Kristen Cabrera visits the Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum for the Texas Museum Map project.

What exactly does the Texas House speaker do?

Dade Phelan is out, and a bruising battle for speaker of the Texas House is set to begin – unless it’s already over? Over the weekend, GOP members backed David Cook, but Dustin Burrows claimed he had enough votes to override the caucus. What does a House speaker do, anyway?
In a stunning turn of events, a coalition of Syrian rebels has overthrown Bashar al-Assad’s regime, ending decades of dictatorship. A top Texas-based expert weighs in.
Has Texas oil toppled Saudi control of the markets?
And: Medical treatments for trans minors are banned under state law; why some trans adults say they’re affected, too.

A tale of a stolen town

On the western side of the Panhandle, right on the Texas/New Mexico border are two towns that were established just a few years apart in the late 1800s. They were separated by a line as thin as a goal line. They both still exist today — with populations of less than 1,500 each. But Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong says their beginnings were very different.

WNBA expansion sparks hopes for Austin franchise

The president-elect says he might use the military to support mass deportations of migrants in the country without legal authorization. But there are considerable obstacles to such an effort, both legal and logistic.
A new trade policy with an accent on tariffs. How Texas might find itself in the crosshairs.
Gov. Greg Abbott is pushing to boost nuclear power in the Lone Star State.
With the WNBA set to add teams in San Francisco, Portland and Toronto, there’s speculation about a 16th team. Could Austin be next?
And: how to kickstart a Kickstarter campaign.

Lawmakers start filing bills for 2025 legislative session

More than 1,500 bills were filed yesterday for the upcoming Texas legislative session. What they tell us about looming fights in the new year.
What some immigrant rights groups in Texas are doing to prepare for expected changes in enforcement as President-elect Trump promises mass deportations.
As high season for holiday shopping gets underway, consumer advocates warn about the growing popularity of “buy now, pay later” loans.
Also: A conversation with Texas-based actor David Del Rio, who’s part of the “Matlock” reboot.

Spanglish, Botanas and Border Cultura

If you grew up along the border in Tejas, you can speak con ganas, know where the good tacos and botanas are and your identity runs as long as the Rio Grande across Texas. Guest is Eddie Vega, Taco Poet and San Antonio Poet Laureate.

Probe finds UNT built business using bodies of destitute

A natural gas pipeline fire leads to evacuations in the Houston area.
The University of North Texas Health Science Center suddenly suspends its business using unclaimed corpses.
Also, Texas voters approved $5 billion dollars to pay for upgrades and new power plants, but now there are concerns about one of the finalists for funding.
Plus, Texas is not a battleground state but there could still be some surprises at the ballot box. We’ll explain.
And a new book examines the role of motherhood on the border.