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Texas backtracks after wrongly flagging voters as noncitizens

A voter purge is being rolled back in Texas after some eligible voters were wrongly flagged as potential noncitizens. We’ll discuss what happened and what it means ahead of the midterms.

Also, for recent college graduates across Texas, the job market can be a difficult reality check. We’ll look at why landing that first job is proving tougher than many expected.

Plus, back-to-school shopping comes with sticker shock. A look at what’s driving up the cost of notebooks, backpacks and other classroom essentials — and how families are coping.

Also, as immigration arrests increase, South Texas communities are turning to neighborhood warning networks to track ICE activity. We’ll hear how those systems work and the legal questions they raise.

UT president unexpectedly denies tenure for border surveillance scholar

UT Austin professor Chaar López, a scholar on border surveillance, was denied tenure without a stated reason, despite positive reviews and recommendations. What this means for his future, and what experts have to say about his case.

Tiny Sounds Collective is supporting independent bands by booking all-ages shows in nontraditional spaces. The idea is built on a budget-free, do-it-yourself philosophy.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Austin elementary teacher released after nearly 300 days in ICE detention

A fifth-grade teacher in the Austin district told his students at the start of last school year that he would need to miss a day for an errand. Roberto López Falcón never made it back to those students, spending nearly 300 days in ICE detention before being released.

There’s plenty of ways to have some THC in Texas, including a surge of canned beverages, but what are the benefits to a canned high? And how much demand is there for these products?

We’re got an excerpt from the latest episode of the “Black Austin Matters” podcast.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Emergencies, shelter-in-place orders go out in flood-wary Kerr County region

Life-threatening floods hit parts of the Texas Hill Country as the Guadalupe River swells and flood emergencies and warnings go out.

In the aftermath of shootings in Maine and Texas, a pause in ICE policy ends only hours after the change went into effect. We’ll have more from Houston’s historic East End on how the shooting has galvanized residents there.

Also, the death of a Dallas Cowboy was ruled a suicide by officials, sparking a deeper conversation into the role of CTE: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

Religion and Texas culture: The new book ‘One State Under God’ by Joseph L. Locke untangles an unexpectedly deep, and often misunderstood connection.

Plus, the end of an era: After more than three decades, Sony pulls the plug on a format once popular with gamers.

And the state’s only legislatively authorized needle exchange program: Why efforts to expand it have stalled.

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

Questions remain after fatal ICE shooting in Houston

The latest on this week’s fatal shooting by ICE in Houston, described by Mexico’s president as part of a broader pattern of mistreatment of Mexican migrants. We’ll talk with reporters in Houston and in Mexico City.

Frisco has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing hubs for Indian American families, businesses and culture. But the North Texas city has also seen a rise in anti-Indian rhetoric online and in public life.

Lights, camera, Texas? As more big-ticket films focus on the Lone Star State, whether it’s looking like a long term shift in the industry.

What immigration arrest data tells us about who is being targeted in Texas

The Trump administration says immigration crackdowns target the worst of the worst, but what do the numbers say? We’ll dig into the details of a Houston Chronicle analysis of immigration arrest data in Texas and what the numbers suggest about who’s really getting rounded up by immigration enforcement.
Also, the U.S. military reverses course on vaccines after flu numbers rise at bases like San Antonio’s Lackland.
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including skeeters, it would appear — especially this year. How health officials are trying to stay on top of the diseases mosquitos carry.
And in a city best known for the songs of Selena, a new and rapidly growing music scene.

After two months in ICE detention, father is reunited with his family

A father who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a traffic stop in San Marcos has been reunited with his family. Gerardo Reyes, who spent more than two months in detention, might still face deportation.

Parents and staff from the Austin Independent School District are urging state legislators to increase funding for schools. We’ll hear from some of the folks who spoke out this week.

Lou Diamond Phillips has been acting for decades, but his breakout role as Ritchie Valens in “La Bamba” was so iconic, it’s one he’s still largely associated with. Phillips’ latest film, “Keep Quiet,” recently screened in Austin, where he was recognized with a city proclamation.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Probe says officers are tackling, pepper-spraying and tasering students in Texas schools

After Uvalde, Texas bet big on safety with police in every school, but a new report suggests an unintended and very troubling side effect.

The New York Times and the San Antonio Express-News reports thousands of incidents of officers tackling, pepper-spraying even tasering students for offenses that once would have meant a trip to the principal’s office, and no clear standards to protect against over-policing at school. We’ll talk to two of the authors of this report.

Also, Angela Kocherga with how the latest on the border wall may lead to an unusual conflict between church and state.

Plus a “Friday Night Lights” reunion conversation with actress Adrianne Palicki, the week in politics and more.

Program at state prison in Austin helps shelter dogs get adopted

The Austin Independent School District expects a $181 million deficit in next school year’s budget — but it still hasn’t released a proposal for what cuts will be made.

Austin revised its rules on how city police can interact with federal immigration agents — and city leaders are divided on what the change actually means.

The Austin Animal Center is often overcrowded. But a new program at the Travis Unit state prison is getting dogs there training and socialization to help them get adopted.

And a look back at an iconic performance 41years ago at the Armadillo World Headquarters.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Immigration in Central Texas — an Austin Signal special broadcast

Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have been on the rise during the second Trump administration.

And while enforcement in some parts of the U.S. has been messy and public, operations here in Texas are being carried out with a quieter, systematic approach. Today we’re taking a closer look at the situation here in Austin and Central Texas.

We’re bringing you a one-hour special sharing the experience of a UT student who was detained by ICE; talking about the potential health effects felt by targeted communities; and the story of a family’s fight to free their father from detention.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Supreme Court order keeps abortion pill access in flux

The Supreme Court intervenes in the battle over the medication mifepristone that is used for abortions mailed across the country.
An ICE agent shot and killed Ruben Ray Martinez, a U.S. citizen, on South Padre Island in 2025 — but his family in San Antonio didn’t find out how he died for nearly a year. What happened?
Plus, Houston ISD proposes major changes for special education.
Also, a look at the history of the Voting Rights Act and how it reshaped Texas.
And a large, unusual animal was spotted in south Austin. What is it and why is it roaming the area?

Dallasite David Lowery talks new film ‘Mother Mary’

Civil rights groups say the Houston City Council has caved to threats from Gov. Greg Abbott. We’ll hear more on the city’s decision to amend an ordinance limiting local law enforcement cooperation with ICE agents.
The latest frontier in the politics of energy: Andy Uhler on rising electricity demand statewide and the challenge convincing some rural Texans to get on board.
Austin archery students take aim at a national competition. We’ll hear about the real target of this undertaking.
“Mother Mary” director David Lowery filmed his new movie starring Anne Hathaway in Germany, but the Dallasite says he carries traces of Texas with him in all his work.
And will the owner of a huge statue in downtown Galveston please step forward?

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

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

ERCOT forecast raises new questions about Texas power demand

A judge has ordered the release of a family held in a South Texas detention center for 10 months. We’ll have a look at the case and what’s next.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is leading a Religious Liberty Commission for President Trump. Patrick’s recent comments denying a separation between church and state could tell us more about the group’s forthcoming policy recommendations.
With gas prices still high, there are calls on both sides of the aisle to suspend the gas tax. What would that save you, and what would we lose?
Plus, it’s Earth Day. We’ll explore some of the challenges of extreme weather and the ways people across Texas are trying to make an impact.

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

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Camp Mystic ruling could shape flood accountability case

The biggest city in Texas faces intense pressure from Gov. Greg Abbott over cooperation with immigration enforcement. David Goodman of the New York Times joins us with more on a threat to cut funding for Houston police unless it changes a new policy on collaboration with ICE agents.
What happens next to Camp Mystic? A hearing over what to do with damaged structures as questions remain over last July’s deadly floods.
What’s the price for memory? More than you might imagine, especially if you haven’t bought any recently. Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why and what it means.
And whither Artemis? What’s next for the moon.

What Cornyn’s absence at CPAC could signal for Senate race

Tens of thousands of Texans statewide participate in “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration as Texas Republicans try to coalesce for the midterms.
Conservatives gathered at CPAC in Grapevine this past weekend, hoping to fend off what may be the most serious Democratic challenge to the Republican monopoly on statewide offices in decades.
A conversation with a top oil analyst who warns many Texans don’t realize just how bad a fuel shortage could become if the Iran war continues.
Plus, the Elite Eight in our March Movie Madness bracket: What’s the best Texas film?

Exploring the global future of Texas-made kimchi

Federal immigration agents have arrived at both of Houston’s airports. What are they doing and has it reduced long TSA lines?
Two North Texas Democrats who were once allies — Rep. Julie Johnson and Rep. Colin Allred — are battling for the nomination for a congressional seat.
Many military dogs are living in sub-standard conditions. We’ll dig into reported problems at kennels at bases, including in San Antonio.
The son of Texas baseball legend Don Baylor tells us why it’s especially meaningful to have an Austin park renamed in his dad’s honor.
Plus, how Texas could fill an international demand for kimchi.

How Texas plans to power its AI data center boom

As data centers expand across the state, so does the need for energy. More power plants are popping up with Texas at the center of the AI data center boom.
The federal government gives its first briefing on a new border wall planned in the Big Bend region.
He helped U.S. troops during the war in Afghanistan — now the family of Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal wants to know how he died in ICE custody.
It was known as the Green Book, a guide for Black Americans during segregation that showed places that were welcoming. A new tour in San Antonio charts that history.

How liberal cities are navigating mandated ICE partnerships

Many Republican-led states like Texas require police officers to cooperate with federal immigration agents. That’s left liberal cities like Austin debating how to respond when they don’t want spend resources on immigration enforcement.

ICE operations are deterring immigrants from participating in routine parts of their lives. Here in Austin, one clinic has seen its demand drop dramatically over recent weeks.

Plus, South By Southwest wraps up tomorrow, but there’s still time to get in on the activities. Today, we’ll tell you about a documentary that follows the search for an almost mythical Texas musician.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Bob Odenkirk talks new action role in SXSW film ‘Normal’

A new report says the Trump administration created military zones on the border and charged people with trespassing. We’ll dive into why the cases are often flawed.
Today is the deadline to apply for school vouchers. We’ll look at why students with disabilities are running into hurdles.
Bob Odenkirk talks about his new film “Normal,” where he’s the sheriff of a small town hiding a deadly secret.
And Texas will be well represented in the March Madness NCAA Tournament. We’ll break it all down.

SXSW, partial government shutdown impacting Austin-Bergstrom travel

South By Southwest has brought many travelers into Austin to enjoy the city’s music, food and culture, but getting out of town via the Austin airport has turned a bit chaotic as TSA agents go without pay amid a partial government shutdown. We’ll have the latest from the airport and from local officials.

Carmen Mejia was exonerated from a Travis County prison after serving 20 years for a crime she didn’t commit. Once she was exonerated, however, she still faced threat from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll have the latest on her story.

Plus, the Texas men’s and women’s team basketball team are gearing up for the start of this week’s championship tournaments. We’ll break down who they’re playing and what their championship odds are looking like.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org