Tag Archives: immigration

Census lawsuit may proceed

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge said Tuesday that there was a “strong showing of bad faith” by the Trump administration in adding a controversial question about US citizenship to the 2020 census. The judge hinted that he would allow the case to move forward … Continue reading →

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No indefinite detention of asylum seekers

Posted on July 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That title is one of those things I can’t believe I have to write. A federal district judge has ruled President Donald Trump’s administration’s practice of indefinitely detaining some asylum seekers can’t proceed, dealing a major blow to what immigration … Continue reading →

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Demography and our destiny

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Trends keep on trending. Harris County continues to grow more diverse, with population increases among every ethnic and racial group, except non-Hispanic whites between 2016 and 2017, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. In Harris County, … Continue reading →

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“Families Belong Together”

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Make some noise, then make sure everyone you know gets out and votes. As the temperature inched to the triple digits and sweating crowds swarmed the south lawn of the Texas State Capitol, speakers declared with grief, hope, indignation and … Continue reading →

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The family separation crisis is far from over

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

For one thing: Although the zero-tolerance policy was officially announced last month, it has been in effect, in more limited form, since at least last summer. Several months ago, as cases of family separation started surfacing across the country, immigrant-rights … Continue reading →

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Our typically feckless state leaders

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Way to set an example for the rest of us, y’all. Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick frequently talk tough about illegal immigration, but they refuse to publicly support the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy that’s spurred outrage for … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 53 Comments

Mayor Turner says “No!” to the child detention warehouse

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Damn right. Mayor Sylvester Turner called on the owner of a building east of downtown Houston and the nonprofit hoping to operate the former warehouse as a detention center for immigrant children separated from their families at the nation’s southern … Continue reading →

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Say “No!” to warehousing “tender age” children

Posted on June 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We cannot allow this. The large vacant warehouse in downtown Houston has housed women and families who were once homeless and adults displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Until now, however, it has never sheltered small children who are on their own … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , | 93 Comments

Once, twice, three times a lawsuit

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

There’s actually now five lawsuits and counting over the Census citizenship question, but “three” fit my headline better. The American Civil Liberties Union sued the Trump administration on Wednesday over its decision to add a controversial question about US citizenship … Continue reading →

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Justice Department won’t defend DACA, either

Posted on June 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Even less of a surprise. Agreeing with a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas against the Trump administration to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the U.S. Justice Department told the courts late Friday the program should … Continue reading →

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More Census litigation

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Also good. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus and the Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus are suing the Trump administration in hopes of blocking the addition of a citizenship question to the once-a-decade census of every person living in the United States. … Continue reading →

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Dreamers can litigate in support of DACA

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal district judge has allowed a group of young undocumented immigrants to intervene in a lawsuit where the state of Texas seeks to put an end to the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. Brownsville-based … Continue reading →

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The “sanctuary cities” connection to the SCOTUS sports betting decision

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The state’s rights aspect of this ruling may have other applications. Seven of the nine justices — five conservatives and two liberals — backed a robust reading of the Constitution’s 10th Amendment and a limit on the federal government’s power … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues to end DACA

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This guy, I swear. Following through on a months-old promise, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Tuesday to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, leading a seven-state coalition against an Obama-era immigration measure that protects hundreds … Continue reading →

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Harris County is not growing the way it used to

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

And the reason for that is that people aren’t moving here the way they used to. Quite the opposite, in fact. There’s been a lot of publicity lately about the fact that in the last couple of years, Harris County … Continue reading →

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From the “Answering my own rhetorical question” department

Posted on April 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Nobody could have seen this coming! Ever since Texas’s “sanctuary cities” ban was first proposed in late 2016, the measure’s Republican backers have painted it as a public safety measure targeting criminals — without racist or anti-immigrant intent. But records … Continue reading →

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Multiple cities and states sue over Census citizenship question

Posted on April 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Seventeen states, the District of Columbia, and six major cities sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over the addition of a controversial new question about US citizenship to the 2020 census. This is the third major lawsuit against the administration’s action, after California and the NAACP sued last week, … Continue reading →

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Everybody should be counted

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The 2020 Census has big challenges, especially in Texas. But even two years out from the 2020 count, local officials, demographers, community organizers and advocates say they are worried the census could be particularly tough to carry out in Texas … Continue reading →

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More on the status of SB4

Posted on March 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Ed Sills sent this one-pager from MALDEF to his mailing list; there’s no link and I couldn’t find it on the MALDEF webpage, so I’m just going to copy and paste here: What did the Fifth Circuit Court decide? On … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit lets most of SB4 remain in place

Posted on March 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. A panel of three U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals judges ruled Tuesday that most of the state’s immigration enforcement legislation, Senate Bill 4, can remain in effect while the case plays out, handing a victory to Gov. Greg … Continue reading →

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Action alert: Rally at Culberson’s office for a clean DREAM Act

Posted on February 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mothers, children, and other allies will gather in front of John Culberson’s office to demand a Clean DREAM Act this Thursday at 4 PM. The gathering will feature remarks from children of mixed status parents and mothers … Continue reading →

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Republicans “against” Dan Patrick

Posted on January 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

RG Ratcliffe reports on a “loose coalition” of business and education interests who are seeking to clip Dan Patrick’s wings. [FBSID Board President Kristin] Tassin is now running for a seat in the state Senate, and she is just one … Continue reading →

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Dan Patrick wants SAPD Chief arrested

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday asked the state’s attorney general to determine if the chief of the San Antonio Police Department violated the state’s immigration-enforcement law during a human smuggling incident. Late last month, San … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Federal court permanently blocks Trump “sanctuary cities” order

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge has permanently blocked President Trump’s efforts to bar cities that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration forces from receiving funding, the most decisive blow yet to the White House’s efforts to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities. … Continue reading →

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That decline in international students is here

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We knew it was coming. UHCL is among several universities around Texas that this year have seen a sharp drop in international enrollment, as the number of international student applications to four-year public universities has plummeted by more than 10,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

TAB wants the Lege to quit it with bathroom bills

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The talk is good. We’ll see about the action. Texas lawmakers spent too much time this year debating bathrooms and immigration, and took their eyes off some matters vital to economic growth, such as phasing out the business-franchise tax and … Continue reading →

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SB4 at the Fifth Circuit

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Hoping for the best as always, but the Fifth Circuit has a way of stomping on that. Tuesday’s hearing was on whether U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia’s August decision to block several of the law’s provisions should stand while the … Continue reading →

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Julian 2020?

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

He has raised the possibility. Texas Democrat Julian Castro confirmed Sunday he is seriously considering running for president in 2020 and former state Sen. Wendy Davis left open the possibility she will take another run at running for governor in … Continue reading →

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Lupe Valdez

Posted on November 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Now here is some potential-candidate news of interest. Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez has emerged as potential Democratic challenger to Gov. Greg Abbott in 2018. In an interview Monday, Valdez described herself as “in the exploratory process,” looking at the … Continue reading →

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Lamar Smith to retire

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good riddance. U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio said Tuesday he is retiring from Congress. “For several reasons, this seems like a good time to pass on the privilege of representing the 21st District to someone else,” he wrote in … Continue reading →

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Ken Paxton REALLY wants your “sanctuary complaints”

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

What could possibly go wrong? Texans who suspect their elected or appointed officials of enforcing policies that protect undocumented immigrants can now file an official complaint with the office of the state’s top prosecutor. Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit partially unblocks SB4

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Terrible. A panel of three appellate judges ruled on Monday that parts of the state’s immigration enforcement legislation, Senate Bill 4, can go into effect while the case plays out on appeal. Last month, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia halted … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit hears SB4 injunction arguments

Posted on September 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Big day in court. The immediate future of Texas’ immigration enforcement law hinges on whether a three-judge panel in New Orleans was swayed Friday by the state’s attorneys that the legislation is essential to public safety and should not have been partially blocked … Continue reading →

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Who will rebuild Houston?

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Vox points out what should be obvious. Unauthorized immigrants were crucial to rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. And they are likely to be desperately needed as Texas rebuilds to clean streets, demolish buildings, and reconstruct homes and offices. But … Continue reading →

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