Politics & Policy
February 17, 2017
Immigration Memo Puts Spotlight on Abbott
Governor says there are no plans to use National Guard to detain immigrants.
Immigration
Politics & Policy
April 20, 2016
Texas’s Case Against Obama
The state’s lawsuit is about limiting presidential power, not thwarting immigration policy.
Politics & Policy
November 10, 2015
Obama’s Immigration Order Short-Circuited
The Fifth Circuit puts the president's immigration plan on hold.
Politics & Policy
February 25, 2015
A Yardstick For the Culture Wars in Texas
A newly released survey finds Texans sharply divided on issues such as same-sex marriage and abortion, but overwhelmingly in favor of a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who live here illegally.
Politics & Policy
February 22, 2015
Abbott Floats Like a Butterfly on GOP Presidential Race
Governor Greg Abbott dodges a couple of tough questions on Face the Nation.
Politics & Policy
November 26, 2014
Obama’s Immigration Action
Some questions about Barack Obama's explanation for his executive action on immigration, announced last week.
Politics & Policy
November 21, 2014
Friday Afternoon Open Thread
The border surge, extended. Immigration action, executed. Hispanic voters, considered. And more!
Politics & Policy
July 15, 2014
Making Sense of a Migration Crisis
Step one: question your own assumptions
Politics & Policy
June 23, 2014
Meanwhile, about this border situation…
An influx of illegal immigrants from Central America to the Rio Grande Valley is a humanitarian crisis with serious implications for border security.
Politics & Policy
June 18, 2014
About the Border
How not to solve the problem on the border.
Politics & Policy
April 16, 2014
The Politics of Illegal Immigration
Last night's debate suggested that Texans still recoil at divisive rhetoric on illegal immigration--and that Republicans know it.
Politics & Policy
April 16, 2014
Castro v. Patrick
I watched the debate on immigration between Dan Patrick and Julian Castro last night. Erica is also going to write about it today, but in my mind it didn’t really settle anything though it did raise a long-lingering issue. During the course of the debate, Patrick said that
Politics & Policy
April 8, 2014
Gay Marriage and Immigration
Two controversial topics were taken up on the first day of the LBJ Presidential Library's Civil Rights Summit.
Politics & Policy
July 29, 2013
The Law and Farmers Branch
Last week the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the City of Farmers Branch, located northwest of Dallas, which sought to pass an immigration enforcement ordinance that would have prohibited landlords from renting to immigrants who were deemed unlawfully present and authorized arrest and prosecution of landlords
Politics & Policy
June 17, 2013
Immigration, Border Security, and the Rio Grande Valley
The battle over securing the border has shifted from Arizona to Texas, according to the New York Times.
Politics & Policy
April 27, 2012
Pew: Immigration from Mexico falls to zero–or even less
A report by the Pew Hispanic Center finds that the huge wave of immigration from Mexico not only seems to have come to an end but is also reversing itself. This is a remarkable development, one that would have seemed unthinkable even five years ago. Illegal immigrants are
Politics & Policy
September 26, 2011
Blood and irony
Does anybody else find it ironic that Perry is faltering because of the rare good deeds that he has done, such as the Dream Act and the HPV mandate? The guy spends ten years being a total hardline conservative with a couple of exceptions, and suddenly his own party is
Politics & Policy
September 20, 2011
T(ea) is for trouble
The Texas tea party's revolt over Rick Perry's immigration stand is, well, revolting. I seldom agree with Perry, but he is right this time--right in a moral sense, but wrong politically. Building a wall will not make Texas a better state. Denying scholarships to the children of immigrants will not
Politics & Policy
July 28, 2010
Arizona court enjoins the main provisions of S.B. 1070
The outcome of the Arizona immigration lawsuit was inevitable. The Arizona statute is preempted by federal law and by the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. From the Court's opinion: "The United States asserts that mandatory determination of immigration status for all arrestees “conflicts with federal law because it necessarily
Politics & Policy
July 14, 2010
The Arizona lawsuit: the wrong venue?
My copy of the federal government’s complaint plainly says that the lawsuit is brought in the District Court for the District of Arizona. But will it stay there? Article 3, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution reads: In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in
Politics & Policy
July 13, 2010
U.S. v. Arizona: Who wins?
In its lawsuit against the state of Arizona that objects to S.B. 1070, the new Arizona immigration law, the U.S. Department of Justice [quoting from the complaint] "seeks to declare invalid and preliminarily and permanently enjoin the enforcement of S.B. 1070," because "S.B. 1070 is preempted by federal law and
Politics & Policy
June 23, 2010
Public Policy Polling sees Hispanic shift in Texas
From the PPP Web site: Our poll of the Texas Governor's race this week is another data point indicating possible backlash for Republican candidates this fall in the wake of the Arizona immigration law. When we polled the race in February Rick Perry led Bill White by 6
Politics & Policy
May 20, 2010
Can’t be done
Over the past couple of days, the main topic on this blog has been the controversy over the Arizona immigration law. I understand why Debbie Riddle and others want to do something about illegal immigration. What I don’t understand is why they think that passing a law will achieve anything.
Politics & Policy
May 4, 2010
Bill prohibiting ethnic studies advances in Arizona
This report is from the Arizona Star (Tucson): PHOENIX – State senators approved legislation aimed at the curbing the ethnic-studies program in Tucson Unified School District. HB 2281 would make it illegal for a school district to have any courses or classes that promote the overthrow of the
Politics & Policy
April 30, 2010
AZ SB 1070 — the bill analysis
In the Arizona Legislature, the correct term is "fact sheet." It's the equivalent of a bill analysis in Texas. This is the fact sheet for the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act.” ARIZONA STATE SENATE Forty-ninth Legislature, Second Regular Session FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1070 Purpose Requires officials
Politics & Policy
April 27, 2010
Can the Arizona immigration law affect the Texas governor’s race?
The Dallas Morning News is reporting that a march protesting Arizona’s immigration law is scheduled for Saturday. A crowd of 100,000 is expected. This is a long way from the 500,000 who protested a crackdown on immigration in 2006. Nevertheless, the rising passion over the issue poses problems
Politics & Policy
April 25, 2010
Target practice
Remember that comment Perry made a week or so ago, when Obama talked about adding jobs at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida but remained mum about the Johnson Space Center in Houston? Perry said that Obama had “put a target on Texas’s back.” One hardly expects Obama to love