Can a Great Museum City Survive the Censorious Right?
Fear and reticence spread in Fort Worth as Sally Mann’s nude photos of her children were held as police evidence.
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Opinion ⋆
Trump’s DOGE Cuts Are a Texas-Sized Disaster
Reckless agency layoffs and the dismantling of federal relief programs could leave the Lone Star State in peril.
Opinion ⋆
How Republicans Are Willfully Endangering Immigrant Kids
GOP lawmakers often claim they want to protect children, but their policy decisions tell a different story.
Editor’s Letter: Introducing Our July/August 2025 Issue
A note from the editor-in-chief
Moonlighting Midland Prosecutor Means Freedom for Samuel Sanchez
“He just cried. He was just overwhelmed with emotion.”
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Politics
Can Economic Populism Win Back the Rio Grande Valley?
A Vermont U.S. senator and an Austin congressman make the case in McAllen.
A Caucus, if You Can Keep It
How small must their influence grow before House Democrats break with their collaborationist tradition?
‘The House Got Rolled’: Gene Wu on the Trials of the 89th Texas Legislature
“We can only play the hand that we’re dealt.”
Border and Immigration
Texas Quietly Downsizes Border Security Spending
But outlays remain far above state funding prior to the Operation Lone Star era.
I Was an Undocumented Texas College Student. I’m Not Going Anywhere—and Neither Is Our Movement.
Lawmakers lacked the political courage to force a floor vote at the Capitol on the Texas Dream Act, so state leaders took a coward’s path.
Legislature Mandates Sheriff-ICE Cooperation in Jails or Streets
Texas lawmakers are ordering all counties to seek federal agreements that may be limited to jailhouses—or may convert deputies into roving immigration agents.
Culture
The Rio Grande Valley as Heart of LGBTQ+ Resistance and Joy
As we celebrate Pride Month, I am struck by the contrast of what I know to be true about this region and what the popular narratives may be.
Art Is Immortality
Suddenly, Analina dips her head. Grief seems on the verge of overwhelming her—until something visibly intervenes…
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July/August 2025
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