Michael Barajas
Michael Barajas is a staff writer covering civil rights for the Texas Observer. Before joining the Observer, he was editor of the San Antonio Current and managing editor of the Houston Press. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism.
Articles by Michael Barajas
The Case to End Assembly Line Justice for Poor People in Harris County
A case heard by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals this week could change the landscape of American bail practices.
While Confederate Monuments Fall in Texas’ Big Cities, Others Take a Slower Pace
Several Confederate monuments in Texas' metropolitan areas have been removed since Charlottesville, but Amarillo officials have been slow to act.
Body Cam Policies in Texas Exacerbate a System Designed to Protect Police, Critics Say
Civil rights advocates worry interpretation of a 2015 body camera law could help cops avoid prosecution as much as it ensures police accountability.
Religious Right Takes Bathroom Fight Back to Schools after Defeat at Capitol
After failing to pass a “bathroom bill” at the Legislature, religious-right conservatives target LGBT-inclusive policies at schools.
Supreme Court Decision Means 2018 Elections Could Use ‘Discriminatory’ Maps
The high court’s intervention raises the possibility that next year’s election may feature “intentionally discriminatory” congressional and state House districts.
Trump Nominates Lawyers from Anti-LGBT ‘Religious Freedom’ Group to be Texas Federal Judges
Critics say the judicial appointments could turn federal courts into “the place where civil rights go to die.”
Your Right Not to Know About that Exploding Chemical Plant Near Houston
Texas lets companies keep chemical inventories secret, even when their plants become dangerous enough to evacuate the surrounding neighborhood.
Dams Meant to Save Houston from Extreme Floods Pushed to the Limit Twice in Two Years
Houston’s aging flood reservoirs have seen two 100-year floods in as many years.
Texas Won’t Fix Its Discriminatory Voting Laws. Can the Courts?
Since 2011, nine federal court rulings have concluded that Texas passed intentionally racist voting laws. Three of those rulings happened in just the past two weeks.