The Tale of Eric the Red
A rogue surgeon’s long Texas career left behind damaged and dead people—and a cautionary tale of how far a wealthy physician can go before anyone stops him.
Human Rights
Migrants at Laredo Tent Court Tell Stories of Kidnappings and Violence While Pleading Not to Be Returned to Mexico
Under Trump’s Migrant Protection Protocols, asylum-seekers have been waiting for their hearings in Mexico. Many aren’t making it back to court.
Alleging ‘Environmental Racism,’ El Paso Activists File Civil Rights Complaint Against School District
“EPISD didn’t propose [a hub for 124 buses] anywhere else because other communities wouldn’t have accepted it,” said Chamizal community organizer Hilda Villegas.
Human Rights Lawyer on How Government is Complicit in Mexico’s Drug War
Through corruption and intimidation, many Coahuila state authorities coordinated with the Zetas and let them operate with impunity.
Locked In Limbo
Ankle monitors are preferable to putting immigrant families behind bars. But the devices interfere with daily life and work — and they aren’t always used as an alternative to detention.
Taking Shelter
For decades, residential shelters have operated as humane alternatives to immigrant detention. Could they work on a larger scale?
Haters Get Flushed: Texas Town Comes Together to Fight Transgender Bathroom Regulations
A transphobic group targeted a Dripping Springs ISD student, but didn't expect the community's reaction.
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America Beyond Detention
Every year, the United States locks up hundreds of thousands of immigrants at a cost $2 billion. Is there a better way?
The 10 Best Observer Stories of 2016: ‘Who Guards the Guardians?’
Texas counties have stripped thousands of elderly and disabled citizens of their rights — and then forgotten about them.