Santa Ana’s Last Stand
Congress repeatedly shielded the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge from the border wall. Now, construction has begun—and an irrigation district lawsuit may be the only option left to buy time for lawmakers to act.
Border and Immigration
Congressman Tries to Cut Pay of ICE Prosecutor with Racist X Account to $1
Last week, the prosecutor James Rodden returned to Dallas immigration court a year after the Observer's original investigation into his social media. Congressman Marc Veasey’s amendment did not receive a committee vote Wednesday.
ICE Prosecutor Who Runs Racist X Account Returns to Dallas Immigration Court
James Rodden, identified by the Observer last year as the operator of an account that routinely posted hateful statements, appeared to be back at work Tuesday.
Under Operation Lone Star, Texas State Police More than Doubled Their Drone Fleet
The Department of Public Safety has acquired an army of unmanned aerial vehicles—nearly as large as the U.S. Border Patrol's.
The High Cost of Targeting International Students in Texas
The Trump administration’s bans and airport detentions are derailing the academic dreams of students who carry out important research—and sometimes pay hefty tuition—to attend Texas institutions.
Prosecutors Drop Only Criminal Cases from Hays County Airbnb Raid
Pending drug charges have been abandoned from the multi-agency April operation that supposedly targeted Tren de Aragua and led to multiple deportations.
Texas Turns Its Sprawling State Police Force Into Immigration Agents for Trump
The notorious 287(g) task force program has finally reached DPS, raising fears of widespread racial profiling.
ICE Still Won’t Answer Questions About Prosecutor with White Supremacist X Account
Congressman Marc Veasey arrived at an ICE facility Monday in his latest attempt to follow up on the Observer's reporting.
Trump’s ICE Arrested a Whistleblower Who Exposed Sexual Assault in Detention. Now, He’s Left the Country.
Douglas Menjivar is a survivor and activist. He’s also married to a U.S. citizen, but he was caught up in the president’s mass deportation agenda anyway.
Border Barriers to Harm Reduction
Militarization is making it harder for healthcare workers to reach people who use drugs.