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The Texas Diversity Council works with various groups to foster environments where people from marginalized groups feel seen and heard. (Ana Baraulia/Adobe Stock)

Texas Diversity Council remains steadfast in face of adversity

Since 2004, April has been designated "Celebrate Diversity Month," a time to recognize, understand and honor the differences between people. One …

Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling allows Texas to begin enforcing Senate Bill 4, calling the decision a

Texas’ SB 4 in limbo again after late-night court decision

Story has been updated to reflect late-night 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision.(8:01 a.m. MST, Mar. 20, 2024) The U.S. Supreme Court handed …

Texas's effort to opt out of the federal immigration system and create its own rules has been blocked by a federal judge. (MaxSafaniuk/Adobe Stock)

Texas' battle over right to arrest suspected illegal immigrants will continue

A law aimed at immigrants crossing the border in Texas will not take effect tomorrow, after a federal judge halted enforcement until a court battle …

The U.S. Supreme Court has previously ruled that immigration laws can only be enforced by the federal government. (diy13/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuits mount over Texas' plan to jail illegal immigrants

Texas is the epicenter of the U.S. immigration debate, and now faces a lawsuit over plans to jail those whose enter the state illegally. The U.S…

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott believes new laws and the continuation of Operation Lone Star are necessary to

Civil rights groups call Texas' proposed laws, razor wire dehumanizing

A set of border security bills under consideration by Texas lawmakers will cause harm to migrants, residents, and state law, according to a state …

El gobernador de Texas, Greg Abbott, cree que las nuevas leyes y la continuaci�n de la Operaci�n Lone Star son necesarias para

Grupos de defensa consideran que las leyes propuestas en TX y el alambre de púas son inhumanas

Un conjunto de proyectos de ley de seguridad fronteriza que están siendo considerados por los legisladores de Texas causará daño a los …

President Joe Biden does not believe the U.S.-Mexican border wall built by his predecessor was effective, but cited a 2019 congressional appropriation of funds as the reason for new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley. (AerialStockFootage/Adobe Stock)

South Texas opponents of new border wall promise resistance

Opponents of previous efforts to build a border wall in South Texas are reeling from the Biden administration's announcement last week to resume…

Texas is one of only a handful of states that does not allow online voter registration. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)

TX Joins Momentous Effort to Register Young Voters of Color

The annual National Voter Registration Day returns tomorrow, and a Texas organization has a goal of registering 1,200 new young voters from diverse …

Texas es uno de los pocos estados que no permite el registro de votantes en l�nea. (Seventyfour/AdobeStock)

TX se une a esfuerzo trascendental para registrar a jóvenes votantes de color

El Día Nacional de Registro de Votantes anual regresa mañana, y una organización de Texas tiene el objetivo de registrar 1.200 nuevos …

In 2001, Texas became the first state to allow undocumented students to qualify for in-state tuition, but politics have shifted the state's attitude toward migrants and immigrants. (DanielErnst/AdobeStock)

TX Advocates for Immigrant Rights Say Politics Exhausts Needed Donations

Organizations that help immigrants find a community, achieve economic self-sufficiency, and become legal residents or citizens say anti-immigrant …

From Florida to Texas and California, excessive heat warnings have plagued the United States for weeks. (ALAN/AdobeStock)

TX Bill Banning Heat-Related Worker Breaks Could Be Overridden

Scorching temperatures are not letting up across much of the Southwest, including Texas, just as the issue of how to protect outdoor workers heats up …

Nearly 30,000 Texas minors would be affected by legislation banning transgender youth health care, according to the Williams Institute at UCLA's School of Law. (Krakenimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Filed Over TX Law Banning Health Care for Transgender Youth

Families and medical providers announced a lawsuit against the State of Texas on Thursday over new legislation that bans gender-affirming medical care…

Prison guards in the Lone Star State make between $42,000 and $51,000 a year, depending on experience, and received a 5% pay raise on July 1, according to the Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice. (AnyaSlepyan/Daily Yonder)

TX Fills Prison, Jail Job Vacancies with High School Recruits

Texas high schools offering training in corrections and law enforcement are being tapped by the state's Department of Criminal Justice to address mass…

ACLU Plans Lawsuit If TX Anti-Trans Bills Become Law

The culture war over transgender identity is spreading in GOP-led states, and Texas is among those passing the harshest laws. The Human Rights …

To stop the spread of COVID-19 in 2020, the public health order known as Title 42 was used nearly 3 million times to swiftly expel migrants at U.S. land borders. (AjdinKamber/AdobeStock)

Proposed Border Policing Unit Gains Traction in Texas

Legislation to create a "Border Protection Unit" is headed to the Texas Senate, while the governor said more needs to be done to secure the U.S.-…

Scientific evidence shows air pollution can contribute to adverse birth outcomes, infant mortality, damaged lung function, asthma, cancer and even neurological disorders and childhood obesity, according to UNICEF data. (SoloviovaLiudmyla/AdobeStock)

West Dallas Neighborhood Seeks Relief From Major Air Polluter

A West Dallas neighborhood, citing decades of air and noise pollution, wants an asphalt shingle plant to abandon its decades-old location - but foot-…

In Texas, abortion is completely banned with very limited exceptions. This forces patients to make two trips out of state, one for in-person counseling and another at least 24 hours later for the abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute. (Seventyfour/Adobe Stock)

Showdown Over Abortion Medication Continues

The battle over a prescription drug used in abortions continues, now to be heard by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on May 17. The pill…

In a survey, 50% of small business owners say hospital consolidations lead to a lack of competition, making hospital services more expensive for employees and eating into their pay, according to Small Business for America's Future. (ASHFAQ/Adobe Stock)

Survey: Hospital Consolidation Makes Employee Healthcare Tougher in TX

Small businesses owners in Texas are looking for help from lawmakers as the cost they pay to provide employees with health care coverage continues to …

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, many states have passed near-total bans on abortion, with some states criminalizing the procedure and those who assist others in obtaining one. (traci1/Adobe Stock)

Dueling Opinions Likely to Send Abortion Issue to U.S. Supreme Court

Access to medication abortion will be front and center this week after two competing court rulings, in Texas and Washington, were handed down Friday…

The green scarf is a symbol of the abortion-rights movements, created in Argentina in 2003 and popularized in the United States in 2022. (Clara/Adobe Stock)

TX Judge to Decide Abortion Pill Case with Nationwide Repercussions

Medication is now believed to be used in more than half of all abortions in the U.S., but a Texas judge could soon force one of two abortion pills …

Black renters receive a disproportionate share of eviction filings and experience the highest rates of eviction filings and eviction judgments, according to the publication Sociological Science. (WayhomeStudio/Adobe Stock)

Study: TX Cities Spend More on Police, Less on Community Supports

The five largest cities in Texas are spending far more money on criminal justice than on community services, according to a new study. The Social …

More than a quarter of Texans surveyed by the Episcopal Health Foundation about nonmedical health factors that affect well-being said they don't have access to affordable and healthy food. (LudaKot/Pixabay)<br />

Study: Issues Beyond the Doctor's Office Impact Texans' Health

Across the board, Texans say they'd be healthier if the state put more resources, including money, toward nonmedical factors for their well-being…

A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows Texas voters say the border, at 38%, ranks first as the most urgent issue facing Texas, followed by abortion and inflation. (Wikilmages/Pixabay)

Border Issues Reign for Texas Voters, Immigration Advocates

A Texas human-rights advocacy and immigration-reform group opened two new community centers this week to help residents better understand their freedo…

In March, the Dallas County Jail failed its state inspection for the second year in a row, with the agency noting it had been out of compliance for about three months. (fau.org)

Group Fears New Dallas Jail Could Stall Justice Reform

Members of a Texas group working to end mass incarceration thought they were making headway, but now they're not so sure. Faith in Texas has ideas …

One in 16 African Americans of voting age is disenfranchised, a rate 3.7 times greater than that of non-African Americans, according to The Sentencing Project. (themarshallproject.org)

Report: 'Unlock the Vote' at U.S. Jails Shows Progress, Obstacles

Every election, thousands of people are disenfranchised from voting because they are incarcerated. But Houston's Harris County Jail has shown the two …

The Episcopal Health Foundation recently announced grants totally $21 million to help community-based organizations and clinics address non-medical, social factors that impact health. (episcopalhealth.org)

Going Beyond the Doctor's Office to Treat Community Health Needs

The new leader of Houston's Episcopal Health Foundation says the COVID pandemic, and now monkeypox, shine a light on Texas populations that are …

Before the pandemic, CDC statistics showed about 700 women died each year of pregnancy-related complications, with Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women about three times more likely to die compared to white women. (parentingupstream/Pixabay)

Study: Maternal Deaths Would Skyrocket with Nationwide Abortion Ban

Texas is home to one in 10 Americans of reproductive age, and mandated births due to the state's abortion ban will increase the number of maternal …

Even ass the U.S. celebrates the second observance of the Juneteenth National Independence Day, more states have passed legislation prohibiting schools from teaching about the country's legacy of racism. (WynnPointaux/Pixabay)

Celebrations Mark 2nd Nationwide Juneteenth Independence Day

The 95-year-old Texan known as the "grandmother of Juneteenth" will celebrate this weekend, as she has for the past nine decades, but with the added …

Clinics in neighboring states saw an almost 800% increase in patients after Texas in 2021 banned almost all abortions after six weeks, according to Planned Parenthood. (FerencVarga/Pixabay)

Roe v. Wade: What Happens Next in Texas?

Texas took the lead among Republican states last September in making abortion illegal once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Now, some fear the …

Texas prisons still were at more than 95% capacity in December 2020, several months into the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

"Somebody Cares": TX Group Continues Bail-Reform Battle

This week, members of Faith in Texas will be at the Dallas County Jail, as they are most Fridays. As the state's incarceration rate grows, the group …

The Teach The Truth campaign believes Texas students deserve an

TX Coalition Outlines Plans to Counter "Education Censorship"

The Texas Freedom Network is calling for people to join a new campaign against what it calls "education censorship" across the state. The movement…

According to 2020 census data, Texas' population increased by nearly 4 million between 2010 and 2020. People of color account for 95% of this total increase. (US Embassy/Flickr)

Trial Date Set for Texas Redistricting Lawsuit

Voters of color in Texas will have to wait until this fall for the outcome of a discrimination lawsuit against the state. At issue are the voting-…

Crisis contacts from LGBTQ youths in Texas increased 150% in 2021 over 2020, according to Equality Texas. (Gerd Altmann/Pixabay)

TX Judge Issues Temporary Halt to Governor's Anti-Transgender Directive

A Texas judge has temporarily ruled the state may not continue investigations of parents seeking gender-affirming health care for their child…

In Texas, 16% of residents say the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe financial suffering. (islandworks/Pixabay)

TX Survey: Hispanics Suffer Greatest Financial Hardship from COVID-19

Half of Texas residents say COVID-19 has caused them financial hardship, and Hispanic families faced the most severe consequences, according to a new …

Median bond amounts are roughly $10,000 higher for Black defendants than for their white counterparts, according to a study by the Michigan League for Public Policy. (asecondchancebailbonds.org)

TX Bailout Highlights Inequities Between Poor, Rich Defendants

Nine Texas residents now held in the Dallas County jail system will be bailed out this Thursday and met by reform advocates who say the bail system is…

The Muslim community in Austin will participate in the Sept. 11

TX Muslims Engage Community With Vaccines, Hot Food to Mark 9/11

AUSTIN, Texas -- Tomorrow marks 20 years since the fateful events of 9/11, with followers of Islam reflecting on progress in the treatment of …

Los estadounidenses que no cumplan con la fecha l�mite de inscripci�n hasta el 15 de agosto para obtener cobertura de salud a trav�s de la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio deber�n esperar hasta el 1 de noviembre para tener otra oportunidad de presentar la solicitud. (aarp.org)

Se acerca la fecha límite para inscripción especial de seguros médicos de ACA

AUSTIN, Texas -- Queda una semana antes de que se cierre la oportunidad para que los texanos aprovechen un período de inscripción especial …

Republican-controlled states including Florida, Georgia and Iowa passed restrictive new voting laws based on disproven charges by former President Donald Trump there was fraud in the 2020 election, which he lost by more than 7 million votes. (kbhall17/Pixabay)

TX Democrats Aim to Stop Voter Restrictions by Leaving Town

AUSTIN, Texas -- A majority of Democrats in the Texas House exited the state Monday in an attempt to block Republicans from passing new laws to …

The odds of underemployment for Black immigrants are 54% higher than their white counterparts, and 40% higher for Hispanic and Latino workers, according to the Migration Policy Institute. (Pexels/Pixabay)

$40 Billion in Wages Lost Every Year: Doctors, Lawyers, Trained-Immigrants “Brain Waste” in US

HOUSTON, Texas -- More than 20% of college-educated immigrants in the U.S., or two million people, are either unemployed or underemployed, according …

Vice President Kamala Harris addresses immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso today, one week ahead of a promised visit by former President Donald Trump. (famouspeople.wiki)

VP Harris Visits El Paso Today in First U.S.-Mexico Border Trip

EL PASO, Texas -- Vice President Kamala Harris visits the southern border for the first time today as the Biden administration aims to stem the flow …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

Dallas -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both the US …

A bill under consideration by the Texas Legislature would impose harsh criminal penalties for local election officials who provide assistance to voters. (Adobe Stock)

Texas Gains Political Clout While Trying to Restrict Voting

AUSTIN, Texas -- The U.S. Census Bureau announced Monday Texas will gain two additional congressional seats, the most of any state in the nation…

Prairie View A&M University, one of nine historically black colleges and universities in the U.S., will open its Ruth J. Simmons Center for Race and Justice next week. (pvamu.edu)

A Path to Righting Racial Inequities in College, Workplace

HOUSTON - College students entering the workforce can face discrimination because of implicit bias, and a Texas university wants to prepare them and …

Democracy-reform legislation introduced by Democrats as the first bill of the new U.S. Congress is designed to make voting easier and more secure. (publicdomainpibtures/Pixabay)

House Democrats Tee Up "Democracy Reform" for First Vote

AUSTIN, Texas - In his inaugural address, President Joe Biden said democracy is fragile. So now, good-government groups are asking Congress to …

New research estimates by 2030, the economic costs of health disparities in Texas could increase to $3.4 billion in excess medical spending, $6.1 billion in lost productivity and 551,000 lost life years valued at $28 billion. (commonealthfund.org)

Report: COVID-19 Health Disparities Cost Texas Nearly $8 Billion

AUSTIN, Texas -- By now, health disparities between white Americans and minorities who contract COVID-19 are well documented, but the economic toll …

Every year, an estimated 218,000 young people are admitted to detention facilities nationwide, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (gabrielberophs/Pixabay)

Juvenile Detentions Fall During COVID-19, Especially for Minorities

AUSTIN, Texas -- Arrests that land young people in the Texas juvenile-justice system have dropped since the coronavirus pandemic began, mirroring a …

A 1% undercount of the population from the 2020 census could translate to a loss of $300 million in federal funding for Texas. (texascounts.org)

On the Virtual Road in Texas to Promote the 2020 Census

AUSTIN, Texas -- From the Gulf Coast to the Panhandle to the Rio Grande, Texas census organizers are hosting a virtual road trip this week to …

Texas prometi� evaluar a m�s de 230 mil residentes y personal en los 1,224 hogares de ancianos autorizados en el estado, para fines de mayo. (sabinevanerp/Pixabay)

COVID-19: Defensores de Adultos Mayores en Texas se enfocan en Centros de Atención a Largo Plazo

AUSTIN, Texas -- Los adultos mayores han sido los más vulnerables a enfermedades y decesos por la pandemia Coronavirus, y la AARP Texas trabaja …

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TX: Human Rights/Racial Justice