Earlier: Without any announcement or open debate, the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature passed a biennial state budget that will effectively halve the amount dedicated to its multi-billion-dollar #border security operations—from a proposed $6.5B down to about $3.4B.
The Texas Observer
Texas Quietly Downsizes Border Security Spending
But outlays remain far above state funding prior to the Operation Lone Star era.
 #immigration #police #security #HumanRights #Texas #politics #USpol #TXlege #news
“Climate change loads the dice toward more frequent and more intense #floods. The flash flood that tore through Camp Mystic at night, when people were most vulnerable, shows the deadly cost of underestimating this shift.”
The Texas Observer
Climate Change Helped Fuel Heavy Rains that Led to Devastating Hill Country Flood
Officials are reporting more than 100 fatalities in Kerr County, including 28 children.
 #KerrCounty #Kerrville #CentralTexas #politics #USpol #politics #environment #ClimateChange #news
"I want you to imagine a toddler appearing in court to face off against a government-trained attorney trying to deport them. Think of their terror as they take their seat in the courtroom, legs swinging because they’re not long enough to reach the floor."
The Texas Observer
How Republicans Are Willfully Endangering Immigrant Kids
GOP lawmakers often claim they want to protect children, but their policy decisions tell a different story.
 #ICE #politics #USpol #news #Trump #HumanRights #immigration #fascism