Texas #workers have long struggled with wage theft by their employers—and the state’s unwillingness to crack down on scofflaw employers. Now, rates of suspected wage theft are increasing and the state #labor law enforcement system is straining to keep up.
The Texas Observer
Texas Can’t Keep Up with Surge in Workers’ Wage Theft Complaints
State labor investigators struggle to process more and more paycheck complaints, with millions of dollars in workers’ pay at stake.
 #law #politics #USpol #Texas #news #HumanRights #economy
After we broke the story of the #ICE lawyer with a white supremacist X account, no one seems to be able to tell us whether James Rodden still works with the agency. Even Congress can't get answers.
The Texas Observer
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.
 #racism #fascism #genocide #law #Dallas #NorthTexas #Texas #Immigration #politics #USpol #news #Trump
Greg Abbott is "running for an unprecedented fourth term on a record of schools in crisis, housing more expensive, groceries more expensive, electricity utility rates are up. This is a record of failure, and he owns it."
The Texas Observer
'Failures and Grift’: Gina Hinojosa Wants to Stop Greg Abbott from Making History
The five-term Austin state representative will wage an underdog campaign to deny the powerful Texas governor an unprecedented fourth term—and the...
 #GregAbbott #Texas #news #politics #USpol #Democrats #elections
Earlier: The new #Texas "bathroom bill" not only makes it harder for trans people to exist in public, it also attempts to grant immunity from prosecution to those enforcing it, even if they violate the constitution.
The Texas Observer
How the Bathroom Bill Weaponizes Transphobia Against Public Institutions
A legal expert called the new anti-trans Texas bathroom law “the most plainly unlawful, undemocratic legislation I’ve seen in recent history.”
 #law #HumanRights #genocide #fascism #politics #USpol #news #TXlege #trans #LGBTQIA+
In our magazine: When Kendrick Sampson eventually launched BLD PWR, he was looking to merge activism and education with pop culture, inspiring others to fight for a cause while being creative—and having a good time.
The Texas Observer
‘Make Resistance Sexy’
In Houston, actor Kendrick Sampson seeks to make a party out of political engagement.
 #activism #art #music #Houston #GulfCoast #culture #politics #USpol #Texas
“They’re essentially trying to revoke his bond for thought crimes. I think it’s very important for people to understand: Fascism is here.”
The Texas Observer
Inside Tarrant County's Dogged Prosecution of a Pro-Palestine Activist
Raunaq Alam has been in and out of jail five times in relation to anti-Israel graffiti on a Christian church. His lawyer says the case shows "how e...
 #Palestine #activism #Texas #NorthTexas #law #police #USpol #politics #news
From Monday: So swings the political pendulum of First Amendment rights, as this foundational protection is treated as a prop to be bear-hugged in one moment and conveniently tossed aside when an opportunistic moment demands.
The Texas Observer
For Greg Abbott, Free Speech Is Just Another Political Prop
Charlie Kirk defended the First Amendment. Texas betrays it in his defense.
 #Republicans #GregAbbott #news #politics #USpol #CharlieKirk #FreeSpeech #Texas
ICYMY 🤠: Are you interested in covering politics in the Lone Star State? The Texas Observer is hiring an intern to help us cover the 2026 elections! Apply here:
The Texas Observer
Work for the Texas Observer
We’re a nonprofit with a strong public service mission; we seek to expose injustice and to produce the kind of impact journalism that makes a dif...
 #journalism #jobs #Texas #politics #USpol #elections #democracy #JournoJobs #hiring #GetFediHired #FediHired
Decades of research show that standardized tests don’t measure intellect, creativity, or resilience. They measure zip codes.
The Texas Observer
Austin’s Children Deserve More than a Test Score
The city's “F” schools overwhelmingly serve mostly low-income African-American and Hispanic children.
 #education #Austin #news #Politics #USpol #schools #CentralTexas
Featured story, from Mary Tuma: “This bill will harm women and could even lead to more pregnant women dying because they couldn’t access life-saving medications. The only reason we haven’t returned to the days of ‘coat-hanger abortions’ is because of the medication #abortion pill.”
The Texas Observer
Texas Legislature Passes ‘Bounty Hunter’ Ban on Abortion Pills
House Bill 7 attacks one of the last remaining options for reproductive care in Texas and declares legal war on blue states.
 #healthcare #politics #USpol #news #TXlege #Texas #HumanRights