INSIDER
In South Texas, university students accuse Democratic county officials of suppressing their votes
Read full article: In South Texas, university students accuse Democratic county officials of suppressing their votesThe county decided to not have an early voting site at a Laredo university because of historic low turnout. It will have one on Election Day.
How 11 Texas cities made housing unaffordable — and what’s being done to fix it
Read full article: How 11 Texas cities made housing unaffordable — and what’s being done to fix itTexas desperately needs more and denser housing to keep up with the demand. But zoning restrictions get in the way, a Texas Tribune analysis found.
Laredo ends boil-water notice after 11 days, turns attention to illegal connections and old pipes
Read full article: Laredo ends boil-water notice after 11 days, turns attention to illegal connections and old pipesThe South Texas city has hired a consulting firm for $200,000 to provide an interim director for the utility amid a restructuring of the department.
Nearly half of Texas high school students who earn college credits are Hispanic, study says
Read full article: Nearly half of Texas high school students who earn college credits are Hispanic, study saysDespite the group’s strong participation, Hispanic students graduate college at a lower rate than peers in the program, according to a report.
Laredo enters its sixth day of a boil-water notice after E. coli is discovered in water system
Read full article: Laredo enters its sixth day of a boil-water notice after E. coli is discovered in water systemThe South Texas city is the latest to grapple with aging water infrastructure, which officials suggested could have been the cause for the E. coli outbreak.
Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico borderReporters from both organizations spent a day documenting the reality on the border. Here’s a summary of what they found.
Many Americans say immigration is out of control, but 24 hours on the Texas-Mexico border showed a new reality. Will it last?
Read full article: Many Americans say immigration is out of control, but 24 hours on the Texas-Mexico border showed a new reality. Will it last?The Texas Tribune and The Associated Press visited five locations along the 1,254-mile span to separate the facts from the political narrative during a heated election year.
$5.1 million in marijuana seized at Laredo port of entry
Read full article: $5.1 million in marijuana seized at Laredo port of entryAccording to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, an 18-wheeler hauling a commercial shipment was referred for a secondary inspection at the World Trade Bridge.
Chorizo, pork chops, and more. 125 pounds of prohibited pork products seized at Laredo port of entry
Read full article: Chorizo, pork chops, and more. 125 pounds of prohibited pork products seized at Laredo port of entryU.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and agriculture specialists seized almost 125 pounds of prohibited pork products at a Laredo port of entry.
Man sentenced to prison for transporting hundreds of migrants through San Antonio, other Texas cities
Read full article: Man sentenced to prison for transporting hundreds of migrants through San Antonio, other Texas citiesA Dallas man was sentenced to seven years in prison this week for his alleged involvement in transporting migrants through San Antonio and throughout the state.
Navy veteran Jay Furman will face indicted U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar in South Texas congressional race
Read full article: Navy veteran Jay Furman will face indicted U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar in South Texas congressional raceFurman won the Republican nomination in a runoff against Lazaro Garza. Cuellar’s criminal charges have suddenly made it a high-profile race.
San Antonio man wanted for child sex crime arrested at Laredo port of entry
Read full article: San Antonio man wanted for child sex crime arrested at Laredo port of entryBorder officers arrested a man out of San Antonio wanted for aggravated sexual assault of a child, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Houston woman is third guilty plea in Henry Cuellar bribery case
Read full article: Houston woman is third guilty plea in Henry Cuellar bribery caseIrada Akhoundova pleaded guilty to facilitating a $60,000 payment to Imelda Cuellar, the congressman’s wife, that she believed would benefit Azerbaijan and its state-run oil company.
With indictment, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s deep South Texas ties will again be tested
Read full article: With indictment, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s deep South Texas ties will again be testedCuellar was expected to cruise to reelection. Now he’ll need to rely on support from local and national Democratic leaders to help him overcome scandal.
New EPA rule to slash cancer-causing emissions from sterilization facilities
Read full article: New EPA rule to slash cancer-causing emissions from sterilization facilitiesLaredo residents who live near a sterilization plant say the new federal limits on the pollutant will improve air quality and reduce their city’s high cancer risk.
CBP officers seize more than $9 million in meth at World Trade Bridge in Laredo
Read full article: CBP officers seize more than $9 million in meth at World Trade Bridge in LaredoDuring the search, officers discovered 1,033.96 pounds of alleged methamphetamine, border officials said. Officials said the seized methamphetamine is worth $9,507,568 on the street.
Organization leader sentenced to prison for transporting migrants in trailers to San Antonio
Read full article: Organization leader sentenced to prison for transporting migrants in trailers to San AntonioA North Texas man was recently sentenced for his role in the smuggling of hundreds of people from the border to San Antonio inside tractor-trailers, federal authorities said.
Cruz, Cuellar celebrate passage of construction project permit reform for border bridges
Read full article: Cruz, Cuellar celebrate passage of construction project permit reform for border bridgesU.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar on Thursday celebrated the passage of their proposal to reform the presidential process for new and expanded border bridges at Laredo, Eagle Pass and Brownsville.
CBP agents find 34 migrants in tractor-trailers during two human smuggling attempts in Laredo
Read full article: CBP agents find 34 migrants in tractor-trailers during two human smuggling attempts in LaredoFederal agents in Laredo stopped two human smuggling attempts this week when they found more than 30 migrants and a bag of fentanyl pills in two tractor-trailers.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s former staffer running against him as a Republican
Read full article: U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s former staffer running against him as a RepublicanJose Sanz worked for the Democrat for two years, as his press secretary and then his district director. Sanz said he realized his values didn’t align with the incumbent’s.
Rosie Cuellar to run for open state House seat in district that includes Uvalde
Read full article: Rosie Cuellar to run for open state House seat in district that includes UvaldeRosie Cuellar, former Webb County tax assessor and the sister of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, confirmed to The Texas Tribune on Thursday she intends to run in the Democratic primary for House District 80.
KSAT reporter Erica Hernandez to be featured in episode of ABC’s ‘20/20′ in September
Read full article: KSAT reporter Erica Hernandez to be featured in episode of ABC’s ‘20/20′ in SeptemberKSAT 12 News court reporter Erica Hernandez will soon be featured in an episode of ABC News’ investigative show “20/20.”
Henry Cuellar, a previous Democratic primary target, touts 2024 support from national party leaders
Read full article: Henry Cuellar, a previous Democratic primary target, touts 2024 support from national party leadersThe moderate Democrat from Laredo announced endorsements from top Democrats in the U.S. House, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Von Ormy police chief describes smuggling incident involving 12 migrants
Read full article: Von Ormy police chief describes smuggling incident involving 12 migrantsA stolen tractor-trailer out of Laredo with a dozen migrants crammed inside the cab was a first for the Von Ormy Police Department, said Chief Lionel Perez Jr.
21-year-old admits to producing child pornography, posting it on social media
Read full article: 21-year-old admits to producing child pornography, posting it on social mediaA 21-year-old Laredo man is facing a minimum of 15 years in prison after admitting to recording sexual material of a minor and posting it to social media.
The Biden administration guaranteed attorney access for all migrant screenings. Most don’t have it
Read full article: The Biden administration guaranteed attorney access for all migrant screenings. Most don’t have itAs the Biden administration prepared to launch speedy asylum screenings at the border this spring, authorities pledged a key difference from a Trump-era version of the policy: Migrants would be guaranteed access to legal representation.
Nearly a dozen Texas deaths blamed on heat, which is expected to ease by the weekend
Read full article: Nearly a dozen Texas deaths blamed on heat, which is expected to ease by the weekendA National Weather Service meteorologist says parts of Texas could see scorching temperatures that are blamed for nearly a dozen deaths return to a more typical level by the weekend as a heat dome is expected to move eastward.
US arrests 4 Mexican nationals in 2022 deaths of 53 migrants trapped in hot tractor-trailer
Read full article: US arrests 4 Mexican nationals in 2022 deaths of 53 migrants trapped in hot tractor-trailerU.S. authorities have announced the arrests of four men they say were part of a human smuggling effort last year that ended in the deaths of 53 migrants, including eight children, who were left in a tractor-trailer in the scorching Texas summer.
Southwest border communities prepare for end of Title 42 policy
Read full article: Southwest border communities prepare for end of Title 42 policyThe Biden Administration and the United States border communities are preparing for the end of the pandemic era policy Title 42 that is set to expire on Thursday night.
8 people from San Antonio charged for transporting stolen cars from US to Mexico, feds say
Read full article: 8 people from San Antonio charged for transporting stolen cars from US to Mexico, feds sayEight people from San Antonio have been charged in connection with transporting stolen cars from U.S. to Mexico, according to federal authorities.
Mexico charges 4 soldiers with killings in Nuevo Laredo
Read full article: Mexico charges 4 soldiers with killings in Nuevo LaredoMexican prosecutors formally presented homicide charges against four soldiers implicated in the Feb. 26 shooting deaths of five men in the border city of Nuevo Laredo. The killings in the cartel-dominated city of Nuevo Laredo, across the border from Laredo, Texas, caused outrage.
This rancher doesn’t want a border wall on his land. He fears Texas will build it anyway.
Read full article: This rancher doesn’t want a border wall on his land. He fears Texas will build it anyway.Anti-border wall activists are racing to find landowners along the Rio Grande before they sign contracts with the state.
Mexican army confirms troops fired on civilians, killing 5 in border city
Read full article: Mexican army confirms troops fired on civilians, killing 5 in border cityMexico's Defense Department has confirmed that soldiers opened fire on a pickup truck in the violent northern border city of Nuevo Laredo over the weekend, killing five men and wounding a sixth.
A year after FBI raids Henry Cuellar’s home, no arrests and no answers
Read full article: A year after FBI raids Henry Cuellar’s home, no arrests and no answersOne year later, there have been no arrests or charges filed related to the case. Cuellar maintains that he was never the target of the investigation and will ultimately be cleared of wrongdoing.
Appeals court to decide if First Amendment should have protected Laredo’s “big crazy lady” from arrest
Read full article: Appeals court to decide if First Amendment should have protected Laredo’s “big crazy lady” from arrestPriscilla Villarreal was arrested over her Facebook postings. In a rare proceeding, the entire 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will weigh whether she can sue, a case that could have major ramifications for citizen journalists like her -- and professional ones.
Laredo mom pulls up roots for the sake of her son with autism
Read full article: Laredo mom pulls up roots for the sake of her son with autismA single mother from Laredo, Sandy Martinez, said she has “a knot her in stomach” but has no regrets about pulling up roots and moving to San Antonio to give her 23-year-old son, who has autism, a better chance in life.
Why some Texas cities and counties had to return millions of dollars meant to help renters during the pandemic
Read full article: Why some Texas cities and counties had to return millions of dollars meant to help renters during the pandemicFor some local relief programs, a lack of staffing, political support and effective community outreach got in the way of spending federal funds to prevent evictions, a new report found. More than $30 million went unspent and had to be returned.
‘Just wanted to clean up the streets’: Confession, motive heard in day 5 of Border Patrol supervisor trial
Read full article: ‘Just wanted to clean up the streets’: Confession, motive heard in day 5 of Border Patrol supervisor trialAfter two days of interrogation video of an ex-Border Patrol supervisor being shown to the jury, his confession and motive were finally heard on Friday.
Lead investigator tells jurors that ex-Border Patrol agent admits to killing 4 women
Read full article: Lead investigator tells jurors that ex-Border Patrol agent admits to killing 4 womenOne of the lead investigators looking into the deaths of four prostitutes in Laredo testified late Thursday afternoon that the suspect in the killings admitted to the slayings.
Jurors view interrogation video of ex-Border Patrol agent on trial for killing 4 women in Laredo
Read full article: Jurors view interrogation video of ex-Border Patrol agent on trial for killing 4 women in LaredoThe jury in the capital murder trial of an ex-Border Patrol agent on Wednesday viewed the interrogation video of him after he was arrested on suspicion of killing four women in Laredo in 2018.
WATCH LIVE: Day 8 of trial for former Border Patrol agent, accused serial killer Juan David Ortiz
Read full article: WATCH LIVE: Day 8 of trial for former Border Patrol agent, accused serial killer Juan David OrtizThe trial of Juan David Ortiz, a former Border Patrol agent accused of murdering four women near Laredo in 2018, is being tried in Bexar County after a change of venue was granted.
Congressional District 28 election results, Henry Cuellar vs. Cassy Garcia, for Texas midterms on Nov. 8, 2022
Read full article: Congressional District 28 election results, Henry Cuellar vs. Cassy Garcia, for Texas midterms on Nov. 8, 2022Henry Cuellar vs. Cassy Garcia; results below beginning at 7 p.m.
Open Court: The trial of Juan David Ortiz, ex-Border Patrol agent accused of murdering 4 women
Read full article: Open Court: The trial of Juan David Ortiz, ex-Border Patrol agent accused of murdering 4 womenKSAT Reporter Erica Hernandez recaps the events that led up to his arrest and also a look at what we can expect from the upcoming trial.
The EPA has identified 23 U.S. facilities that are emitting toxic air pollution that puts people at risk
Read full article: The EPA has identified 23 U.S. facilities that are emitting toxic air pollution that puts people at riskOne of them is in Laredo, which has elevated rates of cancer, according to a recent state analysis. The findings come after reporting by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune.
EPA: Chemical in medical-device cleanser poses cancer risk
Read full article: EPA: Chemical in medical-device cleanser poses cancer riskThe Environmental Protection Agency is warning residents who live near medical sterilizing plants in 13 states and Puerto Rico about potential health risks from emissions of ethylene oxide, a chemical widely used in their operations.
U.S. charges driver and 3 others in deaths of 53 migrants found in tractor-trailer
Read full article: U.S. charges driver and 3 others in deaths of 53 migrants found in tractor-trailerIt was the single deadliest migrant smuggling case in U.S. history, according to a Homeland Security official. Citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were among the victims.
Jessica Cisneros, Ruben Ramirez demand recounts in two close-call South Texas runoff races
Read full article: Jessica Cisneros, Ruben Ramirez demand recounts in two close-call South Texas runoff racesThe state Democratic Party confirmed Monday that Ramirez’s opponent, Michelle Vallejo, won by a slim margin.
Cuellar, Cisneros runoff in Texas is too close to call
Read full article: Cuellar, Cisneros runoff in Texas is too close to callThe Texas primary runoff between Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his progressive challenger, Jessica Cisneros, was too close to call Wednesday, more than a week after the election.
Texas man arrested after saying he’s going ‘human hunting,’ had guns, bulletproof vest, ammunition
Read full article: Texas man arrested after saying he’s going ‘human hunting,’ had guns, bulletproof vest, ammunitionA man in Laredo was arrested Thursday on terroristic threat charges after buying a firearm scope on social media and telling the seller he was going “human hunting.”
In rematch, Jessica Cisneros faces a weakened Henry Cuellar for South Texas congressional seat
Read full article: In rematch, Jessica Cisneros faces a weakened Henry Cuellar for South Texas congressional seatAn FBI raid on his home before the primary and a threat to Roe v. Wade. Henry Cuellar is heading into the primary runoff election more vulnerable than ever before.
$18 million in meth totaling nearly 1,000 pounds found in truck at South Texas border
Read full article: $18 million in meth totaling nearly 1,000 pounds found in truck at South Texas borderAgents with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection found more than $18 million worth of meth hidden within a tractor-trailer on the South Texas border over the weekend.
Lawyer: US Rep. Cuellar not the target of FBI investigation
Read full article: Lawyer: US Rep. Cuellar not the target of FBI investigationU.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s lawyer says federal authorities have informed him that the Democrat is not the target of an investigation that led FBI agents to search Cuellar’s South Texas home.
Gov. Greg Abbott eases state inspections at one commercial bridge, as trade remains snarled across the border
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott eases state inspections at one commercial bridge, as trade remains snarled across the borderThe move provides little relief as trade between Texas and Mexico is hampered along the border because of Abbott’s order. The Colombia bridge is just one of 13 commercial crossings between the two countries and the only one connected to Nuevo León.
Collaborative effort at the border ahead of Title 42 ending
Read full article: Collaborative effort at the border ahead of Title 42 endingLess than a week after Governor Greg Abbott announced "aggressive action" at the border ahead of Title 42 ending, the busing of migrants has begun, as has mass migrant response rehearsals by the Texas Military Department.
International trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbott’s new inspections
Read full article: International trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbott’s new inspectionsCommercial traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge stopped Monday and a similar protest affected traffic into and out of El Paso. The blockades could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores.
Greg Abbott’s call for more vehicle inspections at the border is causing delays and supply chain issues, locals say
Read full article: Greg Abbott’s call for more vehicle inspections at the border is causing delays and supply chain issues, locals sayTrucks delivering products from Mexico are facing hourslong waits at ports of entry.
Texas border officials worry that Greg Abbott’s order to increase vehicle inspections will hurt local economies
Read full article: Texas border officials worry that Greg Abbott’s order to increase vehicle inspections will hurt local economiesThe governor is pushing for more border security measures, some of which he acknowledges will slow traffic across the Texas-Mexico border.
Texas’ Henry Cuellar one of two Democrats to vote against landmark marijuana legalization bill
Read full article: Texas’ Henry Cuellar one of two Democrats to vote against landmark marijuana legalization billThe bill faces stiff headwinds in the Senate, where it would require 60 votes to pass. A similar measure the House passed in 2020 failed in the upper chamber.
In Laredo, a bus brigade is vaccinating Mexican citizens with COVID-19 shots that Texans aren’t using
Read full article: In Laredo, a bus brigade is vaccinating Mexican citizens with COVID-19 shots that Texans aren’t usingLaunched in June, a cross-border effort using buses and donated vaccines is helping roughly 2,000 Nuevo Laredo residents per day get COVID-19 shots in Laredo — 10% of Texas’ daily total.
Nancy Pelosi affirms support for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar after FBI raid, primary runoff berth
Read full article: Nancy Pelosi affirms support for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar after FBI raid, primary runoff berthThe U.S. House speaker said during a stop Wednesday in Austin that she always supports her incumbents — “from right to left.”
Cartel leader indicted in San Antonio; arrest caused retaliatory shooting, burnings on border
Read full article: Cartel leader indicted in San Antonio; arrest caused retaliatory shooting, burnings on borderThe leader of Cartel Del Noreste, a bloodthirsty gang of border hitmen, has been indicted in San Antonio on drugs and weapons charges.
Mexican border shootings close US crossing after capo arrest
Read full article: Mexican border shootings close US crossing after capo arrestGunfire and burning vehicles in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo led U.S. officials to briefly close the U.S. consulate and briefly shut down border crossings there.
Webb County, a Democratic stronghold, is set to welcome Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s controversial migrant arrests
Read full article: Webb County, a Democratic stronghold, is set to welcome Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s controversial migrant arrestsThe county is the most populous to embrace the Republican governor’s “catch-and-jail” policy to arrest people accused of crossing the border illegally for state crimes, including trespassing.
Will an FBI raid boost Laredo progressive Jessica Cisneros’ bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar?
Read full article: Will an FBI raid boost Laredo progressive Jessica Cisneros’ bid to unseat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar?Cisneros came within 4 percentage points of unseating the moderate Cuellar in 2020. He seemed better prepared to fend her off in 2022 — until the FBI raided his office.
An end to the omicron surge is in sight, but relief comes slowly in hard-hit Laredo
Read full article: An end to the omicron surge is in sight, but relief comes slowly in hard-hit LaredoCOVID-19 numbers are plummeting statewide, but on Texas’ southern border with Mexico, Laredo is still battling its fourth surge.
Three arrested in connection with human smuggling case at far West Side shopping center
Read full article: Three arrested in connection with human smuggling case at far West Side shopping centerSan Antonio police say they have rounded up as many as 30 people who were seen climbing out of the back of a big rig at a far West Side shopping center last Friday morning.
TribCast: FBI raid at U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s house shakes up his primary
Read full article: TribCast: FBI raid at U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s house shakes up his primaryOn this week’s episode, Matthew speaks with Abby and Karen about U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s legal situation and whether the omicron wave is receding.
Analysis: For a few Texas politicians, a bad time for bad news
Read full article: Analysis: For a few Texas politicians, a bad time for bad newsFor three of the state’s most experienced politicians, bad news comes with the territory. But bad news in the critical stages of an election is another, more serious, kind of trouble.
FBI raid portends political and legal challenges for U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar
Read full article: FBI raid portends political and legal challenges for U.S. Rep. Henry CuellarOn Wednesday, the FBI raided the nine-term congressman’s home in Laredo. It could not come at a worse time for Cuellar, who is in the fight of his political life ahead of the Democratic primary on March 1.