Category Archives: La Migra

Texas DREAM Act appeal heard

Posted on June 7, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them all the best. A group of college students asked a Fifth Circuit panel Thursday to overturn an agreement that blocked a state law allowing students without permanent immigration status to receive in-state tuition at Texas public colleges … Continue reading →

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Texas’ 2023 anti-immigrant law blocked again

Posted on May 17, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s hope this injunction lasts longer. A Texas law that would allow state and local police to arrest people suspected of having crossed the southern border illegally is once again halted, a day before it was supposed to take effect. … Continue reading →

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Who’s coming to the FIFA World Cup?

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Not as many people as we thought, it would seem. The World Cup only comes around every four years and regularly draws millions of spectators from across the globe. But expectations of a rush of international visitors and an accompanying … Continue reading →

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ACLU files another lawsuit against 2023 Texas anti-immigrant law

Posted on May 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, ACLU, and the Texas Civil Rights Project have filed a class-action lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to block several provisions of Senate Bill 4 (88-4) from going into effect May … Continue reading →

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Feds aim to screw Colony Ridge residents in their settlement

Posted on April 12, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Totally on brand. In December 2023, the U.S. Justice Department sued a Texas land developer it accused of duping tens of thousands of Hispanic residents into predatory mortgages, a landmark case for the Biden administration. Colony Ridge, which sold plots … Continue reading →

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The El Paso connection to Minneapolis

Posted on April 11, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good stuff. As hundreds of federal immigration agents flooded into Minnesota for Operation Metro Surge, this winter, flights filled with detainees ramped up at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Thousands of miles away, in El Paso, Marisa Limón Garza’s phone started ringing — … Continue reading →

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Council passes ordinance to limit HPD’s interactions with ICE

Posted on April 9, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston City Council approved a proposal from three city council members limiting Houston police officers’ cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Wednesday, with Mayor John Whitmire in support. The proposal by Council Members Alejandra Salinas, Edward … Continue reading →

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Council HPD/ICE ordinance mostly moves forward

Posted on March 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A proposal to change the way Houston police officers work with immigration agents looks set to move ahead with two of its three original provisions after the City Attorney’s office rejected one of them, saying it would have violated … Continue reading →

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Fewer people going to Dilley detention center

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Take the wins where you can. Only 100 people are currently detained in the federal government’s controversy-plagued family detention center at Dilley, nonprofit news outlet ProPublica reports. That compares to an average daily population of more than 900 in January. The … Continue reading →

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Ordinance proposed to officially limit HPD’s interactions with ICE

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent. A trio of Houston City Council members are pushing a plan to change the way Houston police officers work with federal immigration agents, sidestepping Mayor John Whitmire’s authority a week after the mayor announced a more modest tweak to … Continue reading →

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So where are we now with HPD and ICE?

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start here, which I think frames the issue in the best practical terms. Mayor John Whitmire’s denials finally hit a wall. When he first took office, the mayor said the Houston Police Department wasn’t working with U.S. Immigration and … Continue reading →

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Bexar County pushes back against a proposed ICE detention center

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Bexar County Commissioners voted 3-1 Tuesday to formally oppose a proposed immigration detention facility on San Antonio’s East Side, approving a resolution that leaves the door open to join potential legal challenges against the project. The vote marks the governmental body’s … Continue reading →

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Mayor Whitmire finally says something about HPD and ICE

Posted on March 9, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Took him long enough. A day after a Chronicle report found Houston police officers in at least two instances arrested drivers and personally transported them to immigration agents, Mayor John Whitmire told Univision Houston the arrests violated department policies. Whitmire, who hasn’t responded … Continue reading →

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Appeals court denies Paxton’s attempt to block Harris County Immigrant Legal Services Fund

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Another L for our boy Kenny. The Fifteenth Court of Appeals on Tuesday struck down Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s effort to halt Harris County’s legal fund to defend undocumented immigrants in court. While the letter appears to be a legal win for … Continue reading →

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Ruben Ray Martinez

Posted on February 23, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Remember his name. Three months into President Donald Trump’s mass deportation undertaking, an ICE officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen in South Padre Island, long before immigration agents killed another American in Minnesota that prompted outrage across the nation, … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s attempt to block Bexar County Immigrant Legal Services Fund denied

Posted on February 22, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Different county, same result. A Bexar County district judge on Friday ruled that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton does not have the legal authority to sue Bexar County over its immigration legal services fund, blocking the state’s attempt to halt … Continue reading →

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ICE is buying up warehouses

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

In San Antonio. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Wednesday that the agency has purchased land and a facility in San Antonio to expand its detention operations, though officials declined to disclose the location of the property in question. In … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed challenging “Kavanaugh stops”

Posted on February 8, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A group of Hispanic Texans are asking a federal judge to rule that ICE agents can’t detain U.S. citizens or require those people to prove their citizenship in order to be freed from custody. In a complaint filed in … Continue reading →

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The Rice ICE tracker

Posted on February 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent work. Jack Vu and Abby Manuel had been part of a volunteer program teaching weekly computer and Spanish classes to kids in Houston’s East End for more than a year, when one day the kids stopped showing up. Masked … Continue reading →

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Greg Abbott deserves no credit for this

Posted on January 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

So don’t give him any. The White House’s response to the latest Minneapolis killing is fomenting rumblings — including in Texas — from some of President Donald Trump’s staunchest supporters. The NRA, law enforcement groups, Fox News and even Republican … Continue reading →

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How to stand with Minnesota against ICE

Posted on January 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is both good and terrible to know. We cannot resist tyranny alone. If you’re outside Minnesota, here are things you can do to help.·  · Call your elected officials. ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are the “jackbooted government … Continue reading →

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Harris County joins anti-ICE amicus in Minnesota lawsuit

Posted on January 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County has joined an amicus brief in the case Minnesota v. Noem, supporting the state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in a lawsuit against the federal government’s “Operation Metro Surge” … Continue reading →

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Full Fifth Circuit hears SB4 appeal

Posted on January 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As always, brace yourselves. Three years ago, Texas lawmakers passed a landmark law that would let state police arrest people suspected of having entered the country illegally by crossing the border. Such authority has long been the sole responsibility of the federal … Continue reading →

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Council proposal to limit HPD cooperation with ICE fails

Posted on January 5, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m annoyed by this, but it’s not the end of the line. A City Council proposal that would have given Houston police officers discretion over calling federal immigration officials during traffic stops has officially met its demise. The policy change … Continue reading →

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Feds settle lawsuit with Colony Ridge developers

Posted on December 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Federal authorities and the Houston-area developer Colony Ridge have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which the government accused the company of duping Latino homebuyers into seller-financed mortgages that many defaulted on in a scheme that … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s attempt to block Harris County Immigrant Legal Services Fund denied

Posted on December 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

For now. It’s the first step. An attempt by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to stop Harris County from funding legal services for immigrants facing deportation hit a roadblock Tuesday after a district court judge denied his office’s request for a preliminary … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues Harris County over immigrant legal services

Posted on November 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This fucking guy, I swear. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Harris County for allocating county funds to programs that help undocumented people get access to legal support. The county, home to Houston, created the Immigrant Legal Services Fund … Continue reading →

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Whitmire finally admits that HPD is cooperating with ICE

Posted on November 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Goddamn it. Houston Mayor John Whitmire acknowledged Saturday that the city is cooperating with federal immigration authorities after denying for months that Houston police would get involved with immigration enforcement. Whitmire was a guest speaker at a conference Saturday hosted by former Kemah Mayor Bill King, a fellow at Rice … Continue reading →

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Harris County joins amicus effort to block Texas National Guard deployment in Chicago

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee has joined a national coalition of more than 100 local government leaders in filing an amicus brief opposing the Trump administration’s unlawful federalization and deployment of Texas National Guard troops to … Continue reading →

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Why is HPD calling ICE so much more often now?

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We deserve some answers. Houston police officers have called federal immigration agents on civilians over 100 times since President Donald Trump took office in January — a jump of more than 1,000% from any of the previous five years, according to public records obtained … Continue reading →

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The “Trump Burger” story

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose we must make note of this. The thing about Trump Burger is that it was always irresistible, even for those who would rather eat just about anywhere else. The restaurant is what its name suggests: A burger joint devoted to … Continue reading →

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The Operation Lone Star boondoggle

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Money, money, money… Maverick County Attorney Jaime Iracheta works in a freshly refurbished, wood-paneled office with a matching desk and leather couch set. He holds meetings in a video-equipped conference room and drives to work in a heavy-duty Chevy Silverado … Continue reading →

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Appeals court sides with Catholic Charities against Paxton

Posted on August 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas appeals court this week denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office’s request to question a nun who leads Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, one of the state’s largest migrant aid organizations. In a 2-1 ruling issued … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit keeps SB4 block in place

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of good news. A Texas law that would deputize state and local police to question and arrest people they suspect of being in the country illegally was blocked once again. The law would also authorize local judges to … Continue reading →

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