Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

That deadline imposed by the federal government to allow full Border Patrol access to Shelby Park arrives tomorrow: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/texas-continues-block-federal-officials-border-park/

...While Governor Greg Abbott reiterates Texas' "right to defend itself against invasion": https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/texas/texas-self-defense-border-battle/285-7a1131cc-e1a1-47f2-acd5-5df1f648d9be

Kate Cox has been invited to be First Lady Jill Biden's guest at the State Of The Union address in March: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/24/texas-kate-cox-biden-state-of-the-union/

The Christian Nationalist oil billionaires who brought you Defend Texas Liberty have started a new ultraconservative PAC: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/24/tim-dunn-farris-wilks-defend-texas-liberty-nick-fuentes/

The Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club succeeds in delaying a vote on a massive property trade with Elon Musk's SpaceX: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/texas-parks-and-wildlife-spacex-land-swap-18626039.php

A trial is scheduled for next month to determine whether Barbers Hill ISD is in the right in punishing junior Darryl George over his traditional hairstyle: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/texas-schools-punishment-black-student-wears-dreadlocks-going-trial-rcna135545

May graduates at UT Austin learn of the impacts on their ceremonies by the ending of DEI offices by state law: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/university-of-texas/dei-backlash-texas-schools-ut-austin/269-b5f397df-c8b9-4151-9b19-cc006629a038

A Gainesville legal fight could hold major implications for the right to protest: https://www.kxii.com/2024/01/25/gainesville-protestors-arrested-2020-appealing-texas-highest-criminal-court/

The staff of the Texas Tribune have announced that they are unionizing: https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2024-01-24/the-texas-tribune-is-unionizing/

Join us Saturday as we co-host candidate forums for races for seats in both the U.S. House and Texas Senate:

And watch for our posting of a podcast featuring Sunday's debate between Democratic primary candidates seeking to face Ted Cruz:

Early Giving is underway for this year's Amplify Austin non-profit and charity fundraiser, and is a great way to support Progress Texas: https://www.amplifyatx.org/organizations/progress-texas-institute

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our work at https://progresstexas.org/.