Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
The Trump DOJ's move to "nationalize" and "clean" voter rolls via massive purges is being resisted by two dozen U.S. states - but not Texas, which has already handed over our full voter roll information: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/trump-nationalize-texas-voter-rolls-21331488.php
...Meanwhile Texas officials are failing to keep up with election schedule benchmarks, citing problems related to the recent redrawing of our congressional maps, January runoffs in Tarrant and Harris Counties, and software glitches: https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/05/texas-voter-registration-card-delays-elections-2026/
Republican candidates have been leaning in on hateful messages targeting Muslims in their campaign ads - an indicator that those messages find resonance among Texas Republican primary voters: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/politics/republicans-anti-islam-muslim-march-primary/269-6d2bba8d-9d88-4af7-bc4c-620a6acdd1bf
Governor Abbott is warning Texas high school and middle school kids that their "free speech" is limited to certain times and situations - and doesn't allow the ICE protest walkouts that have been happening across the state: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-student-walkouts-continue-officials-warn-school-districts
While the proposed massive ICE detention center in the southeast D/FW town of Hutchins has seen growing opposition, there's also a similar and equally massive project underway in San Antonio: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/hutchins-texas-rumored-ice-facility-san-antonio-surprise-arizona/287-ac0b014d-543f-4b54-b402-2b00fc4a7d6b
...An Oregon congresswoman was denied access to a Venezuelan family, including a 7 year old girl, who have now been held at the Dilley ICE detention facility for three weeks yesterday: https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2026/02/us-rep-denied-visit-with-detained-oregon-family-at-texas-center.html
The 39th Annual Texas Democratic Women's 2026 Convention is coming up February 6-8 in Austin, and Progress Texas is excited to take part! Get signed up: https://tdw.org/convention/
Early voting in the March primary starts in mere weeks, on February 17 - the time to research your ballot is right now: https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2026/texas-march-2026-primary-ballot/?_bhlid=7d8eca3d2a16adc7c9b44185414443fa32be6d84
All about voting in Texas can be found at GoVoteTexas.org. Voter registration updates for the March primary from the Austin Chronicle HERE and from KUT Austin HERE.
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