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Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Amid the business and population boom of Texas, it now takes $90k per year for individual workers and $200k per year for families of four to live here comfortably - way up from just one year ago: https://ktrh.iheart.com/featured/houston-texas-news/content/2025-06-16-the-cost-of-living-comfortably-in-texas-is-on-the-rise/
...At the same time, Texas now leads the nation in workplace deaths - also a function of the "Texas Miracle" as frenzied competition leads to neglect of workplace safety standards: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2025/06/16/workplace-fatalities-safety-texas-fatal-work-injuries-deaths-most-us-states-osha-2024/84185938007/
...It's a bad time to get hurt at work - the Trump administration is clawing back another $119 million in unspent COVID funding for public health from Texas: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/12/texas-dshs-public-health-funding-cuts/
...The restaurant industry is hurting as well, as employment challenges and the flow of diners have both been negatively impacted by the spread of ICE raids: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/video/texas-restaurants-face-labor-shortages-amid-immigration-crackdown-industry-praises-trumps-pause-on-1/
...The desert north and west of El Paso, over the time since that city began cooperating with Operation Lone Star, has become a deathtrap for migrants: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/16/texas-operation-lone-star-border-el-paso-deaths-migrants-new-mexico/
Tarrant County Judge and staunch, longtime LGBTQ+ rights opponent Tim O'Hare has blocked the placement of a historical marker commemorating a queer hangout in Fort Worth that was unjustly raided in 2009: https://www.chron.com/culture/article/fort-worth-texas-lgbtq-history-marker-20379741.php
The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at https://store.progresstexas.org/.
Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
After great worry about how the No Kings events would go on Saturday, there's relief and celebration on Monday as generally, things went quite peacefully and productively indeed: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/14/texas-protests-anti-trump-immigration-no-kings/?_bhlid=5ac4797cc26960c9770e89ecd115fa763f69b1c3
There was a very low degree of violence or law enforcement friction at all of the dozens of No Kings events across the state: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/no-kings-protest-20376197.php
How much did Governor Abbott spend activating an estimated 7,000 Texas National Guard members and extra DPS officers? Compared to Trump's activation in California, it could approach $200 million: https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2025/06/10/pentagon-says-deploying-marines-and-national-guard-to-la-will-cost-134-million/
With No Kings and the 89th Legislature (hopefully) in the rear view mirror, it's time to start focusing on the upcoming elections in Texas over the next two Novembers: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/16/texas-democrats-candidates-2026-midterms-senate-governor/
Happening tomorrow, Tuesday June 17: an online seminar on the state of the gun violence crisis in Texas hosted by Texas Gun Sense: https://txgunsense.org/calendar/?fbclid=PAAaYtK2VIS9GAOrM5k7dO3b40IebC4WxhEU6eHLviGVqWBA8oDLmmnWOMlbk&mibextid=Zxz2cZ
The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at https://store.progresstexas.org/.
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What a week - and what a weekend it's likely to be. Everyone be safe if you're attending protests - again, keep it safe and legal. We're gonna have a lot to unpack on Monday.
Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.
We enjoyed a visit with one of our favorite regulars, Austin State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly (not necessarily in that order) of the recently-concluded 89th Texas Legislature. There was plenty to lament and plenty to commit to repairing later - but there were also tactical wins for Democrats, and some good legislation passed as well.
Learn more about Senator Eckhardt at https://www.saraheckhardt.com/.
Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Over 5,000 Texas National Guard troops and 2,000 Texas DPS officers, including special agents and Texas Rangers, have been deployed across the state by Governor Greg Abbott in advance of Saturday's "No Kings" rallies: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/11/greg-abbott-texas-national-guard-immigration-raid-protests/
...Austin Mayor Kirk Watson decries that Governor Abbott would choose to unnecessarily "militarize the streets of the capitol city of the state of Texas": https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/12/abbott-to-surge-dps-troopers-national-guard-soldiers-across-texas/84170911007/
...D/FW will see rallies and protests in Dallas, Frisco, McKinney, Denton, Arlington, Fort Worth, Flower Mound and more: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2025/06/12/more-than-5000-texas-national-guard-2000-dps-troopers-deployed-ahead-of-protests/
...The Houston area will also see several No Kings events on Saturday, including Conroe, Katy, Sugar Land, League City, Kingwood and more: https://www.khou.com/article/newhttps://www.khou.com/article/news/local/lulac-activist-weekend-protest-gov-abbott-national-guard-dps-rangers-no-kings/285-d7817d8b-96af-4014-a7fb-ce12126e84cfs/local/lulac-activist-weekend-protest-gov-abbott-national-guard-dps-rangers-no-kings/285-d7817d8b-96af-4014-a7fb-ce12126e84cf
...Houston Mayor John Whitmire dismisses a letter from Republican Congressman Wesley Hunt worrying about planned riots, calling it "just not relevant to our city and our society": https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2025/06/11/523752/mayor-whitmire-rebuffs-republican-congressmans-letter-claiming-riots-are-planned-in-houston/
...San Antonio's tendency towards peaceful civic gatherings is emphasized in an op-ed as National Guard troops move in: https://www.expressnews.com/columnist/elaine-ayala/article/ayala-san-antonio-ice-protests-texas-guardsmen-20373889.php
...Why support independent media? CBS News, covering building ICE-related unrest in Texas, includes a soundbite from yesterday's Kristi Noem press conference - but omits the part where California Senator Alex Padilla is assaulted by Noem's security officers: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/growing-protests-against-ice-operations-in-texas-and-other-states/
...On the very same day, the U.S. House voted to claw back $1.1 billion in public media funding, overriding a united Democrated delegation who remain down three votes due to vacancies, including the former seat of Houston's Sylvester Turner: https://www.npr.org/2025/06/12/g-s1-72223/public-media-funding-up-in-the-air-as-house-prepares-to-vote-on-claw-backs
...U.S. Congressman Vicente Gonzales of south Texas is one of the 74 Democrats taking heat for voting in favor of a House resolution expressing gratitude for ICE's recent work: https://www.axios.com/2025/06/10/dems-splinter-on-ice-hill-leaders
The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at https://store.progresstexas.org/.
Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Governor Abbott promises a militaristic response to protests in Texas, including those on Saturday coinciding with Donald Trump's military birthday parade: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/abbott-puts-texas-national-guard-dps-troopers-in-place-for-planned-protests-we-are-not-intimidated-no-kings-group-says/
...National Guard troops, deployed to San Antonio by Governor Abbott to confront protestors, ended up playing Uno instead: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/live-blog/ice-protests-la-trump-deportation-policy-live-updates-rcna211981
...Interesting timing as Governor Abbott signs into law a bill granting broad leeway to law enforcement officers to use "less lethal" weapons like rubber bullets and tear gas, if they "reasonably believe" they are warranted: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/state/texas-news/texas-gov-greg-abbott-signs-bill-law-officers-use-less-lethal-weapons/287-1206098d-3578-4594-9912-2c644efd8a5a
A veto from Governor Abbott on SB 3, the sweeping ban on THC-based products in Texas, appears to remain a possibility: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/greg-abbott-thc-ban-veto-20372298.php
The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at https://store.progresstexas.org/.
We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social.
Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Governor Greg Abbott has activated the National Guard to establish a presence countering the anti-ICE protests that have been happening this week in our major cities, in particular targeting one expected today in San Antonio: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/06/10/us/la-protests-marines-ice-trump
...The reaction from Trump is more about his birthday than public safety or immigration: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-birthday-military-parade-protest-threat-b2767425.html
...Sending troops against protestors is a sign of the inherent weakness of Trump's position, and will do nothing to slow protests down: https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-los-angeles-protests-no-kings-day-resistance-rcna212080
Calling a special session to redraw Texas' congressional district map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections could be awkward for Governor Abbott, considering there's an ongoing court battle over the LAST time they did this happening in El Paso right now: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas-take/article/trump-white-house-congressional-districts-20370864.php
...There is also apparently considerable hesitation among the Texas congressional delegation about the scheme, amid fear that GOP strength could be over-extended: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/11/texas-congress-midcycle-redistricting-trump-republicans/?_bhlid=4f23c6982f6d92d560aa7198cda0ebfb18f5f87f
The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at https://store.progresstexas.org/.
We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social.
Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Much like the recent GOP power grab at the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, the Texas Republican congressional delegation has begun discussing plans to redraw Texas' electoral maps to stave off defeat in the 2026 midterms: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/09/texas-redistricting-congress-house-republicans-midterms/
Civic unrest over ICE tactics and Trump's crackdown on protests continued last night in Dallas: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/dallas-immigration-advocates-rally-ongoing-raids/
...And also in Austin, where tear gas canisters were fired: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/09/austin-protest-immigration-customs-enforcement/
...Austin Police Department Chief Lisa Davis says that tear gas was deployed by Texas DPS troopers: https://www.statesman.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/06/09/austin-protest-ice-immigration-raids-los-angeles-la-riots-photos/84122861007/
More ICE ambushes of immigrants leaving court hearings yesterday, in Houston: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/houston-immigration-court-arrests-ice-agents-20368949.php
The Collin County Democratic Party is organizing a protest at State Senator Angela Paxton's office later this month: https://www.mobilize.us/collindemocrats/event/798800/
The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at https://store.progresstexas.org/.
We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social.
Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work at https://progresstexas.org.
The Trump regime cracks down on anti-ICE protestors in Los Angeles: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj93d3r0zz0o
...California Governor Gavin Newsome: "This is about authoritarian tendencies. This about command and control. This is about power": https://t.co/uuAiHzYiIo
(https://x.com/Acyn/status/1931914095382683742?t=0lQ3pMrV8fm2BgTsRdCUfw&s=03
...Houston Congressman Al Green: https://x.com/RepAlGreen/status/1931854998792483178?t=Hch52bcXItXUxhnB663h5Q&s=03
...Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett: https://x.com/RepJasmine/status/1931765398464278764?t=uecU2-aFLGLqskq7CdNCuw&s=03
...San Antonio Congresman Joaquin Castro: https://x.com/JoaquinCastrotx/status/1931850211707818119?t=pgmCz58LyIIHwUNnm5TSjw&s=03
...Robert Reich writes that "we are witnessing the first stages of a Trump police state": https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/09/trump-police-state-robert-reich
...While Texas normally resists federal control, the current state government is in close lockstep with Trump: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/09/texas-doj-undocumented-tuition-courts-friendly-lawsuit-paxton/?_bhlid=903e7fc1680827506b8a6fbc8da6f56a70ef7d2f
...As Governor Abbott prepares to sign a law that will force all Texas sheriff's departments to enter collaborative agreements with ICE: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/gov-abbott-to-sign-bill-into-law-requiring-county-jails-to-work-with-ice/
...More on those agreements with Francesca D'Annunzio of the Texas Observer: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/happy-hour-212-a-giant-ice-army-how-local-police-in/id1552998795?i=1000705993353
...All of this leads into Saturday's No Kings Day rallies and protests, dozens of which dot the entire range of Texas: https://www.nokings.org/
Runoff elections across Texas this weekend confirm a progressive resurgence, including Gina Ortiz Jones' win for San Antonio mayor: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/07/san-antonio-mayor-gina-ortiz-jones/
...Other wins confirm that Republicans in Texas "don't own the cities anymore": https://www.lonestarleft.com/p/texas-runoff-results-prove-the-tide?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1220969&post_id=165491676&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=33j12m&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
We're celebrating our 15th anniversary in Dallas Tonight! Join us: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/2025anniversary
The merch to match your progressive values awaits at our web store! Goodies at https://store.progresstexas.org/.
We're loving the troll-free environment at BlueSky! Follow us there at https://bsky.app/profile/progresstexas.bsky.social.
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We're joined on our weekly airing of the grievances by Progress Texas board member Jason Smith, who's also a Fort Worth civil rights attorney who has had a front row seat to the blatant, racist power grab being executed by the Republican-dominated Tarrant County Commissioners Court, via which a premature redistricting effort is on the verge of successfully drawing one of the two Democrats on that court out of the picture - a game plan to which Republicans nationwide, as they watch their popularity among the electorate fade, are lately more commonly resorting. Fort Worth and Tarrant County are considered political belweathers for the rest of Texas, and this situation is no different.
Thanks for listening! Learn more about Progress Texas and how you can support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.
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