Texas Tribune Brief

About 30 people from Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua traveled to the U.S. capital as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s new plan in response to the end of Title 42.

Abbott’s new policy has resulted in hourslong delays and protest blockades at border crossings. The state’s agriculture commissioner criticized the measure as an “economy killing action.”

Importers said buyers have already canceled orders and the blockade could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores around the country.

Texas law exempts a pregnant person from being charged with murder or any lesser homicide charge for an abortion.

It’s unclear whether landlords face any penalties by state agencies for improperly evicting tenants while receiving rent relief dollars intended to help those tenants stay housed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abbott said he’s responding to the Biden administration announcement that it will lift a pandemic-era emergency health order that allowed immigration authorities to turn away migrants at the border, even those seeking asylum.

Texas Military Department leaders say they’ve addressed many of the issues that arose late last year when the mission ramped up to 10,000 service members — but more money is needed to run the mission at its current pace.

The Florida law prohibits teachers from teaching sexual orientation or gender identity to kids below the fourth grade.

The largest share of Operation Lone Star arrests were of people accused only of trespassing on private property. Many spend months in prison, but the strategy does not appear to have slowed immigration.

K-3 teachers in Texas have until 2023 to complete a 60-hour “Reading Academies” course to keep the job. It’s taking some 120 hours on their own time to finish.