After Trump took office, ICE transfers jumped 60 percent in most populous Texas county

Even before last year's protests, lawmaker scuffles and marathon committee hearings over "sanctuary" legislation, Texas counties were some of the most compliant when it came to immigration enforcement, a new study shows.... Read more»0

Trump deploying troops to border, but crossings at historic lows

Homeland Security said a surge of apprehensions at the border justifies President Trump’s decision to deploy National Guard units, but critics of the plan argue that despite the increase, overall crossings are at historic lows.... Read more»0

Days later, cause of Border Patrol agent's death still unclear

Days after a U.S. Border Patrol agent was killed and another seriously wounded in Texas, details as to what happened to the agents, or even whether they were attacked, are still scarce. ... Read more»0

Border Patrol says Texas checkpoints to remain open during Hurricane Harvey

As Texans in the Rio Grande Valley prepare for Hurricane Harvey, the U.S. Border Patrol said its checkpoints north of the border will remain open.... Read more»0

Instead of a border wall, some Texans want parks, solar panels or levees

As the Trump administration moves ahead with plans for a barrier on the Rio Grande, Texans are weighing in on how the president should approach the project. And the ideas range from the comical to the practical. ... Read more»0

Is Ciudad Juárez on the brink of a new gang war?

October was the deadliest month in Ciudad Juárez in nearly three years, with more than 100 people murdered just south of the Rio Grande. Locals are anxious — and hopeful they're not witnessing a resurgence of the brutal drug war that plagued this Mexican border city from 2008 to 2011. ... Read more»0

Texas border leaders think Trump's tough talk on NAFTA will die down

Despite all the time Donald Trump spent bashing NAFTA while running, Texas border leaders hope he'll soften his stance as campaign trail rhetoric cools. ... Read more»0

Bordering on insecurity

In Mexico, complaints about immigrants crossing illegally and taking jobs

In southern Mexico, locals say some migrants fleeing Central America are staying put instead of traveling on to the United States. They're blamed for taking jobs, driving down wages and taxing social services — familiar complaints in our country's immigration debate. This story is part of Tribune's yearlong Bordering on Insecurity project. ... Read more»0

Bordering on insecurity

Central American gang's tentacles reach deep into Texas, U.S.

Only about 800 of the estimated 20,000 gang members in the Houston area belong to the MS-13, but police consider them a top-level threat to public safety in Texas. The El Salvador-based criminal organization is thought to reach across Texas and into 44 other states. ... Read more»0

After a lull in 2015, Texas border apprehensions spiked in 2016

Apprehension of families and unaccompanied children surged again along the Texas-Mexico border in 2016, reflecting the new prevalence of illegal immigration from Central America. The statistics show that Mexico's attempt to secure its southern border and deter illegal migration isn't working. ... Read more»0

Court's immigration ruling could affect Texas 'sanctuary city' debate

A decision last month by a federal judge in Illinois undercutting a major tool the federal government uses to deport criminal immigrants could ripple across the country, changing how local jails hold people thought to be in the country illegally.... Read more»0

Bordering on insecurity

El Salvador's gang violence thrives in aftermath of civil war

Bloody gang conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives and sparked a years-long exodus from El Salvador. The current “war” takes place in a country where memories of an earlier 12-year civil struggle still cut deeply. This story is part of the Tribune's yearlong Bordering on Insecurity project... Read more»0

Supreme Court agrees to hear cross-border shooting case

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Tuesday it would consider a controversial Texas case involving a cross-border shooting that ended with the death of a 15-year-old boy at the hands of a Border Patrol agent.... Read more»0

Texas to revisit issue of ID'ing migrants' remains near border

The state’s forensic science oversight panel will convene in Austin on Wednesday to give the public a progress report on an emotional and macabre issue that is tied directly to the hot-button issue of illegal immigration.... Read more»0