https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/alejandro-serrano/The latest news by Alejandro Serrano.enThu, 23 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/23/harris-county-judge-election-dasean-jones-tami-pierce/Political experts say court order for new election could spur more challenges to narrow wins.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 23 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/23/harris-county-judge-election-dasean-jones-tami-pierce/Judge DaSean Jones, left, enters the the courtroom with his attorney at the Harris County Civil Courthouse in Houston on April 1, 2024.180th District Court Court Judge DaSean Jones, left, enters the the courtroom with his attorney at the Harris County Civil Courthouse in Houston on April 1, 2024.Courtesy of Kirk Sides/Houston Chroniclehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/10/texas-border-el-paso-migrants-mass-arrests/Two different groups surged through an El Paso border gate. An El Paso judge has twice thrown out the resulting criminal charges.By Alejandro Serrano and Uriel J. GarcíaFri, 10 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/10/texas-border-el-paso-migrants-mass-arrests/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/09/texas-border-property-damage-compensation-migrants/Lawmakers created the program during last year’s legislative session.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 09 May 2024 12:05:39 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/09/texas-border-property-damage-compensation-migrants/Department of Public Safety Special Operations agents escort a group of migrants through private property as part of Operation Lone Star after apprehebnding them in Kinney County near Brackettville on Nov. 9, 2021.Department of Public Safety Special Operations agents escort a group of migrants through private property as part of Operation Lone Star after catching them in Kinney County near Brackettville, Texas on Nov. 9, 2021. The owner of the property did not sign the affidavit to allow DPS to arrest undocumented migrants in their property, so they will be processed by Border Patrol. Verónica G. Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas TribuneVerónica G. Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/08/university-houston-encampment-arrests/The University of Houston joins other Texas colleges that have cracked down on recent campus protests.By Sneha Dey and Alejandro SerranoWed, 08 May 2024 13:36:07 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/08/university-houston-encampment-arrests/Protesters gather outside the Harris County Joint Processing Center in Houston following the arrest of two University of Houston students and the dismantling of an on-campus encampment in support of Palestinians on Wednesday.University of Houston students protest outside of the Harris County Joint Processing Center following the arrest of two students at a on campus protest to defend the UH encampment in Houston, Texas, US, on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/22/texas-border-migrant-apprehensions-abbott-operation-lone-star/Abbott has credited his Operation Lone Star for a recent drop in migrant encounters on the Texas-Mexico border.By Alejandro Serrano, Graphics by Yuriko SchumacherMon, 22 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/22/texas-border-migrant-apprehensions-abbott-operation-lone-star/Texas DPS special agents apprehend a group of undocumented migrants from Honduras as part of Operation Lone Star in Kinney County near Brackettville on Nov. 8, 2021.Texas DPS special agents apprehend a group of five undocumented migrants from Honduras that were caught in private property as part of Operation Lone Star in Kinney County near Brackettville on Nov. 8, 2021. The owner of the property did not sign an affidavit for arrests of undocumented migrants to be taking place at their property so the group of Hondurans will be processed by Border Patrol instead.Verónica G. Cárdenas for ProPublica/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/12/texas-dps-semi-crash-brenham/Authorities arrested the driver, whom a local official said was denied a commercial driver’s license from the Brenham DPS station.By Alejandro SerranoFri, 12 Apr 2024 14:01:45 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/12/texas-dps-semi-crash-brenham/A man was arrested Friday after he crashed a truck into a Department of Public Safety office in Brenham.Texas Department of Public Safety vehicles outside of the state Capitol on Aug. 11, 2021.Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/10/texas-colony-ridge-inmigrantes-quejas/Los residentes presentaron más de 60 quejas en contra de Colony Ridge. No obtuvieron muchas soluciones del estado.By Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune, and Paul Cobler, Houston LandingWed, 10 Apr 2024 04:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/10/texas-colony-ridge-inmigrantes-quejas/Una vista aérea del vecindario Colony Ridge, cerca de Houston, el 9 de octubre.An overhead view of the Colony Ridge development on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, in New Caney, Texas.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/04/texas-national-guard-arrest-human-smuggling-pursuit/Authorities said the 26-year-old turned around at a Border Patrol checkpoint and fled from police in Kinney County.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 04 Apr 2024 15:19:05 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/04/texas-national-guard-arrest-human-smuggling-pursuit/A National Guard Humvee near Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission on Jan. 12, 2022.A National Guard Humvee near a construction site for what the federal government says is a levee improvement project near Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in Mission on Jan. 12, 2022.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/03/texas-senate-bill-4-appeals-court-hearing-immigration/A panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether to keep in place a lower court’s block of Senate Bill 4, which makes illegally entering Texas a state crime.By Alejandro SerranoWed, 03 Apr 2024 13:01:11 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/03/texas-senate-bill-4-appeals-court-hearing-immigration/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/03/texas-solar-eclipse-preparation-tourists-weather/Llano residents are told to stock up on groceries. A Sulphur Springs church is renting its parking spots. And everyone’s watching the weather forecast ahead of Monday’s eclipse.By Alejandra Martinez, Alejandro Serrano and Emily FoxhallWed, 03 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/03/texas-solar-eclipse-preparation-tourists-weather/Hundreds flocked to Mission San José in South San Antonio on Oct. 14, 2023, to witness last year's solar eclipse as the moon’s shadow swept across Central Texas.Hundreds flock to Mission San José in South San Antonio on Oct. 14, 2023, to witness the annular solar eclipse as the moon’s shadow swept across Central Texas.Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/02/texas-el-paso-border-gate-breach/Gov. Greg Abbott said Department of Public Safety troopers had been instructed to “arrest every illegal immigrant involved” in the March 21 breach in which National Guard members were allegedly assaulted.By Alejandro SerranoTue, 02 Apr 2024 16:59:08 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/02/texas-el-paso-border-gate-breach/https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/21/texas-immigration-law-local-enforcement/A new law allowing local authorities to deport migrants remains tied up in court. Even if it goes back into effect, logistical challenges could complicate enforcement.By Alejandro SerranoThu, 21 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/21/texas-immigration-law-local-enforcement/Gov. Greg Abbott poses with a framed letter from the Sheriffs Association of Texas at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Wednesday, March 20, 2024.Gov. Greg Abbott poses with a framed letter from the Sheriffs' Association of Texas at the Texas Capitol in Austin on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Abbott was presented with the letter after the association announced their support of his border policies.Maria Crane/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/19/texas-sb-4-illegal-immigration/Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court had allowed Senate Bill 4 to go into effect, a federal appeals court let an earlier injunction stand. SB 4 lets Texas police arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the Texas-Mexico border.By Alejandro Serrano and Uriel J. GarcíaTue, 19 Mar 2024 23:13:18 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/19/texas-sb-4-illegal-immigration/Migrants walk along the Rio Grande past recently installed buoys in Eagle Pass, Texas on July 29, 2023.Migrants walk along the Rio Grande passed the recently installed buoys in Eagle Pass, Texas on July 29, 2023. As there is concertina wire installed along the Urbina’s property, migrants are told to walk to the end of the property. Many make that walk which can be difficult to do through slippery rocks in the water, the current and the inclined river bank, while some find spots through the concertina wire and manage to get through. Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas TribuneVerónica Gabriela Cárdenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/19/texas-illegal-immigration-supreme-court-sb-4/The ruling allows Texas to start enforcing SB 4 while a lawsuit over its constitutionality remains pending before a federal appeals court.By Uriel J. García and Alejandro SerranoTue, 19 Mar 2024 13:56:44 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/19/texas-illegal-immigration-supreme-court-sb-4/The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to start enforcing Senate Bill 4, a new state law that allows Texas police to charge people with illegally entering the state from other countries. The federal government argued that the law is unconstitutional because enforcing immigration laws is a federal responsibility.The U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 4, 2022.Jason Garza for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/14/texas-sues-colony-ridge-development/Residents of the Houston-area development, who were maligned by Republicans last year, have complained about the developer for years.By Paul Cobler and Céilí Doyle, Houston Landing, and Alejandro Serrano, The Texas TribuneThu, 14 Mar 2024 16:07:33 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/14/texas-sues-colony-ridge-development/A sign outside of the Colony Ridge development near New Caney on Oct. 10, 2023.A sign outside of the Colony Ridge development on Oct. 10, 2023, in New Caney, Texas.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/12/uvalde-police-chief-resigns/Daniel Rodriguez was out of town during the 2022 massacre. He told the local newspaper he was “not forced, asked or pressured” to resign.By Alejandro SerranoTue, 12 Mar 2024 14:26:07 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/12/uvalde-police-chief-resigns/Uvalde City Hall on June 7, 2022.Uvalde Special City Council meeting at City Hall on June 7, 2022.Evan L'Roy for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/07/uvalde-robb-elementary-shooting-report/Families were infuriated by praise for local law enforcement in a report on the Robb Elementary School shooting released Thursday by a private investigator.By Alejandro Serrano and William MelhadoThu, 07 Mar 2024 17:55:24 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/07/uvalde-robb-elementary-shooting-report/A mural in memory of Makenna Lee Elrod, one of the 21 Robb Elementary school shooting victims in Uvalde on Oct. 22, 2022.A mural in memory of Makenna Lee Elrod, one of the 21 Robb Elementary school shooting victims in Uvalde on Oct. 22, 2022.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/05/texas-election-primary-voters/Many who voted Tuesday said they weren’t excited about their choices. “Morale feels low,” said one Houston voter.By Alejandro Serrano, Jess Huff and Nina BanksTue, 05 Mar 2024 19:34:55 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/03/05/texas-election-primary-voters/People line up to vote outside of the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center in Houston on March 5, 2024.The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/27/texas-conservatives-immigrants-federal-lawsuit-colony-ridge/Texas has little to show for conservative leaders’ uproar — or previously unreported complaints about the community developer.By Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune, and Paul Cobler, Houston LandingTue, 27 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/27/texas-conservatives-immigrants-federal-lawsuit-colony-ridge/An overhead view of the Colony Ridge development on Oct. 9, near Houston.An overhead view of the Colony Ridge development on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023, in New Caney, Texas.Mark Felix for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/22/texas-crown-act-barbers-hill-lawsuit/In a test of Texas’ new CROWN Act prohibiting discrimination based on hairstyles, a judge said the Barbers Hill school district can limit the length of male students’ hair.By Pooja Salhotra and Alejandro SerranoThu, 22 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600https://www.texastribune.org/2024/02/22/texas-crown-act-barbers-hill-lawsuit/Darryl George has been punished by the Barbers Hill school district for his hair. A trial over whether the district's policy violates a new state law begins Thursday.Darryl George has been punished by the Barbers Hill school district for his hair.George family/social media