https://www.texastribune.org/about/staff/berenice-garcia/The latest news by Berenice Garcia.enThu, 09 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/09/south-texas-spacex-project-vortex-rockets/In the shadow of SpaceX, Rio Grande Valley students will have a chance to build their own rockets and launch them 11,000 feet in the air, under a program that hopes to spark interest in aerospace jobs.By Berenice GarciaThu, 09 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/10/09/south-texas-spacex-project-vortex-rockets/Victor De Los Santos, board chair and co-founder of STARSociety, adjusts a telescope setup for passersby to see stars at a night market in Brownsville on Sept. 20, 2025.Victor De Los Santos, board chair and co-founder of the South Texas Astronomical Society organization, adjusts a telescope setup for passersby to see stars at a night market in Brownsville on Sept. 20, 2025.Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/24/starbase-spacex-beach-agreement/The deal between the new South Texas city and Cameron County mirrors a similar agreement with South Padre Island and requires a plan to combat beach erosion.By Berenice GarciaWed, 24 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/24/starbase-spacex-beach-agreement/Cameron County commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement that will turn over control over some parts of Boca Chica Beach to Starbase, the new city near SpaceX's launch site.The SpaceX Starship on the launchpad ahead of the tenth flight test, in Starbase, Texas, on August 24, 2025.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/18/texas-cities-counties-budget-crunch/Economic uncertainty, inflation, strict state limits on property tax collections and uncertainty around future federal funds have crimped local budgets.By Joshua Fechter, Berenice Garcia, Jess Huff, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Jayme Lozano CarverThu, 18 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/18/texas-cities-counties-budget-crunch/The Dallas skyline at sunset on Oct. 14, 2024.The Dallas skyline from the Top o' Texas Tower ride at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas, TX on October 14, 2024.Shelby Tauber for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/17/texas-spacex-boca-chica-faa-environmental-lawsuit/The suit, filed in 2023 after the launch of SpaceX's Starship in Boca Chica ended in an explosion, accused the agency of not properly assessing environmental impacts.By Berenice GarciaWed, 17 Sep 2025 16:59:30 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/17/texas-spacex-boca-chica-faa-environmental-lawsuit/The SpaceX Starship is seen on the launchpad ahead of a 10th flight test, in Starbase, Texas, on August 24, 2025.The SpaceX Starship on the launchpad ahead of the tenth flight test, in Starbase, Texas, on August 24, 2025.Brenda Bazán for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/11/texas-water-supply-crisis/A growing population, leaking pipes and changing climate threaten the state’s water supply. Texas lawmakers hope a $20 billion investment will help.By Alejandra Martinez, Berenice Garcia, Carla Astudillo, Carlos Nogueras Ramos, Jayme Lozano Carver, Jess Huff, Suraj Thapa and Yuriko SchumacherThu, 11 Sep 2025 11:15:35 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/09/11/texas-water-supply-crisis/Jay Ornelas, El Paso County Water Improvement District Manager (left) and Ramon Tirres (right) in Clint, Texas on march 5, 2025.Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/south-texas-democrats-hildago-county/A faction of Hidalgo County Democrats has raised concerns over how the party is spending money and blocking the group from doing business for several months.By Berenice GarciaThu, 28 Aug 2025 13:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/28/south-texas-democrats-hildago-county/Hidalgo County Democrats gathered July 26 for a quarterly meeting at a San Juan restaurant. The meeting dissolved into a shouting match. Madeleine Croll was one of the party members who voiced frustration.Madeleine Croll expresses her disagreement as she was one of the people who Stacy Solís did not agree should be precinct chairs that she approved during the Hidalgo County Democrats’ Third Quarter meeting in San Juan, Texas on July 26, 2025. They were hoping to introduce the new precinct chairs during the meeting as well as listening from their newly formed committees. Croll had been precinct chair for a few years before until she missed to fill out a form to continue serving. She has been trying to be precinct chair ever since but she has been unable to as some members, she says, have been keeping her from doing so because she believes that in part it is due to her being a transgender woman. Gabriel V. Cárdenas for The Texas TribuneGabriel V. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/20/texas-redistricting-representation-maps/The GOP push to redraw the state’s congressional maps isn’t just a partisan move but one that deeply affects how Texans are represented in Congress.By Joshua Fechter and Berenice Garcia, Graphics by Carla AstudilloWed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/20/texas-redistricting-representation-maps/U.S. Rep Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, testified during a July 28 redistricting committee hearing held at the University of Texas at Arlington. Veasey has represented Fort Worth for more than a decade and would be drawn out of his seat if Texas Republicans move forward with a mid-decade redistricting plan.U.S. Rep Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, testifies during a redistricting committee hearing held at the University of Texas at Arlington on July 28, 2025.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/15/texas-screwworm-usda-brooke-rollins/Mounted patrol officers, known as tick riders, who typically patrol the southern border to protect cattle from fever tick, will also now serve as the first line of defense against screwworm.By Berenice GarciaFri, 15 Aug 2025 14:44:13 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/15/texas-screwworm-usda-brooke-rollins/The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced it would build a $750 million factory to produce sterile flies meant to destory the screwworm population making its way north thru Mexico.Forty to fifty head of cattle down from 5,000 due to restrictions on cattle imports from Mexico at the Vaquero Trading stockyard in Sunland Park, New Mexico on January 8, 2025.Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/31/texas-deported-mexico-illegal-return-immigration-galvan/Jaime Galvan Sanchez has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years. He was deported in less than 24 hours without due process and allowed to return. But his family is still suffering from the aftermath.By Berenice Garcia, Photos by Gabriel V. CárdenasThu, 07 Aug 2025 11:06:52 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/31/texas-deported-mexico-illegal-return-immigration-galvan/Geovanna Galvan, left, goes through her dad’s, Jaime Galvan Sanchez, paperwork at their home in Mercedes. After living in the U.S. for more than 20 years, it took less than 24 hours for immigration officials to deport Jaime, right.Jaime Galván, 48, lights a candle that would be followed with his prayer at the Saint Jude Grotto in Pharr, Texas on April 23, 2025. The Galván family is very devoted to Saint Jude and now they pray for a miracle to happen so that Mr. Galván can get legal status so that he is not deported. Gabriel V. Cárdenas for The Texas TribuneGabriel V. Cardenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/16/texas-rio-grande-valley-border-health-federal-cuts/It’s the first time Operation Border Health has canceled in 26 years. More than 6,600 people received check-ups, dental services, diabetes screenings and more last year.By Berenice GarciaWed, 16 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/16/texas-rio-grande-valley-border-health-federal-cuts/Pedestrians walk in downtown McAllen on Oct. 31, 2021. Federal funding cuts led to the cancellation of this year's Operation Border Health, a multi-county free health clinic event that serves thousands of people in the Rio Grande Valley.Pedestrians walk in downtown McAllen on Oct. 31, 2021.Jason Garza for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/14/south-texas-monica-de-la-cruz-bracero-farms-immigration/The South Texas Republican’s “Bracero 2.0” legislation — named after a 1940s temporary labor program — comes as the Trump administration has increasingly cracked down on undocumented farmworkers.By Berenice GarciaMon, 14 Jul 2025 15:53:54 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/14/south-texas-monica-de-la-cruz-bracero-farms-immigration/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/11/texas-tomato-trade-agreement-mexico/The 1996 agreement is set to expire Monday, which could raise the price of Mexican tomatoes and threaten thousands of Texas jobs.By Berenice GarciaFri, 11 Jul 2025 14:58:48 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/11/texas-tomato-trade-agreement-mexico/Employees at Anavale Produce in Pharr sort tomatoes for shipment in 2012. The produce comes from the Comarca Lagunera region of Mexico.Employees at Anavale Produce in Pharr sort tomatoes for shipment in 2012. The produce comes from the Comarca Lagunera region of Mexico.Reynaldo Leal for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/spacex-south-texas-liquid-oxygen-plant-rocket-fuel/Cameron County commissioners approved the request this week over the objection of some residents and SpaceX critics.By Berenice GarciaWed, 09 Jul 2025 14:03:35 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/09/spacex-south-texas-liquid-oxygen-plant-rocket-fuel/SpaceX says the new plant will mean fewer trucks on the roads delivering the liquid gas it needs for its rockets.A SpaceX platform behind a dune at Boca Chica beach on Aug. 8, 2024.Ben Lowy for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/07/border-shooting-south-texas-michigan-man/Three officials were injured during the shooting and are recovering. The FBI is investigating the incident.By Berenice GarciaMon, 07 Jul 2025 11:16:23 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/07/border-shooting-south-texas-michigan-man/A man is dead after he shot at a border patrol station in McAllen.The levee-border wall can be seen through concertina wire from the the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge in Reynosa, Mexico on May 5, 2022.Verónica G. Cárdenas for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/05/texas-hill-country-flooding-updates-kerrville-camp-mystic/About two dozen people were still missing. Many more people could still be unaccounted for, officials warned, noting that visitors to the area for the July 4th weekend make it difficult to assess an exact number.By Berenice Garcia, Jessica Shuran Yu and Carlos Nogueras Ramos, Graphics by Chris Essig and Edison WuSat, 05 Jul 2025 11:22:52 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/05/texas-hill-country-flooding-updates-kerrville-camp-mystic/A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.A small boat is wrapped around a tree along with other debris in Ingram on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Ingram is a small town about seven miles northwest of Kerrville.Ronaldo Bolaños/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-parents-challenges-citizenship-donald-trump/The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for President Donald Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship to take effect in certain states in 30 days.By Uriel J. García, Berenice Garcia, Carlos Nogueras Ramos and Terri LangfordFri, 27 Jun 2025 17:22:43 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/texas-parents-challenges-citizenship-donald-trump/https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-donald-trump-texas/The ruling was a partial victory for President Donald Trump who has made immigration his signature issue.By Uriel J. García, Carlos Nogueras Ramos, Berenice Garcia and Associated PressFri, 27 Jun 2025 09:34:04 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/27/birthright-citizenship-supreme-court-donald-trump-texas/The Supreme Court building in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025.The Supreme Court building in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025.Luke Johnson for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/25/texas-screwworm-greg-abbott/Abbott ordered two Texas agencies to begin working together and with residents and business leaders to stop the spread of the invasive fly before it even starts.By Berenice GarciaWed, 25 Jun 2025 18:03:26 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/25/texas-screwworm-greg-abbott/Texas is taking steps to prevent the screwworm, an invasive fly, from entering the state. The screwworm poses a large threat to the state's cattle industry.Cattle at a ranch in Cedar Creek on March 28, 2021.Evan L'Roy/The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/18/texas-screwworm-facility-brooke-rollins/Screwworm is a parasitic fly that targets warm-blooded animals and has the potential to disrupt Texas’ $15 billion cattle industry.By Berenice GarciaWed, 18 Jun 2025 17:36:25 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/18/texas-screwworm-facility-brooke-rollins/The U.S. is opening a facility in the Rio Grande Valley to help stop the spread of the screwworm, a parasitic fly that could threaten the state's cattle industry.Cattle are brought across the U.S.-Mexico border at the livestock import/export facility in Santa Teresa, New Mexico on January 22, 2021.Justin Hamel for The Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/16/texas-fema-beach-restoration/The Trump administration is proposing limits to the recreational facilities — including beaches — that are eligible for federal assistance.By Berenice GarciaMon, 16 Jun 2025 12:34:12 -0500https://www.texastribune.org/2025/06/16/texas-fema-beach-restoration/The beach in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge on South Padre Island.The beach in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge on South Padre Island.Eddie Seal for The Texas Tribune