The latest criminal justice news from The Texas Tribune.
Outgunned and outmanned, the U.S. needs at least 5,000 more agents on the southern border, according to the chief of the Border Patrol union. But civil rights groups fear a hiring surge could lead to less oversight and more abuse by federal agents. Full Story
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Texas already seceded once — in 1861. But the Texas Nationalist Movement wants a repeat a century and a half later, and thinks the March GOP primary is the place to start. Full Story
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In the coming days, the deaths of Sandra Bland and Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth will continue to jolt statewide conversations about how the Texas criminal justice system deals with — or fails to deal with — mental health issues. Full Story
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A new standard, used by crime labs in Texas and nationwide when analyzing multiple sets of DNA taken from evidence, has prompted questions and a review of court cases dating back to 1999. Full Story
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Revisit our Paid to Prosecute project, a six-month Texas Tribune/Austin American-Statesman investigation that revealed a chummy and unusual financial arrangement between Texas Mutual Insurance and the Travis County DA's office. Full Story
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An exclusive funding deal between Texas Mutual and the Travis County DA was forged amid crisis, one that has long-since passed. While the company used to be subject to government audits and transparency laws, lobbyists have worked to lift such rules. Full Story
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If current trends hold, the port of Laredo is on pace to welcome about 60 percent more Cubans than it did last fiscal year. Why the exodus when the island-nation is on the verge of reestablishing ties with the U.S.? Full Story
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From almost the very beginning, the controversial relationship between a giant Texas insurance company and the Travis County DA's office has been overseen by a fiery prosecutor with a tendency to share her liberal politics and social views on social media. Full Story
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A six-month Texas Tribune/Austin American-Statesman investigation into a chummy and unusual financial arrangement between Texas Mutual Insurance and the Travis County DA's office reveals a series of troubling issues. Full Story
After a federal judge ruled that most women and children being held in Texas immigration detention centers should be released, attorneys say they are making some progress on their clients' cases. But they argue the government is making their work harder because it hasn't established a clear set of rules. Full Story
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At our 9/4 conversation, Austin Mayor Steve Adler and San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor talked about the expected impact of open carry on their cities and the importance of their police officers wearing body cameras. Full Story
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State troopers are writing far fewer traffic tickets now than five years ago, but an increasing share of them are being issued to Hispanic drivers, a Tribune analysis of state data shows. The Texas Department of Public Safety says it can't explain why that's happening. Full Story
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A coalition of undocumented immigrants whose U.S. citizen children have been denied birth certificates in Texas will have its case heard in federal court early next month. Full Story
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Texas abortion providers on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up their legal challenge to two provisions of the state's strict abortion law. Full Story
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The Dallas Police Department has rolled out the first wave of 1,000 body cameras. The move comes after months of controversy about deaths involving police across the country. Full Story
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Following the killing of a Harris County sheriff’s deputy late Friday night, a local law enforcement leader said the “rhetoric” of anti-police brutality protestors had ramped up “to the point where calculated, cold-blooded assassination of police officers happens.” Full Story
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Continuing to protect a voter identification law that courts say discriminates, Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked a full federal appeals court to reconsider his arguments about why Texas’ requirements at the polls do not violate the Voting Rights Act. Full Story
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State investigators failed to respond to prior complaints about an illegal assisted living facility in Austin shut down by Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday, and one of Paxton's employees is under investigation concerning powers of attorney related to the case. Full Story
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Former Harris County prosecutor Nicole DeBorde has joined the team pursuing three felony charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton related to securities fraud. Full Story
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On Sept. 1, all potential hires for any state agency or public university must have their work eligibility information run through E-Verify. If that sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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