In the News

Jewish Federation, partner agencies, convene first-ever panel on antisemitism with local, county, state and federal officials

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Houston Jewish communal leaders held an important dialogue with elected officials Aug. 20 to share a mutual understanding and strengthen relationships amid the continuing rise of antisemitism. The Houston Jewish Community Leadership Forum and Elected Official Meet and Greet was put together by the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, in partnership with local leaders of the…

As Big Bend wall outcry builds, Paxton does not say whether construction should proceed

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Bipartisan furor has erupted over the arrival of federally contracted construction crews in Big Bend National Park last week as the Trump administration’s pursuit of a border barrier in the park is making its way onto the midterm campaign trail. On Tuesday, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas became the highest-ranking Republican official to speak out, asking Homeland Security Secretary…

Houston politicians react to minority business program being ruled unconstitutional by federal court

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A federal judge has ruled Houston's minority business contracting program unconstitutional, declaring city officials will no longer be able to take race into consideration in the awarding of city contracts. The Minority, Women and Small Business Enterprise program is designed to even the playing field for these businesses. Houston since 1984 has set goals to give certain percentages…

ICE works with TSA to enforce immigration efforts at airports across the country

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ICE says the Transportation Security Administration is sharing data that’s essential to immigration enforcement at airports across the country, and some immigrant attorneys in Houston are now advising clients to avoid travel. What families and attorneys are seeing at Hobby At Houston’s Hobby Airport, immigration attorney Dalya Alabbassi says she’s handled a case in which a father…

Congresswoman, attorney argue a Houston ISD student from Russia is here legally. He was detained by ICE anyway

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Like many rising high school seniors have done this summer, Alim Garipov packed his bags and headed to Hobby Airport on Friday, July 17, preparing to set off on a series of college tours. As an "A" student with ambitious goals, he had his sights set on several top schools, including the Ivy League universities Harvard, Princeton and Yale. But the trip would never take off. Instead, he…

Five key takeaways from Houston’s hearing on the ICE shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo

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Democratic members of Houston’s Congressional delegation called for a major overhaul of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics and cautioned that immigrants are being “hunted down” during an oversight forum Friday. The panel was spearheaded by U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, in the aftermath of the July 7 fatal shooting by ICE agents of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican…

Alim Garipov, a Bellaire high school student detained by ICE at Hobby, is released from custody

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Alim Garipov, a Bellaire High School student detained by ICE agents Friday night, has been released from custody, according to a lawmaker, the boy’s family and his attorney. Garipov was released and reunited with his family Monday, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher said in a joint statement with Garipov’s family and Olsa Alikaj-Cano, an immigration attorney. The statement gave credit to…

Congress tries again to boost underground tunnel project to prevent Hurricane Harvey flooding

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The push to build a massive underground tunnel system to protect Houston from the kinds of floodwaters Hurricane Harvey brought nearly nine years ago is far from over. After years of delays in getting the project moving, U.S. Reps. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, and Morgan Luttrell, R-Magnolia, are trying a new approach. The lawmakers have teamed up to include a provision in a big water…

Harris County Kicks Off $32.7 Million Poor Farm Ditch Fix

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Harris County has officially started tearing into one of its oldest problem spots, breaking ground on the Poor Farm Ditch modernization project on July 13, 2026, in Southside Place. The roughly $32.7 million effort is designed to cut flood risk inside the Loop and protect about 500 homes in West University Place and Southside Place, wrapping up years of planning and funding wrangling that…