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As Trump Administration Imposes Immigration Hurdles on International Students and Researchers, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Congressman Jamie Raskin, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and Congressman Sam Liccardo Introduce Legislation To Clear Barriers

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Resolution would repeal the Department of Homeland Security rule that limits the time period that such individuals can remain in the United States

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Ranking Member Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), and Congressman Sam Liccardo (CA-16) introduced a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) final rule, which significantly reduces flexibility in the visa process for international students, researchers, and journalists and unnecessarily limits the amount of time that such individuals can remain in the United States. U.S. Senate Democratic Whip and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Judiciary Subcommittee Ranking Member Alex Padilla (D-CA), Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) also introduced this legislation in the U.S. Senate.

Last year, the Trump administration established a rule that sets an arbitrary four-year limit on admission periods, creating unnecessary barriers for international students, researchers, and journalists. This limitation ignores the reality that many degree programs, particularly in STEM fields, routinely take longer to complete. The rule also does nothing to address processing backlogs at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which are at historically high levels and would only grow worse under a system that requires more frequent renewals.

“Our international students, researchers, and journalists in our community and across our country make important contributions to our schools, our communities, and our economy,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Placing fixed time limits on their studies ignores how long some study programs actually take and adds red tape to an immigration system that is already overwhelmed. Visiting students should have a stable, welcoming environment to further their education and contribute to our communities—not obstacles that undermine their ability to do so. That is why I am glad to introduce legislation with Congressman Raskin, Congresswoman Jayapal, and Congressman Liccardo to repeal this rule and to help ensure the success of our universities and communities.”

“America has always benefited from attracting brilliant students, researchers, doctors and journalists from around the world,” said Congressman Jamie Raskin. “The Trump Administration wants to obstruct that path with bureaucratic hurdles and quicksand designed to make legal immigration harder. This senseless rule will drive away talented people who come here to study, practice medicine, do research and contribute to our communities. It harms the American economy and American innovation and makes all of us worse off.”

“International students make our institutions of higher learning better for all students and create pipelines to ensure the best and brightest lend their talents to strengthen our economy and American innovation,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. “We should be welcoming students, not wrapping the processes to obtain visas in layers of red tape. This has nothing to do with national security and everything to do with Trump and Stephen Miller’s plan to prevent all forms of legal immigration. I first came to this country on a student visa and understand deeply just how important these visas are.”

“America wins when we can continue to attract the best and brightest students from around the world to drive American competitiveness, particularly in STEM fields,” said Congressman Sam Liccardo. “Eliminating the Duration of Status framework will push talented students and researchers toward our competitors, undermining our ability to win the global battle for talent, essential to our innovation economy.”

“This proposed rule is just another part of the Donald Trump-Stephen Miller mass deportation agenda,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “They want to make the immigration process so difficult, so cumbersome, and so onerous that legal immigrants decide to leave the U.S. or never come here at all—which will result in the loss of talented, bright individuals who make America better. Our nation is already confronting a serious health workforce shortage. Now is not the time to make it even more difficult for health care professionals to care for our most vulnerable communities. I appreciate my Democratic colleagues in joining me on this important measure and encourage members on both sides of the aisle to support it.”

“Rhode Island’s institutions of higher education help power the Ocean State’s economic competitiveness,” said Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. “International students and medical residents drive innovation, contribute to cutting-edge research, and spend big not only on tuition, but also at local restaurants and businesses. This Trump administration rule punishes international students, young doctors, and foreign journalists as well as local small businesses and universities as part of their extreme anti-immigration agenda.”

“International students deserve fair opportunities to receive an education in the United States. Students, exchange visitors, and foreign members of the media should never have to live in fear of the Administration’s unprecedented attacks on legal immigration,” said Senator Alex Padilla. “Diversity is our country’s strength, and international students and exchange visitors support American innovation, job growth, higher education, and global competitiveness. We have a responsibility to protect these visa holders, including international students who contribute to the culture of American universities and eventually to our nation’s economy.”

The resolution is endorsed by the AAMC – Association of American Medical Colleges; AIRC: The Association of International Enrollment Management; Alliance for International Exchange; American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers; American College of Radiology; American Council on Education; American Gastroenterological Association; American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA); American Osteopathic Association; American Psychiatric Association; American Society of Neuroradiology; Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment; Association of American Universities; Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities; Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities; Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU); Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges; Cornell University; Council of Graduate Schools; Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities; Global Detroit; Illinois State University; Illinois Tech; International Educators of Illinois; Miles for Migraine; NAFSA: Association of International Educators; National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU); Northern Illinois University; Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration; Shorelight LLC; Third Way; UC Berkeley; UC Davis; UCLA; UC San Diego; UC Santa Cruz; UCSF; University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; University of California System; University of Illinois System; and U.S. For Success Coalition.

Last year, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher joined 34 Members of Congress in a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) opposing this same proposed rule to significantly reduce the flexibility of the visa process for international students, researchers, and journalists. The full text of this letter can be found here.

To view the full text of the resolution, click here.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman Morgan Luttrell’s Effort To Expedite Buffalo Bayou Tributaries Resiliency Study Passes House

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Legislation directs USACE to move forward on a long-sought flood mitigation solution around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs, and along Buffalo Bayou

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026. After years of delays, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congressman Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) led an effort to include a provision in the bill that directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to expedite a Chief’s Report evaluating a single large underground water conveyance tunnel to reduce flood risk around the Addicks and Barker reservoirs and along Buffalo Bayou. A Chief’s Report is a critical step toward moving forward on any USACE project. Once it is complete, Congress must then authorize the project and appropriate funding.

WRDA 2024 required USACE to complete a Chief’s Report on the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study (BBTRS). Instead, USACE produced a report of findings that presented three options: take no action, construct one large tunnel, or construct a series of smaller, modular tunnels. USACE then requested additional funding to study the difference between the large-tunnel and modular-tunnel options, rather than completing the legally required Chief’s Report.

Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Luttrell’s provision in WRDA 2026 specifically directs USACE to expedite the Chief’s Report on the single large tunnel option—the solution stakeholders in Houston and the broader region have identified and supported as the most effective way to protect Houston-area communities from flooding, whether from a single catastrophic storm or the cumulative impact of frequent, smaller flood events.

“Since my first term in Congress, protecting our community from flooding has been central to my work, and completing the Buffalo Bayou and Tributaries Resiliency Study is essential to that effort,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “This project reflects an effort to think big about how to protect our entire community from the cumulative toll of more rain and more storms. I’m grateful to Congressman Luttrell for his partnership in this effort, and to community leaders across Texas’ Seventh Congressional District for their years of collaboration and advocacy. I’m glad WRDA 2026 will finally require USACE to deliver the Chief’s Report on the solution our community has identified and supported.”

"Flood mitigation in the Houston region has remained a top priority throughout my time in Congress, and today's House passage of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2026 represents meaningful progress toward that goal,” said Congressman Morgan Luttrell. “This provision ensures the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes the Chief's Report on the large tunnel solution, as originally required. I appreciate Congresswoman Fletcher's continued partnership on this effort and look forward to its consideration by the Senate.”

In July, the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure passed WRDA 2026, which included this provision led by Congresswoman Fletcher and Congressman Luttrell.

Since her first term in Congress, Congresswoman Fletcher has advocated for the completion of BBTRS. Following her advocacy, Congress included language requiring USACE to complete BBTRS in the Water Redevelopment Act (WRDA) of 2024. In January of 2024, she testified before the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and urged the Committee to include language to complete the BBTRS. In 2021, she wrote a letter to USACE supporting an exemption to allow USACE to complete the BBTRS.

In 2020, she successfully called on the USACE to extend the public comment period for the BBTRS Interim Report. She then submitted a public comment on the interim report urging the USACE to incorporate public feedback from residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District.

The bill now moves to the United States Senate, where it is one step closer to becoming law.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Votes Against New Trump Tariff Powers

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted against the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, Senate Amendment to H.R. 5334, because, despite its name, it fails to mandate tough sanctions on and hands the President sweeping new tariff authorities.

“Despite its name, the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 fails to sanction Russia, dramatically expands presidential tariff authorities, and represents a threat to Ukraine, to our separation of powers, and to people across the country—which is why I voted against it.

“For years, the Ukrainian people have demonstrated remarkable courage and perseverance in their fight for democracy and the preservation of their sovereignty. I support Ukraine and stand with its people. I also support tough sanctions that hold Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the corporations and people funding Russia’s war accountable, like the ones proposed by this bill. But this bill does not actually impose these sanctions. It leaves these sanctions entirely up to President Trump’s discretion, making them optional without congressional oversight or court review. Since taking office, President Trump has imposed almost no new sanctions on Russia. The bill does not require President Trump to impose any additional sanctions on Russia, and he has given no reason to support the idea that he will. In fact, his actions have demonstrated the opposite.

“For the past 19 months, President Trump has already had the power to impose every sanction authorized by this bill on Russia but has chosen not to. These sanctions are sorely needed to support our Ukrainian allies—and Democrats proposed several amendments to improve this legislation, including to remove the bill’s new tariff authority, authorize military support for Ukraine, and tighten the language so President Trump would have to impose some of these sanctions—but Republicans failed to allow any of these amendments to be incorporated into the bill.

“Instead, this legislation grants the Trump administration new tariff authority to impose a 100 percent tariff on any country of its choosing—for as long as it wants, with virtually no guardrails and without congressional oversight. Since March 2025, Americans have paid more than $350 billion in tariffs the President has imposed solely at his discretion—a staggering cost that will only grow as a result of this bill. President Trump has already imposed tariffs on nearly every country in the world except for Russia. The Supreme Court ruled against President Trump’s tariffs, and Congress should not surrender its tariff authority to the executive branch.

“Make no mistake: Today’s vote is not simply about Russian sanctions—it’s about giving President Trump unnecessary tariff authority and unconstitutional power at the expense of American workers and families who will bear the cost. Congress must find a way to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression and hold Russia accountable while protecting the American people from a new tariff authority that President Trump is bound to misuse.”

As U.S. Oil Reserves Hit 44-Year-Low, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Congressman August Pfluger Introduce Bipartisan Bill To Study Strategic Petroleum Reserve Modernization, Strengthen U.S. Energy Security

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Bill introduction comes as SPR has undergone two major emergency drawdowns in four years—first during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and now during the war in Iran—and sits at its lowest level since the 1980s

Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) introduced the 21st Century Strategic Petroleum Reserve Act (21st Century SPR Act) to direct the U.S. Department of Energy to issue a public report on opportunities to modernize the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

“Energy security is essential to national security, and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is one of the most important tools we have to ensure it,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “Having a reserve is critical to ensuring our energy independence and to helping protect American families when conflicts overseas disrupt global oil supply, as we have seen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and now the war in Iran. We have relied on the SPR, and it has delivered for American families. But the reserve is stretched thinner than it has been in 40 years, and we cannot take that capability for granted. The 21st Century SPR Act is a common-sense first step toward making sure the SPR is capable of meeting our needs in the future in every way, and I’m glad to work with Congressman Pfluger on this important effort.”

Congress created the SPR after the 1973 Arab oil embargo to protect American consumers and the economy from sudden supply shocks. The reserve stores crude oil in underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana, giving the federal government a tool to stabilize prices when global oil supplies are disrupted. It has, however, faced real strain in recent years.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a 180-million-barrel emergency release in 2022, and the ongoing war in Iran—including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply—has driven a second major drawdown. The reserve now sits at its lowest level since the early 1980s, at under half of its total capacity. A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that Congress and the Department of Energy still lack a unified long-term plan for the SPR, including a target size for the reserve and a clear strategy for maintaining its aging infrastructure.

Meanwhile, other countries have moved to build up their own reserves. China, which is not a member of the International Energy Agency and does not publicly disclose its inventory, holds an estimated 1.4 billion barrels of oil in strategic reserves—more than four times the current U.S. stockpile, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

If enacted, the 21st Century SPR Act would require the Secretary of Energy, within 90 days of enactment, to request that the National Petroleum Council—an advisory committee to the Secretary—deliver a public report within one year analyzing opportunities to improve and modernize the SPR's physical infrastructure and operations to respond to supply shocks like the 2026 closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The report would examine:

Expanding the SPR's geographic distribution and storage capacity;
Adding storage for refined petroleum products, such as gasoline and diesel, as well as crude oil;
Eliminating congressionally mandated sales that draw down the reserve outside of emergencies;
Building storage facilities resilient enough to withstand the volume and frequency of drawdowns the SPR has seen over the last 10 years; and
Encouraging purchases to refill the SPR during periods of low petroleum prices;
Increasing the SPR's fill rate and the bidirectional flow capacity of its pipeline infrastructure.

The bill also directs the National Petroleum Council to make recommendations to Congress and federal agencies on modernizing the SPR going forward.

To view the full text of the bill, click here.

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

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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 Anti-Defamation League, American Jewish Committee, Holocaust Museum Houston and the Evelyn Rubenstein JCC.

The two-hour morning event at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center was attended by elected officials on the local, county, state and federal level, including U.S. representatives Lizzie Fletcher, Randy Weber and Christian Menefee.

Also in attendance were Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones; County Attorney Abbie Kamin; Sheriff Ed Gonzalez; State Sen. Paul Bettencourt; State Reps. Jon Rosenthal, Gene Wu and Jolanda Jones; and several Houston City Council members, judges and HISD board trustees.

“We want to position our community to be safe, have effective communication and advance the needs of our community,” said Erica Winsor, the Jewish Federation’s Public Affairs director.

“This idea was born almost like a reverse town hall. In a normal town hall, elected officials are talking to us about their platform and their issues. Instead, we were the ones speaking and delivering information to them about what is important to our community, what we need and most importantly how they can help us.”

Beginning with 30 minutes of networking, everyone entered the Kaplan Theatre where the J’s CEO Larry Skolnick facilitated a panel with CEOs Renée Wizig-Barrios (JFGH), Randi Sonenshein (ADL), Rachel Schneider (AJC) and Gary Weisserman (HMH).

Each panelist provided important information, statistics and anecdotes to give officials a state of the union on antisemitism and what the Jewish community is facing.

“Sadly, our community has faced unprecedented levels of antisemitism in recent years and that affects all of us in many ways,” Skolnick said in his opening remarks.

“You might have noticed our campus fencing, security patrols in the parking lot, guards and entrance procedures. That is just the part you see. There is quite a lot that goes into securing a campus like ours because we face a particular threat.

“While we all certainly hope for the day where a security program this robust isn’t needed, we are grateful for the support that the Jewish Federation is able to provide to the 80-plus Jewish organizations and over 65,000 Jewish community members in the Houston area.”

Wizig-Barrios emphasized the relationships and partnerships the Jewish Federation has made over the years, both uniting and strengthening the Houston Jewish community.

“The safety and security of the Jewish people is of utmost importance to us,” Wizig-Barrios said. “After [Oct. 7, 2023] and after Colleyville, it became very clear why we need to be focused on the safety and security of the Jewish people.

“Every single one of our Jewish institutions has to think about what to do in a crisis. While other institutions have to prepare for a power outage or a flood, we think about how to prepare for a terrorist attack, a shooting, a car ramming and all of the things we have seen over the last few years.”

Nationally, the Jewish community is spending about a billion dollars a year on security, Wizig-Barrios said. Law enforcement cooperation at all levels is a fundamental part of that process.

“We are constantly building bridges with local police, fire, sheriffs, constables, FBI, Texas Rangers and DPS at every single level,” she said. “That has gone incredibly well in Houston, especially during the recent threat to [Congregation] Beth Israel – our local law enforcement did a great job of responding and preventing that attack.”

Sonenshein and Schneider shared a number of alarming statistics that Jewish Americans are facing.

There were 6,274 antisemitic incidents recorded in the U.S. in 2025, according to the ADL Antisemitic Incidents report. Jewish Americans are harassed, assaulted and targeted for who they are on an average of 17 times per day.

In Texas, 188 incidents were recorded – 131 harassment, 53 vandalism and four assaults. Of course, many incidents are never reported.

“Antisemitic incidents and acts of violence against people who are Jewish are at record levels and we are concerned to see the escalation,” Sonenshein said. “These are real people experiencing real challenges, real hurt and real harm that happens.

“Jewish institutions are also under attack or under pressure or assault. Jewish institutions are seeing safety challenges we have not seen before. It is surely a concern we all share when institutions are weakened.

“One of the biggest surprises for me is, I thought fighting hate and extremism would be dealing with people foaming at the mouth with ideological stances – and that is out there – but what I didn’t expect was how much of the harm from extremism, hate and antisemitism comes from people operating from a place of expediency on things or even personal interest.”

AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America report concluded that more than half of American Jews say they changed their behavior over the past year out of fear of antisemitism.

Seven out of 10 U.S. adults believe antisemitism is a problem in the U.S. today and 91% of American Jews say they feel less safe as a Jewish person in the U.S.

“This information should scare and astound all of us,” Schneider said. “More than half of Jewish people have changed their Jewish behavior out of fear. That can include not wearing their Star of David necklace, taking their mezuzah off their door or anything that would publicly display them as a Jewish person.”

Schneider said elected officials can help combat antisemitism by how they respond.

“We all know that antisemitism does not belong to just one political ideology and we need leaders who are willing to call it out no matter what side of the aisle it is coming from, even if it makes you uncomfortable,” Schneider said.

“There are three things we are asking policymakers to do: protect, respond and lead.

“Protect our communities by supporting the bipartisan Jewish American Security Act and increasing the nonprofit security grant funding so Jewish communities and institutions have the resources they need to stay safe.”

Weisserman offered a unique perspective as the CEO of Holocaust Museum Houston.

“At the museum, we talk about there being five universal lessons of the Holocaust, and one of them is ‘antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem’ and another one is ‘democracy is fragile,’ and both of those feel real right now,” Weisserman said.

“Those of us who spend our lives teaching about the Holocaust find it very disheartening and very distressing to see so many things in common that we might have only looked at through a historical lens before.

“Every single time that antisemitism has been allowed to fester in democratic societies, it has led to more broader forms of civic breakdown and much larger forms of hate and bigotry.”

Weisserman said HMH uses education to combat antisemitism.

“Everyone on this stage is trying to accomplish the same thing, but we just use different verbs,” he said. “Our verb at the museum is ‘educate.’

“We are a museum, but we are every bit as much an educational institution that happens to be housed in a world-class museum, and we take that very seriously.”

Wizig-Barrios also emphasized how antisemitism has affected students.

“All public school officials and leaders should know that Jewish parents and Jewish students are very afraid right now,” she said.

“I think it is very important to recognize that antisemitism has had a mental health effect on the Jewish community.”

Elected officials in attendance were actively listening to the dialogue and spent time after the program to discuss ways they can help.

“A meeting like this is hugely important for our community at this moment when we are facing a lot of challenges from the rise of antisemitism to the rise in hate speech, intolerance and lack of understanding,” U.S. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher told the JHV after the panel.

“This was a great opportunity to hear what is on people’s minds, continue to develop relationships and walk away with actionable steps.”

U.S. Rep. Randy Weber agreed.

“Antisemitism is growing and we need to call out antisemitism for what it is and get the word out that it won’t be tolerated,” Weber told the JHV.

Despite the troubled times, many left the Kaplan Theatre with a sense of unity and hope for a better future.

“This is the first time that we know of that a forum like this has happened in the Houston community,” Winsor said. “We are excited to see how we can build on it in the future.”

View this article in Jewish Herald-Voice.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher Announces More Than 17,000 Matters Resolved on Behalf of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District Residents

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) announced that her office has successfully resolved more than 17,000 matters for residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District. Her office assists residents with matters before federal agencies, including obtaining benefits from Social Security, Medicare, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as addressing matters before the Small Business Administration, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Internal Revenue Service, and other federal government agencies.

“Every day, our team of constituent advocates works to serve our constituents on matters of all kinds, helping those seeking assistance with federal agencies,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher. “I am grateful to the residents of Texas’ Seventh Congressional District who have put their trust in me and my team to help resolve some of their most pressing problems. I am proud of our team, and I look forward to continuing to serve our neighbors and helping our community in every way we can.”

Below are some testimonials from constituents Congresswoman Fletcher and her team have helped:

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services

"I contacted the office of Lizzie Fletcher two weeks ago to address an issue I had with getting my citizenship process moving as I was out of answers from contacting them myself. Within a week, I received an email from USCIS with an interview for my citizenship. I am so glad that we have people looking out for the public and taxpayers. Thank you very much to the office of Lizzie Fletcher for resolving my inquiry."

- Thomas L.

United States Department of State

“My brother and his family applied for a tourist visa in June 2023, but their application was quickly placed in administrative processing. Despite providing additional evidence for their eligibility, the case remained stalled. For two years, we reached out every six months, but the status was in an endless limbo with no clear way to track its progress.

“I wrote to Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher’s office to explain our situation. As an American Venezuelan family, we had not been able to gather since 2017, and we were in desperate need of support to move the visa forward. I also had the opportunity to meet with her constituent advocates in Alief, and they were incredibly open and receptive, especially Sofia, who offered to investigate my case.

“After two years had passed, I was already discussing the need to re-apply when an email arrived from [Constituent Advocate] Sofia, notifying me that the visas would finally be issued by the Rio de Janeiro U.S. Consulate! Their swift intervention helped to get the process back on track. This [meant] that our three siblings and our entire family—separated for seven long years—[could] be reunited for Christmas. I was super excited to hear the great news!

“What I most appreciate is the openness and efficiency of Congresswoman Fletcher’s office. I felt instantly heard, and they acted upon my request right away. It was my first time asking for this kind of support, and I never imagined the help could be provided so quickly. Thank you to Congresswoman Fletcher and her entire team for their hard work. You have made this Christmas an unforgettable one for our family. We will be forever grateful."

- Sheila M.

Social Security Administration

“I contacted Congresswoman Fletcher’s office because I was having difficulty with my Social Security Disability. After several phone calls to SSA, I decided to contact Representative Fletcher for assistance. Her office responded to me extremely quickly and was so kind in assisting me. They took their time to understand the problem and helped me resolve the issue. Within a week of talking with Representative Fletcher’s office, the problem with my disability was resolved. What I had been dealing with for months, her office resolved in a week. I can’t thank Congresswoman Fletcher and the amazing staff that she has enough. Without them, I would very likely still be trying to resolve the issue on my own. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart!”

- Charles L.

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

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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 Markwayne Mullin to consult with local officials before proceeding with construction. The move drew praise from Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico, who issued a statement applauding Cornyn’s call for local input and blasting the Big Bend wall as a “monument to corruption” that “no Texan asked for.”

As Republicans from Cornyn to U.S. House candidate Brandon Herrera to local county judges and sheriffs push back on the wall plans, Attorney General Ken Paxton — the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas and a close ally of President Donald Trump — has remained tight-lipped.

Asked whether Paxton supports construction of barriers and patrol roads in Big Bend, a spokesperson for the attorney general’s campaign did not say where he stands on the matter, responding with a statement that said Paxton wants to balance competing priorities. The statement also did not address whether Paxton agrees with Cornyn’s call for the feds to halt construction until they meet with local leaders.

“As Attorney General Paxton has stated previously, he is focused on listening to voters to explore all effective and smart solutions to the serious challenges facing communities along the Texas border,” Paxton spokesperson Madison Cercy said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. “He is committed to strong border security that protects Texans while considering the unique characteristics of different stretches of the border, including areas like Big Bend.”

Cornyn is set to leave office at the end of his term, having lost his primary to Paxton in a runoff earlier this year. In his letter to Mullin, which Cornyn sent Friday and publicly released Tuesday, the senior senator noted that border county leaders in April had asked the Department of Homeland Security to consult with them before implementing the agency’s border security plans, including new wall construction. DHS did not appear to have responded, Cornyn said.

“The requests from local officials and community leaders for coordination and communication appear very reasonable to me,” Cornyn wrote, adding that his constituents “believe that the 1,000-foot riverbank cliffs and remote Big Bend terrain offers its own source of deterrence for any illegal migrants crossing into the United States.”

Talarico, who has vigorously opposed construction plans in Big Bend National Park or Big Bend Ranch State Park, praised Cornyn for penning the letter.

“He and I agree: we need to secure our border by listening to local sheriffs and Border Patrol,” Talarico said in a statement Tuesday. Echoing Cornyn’s letter, the Austin lawmaker added, “We don’t need to wreck one of our nation’s greatest treasures by building an expensive wall on an already existing natural barrier.”

In Trump’s second term, DHS has moved forward with plans to build 30-foot wall segments and other infrastructure in the environmentally sensitive and much beloved Big Bend region. The harsh environment in West Texas includes what opponents of the plan describe as “God’s walls” — massive limestone canyon cliffs that make migrant crossings rare.

The Big Bend Sector is the quietest of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s nine sectors along the country’s boundary with Mexico. It accounted for about 1.3% of apprehensions in fiscal year 2025 despite covering nearly one-quarter of the southwest border.

As the wall project has proceeded, Democrats have seized on the issue. At the federal level, U.S. House Democrats from Texas urged DHS to change tack in letters and attempted to thwart construction via legislation. Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, proposed an amendment to the homeland security appropriations bill in June — which funds the department and the border agencies it oversees — to prevent barrier construction in the national or state park. The measure was killed on a party-line vote.

At an April rally at the U.S. Capitol with park advocates, members of Texas’ congressional delegation emphasized the bipartisan nature of the opposition.

“I hope our Republican colleagues will join us, because this is not a partisan issue,” Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, said. “You can file this under nobody asked for this, and nobody wants it.”

And on the campaign trail, they’ve called out Republicans’ reluctance to break from Trump by speaking out. Escobar said Paxton could, as attorney general, sue the federal government to stop construction.

Talarico has attempted to tie the project to his broader anti-corruption campaign theme, alleging that it will be built via “sweetheart, no-bid contracts.” He has also packaged his opposition to the wall as part of a broader suite of border security proposals aimed at appealing to Republicans and independents, such as hiring more Border Patrol agents and using surveillance technology to detect illegal crossings.

“Three weeks ago, I stood in Sanderson, Texas alongside Republican, Democratic, and independent sheriffs, mayors, and small business owners,” Talarico said in a statement after bulldozers arrived in the park last week, referring to his campaign stop where he rolled out his border plan. “Every single one of them told me the same thing: this is irresponsible spending that no Texan asked for, enriching wealthy contractors without making Texans one bit safer.”

Republicans, meanwhile, have criticized Talarico’s record on the border. Paxton has referred to the Democrat’s support for border security as the “fake Talarico,” and emphasized his votes in the Texas Legislature against a sweeping border funding bill to create a state border policing unit and a bill requiring local sheriffs to collaborate with ICE.

“He fought against every single bill that would have protected our state at the border — every single one,” Paxton said at a recent rally in Allen.

The Big Bend region is located in Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, which has sat vacant since former Rep. Tony Gonzales, a moderate Republican, resigned earlier this year. Both candidates to replace him — Herrera, the Republican nominee, and Democrat Katy Padilla Stout — have publicly opposed the wall proposal for months and rallied against it earlier this year at the Texas Capitol.

“I have made it very clear that I oppose any construction in the Big Bend area that disturbs the natural landscape and threatens the jobs that tourism brings where non-intrusive technology would do the job,” Herrera said in a statement Wednesday.

Herrera, noting that he has brought his concerns directly to Mullin, said the department “has communicated in the past that it shares this goal,” and that he plans to hold them accountable. And he took his stance a step further, pledging to oppose funding measures that lack language protecting the national park.

“Once elected, I will deliver the strongest possible oversight of this area and will oppose any border-related spending bills that do not guarantee that there will be no disruptive and unnecessary construction in and around Big Bend National Park,” Herrera said.

In her own statement to the Tribune, Padilla Stout criticized Herrera’s endorsement from Trump and echoed Talarico’s messaging that frames the Big Bend wall effort as a hotbed of corruption.

“This is not about protecting our border, this is about greed,” Padilla Stout said. “And the ones who will pay the prices [are] our children. If you want someone that will stand with the Texans who support protecting Big Bend, who is not aligned with the administration funding the destruction of our beloved park — I am that candidate.”

In February, under then-Secretary Kristi Noem, DHS waived dozens of environmental laws in order to expedite the construction of barriers and roads along a stretch of the border in the Big Bend region. In May, with Mullin now in charge, the department again waived policies to accelerate construction in an area that includes the national park.

The Trump administration awarded a $1.7 billion contract in May to construct “border wall in Big Bend Texas”, and the agency’s current publicly available smart wall map states that the contract is for the construction of vehicle barriers, technology and a patrol road, rather than a 30-foot wall. Heavy machinery was spotted in the park last week to begin clearing land.

That contract is for one of five border barrier projects in the Big Bend region. Others include a $2.6 billion deal for vehicle barriers and patrol roads on a nearly 166-mile stretch of the border east of the park, in Alpine and Sanderson, and a $1.2 billion border wall contract for vertical barrier construction along the border west of the park, from Presidio County to Big Bend Ranch State Park.

Park advocates have slammed the project as both unnecessary for border protection and irreparably damaging.

Earlier in August, a contingent of 140 local businesses and recreation organizations wrote to Cornyn, Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott asking them to speak out, saying the government’s current plan would “end commercial and recreational river use in Big Bend National Park and along Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River, crippling local businesses and the regional tourism economy for no demonstrable security benefit.”

In March, a bipartisan group of sheriffs in the Big Bend region released a statement arguing that a continuous physical wall would be neither practical nor provide the same strategic benefit as wall segments in “high-traffic urban sectors.” One of the signatories, Republican Terrell County Sheriff Thaddeus Cleveland, called DHS’ planned vehicle barriers east of the park “a boondoggle.”

Local residents have raised concerns about the environmental impact of construction and the addition of lighting systems and access roads — a concern Cornyn reflected in his letter. The Big Bend region contains some of the darkest skies in North America and unique biodiversity that environmental advocates say would be harmed by wall segments.

In May, a group of seven former superintendents of the national park wrote a letter to Mullin warning that the installation of vehicle barriers would forever alter the landscape, increase the risk of flash flooding and prove destructive to plants and animals of the desert.

“If a border wall—or other unnecessary and highly destructive border infrastructure—is built inside Big Bend National Park, it would be the most egregious assault on the integrity of the entire National Park System since the construction of a dam in the Hetchy Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park more than a century ago,” the former superintendents wrote.

View this article in The Texas Tribune.

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

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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 of various types of city contracts to certified small businesses and those owned by women and minorities.

The ruling now leaves the future of the program in doubt. Here’s what Houston-area officials had to say about what it means for the city.

...

"This lawsuit is part of a broader effort from far-right activists to take away the tools our community uses to level the playing field for all, court, the city's own expert witness testified that minority-owned businesses continue to lose out on city contracts. In Harris County, a 2020 study found the same pattern; more than 90% of contracting dollars went to businesses owned by white men, even though these businesses only made up 72% of the market. Programs like Houston's MWBE exist because these disparities are real, and this lawsuit is part of a broader effort from far-right activists to take away the tools our community uses to level the playing field for all."

- Lizzie Fletcher, U.S. House of Representatives

View this article in Houston Chronicle.

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

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

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 was detained at the gate while his spouse and child were left behind, even though the family had valid driver’s licenses and work permits and no criminal history. She says an ICE agent was waiting at the gate because the agency knew the family’s flight plans, called the father by name and took him into custody.

The issue landed locally just weeks ago when a Bellaire High School student was detained at Hobby. His attorney says plainclothes agents took him into custody. With support from legislators and the community, the student was released 72 hours later. Alabbassi’s client, meanwhile, remains in detention.

ICE’s statement: “Essential” to safety

In a statement to KHOU 11, a DHS spokesperson said: “Information sharing between ICE and TSA is essential in identifying who is attempting to travel in our country, including violent criminals, to keep our skies and our country safe.”

The statement added that the policy is “reversing a horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country” and that “Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this.”

What attorneys are telling travelers now

Alabbassi says she’s starting to advise her clients not to travel. She urges people to know their rights, not sign anything without legal advice, and contact an attorney immediately if detained.

“If you have pending asylum, if you get granted asylum, that’s the pathway to be a US citizen so you cannot give away your rights,” she said.

KHOU 11 has reached out to the airport system about ICE activity and is waiting to hear back.

Rep. Lizzie Fletcher's office issued this statement:

"In Houston, we have seen that the Trump administration is not telling the truth about what it is doing and who it is detaining—the majority of whom have no criminal convictions and are as young as two months old. We have also seen that the Trump administration's tactics and actions are not, in fact, making us safer. Detaining students, families, and law-abiding community members at the airport—or in courthouses, schools, hospitals, churches, and similar places—creates fear and trauma for individuals and entire communities that makes us all less safe and does not reflect our values as Americans."

View this article in KHOU 11.

ICYMI: Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, Members of Congress Hold Press Conference Following Oversight Visit To Dilley ICE Detention Center

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) joined Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and members of the House Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) at a press conference with FWD.US and Families Belong Together, following their visit to the Dilley Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Detention Center. The oversight visit follows reports of inhumane treatment of children and families at the facility.

Congresswoman Fletcher’s press conference remarks as delivered:

Thanks so much, Congresswoman Ansari, and I join you in thanks for Congressman Castro and his entire team that have welcomed all of us to San Antonio and taken us to Dilley today. I am from just down the road, I'm Lizzie Fletcher from Houston, and am really grateful for the opportunity to be here today to witness myself what is happening in the great state of Texas and in the United States of America. And every American really needs to know what we saw at Dilley today and what we are seeing happening unfold in streets across this country, and so I'm grateful to everyone who's here, who's sharing this information. I’m grateful to FWD.US for the incredible work that they're doing to make sure that people don't look away from what we are seeing happening, and both of my colleagues have used the word, that if I had to have one takeaway from today, and one word, it is trauma.

The United States government is traumatizing individuals that it has in detention. I spent a lot of time today talking with some of the adults who were there, because there are families as well as a group of women who are detained at Dilley, and I spoke with women who've been there for eight months, who were picked up off the street while they were coming home from exercising. They had no idea why they were being picked up. They had no idea where they were going, and they have very little, if any, contact with anyone outside. They don't know what's happening with their asylum case. They don't know how long they'll be there. They don't know what's going to happen to them when they get out, and they're not getting any answers. They're not getting any information, and they're not getting any help, except from the people who are working so hard to share their stories and make sure that Americans know that this cannot go on. It cannot go on in our names. And what we see is these individual cases of trauma for the children and the families. But this immigration enforcement regime, ICE, and the Trump Administration are creating trauma not only for individuals, but they are terrorizing our communities, and they are creating trauma across our communities. And that's certainly true at my home in Houston, where, as all of you know, we recently saw ICE pursue someone who was not the target of an investigation, in unmarked vehicles, with plainclothes officers, trying to stop Lorenzo Araujo and detain the three men who were with him in his van after they shot and killed him in the street.

People in Houston are outraged, but they're also traumatized. This is a national trauma, and that's why people need to know what's happening, and people need to speak up and speak out wherever they are because this is being done in our names. This is being done by the United States government, and I think for most Americans, it is unimaginable, but it is also something, as Congressman Castro said, that has been hidden. It's been hidden because we are not getting information. This Congress is not conducting the oversight that it should be. That's why I'm so grateful to Congressman Castro and to the DWC for making sure that we are doing the oversight work that the majority in Congress is refusing to do, and we need to make sure that people across the country know, as Congresswoman Ansari said, by definition, no one at Dilley has a criminal record.

Americans are being lied to about what this administration is doing, who it's detaining, what's happening when it takes them into detention. They're not being honest with the people about how, and why, and what they are doing, and it has to stop. It absolutely has to stop. The detention that we see in Dilley and the trauma that we see in our communities, it doesn't serve the interests of the American people. It doesn't meet our values and our aspirations for who we are. I know that this is not who we are, and we all need to stand up in this moment to stop it. So again, I'm grateful to be with all these incredible fighters who are here, including my friend, and classmate, and colleague, an incredible fighter here from Boston, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.

Texas holds the largest detained population of any state, averaging approximately 13,400 people per day in ICE custody as of mid-September 2025 across a rapidly expanding network of facilities. The ICE Detention Center in Dilley reopened in March 2025 after closing under the Biden Administration. Reports have revealed alarming conditions at Dilley, including poor food and water quality and serious health issues, including a measles outbreak and inadequate care for pregnant women.

Earlier this month, Congresswoman Fletcher joined 110 of her Democratic colleagues in an effort calling for the closure of the ICE Detention Center in Dilley. Since 2025, the Democratic Women’s Caucus has sent six oversight letters to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) calling out their mistreatment of pregnant detainees, insufficient healthcare accessibility, and violence against women.

To watch the press conference, click here.