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Gov. Abbott threatens Texas A&M president’s job over DEI conference

January 15, 2025
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is determined to enforce the state’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs at public universities. Abbott threatened to remove Texas A&M President Mark Welsh after a conservative activist claimed the university may be violating the ban by attending a conference that only allows minorities to participate.

Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, shared a screenshot of an email on X, formerly known as Twitter. The email, sent by a representative from Mays Business School, invited Texas A&M to attend an annual conference hosted by The PhD Project.

Rufo also shared a screenshot detailing the conference’s eligibility requirements. The requirements stated that attendees must identify as Black, Hispanic or Native American.

When a social media user asked if Texas would tolerate such actions, Abbott responded, “Hell, no. It’s against Texas law and violates the U.S. Constitution. It will be fixed immediately or the president will soon be gone.”

Hell, no.

It’s against Texas law and violates the US Constitution.

It will be fixed immediately or the president will soon be gone. https://t.co/g3VTUXWvLb
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 14, 2025

In response, Welsh issued a statement.

“Texas A&M does not support any organization, conference, process or activity that excludes people based on race, creed, gender, age or any other discriminating factor,” Welsh said.

The state’s Senate Bill 17 took effect in January 2024. The law bans universities from having DEI offices, requiring DEI statements or training and offering preferential treatment based on race, sex, color or ethnicity. However, the law allows certain DEI-related activities for recruitment and research purposes. Texas A&M’s legal counsel believed that applied to The PhD Project conference.

Despite this, Welsh confirmed that the university would no longer participate in the conference. However, the university had attended in previous years before the law was enacted.

Following the public controversy, other Texas universities, including the University of Texas System, University of North Texas and Texas Tech University, also announced they would not attend the conference.
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US Supreme Court hears Texas law requiring age verification for porn sites

January 15, 2025
The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Wednesday, Jan. 15, in a case over a Texas law that mandates users verify their age on pornographic websites before being able to access material. Opponents of the law say it unconstitutionally infringes on adults’ free speech rights.

They said even though the law is meant to keep kids from accessing sexually explicit content online, it’s vague and “imposes significant burdens on adults’ access to constitutionally protected expression.” Opponents also said it also presents privacy and security concerns because adults are forced to share personally identifying information to access the sites.

The law, signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in 2023, requires porn sites to verify official documentation like government-issued IDs or face large fines. The law says any website that contains “one-third” sexual material is considered a site that requires age verification, though social media sites are exempt.

The Texas law also requires sites to display health notices on their landing page that says viewing pornography is potentially addictive, weakens brain function and is associated with low self-esteem and body image, among other issues.

A U.S. district judge temporarily blocked the law in September 2024, but then the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals undid that, saying requiring age verification does not violate the First Amendment.

The Supreme Court’s ruling will impact more than just Texas. Multiple other states have passed laws mandating age-verification for porn sites including Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee.
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Johnson says Capitol will raise flags to full-staff for Trump inauguration

January 14, 2025
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., says the U.S. Capitol will fly its flags at full-staff during President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week. President Joe Biden ordered flags at half-staff during 30 days of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter, who died last month. The U.S. flag code requires the practice after the deaths of presidents.

“On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump,” Johnson said in a statement. “The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter.”

Johnson is not the first high-profile official to order flags at full-staff for the inauguration. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar order on Monday, Jan. 13, requiring flags at the Texas State Capitol and state office buildings to be at full-staff throughout Inauguration Day.

Governors of other states, including Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and Tennessee, have issued similar orders.

President-elect Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club flew its flag at full-staff Monday. However, it did not violate the U.S. flag code because Mar-a-Lago is a private residence. Like President Biden, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also issued an order directing U.S. flags in the Sunshine State to fly at half-staff through Jan. 28.

The president-elect also paid his respects to Carter in the Capitol Rotunda and attended his state funeral last week.
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Texas Gov. Abbott orders to raise flags for Trump’s inauguration

January 14, 2025
In late December, President Jimmy Carter died at the age of 100, and the White House ordered flags to fly at half-staff in his honor for 30 days, per tradition. This means flags would fly at half-staff during President-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day on Monday, Jan. 20.

However, citing a federal statute, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered to raise flags to full staff at state buildings to mark Trump’s swearing-in.

Abbott released a statement saying in part: “On January 20, our great nation will celebrate our democratic tradition of transferring power to a new president by inaugurating the 47th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump. As we unite our country and usher in this new era of leadership, I ordered all flags to be raised to full-staff at the Texas Capitol and all state buildings for the inauguration of President Trump. While we honor the service of a former president, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming president and the bright future ahead for the United States of America.”

Abbott stated the American flag would remain at half-staff for the remainder of the federal government’s 30-day order following Trump’s inauguration.

“Texas continues to mourn with our fellow Americans across the country over the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. President Carter’s steadfast leadership left a lasting legacy that will be felt for generations to come, which together as a nation we honor by displaying flags at half-staff for 30 days,” Abbott said in a news release.

The incoming president also made headlines Monday, Jan. 13, when the Associated Press reported the American flag at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort was back to full height before the end of the 30-day order.

However, Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort is a private residence. The federal government cannot require flags at half-staff on private properties—only on public lands and federal facilities.

Trump attended Carter’s state funeral last week and released a statement about the former president’s time in office. He said, in part: “The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a pivotal time for our country, and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”

Trump’s inauguration is at noon on Jan. 20. It will be his second term in office.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott unveils billboard campaign to deter migrants

December 20, 2024
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has launched a billboard campaign to deter migrants from crossing the border from Mexico into Texas. However, many of these billboards aren’t located in Texas, or even the U.S.

“How much did you pay to have your daughter raped? Many girls are raped by the coyotes you hire,” one billboard states.

Another billboard reads, “Stop. If you cross the border illegally into Texas, you will be jailed.”

A third billboard warns of kidnapped girls who tried to migrate to Texas. “For the sake of your family… stop,” it also says.

The term “coyote” commonly describes a human smuggler.

At a press conference on Thursday, Dec. 20, Abbott revealed that officials have strategically placed more than 40 billboards in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, as well as along the Texas-Mexico border. The billboards intend to warn migrants about the dangerous journey to the U.S.

“We’re here to expose the truth,” Abbott said. “The truth to immigrants who are thinking about coming here. The truth about the traffickers who assault so many of the women and children along the way.”

The billboards are in various languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

Abbott said the billboard campaign –– the state’s latest effort to curb illegal immigration –– will cost $100,000.

In 2021, Texas launched “Operation Lone Star” in response to the border crisis, as millions of migrants crossed into the U.S. through the southern border.

According to Abbott’s office, under Operation Lone Star, Texas law enforcement apprehended 523,100 immigrants and arrested 47,800 individuals. Also, 41,300 of them face felony charges.

Additionally, Texas law enforcement has seized more than 551 million lethal doses of fentanyl — enough to kill every man, woman and child in the U.S. and Mexico combined.

Recently, U.S. Customs and Border Protection statistics have shown decreased migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border. In November 2024, there were 94,190 encounters, compared to 242,399 encounters in November 2023.

President-elect Donald Trump has also vowed to implement the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
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More drowned at southern border than government estimates showed: Report

December 9, 2024
A new international investigative report found that hundreds more people have drowned trying to cross into the U.S. than the U.S. and Mexican governments reported. The Washington Post, Mexican newspaper El Universal and Lighthouse Reports reviewed death records from every Mexican state and Texas county along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Through their research and data from public records requests, they found more than 1,100 people drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande from Mexico into the U.S. between 2017 and 2023.

The investigation documented 858 deaths in Texas in that span, while U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 587 across the entire southwestern border.

A CBP official told the Post it was a challenge to document every death. They claimed the unit running the tracking efforts has limited funding.

The number peaked in 2022, a year when a record number of migrants tried to cross into the U.S. The report states 267 people died between the U.S. and Mexico that year.

Many of the people crossing were families. In 2023, 1 in 10 drownings involved a child, the report says.

The report found one Texas city in particular where many crossings and drownings occurred.

Eagle Pass became a hub because of its location across from a border area of Mexico considered safer than others controlled by gangs.

That area of the river is particularly tough to cross, with fast-moving currents and a sudden deep spot near the middle.

Additional challenges came from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts to defy the Biden administration and enforce border security using state resources. Abbott’s administration has placed containers, buoys and barbed wire along the river to discourage crossings.

Abbott’s office told the Post that it didn’t believe the administration’s efforts, code-named Operation Lone Star, contributed to any deaths.

Abbott blamed the Biden administration, accusing it of encouraging people to take the risk of crossing.

A White House spokesperson told the Post that Biden administration policies implemented over the summer have reduced border crossings. They accused Republicans of engaging in “dangerous and inhumane political stunts.”
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Texas lawmakers move to ban sale of all THC products in 2025

December 5, 2024
Texas is taking the first step toward banning all THC products, with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, R, stating the state Senate will push for a ban on all forms of consumable THC in the upcoming legislative session. The move follows concerns from conservative state lawmakers over the influx of unregulated products in the market.

Since 2019, Texas has allowed the sale of hemp-derived products, including CBD, with a legal THC limit of 0.3%. However, Patrick argues retailers have exploited what he calls “loopholes” to sell products with dangerously high levels of THC — sometimes up to four times the amount found in illegal marijuana.

Patrick says these products, including gummies, vapes and beverages, have become widely accessible, often without age restrictions or safety testing. He claims they pose serious health risks and are being marketed to minors.

Critics argue that a THC ban could devastate the state’s growing hemp industry, which has brought millions in revenue and employs more than 50,000 Texans across 7,000 registered hemp dispensaries, according to the Baker Institute. They contend that products like delta-8 THC are safe when used responsibly.

The push to ban THC products will be led by state Sen. Charles Perry, R, who also sponsored the 2019 hemp law.

Texas lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene on Jan. 14, and the debate over THC regulation is expected to be one of the session’s most closely watched issues.
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Texas Gov. Abbott threatens to defund hospital over doctor’s viral TikTok

December 3, 2024
A viral TikTok video is creating tension between the Texas Children’s Hospital and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican. The video, posted by one of the hospital’s doctors, criticizes an executive order signed by Abbott that requires Texas public hospitals to collect information on patients’ immigration status and report healthcare costs for undocumented immigrants.

In the video, Dr. Tony Pastor tells patients they are not obligated to answer questions about their citizenship status and says his intent was simply to inform the public.

“My proposal to everyone is just know you don’t have to answer this question,” Pastor said. “And my second proposal, wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone who comes in doesn’t answer it and it really messes with whatever data they’re looking for?”

The video caught the attention of Abbott.

“Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & Baylor College of Medicine, this doctor is putting your Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk,” Abbott said in a post on X. “You better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Order.”

In response, Texas Children’s Hospital issued a statement, emphasizing its full compliance with the executive order.

“Texas Children’s fully supports Governor Abbott’s new Executive Order and is in full compliance,” the statement said. “While we recognize that individuals working at Texas Children’s hold their own personal views on many topics, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Texas Children’s Hospital.”

The executive order, which went into effect on Nov. 1, requires Texas hospitals to collect information on a migrant’s legal status when they use public healthcare services and report related costs.

Abbott argued that the state should not have to cover the medical expenses of individuals in the country illegally. He is seeking reimbursement from the federal government, blaming the Biden administration’s border policies for forcing Texas taxpayers to cover the costs of migrant healthcare.

The executive order does not prohibit hospitals from treating migrants who are in the country illegally. Abbott said the law is focused on documenting healthcare expenses, and it specifically states that it is not a barrier to treatment.
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Texas may bus migrants to ICE facilities, rather than sanctuary cities: Report

November 29, 2024
Texas officials are considering a plan to bus migrants directly to ICE holding centers so they can be quickly processed for deportation, according to a report in the New York Post. The proposal would be a continuation of Operation Lone Star and has not been approved by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

“We spent a lot of taxpayer money to have the level of deterrent that we have on the border and we can’t just walk away,” a Texas government source told the Post.

Since Operation Lone Star began in 2021, Texas has spent $11 billion deploying National Guard and Department of Public Safety officers to the border in addition to building new sections of border wall.

It’s unclear exactly which facilities Texas officials plan to send migrants to. However, there are 20 ICE detention and processing centers throughout Texas.

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar Thomas Homan said Abbott has not discussed the plan with him.

“We’re going to help them finish this job and secure Texas and we’re going to work in partnership,” Homan told the Post. “And [Abbott] doesn’t have to worry about this administration suing him … to secure the Texas border.”

Since April 2022, Texas has bused approximately 119,000 migrants to sanctuary cities around the country. Some of those cities included New York, Chicago, Denver and Washington, D.C.

A report in the Texas Tribune said that as of February 2024, the state had spent $148 million on the one way rides.

The official cited in the Post report said the state would be reimbursed by the federal government under the new plan.

The Texas Land Commissioner announced she’ll provide the Trump administration with more than 1,400 acres along the Rio Grande river to help carry out its planned mass deportation operation.

Homan said they’ll prioritize public safety and national security threats, fugitives, those on the terrorist watchlist and individuals who have been convicted of a crime.
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Texas approves Bible-based lessons in public schools, set to begin next fall

November 22, 2024
The Texas Education Board voted Friday, Nov. 22, to approve the inclusion of Bible-based lessons in public elementary schools, aligning with similar efforts in other Republican-led states to introduce more religious content into public education. The curriculum, which is optional for schools to adopt, includes a financial incentive, $60 per student, for schools that choose to implement the Bible-based lessons.

Created by the Texas Education Agency, the new classroom material features lessons centered on Christian teachings, such as stories from the Book of Genesis and moral principles like the golden rule.

Supporters argued that incorporating the Bible into education enriches students’ understanding of American history and culture.

Opponents contended that the curriculum could alienate students from diverse religious backgrounds and possibly violate the First Amendment’s separation of church and state. Earlier this week, more than 100 people testified at a board meeting, expressing their support and opposition to the proposed Bible lessons.

With the curriculum now approved by the Texas Education Board, Texas will become the first state to implement Bible lessons in public schools in this manner, according to The Associated Press.

However, the curriculum may face legal challenges from opponents. In Oklahoma, state officials made a similar push to incorporate Bible lessons, but a lawsuit has led the state Supreme Court to become involved.

In Louisiana, a law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in all public classrooms has also been held up in court as legal challenges continue.

The Texas board voted 8-7 in favor of implementing the Bible lessons, with the materials expected to appear in classrooms as soon as the 2025-2026 school year.
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