🏚️🛑 $44 Million in San Diego Homeless Aid Frozen Amid Crackdown on Undocumented Immigrants
💰🏗️ Experts Say Colony Ridge Crosses Ethical Lines With Contracts Tied to Board Members ✈️🚔 Trump Administration Deports 17 Alleged Violent Gang Members to El Salvador, Sparking Legal Outcry
💰🏗️ Experts Say Colony Ridge Crosses Ethical Lines With Contracts Tied to Board Members
Céili Doyle and Monroe Trombly, Houston Landing.- The Liberty County Municipal Management District No. 1, established at the request of Colony Ridge developers in 2017, has spent millions in contracts benefiting companies owned by its own board members, raising major conflict-of-interest concerns. Despite collecting $13 million in taxpayer revenue, the district spent only $350,000 on public safety and failed to invest in critical infrastructure like drainage or fire services. Records show $22.5 million in contracts were awarded to Liberty Paving, a company tied to board president John Harris and former president Trey Harris. Experts say the lack of independent oversight and the revolving door of family members and employees on the board creates an unethical dynamic. The Colony Ridge development is also facing lawsuits for alleged predatory practices targeting Latino buyers. Officials and watchdogs call for urgent legislative reforms, warning that legal loopholes have enabled a taxpayer-funded system with little public accountability.
Key Facts:
Taxpayer funds collected: ~$13 million since 2017
Spent on public safety: $350,000 for two constables
Unspent funds: ~$11 million held in a TexPool investment account
Board makeup: All 5 members are family or employees of Colony Ridge Inc.
Contracts approved: $22.5 million to Liberty Paving, linked to board members
Conflict of interest: John, Trey Harris and other board members have financial ties to awarded companies
Oversight issues: No independent appointments from local government; all board members reappointed by developer-nominated votes
Pending lawsuits: DOJ/CFPB and Texas AG suing Colony Ridge for alleged fraud, predatory lending
Public participation: Virtually no attendance at board meetings for 7 years
Expert opinion: Described as "legal but unethical" and a "Wild West" of developer-controlled governance
🏚️🛑 $44 Million in San Diego Homeless Aid Frozen Amid Crackdown on Undocumented Immigrants
Blake Nelson, The San Diego Union-Tribune.- More than $44 million in federal funding meant to fight homelessness in San Diego is on hold as local service providers are asked to sign new contracts under President Trump’s immigration crackdown. The revised grant agreements prohibit support for “promoting illegal immigration,” yet offer little clarity on how to implement or enforce the requirement. Nonprofits like the Regional Task Force on Homelessness and the Salvation Army say the stalled funds could disrupt housing aid for vulnerable populations. The federal delay affects 61 grants, and members of Congress from California have urged HUD to release the money, warning existing programs may expire in 2025. New contract language also limits gender-inclusive services and softens support for the housing-first model. Local officials are scrambling to interpret the rules, as shelters generally don’t track immigration status to avoid violating anti-discrimination laws. Advocates fear political mandates are now jeopardizing essential life-saving services.
Key Facts:
Funding amount: Over $44 million in HUD grants promised to San Diego organizations
Affected programs: 61 local projects, many for existing homelessness services
Main issue: New federal contract bans use of funds that “promote illegal immigration”
Status: Funds delayed; expected to be available in February, still not released as of March 31
Impact: Could disrupt housing aid to hundreds of families, veterans, and vulnerable individuals
Other restrictions: Language targeting “gender ideology” and weakening of housing-first requirement
Federal response: No clarification from HUD; “page not found” errors on original grant list
Local concern: Unclear enforcement; shelters typically don’t ask about immigration status
Congressional action: California reps and senators sent letters urging release of funds
State fallback: California continues to support housing-first model with its own funds
✈️🚔 Trump Administration Deports 17 Alleged Violent Gang Members to El Salvador, Sparking Legal Outcry
Rebecca Santana and Marcos Aleman, Associated Press.- The Trump administration announced the deportation of 17 alleged “violent criminals” from the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gangs to El Salvador, escalating its use of third-country deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The deportees, including Venezuelans and Salvadorans, were flown by U.S. military aircraft and imprisoned in El Salvador’s maximum-security facility. Human rights advocates and immigration attorneys criticized the move, citing a lack of due process, transparency, and legal justification. Video footage showed prisoners shackled and forced to kneel as guards escorted them. The administration has faced legal challenges for deporting people to nations not their own without allowing them to argue fear of persecution. A federal judge recently paused such deportations, but the Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to reinstate them. El Salvador is currently the only country agreeing to jail U.S.-deported immigrants regardless of nationality.
Key Facts:
Number deported: 17 alleged members of Tren de Aragua and MS-13
Destination: El Salvador, under agreement with President Nayib Bukele
Nationalities: Included Venezuelans and Salvadorans
Legal authority cited: Alien Enemies Act of 1798
Conditions: Detainees held in maximum-security prison; video shows harsh handling
Controversy: No public charges, names, or legal basis disclosed
Criticism: Advocates argue due process violations and safety risks
Lawsuit: Human Rights First among groups challenging deportations in federal court
Other facts: Over 200 Venezuelans were deported to El Salvador earlier in March
International response: Venezuelan lawyers filed habeas corpus petitions and requested human rights oversight in El Salvador🎓🛂 Mystery Surrounds ICE Detention of University of Minnesota Graduate Student Amid Trump Crackdown
Rebecca Santana, Associated Press.- Officials in Minnesota are demanding answers after a University of Minnesota graduate student was detained Thursday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement without advance notice or clear explanation. The student, whose name and nationality remain undisclosed, was taken from an off-campus residence. University leaders say they did not alert ICE and are providing the student with legal aid and support. Federal authorities have not responded to requests for clarification, prompting outcry from elected officials, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Gov. Tim Walz. The student is enrolled at the Twin Cities campus business school. ICE has recently cited a rarely used statute to revoke visas of noncitizens deemed threats to foreign policy, many of whom reportedly expressed support for Palestine. A protest led by the university’s graduate labor union accused the Trump administration of due process violations and a broader assault on immigrant rights. Officials promised updates as more information becomes available.
🚨🌧️ Mexican Man Charged in Edcouch Smuggling Tragedy That Killed Woman and Child During Floods
Mark Reagan, The Monitor.- A Mexican national, Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier, has been charged with transporting undocumented migrants resulting in death, after a failed smuggling attempt during last week’s devastating floods in Edcouch, Texas. Federal authorities said Baeza-Combaluzier, who entered the country illegally, was driving a Ford Explorer carrying migrants when he attempted to flee Border Patrol agents by crossing a flooded road. The vehicle plunged into a canal, killing a woman, Elena Cataria Morale, and a child presumed to be the son of another passenger. Border Patrol agents rescued Baeza-Combaluzier and four others but were unable to recover the vehicle until the following day. Baeza-Combaluzier, who claims he was recruited as a driver from a stash house, now remains in federal custody without bond after his court appearance in McAllen on Monday. The incident occurred amid record-breaking rainfall that overwhelmed parts of the Rio Grande Valley.