🛑🗳️ Arizona Governor Vetoes GOP Bill Requiring State Cooperation With Trump Immigration Crackdown
💸🛡️ Texas Considers $6.5 Billion More for Border Security Despite Drop in Migrant Crossings ⚖️📚 Court Orders Legal Status Restored for Three Indian Students Deported from Texas Over Minor Offenses
💸🛡️ Texas Considers $6.5 Billion More for Border Security Despite Drop in Migrant Crossings
_Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune.- Texas lawmakers are advancing a proposal to allocate an additional $6.5 billion for border security, even as migrant crossings have significantly decreased and the Trump administration ramps up national immigration enforcement. The funding, part of the state’s 2025–2027 budget negotiations, would bring total Operation Lone Star spending since 2021 to nearly $18 billion — over five times what Texas spent on border security during the previous 14 years. Critics question the need for continued large-scale spending amid reports of operational control being achieved, while proponents argue the funds ensure readiness and public safety. Lawmakers are also weighing whether the state should assume ongoing costs of Trump’s enforcement priorities, including legislation that may shift detention costs to counties. Despite some Republican leaders voicing caution and Democrats proposing reallocations, such as toward teacher raises, the funding has passed both chambers with little resistance.
⚖️📚 Court Orders Legal Status Restored for Three Indian Students Deported from Texas Over Minor Offenses
Jessica Priest, The Texas Tribune.- Three international students from India who studied in Texas have had their immigration statuses temporarily reinstated after federal judges ruled in their favor. The students — Manoj Mashatti, Chandraprakash Hinge, and Akshar Patel — were among over 1,000 whose student visa status was suddenly terminated in the SEVIS system, sparking legal challenges across the U.S. All three graduated from the University of Texas system and were living and working legally when ICE revoked their statuses due to prior minor offenses, such as DWI and reckless driving. Federal judges cited inconsistencies and a lack of due process in ICE’s actions. Attorneys argue the terminations are arbitrary and politically motivated. DHS claims SEVIS terminations are part of routine checks. Additional lawsuits are expected nationwide as more students fight deportation threats. Legal advocacy groups have called the targeting discriminatory and in violation of established immigration norms.
⚖️📚 UT-RGV Students Sue Homeland Security Over Sudden SEVIS Terminations Amid Immigration Crackdown
Jessica Priest, The Texas Tribune.- Four international students at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley are suing the Department of Homeland Security, alleging their legal immigration status was unlawfully terminated in retaliation for minor, resolved legal infractions. The students — from Mexico, Nepal, and Iran — argue the SEVIS terminations were arbitrary and violated federal law, forcing them out of work and threatening their academic future. The university employed all of them and is part of a broader sweep impacting over 1,000 international students nationwide. The lawsuit contends that DHS is misusing its authority to push students to leave without due process, instead of initiating formal deportation proceedings. Legal experts note the SEVIS database changes create immediate consequences, including job loss and visa ineligibility, while being far harder to challenge than traditional removals. The students are asking a federal judge to restore their legal status and allow them to remain enrolled.
🛑🗳️ Arizona Governor Vetoes GOP Bill Requiring State Cooperation With Trump Immigration Crackdown
Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press.- Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, on Friday, vetoed a Republican-backed bill that required state and local officials to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration’s new policies. The bill sought to compel local agencies to honor immigration detainers, allow federal access to jail facilities, and prohibit any restrictions on cooperation with ICE. Hobbs said such mandates would force local officials to “take marching orders from Washington” and burden communities financially and legally. The proposal drew strong opposition from immigrant rights groups and law enforcement advocates who warned it would erode community trust and repeat past legal issues, such as the racial profiling verdict against ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Senate President Warren Petersen defended the bill as an effort to make Arizona a partner in federal enforcement. Hobbs’ veto comes amid a broader standoff with the Legislature over funding for disability services.