⚖️🕊️ El Paso DA Ends Death Penalty Pursuit in Walmart Mass Shooting Case After Nearly Six Years
💰🛡️ Texas Senate Approves $336 Billion Budget with Property Tax Cuts, Border Security, and Vouchers 🥚🚫 Border Agents Seize Thousands of Eggs as U.S. Prices Spike Amid Bird Flu Crisis
⚖️🕊️ El Paso DA Ends Death Penalty Pursuit in Walmart Mass Shooting Case After Nearly Six Years
Uriel J. García, The Texas Tribune.- El Paso District Attorney James Montoya announced Tuesday that he will no longer seek the death penalty for Patrick Crusius, the white supremacist who killed 23 people in a racially motivated mass shooting at a Walmart in 2019. After nearly six years, four prosecutors, and delays worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and prosecutorial missteps, Montoya said the decision came after consulting victims’ families. A plea hearing is set for April 21, allowing Crusius—already serving 90 consecutive life sentences on federal charges—to receive life in prison without parole. While some families support closing the chapter, others expressed disappointment. Crusius’ online manifesto cited a debunked conspiracy about a “Hispanic invasion,” echoing extremist rhetoric. The massacre, one of the deadliest anti-Latino attacks in U.S. history, left lasting trauma in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez. Montoya, who supports capital punishment, said prolonging the process would only deepen the victims’ suffering.
Key Facts:
Shooter: Patrick Crusius, 26, white supremacist
Incident: Mass shooting on Aug. 3, 2019, at Walmart in El Paso
Victims: 23 killed, mostly of Mexican descent
Initial Plan: Death penalty sought by four prosecutors
New Decision: DA James Montoya ends death penalty pursuit in favor of life sentence
Next Step: Plea and sentencing hearing scheduled for April 21
Federal Sentence: Already serving 90 life terms since July 2023
Delay Factors: Prosecutorial misconduct, COVID-19, change in leadership
💰🛡️ Texas Senate Approves $336 Billion Budget with Property Tax Cuts, Border Security, and Vouchers
Jasper Scherer and Kayla Guo, The Texas Tribune.- The Texas Senate unanimously passed a $336 billion two-year budget that boosts property tax relief, border security, and education funding while staying under the state’s constitutional spending cap. Key highlights include $6.5 billion for new property tax cuts, with the Senate favoring an increase in the homestead exemption to $140,000. Lawmakers also allocated $6.5 billion for border operations under Operation Lone Star and $1 billion for a new school voucher program. Teachers would receive targeted raises, and $500 million would go to school safety. The budget includes $10 billion for infrastructure, including $5 billion to expand gas-powered energy generation, $2.5 billion for water projects, and $2.4 billion to improve broadband access. The House is expected to pass its version next month, with differences on distributing tax relief likely to be negotiated in conference. The final budget must be approved by June.
Key Facts:
Total Budget: $336 billion (2025–2027 biennium)
General Revenue Spending: $153 billion (below $195B available due to spending cap)
Border Security: $6.5 billion allocated, continuing Operation Lone Star
Property Tax Relief: $6.5 billion — $3B already committed, $3.5B disputed (homestead exemption vs. rate compression)
Education Funding: $71 billion for public schools; $4.3B for teacher raises
School Vouchers: $1 billion for new private/home schooling program
School Safety: $500 million allocated
Energy Infrastructure: $5 billion to expand Texas Energy Fund
🕊️🚶“Aquí Estamos” March in El Paso Unites Border Residents to Defend Migrant Rights
Verónica Martínez, La Verdad Juárez.- Dozens of El Paso residents marched Monday night in solidarity with migrants as part of the “Aquí Estamos” vigil, organized by HOPE Border Institute, the Diocese of El Paso’s Migration Commission, and El Sagrado Corazón Church. The peaceful protest took place amid growing enforcement under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. With religious banners and images of saints like the Virgin of Guadalupe and San Lorenzo, the crowd processed through downtown El Paso toward El Sagrado Corazón Church, just blocks from the Santa Fe-Paso del Norte international bridge. Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz condemned discriminatory policies and family separations in a public letter, calling mass deportations “unsustainable and immoral.” The vigil also honored the memory of Salvadoran Archbishop Óscar Romero, assassinated on the same date in 1980. Local matachines dancers performed during the procession, reinforcing cultural and spiritual support for the migrant community.
Key Facts:
Event: “Aquí Estamos” march and vigil for migrant rights
Date/Location: March 24, 2025, El Paso, Texas
Organizers: HOPE Border Institute, Diocese of El Paso, El Sagrado Corazón Church
Route: Mills Ave to El Sagrado Corazón Church near Santa Fe bridge
Message: Protest against Trump-era immigration policies and mass deportations
Bishop Mark Seitz: Called policies immoral and discriminatory
Symbolism: Coincided with anniversary of Archbishop Óscar Romero’s assassination
Participants: Religious leaders, residents, matachines dancers with saint banners
🥚🚫 Border Agents Seize Thousands of Eggs as U.S. Prices Spike Amid Bird Flu Crisis
Matty Merritt, Morning Brew.- Border agents made 3,254 egg-related seizures at the U.S.-Mexico border in the first two months of 2025, a 116% increase from the same period last year. The surge comes as U.S. egg prices soar due to a prolonged avian flu outbreak, which has forced farmers to cull 168 million birds over the past three years. With domestic prices topping $8 per dozen, many Americans are crossing into Mexico, where eggs cost as little as $2. While most travelers willingly surrender their eggs, unaware of the USDA’s ban on raw poultry products due to disease risks, those caught smuggling can face fines up to $300. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said wholesale prices in New York have dropped 50% this month to $4.08 but warned they may climb again during Easter and migratory bird season. The egg smuggling boom reflects rising food insecurity and economic pressures at the border.
Key Facts:
Seizures: 3,254 egg incidents at the US- Mexico border in Jan- Feb 2025
Increase: 116% spike from the same period in 2024
Cause: Avian flu has led to the slaughter of 168 million birds
US Egg Prices: Peaked at $8.53/dozen in Feb; dropped to $4.08 in March
Mexico Prices: Around $2/dozen, prompting cross-border purchases
Penalties: $300 fine for smuggling undeclared poultry products
USDA Policy: Raw eggs banned due to disease control measures
Future Outlook: Prices may rise again due to Easter demand and bird migrations
🚑💔 Texas Community Mobilizes to Bring Burn Victim Home After Deadly Crash in Mexican Mountains
Rolando Chacón, Reforma.- Community members in Laredo, Texas, are rallying to support Érika Camacho Martínez, a 30-year-old woman and sole survivor of a tragic crash that killed her husband and two young sons during a family trip to the Sierra de Santiago in Nuevo León, Mexico. Camacho, who sustained third-degree burns over 50% of her body, remains hospitalized in Nuevo León as relatives seek to transfer her to a San Antonio hospital for specialized care. Her husband, Josué Martínez, worked at the Technological University of Nuevo Laredo, and their sons, Eduardo (6) and Emiliano (7), attended Finley Elementary in Laredo. Friends described the boys as joyful children who loved Roblox, basketball, and baseball. A benefit food sale is planned for March 28 in Laredo to raise funds for Camacho’s treatment. The Tamaulipas government and local authorities have pledged support for the grieving Texas-based family.