🚨🏥 Fear of Deportation Forces Sick Migrants in Rio Grande Valley to Skip Critical Medical Care
🗳️ Texas Democrats Plan Delay Tactics Against GOP Redistricting Push 🗳️ GOP Army Veteran Eric Flores Announces Run Against Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas
🐎🚓 Border Patrol Horses Return to San Diego as Migrant Encounters Fall to Historic Lows
Alexandra Mendoza, The San Diego Union-Tribune.- Border Patrol horses have returned to patrol San Diego’s borderlands after a two-year hiatus driven by high migrant encounters. The mounted unit, reactivated in March 2025, consists of 12 horses and 10 agents who now cover areas from the beaches to the East County wilderness. Officials say horses provide quiet, efficient access to rugged terrain where ATVs can’t go. The revival comes as migrant encounters have plummeted 96% compared to last year. Although the Border Patrol’s use of horses has sparked past controversy, especially in Del Rio, Texas, officials emphasize that San Diego’s unit is focused on both apprehension and rescue. Advocates remain concerned about oversight. The horses, historically tied to the agency since its founding in 1924, symbolize a return to traditional methods amid changing enforcement needs along the U.S.-Mexico border.
🗳️ Texas Democrats Plan Delay Tactics Against GOP Redistricting Push
Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune.- Texas Democrats vowed Monday to fight Republicans' mid-decade redistricting efforts through every available delay tactic — from filibusters to fleeing the state to break quorum. Their goal is to stall efforts to redraw congressional maps under pressure from Donald Trump to secure more GOP seats ahead of 2026.
Democrats criticized Gov. Greg Abbott for pairing redistricting with urgent flood relief on the special session agenda, calling it a "ruse." In the Senate, Democrats forced hours of debate over procedural rules, while in the House, Rep. Gene Wu warned, “We will fight like hell to stop this.”
Republicans, holding firm control, pressed ahead: the Senate approved redistricting rules 19-11; the House formed a GOP-majority committee to hold hearings this week. Democrats admit they likely can’t stop the maps but aim to spotlight what they call a "cheat of democracy."
🗳️ GOP Army Veteran Eric Flores Announces Run Against Vicente Gonzalez in South Texas
Gabby Birenbaum, The Texas Tribune.- **Eric Flores, a Republican Army veteran and former federal prosecutor from Mission, Texas, launched his campaign Monday to unseat Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez in Texas’ 34th Congressional District. Flores, a Spanish-speaking Rio Grande Valley native, emphasized immigration and border security as key issues, citing his experience prosecuting human smuggling cases.
Gonzalez, a McAllen Democrat, narrowly won re-election in 2024 in a district Trump carried, making it a prime GOP target. Flores acknowledged local labor shortages and said he would push for more efficient legal immigration to support industries like farming and manufacturing.
The district could become more GOP-friendly through redistricting now underway. Gonzalez dismissed Flores' chances, warning Republicans aim to win only by "cheating and changing the district maps."
🚨🏥 Fear of Deportation Forces Sick Migrants in Rio Grande Valley to Skip Critical Medical Care
Amanda Seitz and Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press.- In the Rio Grande Valley, undocumented residents are skipping medical appointments and prescriptions due to heightened fears of deportation during President Trump’s intensified immigration raids. Residents say federal agents are targeting even hospitals and clinics, leaving vulnerable families, including those with chronic illnesses and disabilities, too afraid to seek necessary care. Health professionals warn this will worsen the Valley’s already critical health challenges, which include high rates of diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Clinics report a steep decline in visits, and even U.S.-born children are losing Medicaid coverage as families fear sharing information with authorities. Advocates stress the situation is unsustainable, as fear continues to keep people from life-saving treatment. “We just want a better future for our children,” said one mother, describing the sense of entrapment families now face across the region.