Texas Quietly Defunds Border Wall Program, Leaving Construction Incomplete
🚨⚖️ Ecuadorian migrant convicted of trespassing in National Defense Area near El Paso 🚨💼 El Cajon manager admits hiring undocumented workers; SWAT-style raid sparks outrage

Texas Quietly Defunds Border Wall Program, Leaving Construction Incomplete
Zach Despart and Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune.- Texas’s ambitious plan to build its border wall has come to an abrupt halt. After four years of efforts, the Texas Legislature has quietly stopped funding the wall, leaving only 8% of the planned 805-mile structure completed. As of this year, the state has spent over $3 billion, but the wall program has been riddled with challenges such as gaps in construction, resistance from landowners, and a lack of funding. Touted initially by Gov. Greg Abbott as a key component of state border security, the wall now stands as a fragmented series of sections. Despite efforts to crowdsource funding, the state's construction has been slow, with only about 65 miles of the 805 miles planned built out. The project has been further complicated by landowners refusing to allow the wall on their property, with 24% of landowners rejecting the state's proposals. During the legislative session that concluded earlier this month, lawmakers allocated $3.4 billion to ongoing border security efforts; however, none of this funding will be used for the wall. Instead, it will support state agencies like the Department of Public Safety and the National Guard involved in Abbott’s Operation Lone Star. The decision leaves the future of the wall unclear, as federal and state officials have shifted their focus away from physical barriers and toward other enforcement measures. The wall program’s defunding comes after questions from both lawmakers and border security experts about its effectiveness and cost efficiency. The state's strategy now faces scrutiny as it becomes clear that the wall, once a symbol of Abbott's border policies, may never be completed.
📹🚨 ICE detains Spanish-language journalist Mario Guevara after protest coverage, faces deportation
Russ Bynum, The Associated Press.- Mario Guevara, a Spanish-language journalist based in metro Atlanta, was detained by ICE on June 17, 2025, after being arrested during a protest against immigration enforcement in DeKalb County, Georgia. Guevara, who was livestreaming the protest on social media, was charged with obstructing officers and unlawful assembly while covering the demonstration. His case has drawn attention from press freedom advocates, with the Committee to Protect Journalists condemning his detention as an erosion of press freedom. Guevara, a native of El Salvador, had previously faced an asylum denial but had been authorized to work and live in the U.S. His arrest and subsequent detention by ICE have sparked concerns about the treatment of journalists in protest situations. His lawyers argue he was doing his job, and they hope to prevent his deportation.
Key Data:
Journalist: Mario Guevara, Spanish-language reporter from MGNews
Arrest: June 14, 2025, at an immigration protest in DeKalb County
Charges: Obstructing officers, unlawful assembly
ICE Detention: Detained for deportation proceedings
Background: Guevara has legal authorization to live and work in the U.S.
🚨💼 El Cajon manager admits hiring undocumented workers; SWAT-style raid sparks outrage
Alex Riggins, The San Diego Union-Tribune.- John Washburn, the former general manager of San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings in El Cajon, pleaded guilty to hiring undocumented workers in violation of U.S. immigration laws. He was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation and 50 hours of community service, with no formal probation, after a dramatic immigration raid involving heavily armed ICE and HSI agents. The raid, which shocked Washburn and the public, involved tactical gear and a show of force, drawing criticism from his defense attorney who argued the operation was disproportionate. Washburn, who admitted knowing some employees had "bad paperwork," was spared felony charges. The case has raised concerns about the treatment of workers and the tactics used in immigration enforcement. The company, which contracts with the U.S. military, has since pledged to comply with all immigration laws and improve its employee verification processes.
Key Data:
Defendant: John Washburn, 57, former GM of San Diego Powder & Protective Coatings
Charges: Misdemeanor for hiring undocumented workers
Incident: SWAT-style immigration raid in March
Sentence: One year of unsupervised probation, 50 hours of community service
Controversy: Raid criticized as excessive, targeting Washburn over the company’s broader practices
Company’s Response: Pledged to comply with immigration laws, including using E-Verify
🚨⚖️ Ecuadorian migrant convicted of trespassing in National Defense Area near El Paso

Ayden Runnels, The Texas Tribune.- A federal district judge in El Paso convicted Dario Javier Trejo-Burbano, an Ecuadorian migrant, for trespassing into a newly established National Defense Area on the U.S.-Mexico border. Trejo-Burbano, who crossed the Rio Grande into the United States on May 8, was found guilty of entering the country illegally and stepping onto military property. He was sentenced to time served plus one business day. The newly designated defense area, spanning 63 miles near El Paso, was created in May to assist U.S. soldiers in border patrol efforts. Trejo-Burbano’s case is part of a broader legal strategy under which federal immigration officials are charging immigrants with trespassing on military property. The first jury trial under this strategy also ended in conviction earlier in June. Some defendants in similar cases have been acquitted; however, disputes arise over the visibility of property signs.
Key Data:
Convicted migrant: Dario Javier Trejo-Burbano (Ecuadorian)
Conviction: Trespassing on National Defense Area near El Paso
Date of entry: May 8, 2025
Location: 63-mile border stretch near El Paso
Legal outcome: Sentence - time served + one business day
Strategy: Prosecution of immigrants for trespassing on military property
Related cases: One acquittal and guilty verdicts in similar trials
Defense Area: Established in May 2025 for U.S. military use
🚨🔴 DPS labels migrant a member of Tren de Aragua, deported to El Salvador without proof
Alejandro Serrano, The Texas Tribune.- Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo, a 28-year-old migrant from Venezuela, was deported to El Salvador after being falsely accused by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) of being a member of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang. Salazar-Cuervo, who was arrested on New Year's Eve after crossing the Rio Grande, was labeled a gang member based solely on a photo of him with another individual with tattoos. His lawyers argue that there is no evidence connecting him to the gang and that his deportation violates his due process rights. Despite his lack of tattoos and his family’s plea for his return, Salazar-Cuervo remains in a Salvadoran prison. His case highlights the broader issue of improper deportations and the questionable evidence used by authorities in such cases. Salazar-Cuervo’s lawyers are pushing for his return to the U.S. to face charges for trespassing.