Reporting Texas
News and features from UT-Austin's School of Journalism
byErika González
At 4 a.m., Yeni Renderos’ alarm went off, just like every other day. Half-asleep, she made coffee, woke her 16-year-old daughter and drove her to school before climbing into her truck, “Rosendo,” as she affectionately called it. For 10 years, that routine had defined her life in Houston, driving to construction sites, convinced her life was finally moving forward.
But that Monday was different. Renderos’ boss called to confirm what she feared most: “You can’t keep working, Yeni, she recalled him saying. “The rules for commercial licenses have changed.”
Renderos is one of thousands of non-citizen truckers on the verge of losing their livelihoods after the state of Texas announced new restrictions on commercial driver’s licenses for immigrants.
byOisakhose Aghomo
Immigrant children seeking asylum in the United States are facing thousands of dollars in new fees and other hurdles mandated this year by Congress, Texas refugee advocates say. “Policy changes that we’ve seen over the past few months … all have one thing in common, and that is targeting the rights of migrant children […]
byNatalia Rodriguez
Twelve representatives of Students for a Democratic Society staged a sit-in Friday as part of a protest at the University of Texas Tower to demand the school reject a “compact” offered by the Trump administration. The protesters planned to deliver their demands, which included holding a public meeting regarding the state of the compact, to the office of the UT Provost William Inboden. They planned to stay in the provost’s office until they were able to deliver the list to Inboden personally. The sit-in resulted in threats of arrest from university officials.
byIsabel Neumann
Just two months after a new Texas law expanded parents’ power to challenge school library books, authors gathered at the Texas Book Festival’s Banned Book Bash to read from titles that have been banned or challenged, or which might face future restrictions. The festival’s Librotraficantes: Banned Book Bash, held Saturday at Cheer Up Charlies, brought […]
