Ayden Runnels, The Texas Tribune

Plans to build portions of the border wall in Big Bend National Park are off after bipartisan backlash over the proposed construction, a top U.S. Customs and Border Patrol official told the Washington Examiner.

CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said the Trump administration was no longer planning to construct the wall within the national park following pushback from residents, the Examiner reported this week.

“Big Bend National Park has some just, like, unbelievably huge granite cliffs. It would be kind of silly to put like a 30-foot border wall on top of a 90-foot granite cliff,” Scott said in an interview with the Examiner. “So what we’re trying to convey is that we are going to have meaningful border security in that entire area.”

Scott's comments only referenced the national park and did not detail whether CBP's withdrawal from wall construction also included the nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park or private property in the region.

CBP officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about updated plans.

Instead of a wall, federal officials will pave roads along the border in the national park and make use of drones and other digital surveillance equipment, Scott said. News of the cancellation comes after weeks of upheaval in Texas as elected officials from both political parties and residents asserted that construction in the park would be a waste of resources.

In February, Trump administration officials waived over two dozen environmental laws to clear the way for a 150-mile-long border barrier through West Texas, including Big Bend National Park.

Then in early April, an interactive map on the CBP website showed the agency planned to instead install “virtual wall” technology in the region that would alert Border Patrol agents when people cross the border. CBP officials took down the map in late April, and it is not currently available on the agency’s website.

Local residents near Big Bend sued the Trump administration in mid-April, arguing that federal officials waived the regulations illegally in pursuit of the construction project.

Funds acquired through the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” President Donald Trump’s key spending package, direct CBP to construct a multifaceted barrier system, or a “Smart Wall,” across the southern border with Mexico. The proposed barriers would include bollard walls and patrol roads, as well as surveillance technology and floating buoys placed in the Rio Grande.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.

Texas GOP congressional candidate Zeke Enriquez bet on the outcome of his own election on Kalshi, the prediction market said in a press release Wednesday, marking the latest sign of the industry’s newfound prevalence in the state’s politics.

Enriquez, who finished 11th in the Republican primary for Texas’ 21st Congressional District with 1.4% of the vote, traded less than $100 worth of contracts related to his own candidacy, according to Kalshi regulatory documents. Kalshi fined Enriquez $784 and suspended him from the platform for five years after a “full investigation” with which Enriquez was “fully cooperative,” the company said.

Two other political candidates, in Minnesota and Virginia, were also caught trading on their own elections and suspended from the platform, Kalshi said.

Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have faced growing scrutiny in recent months, with lawmakers and others raising concerns about insider trading and fears that the exploding industry could undermine the integrity of U.S. elections with the 2026 midterms underway. The suspensions and fines mark one of the most robust enforcement actions taken yet by a prediction market platform against political candidates, according to CNN.

A Kalshi spokesperson said the platform referred Enriquez's case to the CFTC. It did not refer his case to any state agencies, according to the spokesperson, who said it wasn’t required.

Prediction markets have expanded in Texas through a federal loophole, even as traditional sports betting and casinos remain outlawed in the state. Ahead of next year’s legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick instructed Texas state senators to “study the sudden inundation of prediction market gambling” and “make recommendations to ensure the integrity of Texas elections and Texas sports.”

Prediction sites allow users to bet on almost any subject, from sports and elections to entertainment and the economy. The platforms are regulated by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission. While the Biden administration sought to prohibit election-related prediction markets, the agency under the Trump administration withdrew that proposal earlier this year.

Kalshi has sought to convince regulators and lawmakers that it is a responsible operator, publicizing the three cases Wednesday and last month announcing it would preemptively block political candidates from trading on their elections, along with barring athletes and coaches from betting on their own sports outcomes.

“Cases like these demonstrate Kalshi’s commitment to policing all types of unfair or improper trading on our platform,” Bobby DeNault, Kalshi’s head of enforcement, said in the statement announcing the suspensions Wednesday. “Regardless of the size of a trade, political candidates who can influence a market based on whether they stay in or out of a race violate our rules. No matter how small the size of the trade, any trade that is found to have violated our exchange rules will be punished.”

People seeking a host of professional licenses in Texas, from electricians to dog breeders, will soon have to prove they are in the country legally after the state’s Commission of Licensing and Regulation on Tuesday adopted a new rule that could affect thousands of workers.

Commissioners unanimously approved the change after hearing from a parade of speakers who largely asked them to do the opposite because of worries that it will hamper the state’s economy and burden immigrants trying to make an honest living. The speakers also argued the move will push people to work without a license, and erode state oversight of crucial industries.

The commission oversees the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which plans to implement the rule May 1. An agency spokesperson did not immediately respond Tuesday for comment.

Despite the agency’s stated intent to follow federal statute and the concerns raised by workers across the state, TDLR lawyer Derek Burkhalter told commissioners that some noncitizens will still be able to get licenses — so long they meet one of the qualifications under a three-decade-old federal law underpinning the rule change and provide required documentation.

People can qualify for benefits under the federal law if they were granted asylum, admitted as a refugee or are recognized as a victim of human trafficking, for example.

“The proposed rules do not impose a citizenship requirement,” Burkhalter said. “Individuals who are not U.S. citizens may still be eligible for licensure if they meet the eligibility criteria.”

TDLR argues that the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 prohibits people in the country unlawfully from receiving certain benefits, including professional licenses administered by the state, unless they qualify for certain exceptions. The lists of documents that can be used to apply for a license will be posted on TDLR’s website, officials said Tuesday.

TDLR joins at least three other state agencies that have cracked down on immigration through administrative and regulatory procedures since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last year. The Texas Department of Public Safety has stopped issuing commercial driver’s licenses to many noncitizens, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles imposed new strict photo ID requirements for vehicle registrations, and the Texas Secretary of State’s Office has been on the hunt for noncitizens registered to vote, at times erroneously flagging Americans as potential noncitizens.

The changes mirror a presidential executive order from February 2025, when Trump ordered federal agencies to crack down on the same 1996 law to “defend against the waste of hard-earned taxpayer resources, and protect benefits for American citizens in need, including individuals with disabilities and veterans.”

It remains unclear how many undocumented workers will be affected in Texas by the new licensing requirement. The state is home to an estimated 1.7 million people without authorization who work in numerous key industries such as construction, hospitality and an assortment of others under the purview of TDLR.

Steve Bruno, the agency’s deputy executive director for licensing and regulatory services, told commissioners that fewer than 2% of the licenses issued by the agency did not have a Social Security number attached to them.

But TDLR could not assume those individuals were running afoul of federal law, agency officials said, because there are a number of ways for noncitizens to live and work in the country through federal programs.

The agency issued more than 1 million individual and business licenses during the 2025 fiscal year.

TDLR’s website currently contains guidance to apply for occupational licenses for those who do not have a Social Security number. The page links to a form, last updated by the commission in January, that instructs applicants to attach supporting documentation, such as a green card, immigrant visa or refugee travel document.

To offer commissioners context, Bruno said the agency had issued roughly 19,000 new licenses and renewed another 39,000 in February alone.

The information did little to assuage concerns from a variety of industries.

Agency officials received 450 comments about the proposed rule; of those, all but 28 were against it.

Among those who testified in person Tuesday morning was Rocio Gomez, a 35-year-old Austin resident who holds an eyelash extension specialist’s license and instructs at a beauty school in the capital city. Some of her students without legal status have been in great distress since the agency proposed the rule in January, at times crying to her about the uncertainty of their future, she said in an interview after testifying.

“Seeing how this has affected the students affects us too, emotionally. It appears that everything is at the whim of them,” Gomez said in an interview in Spanish, gesturing at the dais where the commissioners sat.

Other speakers — salon owners, educators and beyond — reminded commissioners about the strict requirements already in place to earn some licenses. Industries that will be affected range from dyslexia therapists to used car parts recyclers to dog breeders, according to TDLR’s proposal filed with the state.

Some of the licenses require many hours of practice and safety education. For instance, earning a cosmetology operator license in Texas can take more than a year as applicants learn about chemicals and hygiene as well as hair technique.

In barring undocumented people from getting licensed, the state will force them into the black market and lead to a proliferation of people providing services without oversight or proper permitting, speakers told commissioners.

The issue has already captured the attention of elected officials and immigration hardliners, who welcomed the new rule.

"For too long, benefits to illegal aliens have served as a magnet to entice migrants to enter the United States illegally,” Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Gov. Greg Abbott, said in a statement after the vote. “Texas will not reward illegal immigration by issuing professional licenses to those here unlawfully. These changes protect the integrity of our licensing system, uphold federal law, and ensure jobs go to hardworking Texans.”

State agencies must run proposed rule changes by the governor’s office before they are made available for public comment.

Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin, who is running for comptroller of public accounts, submitted a comment to TDLR in opposition to the change. Using published estimates by a variety of groups, the senator calculated that the rule change could result in a reduction of the state’s skilled workforce by 8 to 10%.

“Texas cannot afford to lose qualified and skilled licensees in these high-demand jobs,” Eckhardt wrote, urging the commission to study the potential effect. “The impact of TDLR’s proposed rule is likely more far-reaching than what was initially assessed by the agency.”

In their formal rule proposal filed with the state, agency officials wrote that there would be no anticipated economic impacts or effects on small and microbusinesses. In response to questions about this on Tuesday, they told commissioners that it was difficult to assess potential impact because they did not want to assume a licensee was afoul of federal law simply because they did not provide a Social Security number.

Commission Chair Rick Figueroa asked for frequent updates to the commission as the rule is implemented, acknowledging the agency was entering uncharted territory perhaps only in the company of the Department of Motor Vehicles, which made its change months ago.

“This is a front-burner issue in regards to information back to the commission,” Figueroa said. “I'm sure we're building a plane and flying it a little bit.”

Ayden Runnels contributed to this report.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett on Monday confirmed that a 39-year-old man who was killed in a standoff with Dallas officers last week was a member of her security team who had been using a fraudulent identity.

Diamon Mazairre Robinson lived as “Mike King” for years, during which he operated security businesses that hired off-duty officers, Dallas police said during a Monday press conference. Robinson’s real identity was exposed after Irving police put out a bulletin for a vehicle with stolen government plates, which a Dallas officer had seen while working with Robinson on a security job six months earlier.

Robinson fled Dallas police, who attempted to pull him over on March 11, escaping a brief chase before being located once more in a hospital parking garage, officials said. After an hours-long standoff with negotiators, officers shot and killed Robinson after he stepped out of the vehicle and drew a handgun.

In a statement posted on social media, the Dallas congresswoman confirmed that Robinson had helped provide security for her for years, and said her team had followed U.S. House procedure for contracting security. She also said Robinson, acting as Mike King, had worked with multiple law enforcement agencies, including Capitol Police. A spokesperson with the Capitol Police did not respond to an immediate request for comment.

Crockett said that her team was unaware he had been acting under an alias, but that Robinson had always maintained positive community relationships and never gave anyone reason to suspect he had misconstrued his identity.

“What we’re learning about his past doesn’t fit the person we came to know as Mike King,” Crockett said. “ His death evokes a range of emotions. Our hearts grieve the loss of someone we knew and the lost good that could have come from his redemption.”

DPD Deputy Chief William Kenneth said investigators did not discover Robinson’s true identity until after Crockett’s campaign for the Democratic nomination in the U.S. Senate race had ended. Crockett, a former public defender, said in her statement that she believed in people’s capacity for redemption and second chances. She also acknowledged Robinson’s prior criminal history and said they did not believe he had been charged with any violent offenses.

Robinson had posed as a federal officer under the “Specialty Dignitary Police,” a nonexistent agency he created identification cards for, officials said. He also had two active felony theft warrants from 2017, a parole violation, two vehicles with stolen government plates and multiple stolen firearms, including the one he produced before being shot, Kenneth said.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is encouraging the public to help enforce the state’s “bathroom bill” via a tip line for suspected violations of the new law designed to restrict which facilities transgender people can use.

Senate Bill 8, also known as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, requires government buildings, schools and colleges to restrict access to restrooms and locker rooms based on sex assigned at birth. If someone does enter the “wrong” bathroom, institutions, not the individual, are punished by the state, with $25,000 first-time fines and $125,000 subsequent penalties per day. Individuals can also sue agencies if they are in a restroom and are "affected" by a violation of the law.

SB 8 tasks Paxton’s office with investigating complaints and proposing penalty amounts, but only after complaints are initially filed with the accused agency. The complaint form launched Wednesday requires a copy of the original complaint to the accused institution for any submission.

The form also has an option to submit photos to the tip line, however, taking photos inside a restroom is illegal. In 2023, Williamson County GOP Chair Michelle Evans had her phone confiscated by Department of Public Safety officers and was investigated by Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza after she posted a photo of a trans woman inside a Texas Capitol restroom. Evans sued Garza to stop the investigation, arguing the photo was not an invasion of privacy, but in early December the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against her.

In a statement about the new tip line, Paxton encouraged those who witness violations to use the tip line and said the necessity for SB 8 stems from “radical leftism” and the danger of “mentally ill men.”

“Together, we will uproot and bring justice to any state agency or political subdivision that opens the door for men to violate women’s privacy, dignity, and safety,” Paxton said.

The restrictions have been long-supported by conservative lawmakers and advocates as a way of restricting trans people’s access to facilities, a move they claim protects women in vulnerable spaces. SB 8, however, has no guidance on how to enforce its restrictions, only mandating that institutions take “every reasonable step” to ensure violations don’t occur, which opponents of the law have said is purposefully vague.

Critics of SB 8 have worried that the vague enforcement guidelines may also encourage people to harass or intimidate people in restrooms if they believe someone is in the “wrong” restroom, even in areas the law doesn’t apply.

"The 'tip line' wrongly encourages Texans to violate each other's privacy in bathrooms," said Brian Klosterboer, senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, in a statement. "The Attorney General has tried for years to vilify and dehumanize transgender Texans, but he can’t strip away every person’s right to privacy and right to live our lives free from gender stereotyping."

In one instance cited during legislative testimony on SB 8, a cisgender teenaged girl was accused of being in the wrong restroom at a Minnesota restaurant and harassed by a server until the girl exposed her breasts. Minnesota does not have a law restricting restrooms to biological sex, and no bathroom bill in the country, including Texas, applies to private businesses. Advocates allege the animus created by laws like SB 8 caused the incident to occur.

Enforcement across Texas since SB 8 went into effect on Dec. 4 has varied. At the Texas Capitol on Dec. 6, Department of Public Safety officers in one instance blocked the women’s restroom and checked the IDs of protesters attempting to enter.

For most other agencies and colleges, though, change has amounted to new signage and written policies. Some agencies have asserted they had no need to implement any new policies, as their current restroom policies were sufficient.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.

A Texas State University student’s enrollment ended after a video was posted showing him mocking conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death, the latest in a series of removals across Texas campuses prompted by comments made about the killing.

The video, posted Tuesday morning on X, shows the student in a crowd slapping his neck several times, calling himself Kirk and at one point climbing the base of a statue and stating “my name is Charlie Kirk” before falling over. Kirk died after being shot in the neck on Sept. 10 during an event he was hosting at Utah Valley University.

The video sparked responses condemning the student’s mocking of Kirk, including from Gov. Greg Abbott, who reshared the video and demanded Texas State University take action against the student.

“Expel this student immediately,” Abbott said in a social media post on X. “Mocking assassination must have consequences.”

Six hours after Abbott’s request, Texas State University announced the person in the video had been identified and “was no longer a student” at the university, according to a statement from Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse. It was not immediately clear whether the student was expelled or voluntarily withdrew. In Damphousse’s statement, he called the video “disturbing” and condemned the student’s behavior.

“I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses,” Damphousse said.

The name of the student was not released by Damphousse in his statement. He said that federal law prevents the school from commenting on individual student conduct matters. Texas State University spokespeople did not immediately respond to questions about what policies may have been broken or what specific behavior from the student had triggered officials to act.

The end of the student’s enrollment is a convergence between two recent phenomena gripping Texas education: widespread conservative backlash against those who mock or criticize Kirk in the days since his killing, and viral videos of those in higher education leading to their removal from campus. Faculty and advocacy groups have expressed repeated concern that the wave of removals and firings for statements and actions by students and faculty amount to First Amendment violations and a clampdown on free speech.

A student at Texas Tech University was arrested for misdemeanor assault on Sept. 12 after a video of her demeaning Kirk and arguing with another student was shared on social media, including by Abbott.

And in K-12 schools, at least two teachers in Texas have been fired for online comments they made about Kirk and two have resigned. The Texas Education Agency said it has received 180 complaints it will investigate related to comments made about Kirk. Texas American Federation of Teachers president Zeph Capo condemned the investigations as a politically motivated “witch hunt.”

Comments made by those in higher education to matters unrelated to Kirk’s death have also prompted online criticism and calls for removals. On Sept. 10, Texas State University fired Professor Thomas Alter for comments he made during an online social conference that was unknowingly recorded and posted on social media.

And at Texas A&M University on Sept. 9, Professor Melissa McCoul was fired and the College of Arts and Sciences dean and a department head were removed from their positions. The firing and removals came after a video of a student confronting McCoul in her children’s literature course over gender identity content was posted online.

The shockwave of backlash on multiple fronts across the state, led and at times spurred by conservative lawmakers, comes as Texas universities are turning to politicians more frequently to take on administrative roles at state institutions. Three current and former state Republican lawmakers have been selected as chancellors of some of Texas’ largest university systems this year.

Republican lawmakers have also led efforts to restrict when and how students can protest on campus, claiming the new guidelines will help to avoid unsafe behavior seen at pro-Palestinian protests last year. Senate Bill 2972 restricts sound amplifying devices to be used in a disruptive manner and prohibits protests between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.

The restrictions in SB 2972 come five years after the Texas Legislature passed a bill in 2019 that aimed to bolster free speech protections on campus. Senate Bill 18 was also authored and favored by Republicans, which created sanctions for students who interfere with others’ free speech and protects student organizations' ability to invite speakers on campus.

Amid the public outcry, Damphousse pushed back on claims that the student’s actions in the video reflect on the university or its community as a whole in an email sent to Texas State University students. He also asked for “measured response and dialogue” amid the anxiety on campus.

“Just as the behavior in the video was reprehensible, attempts to spread the blame onto innocent students are also unacceptable,” Damphousse said. “The actions of one person do not reflect our entire community or the individuals in it.”

Disclosure: Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.