The effort to get the SAVE America Act to President Donald Trump’s desk intensified on Wednesday, when Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) released an op-ed highlighting that he would back “whatever changes to Senate rules” were deemed necessary in order to pass the bill.
Cornyn’s op-ed comes as he and Attorney General Ken Paxton are battling for Trump&#8217;s endorsement in the heated Texas Republican Senate primary that is already headed to a May 26 runoff election.
The president has said that the SAVE America Act is his top legislative priority, even vowing not to sign any other legislation until he sees it on his desk, and some Republicans have suggested using the “talking filibuster” — or ending the filibuster altogether — in order to get around Democratic obstruction. The measure would require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration and voter ID at the ballot box.
“For many years, I believed that if the U.S. Senate scrapped the filibuster, Texas and our nation would stand to lose more than we would gain,” Cornyn wrote in his op-ed for the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/11/opinion/sen-cornyn-why-the-save-act-matters-more-than-the-filibuster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>.
“My fellow conservatives and I have proudly used the 60-vote threshold to protect the country from all sorts of bad ideas and dangerous policies,” he added, saying that “when the reality on the ground changes, leaders must take stock and adapt.”
“Today, Democrats are weaponizing the Senate’s rules to block the SAVE America Act, defund the Department of Homeland Security and hurt the American people — all to spite President Donald Trump. But they say openly that if these same rules ever get in Democrats’ way, they won’t hesitate to rip them up,” he said, noting how many Democrats have sought to get rid of the filibuster in the past.
Critics of using a “talking filibuster” — or ending the practice altogether — have warned that it could open the floodgates to certain legislative proposals that the Democrats, and perhaps a small number of Republicans, could pass.
“A lot of that is, it&#8217;s in that kind of, you know, paid influencer ecosystem,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told <a href="https://x.com/brennanleach/status/2031083867503743376?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBC News</a> on Monday.
“What people don’t realize, I think, is that’s unlimited debate but it’s also unlimited amendments,” Thune has previously warned, according to <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5777802-talking-filibuster-gop-debate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>.
Attorney General Ken Paxton used Cornyn&#8217;s op-ed as an opportunity to attack the incumbent senator, reminding everyone that he had posted on X one week prior that he “would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act.”
“John Cornyn did exactly what I predicted. In one week, I&#8217;ve made him more conservative than in the past 24 years,” Paxton posted Wednesday. “The historic flip-flop&#8217;s great and all, but why aren&#8217;t you calling out your buddies like McConnell opposing the bill? Tell the American people who&#8217;s opposing this.&#8221;
The Republican primary has taken a strikingly personal tone as the runoff approaches, with the Cornyn campaign releasing a commercial on Friday regarding Paxton’s personal scandals and accusing the sitting attorney general of breaking several of the Ten Commandments.
Democrats have begun coalescing around state Sen. James Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett in the primary last week — but according to the Cook Political Report, the general election race still skews “Likely Republican.”

Sen. John Cornyn

The Fight Over Proof Of Citizenship To Vote Reaches Boiling Point

2026 midterm

Congress

election integrity

John Cornyn

Ken Paxton

Senate

Texas

President Donald Trump signaled this week that he will soon issue an endorsement in the high-stakes Texas Republican Senate primary runoff, a move that could dramatically reshape the race between incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he plans to announce his endorsement soon and urged the candidate who does not receive it to step aside to unify the party ahead of the general election. 
“I will be making my Endorsement soon,” Trump wrote. He added that the candidate he does not back should “DROP OUT OF THE RACE” so Republicans can “TOTALLY FOCUS” on defeating the Democratic nominee.
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116172264831357045/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><script src="https://truthsocial.com/embed.js" async="async"></script>
The statement comes as the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/texas-senate-results">Texas primary</a> heads toward what is expected to be a bruising runoff. Cornyn finished the initial round of voting ahead of Paxton, leading by roughly 25,000 votes with more than 95 percent of ballots counted. However, neither candidate secured the majority required to avoid a second round, setting up a competitive 12-week showdown.
Behind the scenes, several Senate Republicans and major donors are urging Trump to move quickly, and many are lobbying for Cornyn.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/03/05/congress/gop-trump-texas-endorsement-cornyn-paxton-00813727">told</a> reporters he hopes the endorsement comes soon, saying he personally made the case to the president. Other Republicans have echoed that message, warning that a drawn-out primary battle could weaken the eventual nominee and provide Democrats with an opening in November.
Some party operatives fear the fight could burn through more than $100 million in Republican donor money. Democrats have already consolidated behind their nominee, state Rep. James Talarico, who secured his party&#8217;s nomination outright.  
Several GOP senators have argued that Cornyn would be the stronger general election candidate.
Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) told POLITICO that Cornyn is “without a doubt the candidate to win in November,” while also acknowledging the political weight of a Trump endorsement in Republican primaries.
Similarly, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) argued the party should rally behind Cornyn to protect the seat. “We need to hold that seat which means we need to nominate someone who is going to win in November,” Barrasso said.
Despite the mounting pressure, Paxton has signaled he has no intention of leaving the race regardless of Trump&#8217;s decision.
In an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RealAmericasVoice/videos/paxton-im-staying-in-this-raceno-im-staying-in-this-race-i-owe-it-to-the-people-/913491044731688/">interview</a> on Wednesday, Paxton argued that Cornyn has failed to represent the state’s conservative base. “I owe it to the people of Texas,” Paxton said. “I’ve spent a year campaigning against John Cornyn because John has not represented the people of Texas well.”
Paxton doubled down on that stance in a post on <a href="https://x.com/KenPaxtonTX/status/2029607496395239546?s=20">X</a> Thursday, tying his candidacy to Trump’s legislative agenda and the proposed SAVE America Act. He said he would consider stepping aside only if Senate leadership agreed to eliminate the filibuster and pass the legislation, while accusing Cornyn of refusing to support abolishing the filibuster to advance it. 
Paxton further defended his loyalty to the president, citing his support for Trump’s efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 United States presidential election and his presence at Mar-a-Lago during Trump’s 2024 campaign launch.
While Trump has not yet publicly revealed whom he will support, many Republicans in Washington believe momentum is shifting toward Cornyn following his stronger-than-expected showing in the first round of voting.
Still, the final decision could determine whether the Texas GOP faces a prolonged and expensive intra-party battle or quickly coalesces around a nominee ahead of the general election.

Untitled design (13)

Trump Signals Imminent Endorsement In Texas GOP Senate Runoff

Donald Trump

Elections

Politics

U.S. Senate

The national narrative about the result of last night&#8217;s Texas Senate Democratic primary is that the party dodged a bullet. Picking Austin state representative James Talarico over Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett was the savvy move, ensuring a competitive statewide race that will, at worst, be a drag on Republican dollars in the upcoming midterms, and at best could finally fulfill leftist dreams of turning the state blue.
It&#8217;s possible this national narrative is right, and Talarico will make it a race against embattled incumbent Senator John Cornyn or, Democrats hope, controversial Attorney General Ken Paxton. There&#8217;s plenty of investment by the donor class and the party establishment in this effort. The dutiful legacy media complex, from Stephen Colbert to <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/03/02/james-talarico-profile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Yorker</a>, is already building up Talarico as that rare thing, a Christian of the Left who can win over centrist voters. They are already giving him the serious &#8220;young man looking into the middle distance thinking about noble stuff&#8221; profile already done to death for fellow Ivy League grads Beto O&#8217;Rourke and Pete Buttigieg (to no avail). Expect more of the same in the months ahead.
Despite Kamala Harris&#8217;s endorsement, Crockett faced a deluge of Democratic donor opposition for her Senate effort, as billionaire lefties went all out for Talarico — and paid for all the dirty political attacks he claims to demur from. As the Washington Free Beacon <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/mess-in-texas-billionaire-backed-talarico-shrugs-off-racism-scandal-to-steal-senate-nod-from-jasmine-crockett/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>:
<blockquote>Meanwhile, a billionaire-funded super PAC linked to Talarico—who repeatedly assailed the influence of billionaire-funded super PACs—relentlessly attacked Crockett on the airwaves. The Lone Star Rising PAC, started by a longtime friend of Talarico just days before the candidate launched his Senate campaign, spent millions on negative ads against Crockett over the past few weeks. LinkedIn founder and Jeffrey Epstein pal Reid Hoffman was among the billionaires who bankrolled the super PAC, along with hedge fund titans Stephen Mandel and Mark Heising. The group also received millions via the same &#8220;dark money&#8221; networks Talarico had promised to ban via ‘anti-corruption’ legislation.</blockquote>
The irony here is that while Democrats might have wanted Talarico because he could make Texas competitive, they ended up picking a guy who — for all his invocations of Scripture — is actually further left than Crockett. Her record isn&#8217;t moderate, but it&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/upshot/crockett-talarico-texas-senate-election.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more moderate</a> than you&#8217;d think given her fiery social media persona. And her appeal was to a broad ethnically diverse camp that tends to grade as more moderate, while Talarico actually performed best in multiple polls with liberals. There&#8217;s a reason that white voters in Austin were his greatest center of support, and it&#8217;s not because he name-checks the Magnificat while making the case for abortion.
Texas Democrats may ultimately regret this decision. Crockett would&#8217;ve had a tougher path to victory, but she could&#8217;ve made inroads into the communities that Democrats need to peel back from Donald Trump&#8217;s coalition. With Talarico, it looks like Beto all over again — a guy who&#8217;s further left than the media will ever acknowledge trying to fake out moderate voters just until Election Day. In case you missed it, this was their favored approach just last year to win statewide in Virginia and New Jersey with two new governors who even got described as moderates by the Wall Street Journal, and instantly revealed they were nothing of the kind.
So watch out, Texas. You&#8217;re about to get the nice young man junior Bible camp version of Abigail Spanberger. Don&#8217;t fall for it.

Texas State Representative Talarico Campaigns Ahead Of Primary Election

Will James Talarico Flip Texas Blue? Don’t Be So Sure.

James Talarico

Jasmine Crockett

President Donald Trump says he will make an endorsement in the Texas Senate Republican primary soon, and when he does so, he wants the other candidate to drop out so that Republicans in the Lone Star State can focus on gearing up for a potentially expensive and closely watched general election fight with Democratic nominee James Talarico.
The president explained his strategy after Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton both advanced to a runoff election on Tuesday night after an already brutal primary race. Trump had initially opted not to endorse any specific candidate in the three-way race that also included Rep. Wesley Hunt, who failed to earn enough votes to move forward.
“The Republican Primary Race for the United States Senate in the Great State of Texas, a State I LOVE and won 3 times in Record Numbers (the HIGHEST vote ever recorded, by far!!!), cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer. IT MUST STOP NOW!” Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday afternoon, saying that the party needs to “TOTALLY FOCUS” on beating Talarico, who defeated Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX).
“Both John and Ken ran great races, but not good enough. Now, this one, must be PERFECT! My Endorsements within the Republican Party have been virtually insurmountable!” he said.
“It is such an honor to realize and say that almost everyone I Endorse WINS, and wins by a lot, especially in Texas! I will be making my Endorsement soon, and will be asking the candidate that I don&#8217;t Endorse to immediately DROP OUT OF THE RACE! Is that fair?” the president added, stressing that Republicans “must win” the midterms. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but that margin could shift in either direction, thanks to several competitive races on the table in November.
The attacks between Cornyn and Paxton, which colored much of the primary race, showed no signs of stopping as of Tuesday night.
“I refuse to allow a flawed, self-centered and shameless candidate like Ken Paxton risk everything we&#8217;ve worked so hard to build over these many years,” Cornyn said, according to CSPAN.
Meanwhile, Paxton posted to X on Wednesday morning that he wants to “fire John Cornyn once and for all.”
“Last night, in a historic failure for John Cornyn, he failed to get nearly 60% of the GOP vote after spending $100 million,” he wrote. “It&#8217;s time to finish the job in the runoff.”
The Cook Political Report currently ranks the race as “Likely Republican,” but there has been some concern among Republicans that a lengthy, messy primary — especially one that drags even further through a contentious runoff — could continue to drain resources and boost the Democrat in the general election. Trump won the state of Texas with over 56% of the vote in 2024.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump

Trump Wants To Play Kingmaker In Heated Texas Senate Race

2026 election

Psychologists, counselors, and social workers in Texas can be penalized just like doctors for helping facilitate children&#8217;s sex changes, according to an opinion clarifying the state&#8217;s ban on sex-rejecting interventions.
The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (TBHEC) asked Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton if mental health providers met the criteria of “health care provider” described in the state&#8217;s child sex-rejection ban, <a href="https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB14/id/2756089">S.B. 14</a>, suggesting the care provided by mental health professionals fell outside the outlawed interventions.
“The agency respectfully seeks clarification as to how such providers are impacted by S.B. 14, given that the prohibited activities and services are exclusively medical in nature and fall outside the scope of practice for mental health professionals,” the council wrote in a July 2025 <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/request-files/request/2025/RQ0605KP.pdf">letter</a>. 
“Any radical facilitating the ‘transitioning’ of our kids is committing child abuse. The law is clear that these radical procedures are illegal and in no world should Texans’ tax dollars be used to permanently harm children,” Paxton told The Daily Wire. &#8220;This opinion should send a clear warning that there will be consequences for any medical professional, whether a doctor or a therapist, who is illegally ‘transitioning’ Texas kids.”
The <a href="https://bhec.texas.gov/">TBHEC</a> helps regulate and uphold professional standards within the state&#8217;s behavioral health and social service professions.
Paxton unequivocally said mental health professionals fell within the criteria of the ban in an <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/opinion-files/opinion/2026/kp-0518.pdf">opinion</a> published on February 27, 2026.
“The unambiguous definition of ‘health care provider’ does not require a prescription pad or scalpel,” Paxton stated in the opinion. “S.B. 14 codified more than a prohibition on providing certain surgeries and prescriptions.” 
Paxton further clarified that the Texas <a href="https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB14/id/2756089">ban</a> on child sex-rejection forbids the use of public money to fund any individual or organization that “provides or facilitates” the gender transition of minors.
The TBHEC told The Daily Wire the professionals they help regulate are “expected to comply fully with Texas law.” 
“S.B. 14 prohibits certain medical procedures for minors in Texas. The question before us was whether the technical statutory definition of ‘health care provider’ included behavioral health professionals,” Darrel Spinks, Executive Director of the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, told The Daily Wire. 
“Out of deference to the statutory framework and the Attorney General’s role in interpreting state law, we sought formal clarification to remove any ambiguity. The opinion confirms what many would reasonably assume; that licensed mental health professionals are health care providers under the statute. This does not change the law or our responsibilities. Our licensees are expected to comply fully with Texas law,” Spinks stated. 
The council&#8217;s letter mentioned the pending Supreme Court case, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-to-hear-challenge-to-colorados-gender-identity-censorship-law">Chiles v. Salazar</a>, where Christian counselor Kaley Chiles is challenging Colorado’s law banning so-called conversion therapy. The Colorado <a href="https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/2019a_1129_signed.pdf">law</a> prohibits counselors from “attempts or purports to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity,” which Chiles argues violates her freedom of speech and pushes children towards sex-rejecting medical interventions. 
“The court is examining whether the regulated practice of mental health counseling is conduct or speech,” wrote the TBHEC. “Circuit courts are split, as the Third and Eleventh Circuits treat mental health counseling as speech and not conduct, while the Ninth and Tenth Circuits treat it as conduct and not speech. Given the significance of the question before the court, which may have far reaching implications, this case may be something you want to consider in your opinion.” 
Paxton addressed these concerns in the opinion footnotes, writing, “You also imply that your questions may intersect with the First Amendment, referencing Chiles v. Salazar … But Chiles concerns a statute that is markedly different from the framework at issue in your request.”   
However, Paxton wrote his office generally did not comment on pending litigation and would offer “no speculation on the scope of the Court’s eventual holding in Chiles.” 
Mental health providers play a pivotal role in the sex-rejecting medical intervention pipeline by providing psychological assessments that are often required to obtain sex change surgeries, such as a double mastectomy, the opinion noted. 
“The multidisciplinary path to medically transitioning children often starts with mental ‘health care,’” the opinion states. “Mental health professionals serve as the ‘clinical gatekeepers whose assessments and recommendations initiate the interventions’ prohibited by S.B. 14.”
Many insurance companies and surgeons require a recent mental health assessment and surgery recommendation <a href="https://transcare.ucsf.edu/surgery-referral-assessment-requirements">letter</a> in order to move forward with sex-rejecting surgery.
The quality and clinical practice surrounding these assessments were heavily criticized in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 2025 <a href="https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2025-11/gender-dysphoria-report.pdf">report</a> on the treatment of gender dysphoria. 
Leor Sapir, PhD, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute and co-author of the HHS report, explained how gender clinician assessments often focus on achieving teens&#8217; sex-rejection goals rather than examining their gender dysphoria. 
“Gender clinicians have abandoned the assessment model pioneered by the Dutch and replaced it with ‘readiness assessments’ designed to help kids clarify and pursue their ‘embodiment goals,’” Sapir told The Daily Wire.   
“Importantly, gender clinicians freely acknowledge that these goals can shift, with some claiming that this is not a failure of treatment but rather part of a teen&#8217;s ‘gender journey.’ And increasingly, the gender-focused specialists in the mental health field have come to view assessment in the traditional sense as a form of harmful gatekeeping, or even ‘conversion therapy.’ “ 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
TODAY: The Texas Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of <a href="https://twitter.com/SorenAldaco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SorenAldaco</a>, an Independent Women ambassador &amp; detransitioner seeking justice for what she says is medical malpractice that led to her double mastectomy at age 19. 
🧵 <a href="https://t.co/EQc7rtsaua">pic.twitter.com/EQc7rtsaua</a>
— Independent Women (@IWF) <a href="https://twitter.com/IWF/status/2021629602805035171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Mental health assessments performed by gender clinicians have recently been scrutinized in detransitioners&#8217; lawsuits. 
Fox Varian, a female detransitioner, successfully sued her psychologist and surgeon and was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-details-emerge-in-landmark-2-million-trans-malpractice-judgment">awarded $2 million</a> for harm caused by a double mastectomy she received at age 16.  Psychologist Dr. Kenneth Einhorn recommended and pressured Varian’s mother to sign off on the surgery, saying the gender-confused teen would commit suicide without it, according to reporting from independent journalist Benjamin Ryan for the <a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/a-legal-first-that-could-change-gender">Free Press</a>.
Arguments in the case centered around a letter sent by Einhorn to Varian’s surgeon recommending she receive the double mastectomy, which Varian’s legal team argued was inaccurate and improper, according to reporting from <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/surgeon-psychologist-defend-approval-of-teen-gender-surgery-at-trial-5971471?lwpw=k_3a6luJl_-CKlybsxi5TcsF1XMIfeLvxAWJ_opV_QjuH3SoPr-dweybn_1R_4jnUcku1lvvVrkIBDi4KGrrtXa48JW6iWemlCp6rSMUQ0lVHv3817gNdnxMqZTK8d2Nmvvm64G934EWxturDVNPiSs7aFEUdDDgJsypHaol">The Epoch Times</a>.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/texas-supreme-court-case-could-help-destransitioners-seek-justice">Soren Aldaco</a>, a woman who struggled with gender confusion throughout her adolescence and underwent a double mastectomy at 19 that she later regretted, sued her mental health providers, alleging they negligently wrote a surgical recommendation that granted her access to the mastectomy, <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/texas/second-court-of-appeals/2024/02-24-00217-cv.html">court documents</a> show.

hc020425Genderpolicyfolo

Texas Therapists Will No Longer Get Away With Pushing Kids Toward Sex Changes

LGBT

Transgenders

Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett took the stage at her “TEXAS TOUGH Election Night Watch Party&#8221; in a downtown Dallas nightclub around 9:00 p.m. last night with some less-than-inspiring words for her followers.
“I can tell you now that people have been disenfranchised,” she said, implying that Republicans had deliberately suppressed votes in her home district. &#8220;And I think you know why.”
“I won’t be back tonight, because I have no idea when we’re going to have results.&#8221; Everyone should have a good time in her absence, she added.
But like it was always going to, the dream died in the middle of the night. Before 2:00 a.m. local time, the AP called the race. Crockett, the most entertaining Senate candidate Texas has seen in a generation, lost her Democratic primary to James Talarico, whose supporters in his home area of Austin — where he won something like 800% of the vote — were waving signs reading “Love Thy Neighbor” as he called his victory a “people-powered movement to take on this broken, corrupt political system.”
A liberal Christian vibe, led by a sort of lay preacher, won the day. But those of us who follow politics for a living, as a hobby, or both, want to thank Congresswoman Crockett for her service.
Crockett’s candidacy smothered the headlines like a noontime eclipse, blotting out the sun, even though she entered the race very late, not filing until near the December deadline. After Colin Allred, the blandest former football player on Earth, left the primary, she moved into the opening. Immediately upon her announcement, a poll saw her leading Talarico by eight points. As she said at a Houston nightclub soon after her announcement, &#8220;I&#8217;m Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett. Right now, I&#8217;m ready to kick some ass and become your next U.S. Senator.&#8221;
Even though you could barely parse the policy differences between Crockett and Talarico with a micrometer, she played the race card like no one has played it before. She said that Hispanic voters who supported the Trump administration’s immigration policies had a “slave mentality.” Rumors floated around that the GOP wanted her to run because they thought she’d be easier to beat than Talarico, even though Kamala Harris, of whose presidential campaign Crockett was a national co-chair, endorsed her candidacy. After a pro-Talarico group called Lone Star Rising released an ad that mentioned the apparent Republican preference for Crockett, Crockett accused them of darkening her skin in the ad and called the line of attack &#8220;straight-up racist.&#8221;
What dirt did she have on Talarico? Not much. With his over-earnest, Obama-like mannerisms and Richie Cunningham haircut, Talarico is the embodiment of the good-government liberal progressive, the kind of guy the old Daley Machine in Chicago used to call “goo-goos.&#8221; So instead, we got the “mediocre black man” controversy after Talarico, on a podcast, correctly called Allred’s dead Senate campaign “mediocre.” Crockett made good hay out of that one.
When Matt Rogers, co-host of the endlessly annoying “Las Culturistas” podcast with Bowen Yang, said, &#8220;Don&#8217;t waste your money sending to Jasmine Crockett,&#8221; the congresswoman unleashed a massive backlash online, forcing Rogers to apologize. And yet when CBS and the FCC “censored” but didn’t actually censor a Talarico interview with Stephen Colbert, garnering Talarico a massive national surge of publicity, Crockett’s response was muted, even soft. She knew the bird was cooked. But despite a massive fundraising disadvantage, a massive publicity disadvantage, and the fact that everyone, everywhere mocked everything about her, she actually did pretty well for a while. Not well enough, but almost.
So, what do we now face in Texas? Corruption-plagued Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, despite having more baggage than a family traveling back to India to visit relatives for six weeks, looked destined to upend the career of geriatric four-term Senator John Cornyn. But though Paxton and Cornyn are heading for a runoff in the Republican primary, Cornyn appears to have the edge, as he slightly overperformed polls on Tuesday, while Paxton and third-party candidate Wesley Hunt underperformed. It’s close, but Cornyn’s coalition of golf-shirt-wearing steakhouse people appears likely to triumph over whatever MAGA-style rebellion Paxton thinks he’s leading.
So here’s the most likely scenario: Talarico takes in countless millions of dollars from out-of-state Democrats, who once again believe they’re going to “turn Texas blue.” He’ll hold huge rallies full of enthusiastic, mostly white people who’ll cry while chanting his name. There will be a Willie Nelson concert and at least one appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. And then, on Election Day, he’ll lose by a respectable four to six points, once again bursting the bubble illusion that goo-goos can win in Texas, which hasn’t elected a Democratic Senator since Lloyd Bentsen.
Though the primary runoff between Cornyn and Paxton will be spicy, it’s going to be an earnestly dull general campaign. It didn’t have to be this way. Texas Democrats could have voted for Jasmine Crockett. As Whitney Houston once sang, didn’t we almost have it all?
***
Neal Pollack is the author of 12 semi-bestselling books of fiction and nonfiction and is a three-time Jeopardy! champion.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Congresswoman Crockett Holds Primary Election Night Event

Victory For The Goo-Goos? Inside Texas’s Wild Primary Night.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn will advance to the May 26 runoff election in the Texas Senate Republican primary, results indicated as of Tuesday night.
DecisionDesk projected the runoff at around 10:25 p.m. ET, with Cornyn at about 43.2% to Paxton&#8217;s 40.3%.
Rep. Wesley Hunt, who was also campaigning for the seat, was in a distant third place as of Tuesday night. In the Lone Star State, a candidate needs to crack 50% of the vote in order to avoid a runoff election.
None of the candidates was able to snag an endorsement from President Donald Trump that was unique to them, but the president did note that he backed “all three.”
“I just haven’t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven’t. [Cornyn’s] a good man. John is a good — I like all three of them, actually,” the president said in mid-February. “They’ve all supported me. They’re all good and you’re supposed to pick one. So, we’ll see what happens. But I support all three.”
It’s unclear if the president will endorse a candidate for the runoff election.
All three candidates were in attendance at an energy-focused event led by the president in Corpus Christi, Texas, last Friday. However, the election was overshadowed this weekend by a shooting at an Austin bar where two people were killed and over a dozen were injured – as the alleged shooter wore a &#8220;Property of Allah&#8221; hoodie and apparel with the Iranian flag on it.
The candidates engaged in a brutal and, at many times, personal fight for the nomination. Accusations flew about Cornyn’s political record, Paxton’s personal history, and Hunt’s attendance in Congress – all while trying to make the case that they would be the best individuals to carry out Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his second term.
Whoever advances to the general election will face off against either Rep. Jasmine Crockett or state Sen. James Talarico in November, depending on the final outcome of the Democratic primary.
Sen. Ted Cruz has remained neutral in the primary race, but his own electoral history could provide a window in the 2026 contest. Cruz defeated former Rep. Colin Allred in 2024 with 53% of the vote, and the Republican also beat former Rep. Beto O’Rourke in 2018.
The Cook Political Report ranks the general election race as “Likely Republican” as of Tuesday night, as the Kalshi prediction market has the odds of Republicans winning the general election at 60%.

Texas GOP Battle Between Cornyn And Paxton Will Head To Runoff

Wesley Hunt

Texas&#8217;s long-awaited Senate primary is Tuesday, and election watchers aren&#8217;t the only ones eagerly awaiting the results.
Kalshi users have wagered over $10 million on tonight&#8217;s primary as of this writing, the latest sign of the prediction market&#8217;s growing place in politics. Republicans have a 64% chance of winning the general election, while Democrats have just 36%, the current odds show.
As for the primaries, Attorney General Ken Paxton has an 83% chance to win the Republican nomination, with incumbent Sen. John Cornyn at 17% and Rep. Wesley Hunt at 1%. If none of the three candidates gets over 50% of the vote on Tuesday night, then the top two candidates will head to a runoff on May 26. President Donald Trump previously said he backs all three of the candidates, and did not make a specific endorsement ahead of the initial Tuesday primary.
For the Democrats, Kalshi has state Senator James Talarico’s odds at 85% for winning the nomination compared with 15% for firebrand Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.
“Texas remains a critical part of President Trump’s Senate Majority,” National Republican Senatorial Committee Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez said in a statement on Tuesday morning. The NRSC is backing Cornyn. “It doesn&#8217;t matter which radical Democrat makes it out of their messy primary tonight: James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett are both too radical for Texas and must be defeated in November,” she added.
There’s a 74% chance that Talarico and Paxton face off in the general election, but just a 13% chance the ultimate matchup is Talarico vs. Cornyn. The odds of a Crockett-Paxton matchup sit at just 12%, with other possibilities being even lower.
The Associated Press is providing election results data to Kalshi for Tuesday&#8217;s primary, a collaboration that &#8220;will further Kalshi’s goal of being the premier destination to experience elections,&#8221; Jaron Zhou, Kalshi’s Head of Politics, said in a statement on Monday.
“Kalshi’s election forecasts help campaigns and everyday citizens track market expectations for election outcomes, and integrating AP’s live vote count data enhances Kalshi’s election night experience by bringing together real-time vote tallies and market activity,” Zhou added.
Polls close at 8:00 p.m. ET in the Lone Star State. On the campaign trail, the candidates are making their final pitch to voters, including Crockett, who’s visiting multiple polling places throughout the day.
“If you haven’t voted yet, today is the day for you! I’m at the top of your ballot and asking for your support to continue our fight for affordability and accountability!” Crockett posted to X on Tuesday morning. “I’m on the move all day because this fight is bigger than one stop, one speech, or one person. I’d love to see you pull up and meet me and my friends at the polls!”
Trump won Texas handily in 2024, but the midterms are a critical tipping point for the president, as Republicans seek to maintain or grow the 53-seat majority in the Senate and the 218-seat majority in the House.

texas_senate_montage

Here’s How People Are Betting On Tonight’s Heated Texas Senate Primaries

Texas is suing a “radical gender” doctor whom the state alleges perpetrated medical fraud and attempted to subvert state law pertaining to gender treatments for minors.
Children&#8217;s Health System of Texas and <a href="https://utswmed.org/doctors/jason-jarin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Jason Jarin</a> <a href="https://www.childrens.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unlawfully</a> provided minors sex-rejecting medications, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, defrauded state insurance programs, and skirted state law, according to allegations in a <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/Petition_9.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
“I will use every legal tool available to ensure radical gender activists like Jarin face justice for hurting our kids,” Paxton told The Daily Wire. “This criminal extremist not only permanently harmed children, but he also then defrauded Medicaid and stuck Texas taxpayers with the bill for this insanity. Experimental ‘transition’ procedures on minors are illegal, unethical, and will not be tolerated in Texas.”
In June 2023, Texas passed <a href="https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB14/id/2756089" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate Bill 14</a>, which banned sex-rejecting interventions for minors. Dr. Jarin, a Division Director at Children&#8217;s Health System of Texas and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center, continued to provide children cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers after the law went into effect on September 1, 2023, the lawsuit alleges.
Dr. Jarin billed males for birth control medications that were intended to serve as cross-sex estrogen, fraudulently used diagnostic codes when billing for sex-rejecting procedures, and gave puberty blockers to “otherwise healthy children under the guise of ‘precocious puberty,’&#8221; according to the lawsuit.
Puberty blockers, which can cost thousands of dollars, are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of precocious puberty, an endocrine disorder in which early sexual development occurs in children. They <a href="https://www.congress.gov/118/meeting/house/116284/documents/HHRG-118-JU10-20230727-SD011.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are not FDA-approved</a> for the treatment of gender dysphoria.
“Although Texas law bans dangerous and experimental sex-rejecting procedures on children, the scourge of so-called ‘gender affirming care’ persists in the State of Texas,” the lawsuit reads. “Even worse, Texas taxpayers have been on the hook for millions of dollars in gender transition surgeries, hormones, and other procedures that turn otherwise healthy children and young adults into chronic medical patients.”
“Our top priority is the health and well-being of the patients and families we serve. We comply with all applicable local, state and federal health care law,” Children’s Health said in a statement.
“Due to ongoing legal proceedings, we are unable to comment further at this time.”
In 2015, Children’s and UT Southwestern jointly opened a gender clinic, called the GENder Education and Care, Interdisciplinary Support clinic (GENECIS), which had more than 1,000 patients before abruptly closing in March 2022 after facing “intense scrutiny” as the public became more aware of the horrors of gender medicine, the lawsuit describes.
However, despite the public-facing closure of the gender clinic, healthcare providers continued to provide sex-rejecting procedures to children through the Adolescent and Young Adult clinics at Children’s and the Department of Pediatric Gynecology.
“Most patients continued to see the same providers at the same locations, and the partnership between UT Southwestern and Children’s remained essentially the same,” states the lawsuit.
Both the GENECIS and Adolescent and Young Adult clinics were “overseen by overlapping department chairs at UT Southwestern,” which included the Department of Pediatrics chair, Dr. Jorge Bezerra, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology chair, Dr. Perrin White, and the Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics chair, Dr. Richard Adams, the lawsuit describes.
When SB-14 went into effect, Dr. Jarin and two former GENECIS clinic doctors, Dr. Brett Cooper and Dr. Mary Lau, met with UT Southwestern leadership, including Bezerra, White, and Adams, to “discuss the implication of SB-14 for both institutions,” according to the lawsuit.
Dr. Jarin was primarily tasked, alongside White, Lau, and Cooper, with creating a “wean protocol&#8221; that allowed patients to wean off of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in compliance with SB-14 over a “medically appropriate” period of time, according to the lawsuit.  Patients who attended mental health sessions and were prescribed the medications before June 1, 2023, were eligible for the “wean protocol.”
Paxton claims this protocol was an attempt to subvert compliance with SB-14 and “justify the continued, illegal prescription of cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers to children,” in the lawsuit.
The “wean protocol” decreased the dosing of sex-rejecting hormones at such a low rate that it would take “2 to 5 years to wean completely off,” allowing children to maintain the feminizing or masculinizing effects of the drugs until age 18, when they could legally return to their “pre-SB-14 dosage,” according to the lawsuit.
Furthermore, if patients met either of two “exception” criteria, they were permitted to discontinue weaning altogether.
The protocol required patients to maintain the reproductive hormone levels of the opposite sex “in perpetuity,” claiming this was necessary to protect their bone health.
If patients failed to maintain these artificially high hormone levels, which are the intended result of cross-sex hormone therapy, they were granted an &#8220;exception&#8221; from weaning off of the outlawed drugs, according to the lawsuit.
Paxton said “there was no legitimate medical basis for their recommendation regarding bone health,” and the protocol was “always a pretext for patients to continue illegal cross-sex hormones,&#8221; as stated in the lawsuit.
&#8220;There is no evidence to justify maintaining these hormone levels over prolonged periods of time. The vast medical literature on this topic shows that these hormonal treatments did not produce the desired effect of improving psychological well-being,” <a href="https://donoharmmedicine.org/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpm&amp;utm_campaign=gg&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=20707841002&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAo-mml0lKhEjcTG1qPvNZ-1InzHPM&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAhtvMBhDBARIsAL26pjGko9yt7rnE12NZnMRYmHQmENC5qfv_zJoBEEi7b_Tigf_gGa9qfHEaAu4wEALw_wcB" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Do No Harm</a> chairman Dr. Stanley Goldfarb told The Daily Wire. “Moreover, they are involved with all of the unfortunate side effects, including the potential for sterility as well as a number of genital problems associated with prolonged exposure to contra-sex hormones.&#8221;
Patients were also granted an exception from weaning off cross-sex hormones if their mental health team failed to document their “mental health stability at least every six months,” according to the lawsuit.
The same initial intake criteria used by UT Southwestern and Children’s to begin medicalizing gender confused children was used to continue cross-sex hormone therapy under the wean protocol, according to the lawsuit.
The 75-page lawsuit outlined multiple allegations of billing fraud and the subversion of SB-14, providing examples from multiple patients.
In the lawsuit, Texas claims both defendants violated the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act and the Texas Business &amp; Commerce Code. It also claims Dr. Jarin “knowingly” violated SB-14 “with respect to at least twelve minor patients.”
“Jarin and Children’s conspired to subvert compliance with SB-14 and to receive reimbursement for gender interventions in violation of State law. Defendants conspired to violate SB-14 and therefore receive reimbursement from Texas Medicaid in violation of State law and regulation,” states the lawsuit.
The federal government has not stated an intention to get involved in the Texas situation, but allegations of Medicaid fraud could draw interest from the Department of Justice.
UT Southwestern Medical Center did not immediately respond to The Daily Wire’s request for comment.

Texas Attorney General Says Radical Doctor Broke The Law To Give Minors Sex-Rejection Interventions

Fraud

Medicaid

Transgender

Tragic new details emerge about Monday’s deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink, the United States and Iran report progress in their nuclear talks in Geneva, and a critical Republican Senate primary in Texas gains nationwide attention.
It’s Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rhode-island-shooters-past-progress-with-iran-2-18-26/id1576594336?i=1000750292350" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trans Hockey Shooting</h2>
Tragic new details have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/transgender-identifying-man-opens-fire-at-rhode-island-hockey-game-killing-two">emerged</a> following Monday’s deadly shooting at a Rhode Island ice rink. 
Friends and family had gathered for a high school hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Shortly after the game started, a lone gunman who identified as transgender descended from the back row of the bleachers and opened fire, killing his ex-wife and his son, and injuring at least three others, including his father and mother-in-law — all three victims are in critical condition. A livestream from the game captured the shooting and showed the players drop their sticks as they realized what was unfolding, as panicked spectators also attempted to flee. Rather than running for safety, one heroic bystander instead rushed the shooter. The video shows him jumping on top of the gunman and bringing an end to the carnage. Police later praised that man, saying his actions “led to a swift end to this tragic event.” During the ensuing scuffle, the gunman ultimately took his own life. 
Hours later, one of the gunman’s daughters spoke briefly with reporters and <a href="https://x.com/WCVB/status/2023544634216005773?s=20">said</a> her father had “mental health issues.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Iran Talks</h2>
The United States and Iran held nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday, and both sides are reporting progress. 
Behnam Ben Taleblu, the senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joined Morning Wire to analyze the discussions. The American side has been “tight-lipped,” but Tehran has not hesitated to talk to the media after every round of negotiations. According to Taleblu, the Iranians have two main goals with their strategy: dilute Trump’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-military-preparing-for-potentially-weeks-long-iran-operations">resolve</a> to strike Iran, and dilute the protesters&#8217; resolve to continue to resist the regime internally. 
Meanwhile, the regime continues to crack down on internal dissent.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump’s Nonendorsement-Endorsement In Texas</h2>
The 2026 midterms are starting to heat up, with a critical Republican Senate primary in Texas getting nationwide attention. 
President Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-backs-all-three-republicans-in-texas-senate-primary-as-early-voting-begins">said</a> he backs all three of the Republican candidates in the heated race as early voting kicked off on Tuesday. On Air Force One on Monday night, the president <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t1QLBb9FKo">declined</a> to support any one above the others. 
Attorney General Ken Paxton is backed by Turning Point Action, while incumbent Sen. John Cornyn is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The race also includes Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX).

Dennis M. Lynch Arena

Morning Brief: Trans Gunman Kills Family, Iran Stalls For Time, & Trump Stays Neutral In Texas

Iran

Morning Wire

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As early voting begins Tuesday in Texas&#8217;s heated Republican Senate primary, President Donald Trump said he supports all three GOP candidates in the race, declining to pick a favorite.
On Air Force One on Monday night, Trump was asked whether he would back Attorney General Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the three-way race that also includes Rep. Wesley Hunt.
“I just haven&#8217;t made a decision on that race yet. It’s got a ways to go, and I haven&#8217;t. [Cornyn’s] a good man. John is a good — I like all three of them, actually,” he said. “They&#8217;ve all supported me. They&#8217;re all good and you&#8217;re supposed to pick one. So, we&#8217;ll see what happens. But I support all three.&#8221;
The Republican nominee, to be decided in the March 3 primary, will face either Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) or state Sen. James Talarico in the general election. If no candidate tops 50% of the vote, the race heads to a May 26 runoff between the top two finishers.
All three campaigns welcomed Trump&#8217;s remarks.
Cornyn&#8217;s campaign touted his loyalty to Trump, noting he has voted with the president &#8220;99.3% of the time while in office&#8221; and arguing that he would keep Texas safely in Republican hands. Senior adviser Matt Mackowiak told The Daily Wire that nominating Paxton would require massive spending and hurt Republicans down-ballot.
A Paxton spokesperson did not respond in time for publication, though the attorney general has frequently emphasized his support for Trump. He was recently endorsed by Turning Point Action, while Cornyn is backed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. On Tuesday, Paxton urged voters to &#8220;fire John Cornyn&#8221; as early voting began.
Hunt, meanwhile, said Trump&#8217;s endorsement &#8220;isn&#8217;t given, it&#8217;s earned,&#8221; arguing his campaign &#8220;has the momentum&#8221; and is &#8220;surging in the polls&#8221; ahead of March 3.
This is not the first time Trump has endorsed multiple candidates in a primary. Last April, he backed both Karrin Taylor Robson and Rep. Andy Biggs in Arizona&#8217;s gubernatorial primary, though Robson later dropped out. In 2022, he simply endorsed “ERIC” in Missouri&#8217;s Senate primary between Eric Schmitt and Eric Greitens, with Schmitt ultimately winning the seat.
The Cook Political Report ranks the Texas race as “Likely Republican.” Republicans are in a tight battle to maintain a 53-47 Senate majority, with four races listed as “toss-ups.”
Trump has also weighed in on other key GOP primaries, recently backing Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) in her bid to unseat incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), as well as backing former Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) over former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown in a competitive New Hampshire contest.

Trump Backs ‘All Three’ Republicans In Texas Senate Primary As Early Voting Begins

Trump Backs 'All Three' Republicans In Texas Senate Primary As Early Voting Begins

Executive

Colony Ridge, the Texas neighborhood that became the “fastest growing development” in the country thanks to a marketing scheme that targeted illegal immigrants, has <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txsd.1945245/gov.uscourts.txsd.1945245.149.1.pdf">agreed</a> to pay $68 million in penalties in a joint settlement with the Trump administration and the State of Texas.
The developers of Colony Ridge, located just north of Houston, came under both federal and state investigation after a 2023 report by The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-colony-ridge-the-fastest-growing-development-in-the-u-s-is-a-magnet-for-illegal-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exposed</a> how it grew to nearly 100,000 residents with a business model catered to illegal immigrants. Its Spanish-only marketing campaigns were directed at foreign buyers.
The initial lawsuit was brought by the Biden administration, which said Colony Ridge “targeted Hispanic consumers with predatory loans” and “misled” them about what they were getting. Colony Ridge sold inexpensive plots of land at sky-high interest rates, with a type of loan available to illegal immigrants who are ineligible to apply for traditional loans. The buyers ended up in a “cycle of foreclosure,” creating a “nightmare for thousands of hardworking Hispanic families,” Biden’s Department of Justice said, treating the illegal immigrant population as the victim.
The settlement, however, was reached by the Trump administration and Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Its provisions appear designed not only to punish Colony Ridge, but also to end its ability to give loans to illegal immigrants, and even to supercharge deportations.
Included in the settlement is a pledge to require purchasers to present a valid Texas-issued driver’s license or identification card, or a valid visa issued after January 1, 2025. Also included is a pledge to spend $20 million to build a new law enforcement center inside Colony Ridge, where cartel activity has taken a foothold.
Want to support The Daily Wire’s journalism? <a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?_gl=1*zk9jo9*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3NzA3MDY0MTIuQ2p3S0NBaUFxS2JNQmhCbUVpd0FaM1Vib05iT0dWbm9xdVB3Mk1RR1c0VmdKb0xlVVRSSU9KYUlDbEpSQjVNYWJSMGVndlB5dnB3MFBSb0NEZ3NRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*Mjc1MjQyNDA2LjE3NzAwNDYyOTM.*_ga*MTQxNjEzNTU5NC4xNjkxNjk2NTg1*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*czE3NzA3MDU5NjUkbzM1MyRnMSR0MTc3MDcwNjQyOSRqNjAkbDAkaDA." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Join DailyWire+</a>.
According to Paxton, the funding can be used to facilitate deportations carried out by local Texas law enforcement.
“Colony Ridge endangered American citizens by allowing illegal aliens to run rampant on its streets, in its schools, and in its community. Now, it’s time for those responsible to pay a steep cost for their unlawful actions,” Paxton said. “My office will continue to bring the full force of the law against anyone who threatens the safety of our state or creates a safe harbor for illegals.”
Paxton’s office said the agreement “halts the development of a de facto illegal immigrant community.”
Among the other provisions are $48 million for infrastructure improvements to the development, which was plagued by flooding and sewage issues, and a promise to end its predatory lending practices.
“This DOJ will go after all lenders, financiers, and land developers who participate in schemes which ultimately encourage illegal immigration,” said Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. “The changes required by this settlement will promote public safety, and affordable and sustainable homeownership in America, key priorities of this administration.”
LISTEN TO MORNING WIRE’S INVESTIGATION INTO COLONY RIDGE:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-americas-largest-illegal-immigrant-enclave-9-17-23/id1576594336?i=1000628139512" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
Colony Ridge became a flash point for the illegal immigration crisis in America. The massive influx of illegal immigrants that came across the border during the Biden administration found a whole community that was ready to accept them.
The communities that surrounded them all of a sudden saw their lives changed. Their once-quiet towns were now down the street from shocking crimes, such as three previously deported illegal immigrants who were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/3-illegal-aliens-arrested-after-344-pounds-of-meth-found-in-colony-ridge?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=3+Illegal+Aliens+Arrested+After+344+Pounds+Of+Meth+Found+In+Colony+Ridge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">caught with 344 pounds of crystal meth</a>, Mexican <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-illegal-alien-captured-at-colony-ridge-believed-to-be-tied-to-mexican-drug-cartel?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+Illegal+Alien+Captured+At+Colony+Ridge+Believed+To+Be+Tied+To+Mexican+Drug+Cartel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drug cartel leadership</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-alien-two-accomplices-plead-guilty-in-colony-ridge-murder-case?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Illegal+Alien%2C+Two+Accomplices+Plead+Guilty+In+Colony+Ridge+Murder+Case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">several brutal murders</a>.
After President Trump took office, deportation raids captured more than 100 targets in Colony Ridge alone, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nearly-100-illegals-captured-in-colony-ridge-deportation-raids?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Over+100+Illegals+Captured+In+Colony+Ridge+Deportation+Raids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.

Colony Ridge

Colony Ridge Agrees To Pay $68 Million In Penalties For ‘Illegal Immigrant Haven’

Harmeet Dhillon

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