Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico learned the hard way that his prospective constituents expect him to answer their questions when they take the time to attend his campaign events.
Talarico, who bested Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) to win the Senate primary, struggled to find answers when a woman called him out at a recent event, warning him that he would &#8220;suffer the consequences&#8221; if he chose not to stay and answer questions from the people in attendance.
&#8220;So you stay here! You answer our questions, or you suffer the consequences,&#8221; she shouted.
Another attendee cheered her on, shouting, &#8220;Say it with your chest!&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m happy to engage,&#8221; Talarico, clearly taken aback, responded.
&#8220;Well, you talk to your staff,&#8221; the woman shot back.
&#8220;We&#8217;ll come to — here in just a second,&#8221; Talarico said, adding, &#8220;I appreciate you being here, and I appreciate you traveling in, and I appreciate you —&#8221;
&#8220;I did it for my people, not for you,&#8221; the woman said, prompting applause from around the room.
&#8220;And that&#8217;s wonderful,&#8221; Talarico replied. &#8220;I think that&#8217;s wonderful.&#8221;
As the crowd began to murmur, Talarico continued, &#8220;It&#8217;s all right. It&#8217;s all right, that&#8217;s what this conversation is supposed to be about.&#8221;
At the same event, Texas Democratic state Rep. Lauren Ashley Simmons — who supported Crockett in the earlier primary — <a href="https://x.com/FBugenhagen_/status/2078936200061026390">explained</a> why she was throwing her weight behind Talarico: &#8220;Primaries are family fights. We licked our wounds on Tuesday then we woke up ready for war.&#8221;
But despite Simmons&#8217; assessment, one key figure has been markedly absent from Talarico&#8217;s campaign events: Crockett. In the days since the primary, instead of helping Talarico across the finish line, Crockett has instead claimed that the primary was &#8220;racist&#8221; and has said that her time and efforts were better spent in supporting and endorsing black candidates in other races.

Texas State Representative Talarico Holds Primary Election Night Event

James Talarico Stammers As Black Woman Berates Him For Not Answering Questions At Event

2026 Midterms

Democrats

James Talarico

Texas

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin won&#8217;t say whether he briefed President Donald Trump before briefly pausing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) traffic stops in the wake of two recent fatal shootings.
During a Friday briefing on the department&#8217;s efforts to clean up the voter rolls of noncitizens, Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan asked Mullin to clarify if he informed Trump before suspending ICE traffic stops.
&#8220;The president and I are very close. I was texting with him this morning,&#8221; Mullin said. &#8220;There&#8217;s no daylight between us and the enforcement. In fact, we have ramped up our enforcement in our arresting illegals.&#8221;
Mullin then redirected the conversation to arrest and deportation data.
&#8220;Our arrests are up, we&#8217;re hitting single-day records every single day, but what we’ve done is I’ve turned down the temperature of the stove to try to get it correct without boiling over,&#8221; he said.
The decision to pause vehicle stops followed two recent fatal shootings of migrants by ICE officers trying to pull over vehicles in Houston and Biddeford, Maine. In the Houston case, ICE said Mexican illegal immigrant Lorenzo Salgado Araujo &#8220;attempted to evade arrest&#8221; and &#8220;rammed&#8221; an ICE vehicle before he &#8220;weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense.&#8221;
In the Biddeford shooting, which occurred last week, an ICE officer fatally shot a Colombian man who “attempted to flee the scene” of a traffic stop, the agency said.
The morning after vehicle stops were paused, Trump posted on Truth Social that he opposed the change and viewed it as capitulating to criminals and anti-ICE Democrats.
“The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted,” the president said. “Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out. In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP! Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal’s hands.”
“The Radical Left Dumocrats would like to see this done, but it won’t happen on my watch. I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job,” he said. “Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America.”
ICE sources also questioned whether Mullin informed Trump before enacting the pause.
“Not sure how they don’t consult Trump about this before they send out guidance to every field office,” one agency source said.
White House border czar Tom Homan on Tuesday credited Mullin with deciding to cease the tactic, emphasizing that it was a &#8220;temporary&#8221; measure, not &#8220;a policy change.&#8221;
ICE officers across the country received orders to resume vehicle stops on Thursday, with some new changes, including a requirement that at least one agent on the team have a body camera, sources said. There is concern within ICE that not all officers have received body cameras, making it impossible to resume traffic stops in some parts of the country.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the concerns during her Thursday briefing, saying all ICE body cameras will be distributed within the next 60 days.
“It’s been a slower rollout than we would have hoped, but that’s because [of] the Democrats’ decision to shut down DHS for several weeks. So, we expect to fully execute on the promise of body cams to all field offices across the country very soon,” she said.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin Discuses Trump Administration’s Efforts To Secure Elections

Mullin Won’t Say Whether He Briefed Trump Before Pausing ICE Traffic Stops

Donald Trump

Houston

Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Maine

Markwayne Mullin

Politics

A Texas dentist was arrested Wednesday after authorities claimed she gave a 4-year-old a fatal dose of pain medication during an unnecessary dental procedure earlier this year. 
Dr. Chrishelle Hemphill, 48, who operates Cuddle Kids Dental in Fort Worth, was <a href="https://www.fox4news.com/news/fort-worth-dentist-arrested-after-child-dies-dental-office">charged</a> with injury to a child causing serious bodily harm, a second-degree felony.
Aithana Rodríguez-Arriaga underwent a tongue-tie procedure, known as a frenectomy, in April after experiencing difficulty pronouncing certain letters, <a href="https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article316529838.html">according</a> to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. 
Investigators say Hemphill administered meperidine, also known as Demerol, along with two additional sedatives and nitrous oxide, according to the arrest report. The arrest warrant affidavit states that the concentration of meperidine in the girl&#8217;s blood would have been toxic even for an adult, and that the medication appeared to have been administered twice.
Authorities <a href="http://according">said</a> her blood concentration measured 793 nanograms per milliliter — dangerously above the normal range of 200 to 500 nanograms per milliliter. The arrest report also stated that her pediatrician and a medical specialist both said she did not need the procedure.
When the girl became unresponsive, Hemphill attempted CPR and used an automated external defibrillator to check for a pulse before paramedics arrived. Authorities also claim she administered flumazenil instead of Narcan, the medication typically used to reverse opioid overdoses. 
The 4-year-old was rushed to the hospital, where she later died of meperidine toxicity.
“Throughout this investigation I have learned from Hemphill’s own statements, her staff’s statements and from medical professionals that there was evident neglect on Hemphill’s part that led to Aithana’s death,” wrote Detective J. Spragins.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death an accident.
In a fundraiser, Aithana&#8217;s family said she was “filled with life and kindness,” and they were “heartbroken by her sudden loss.” 
“Her presence always lit up a room, and she brought so much joy to everyone around her … She was sweet, loving, and touched the lives of all who knew her.”

How A Routine Dental Procedure Led To A 4-Year-Old’s Death

Dentist

Federal authorities found three bags of what they believe to be meth inside the van driven by the Mexican man who was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Houston last week.
An FBI search warrant <a href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/07/15/fbi-search-warrant-says-crystal-like-substance-found-in-lorenzo-salgado-araujos-work-van-after-fatal-ice-shooting/?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=snd&amp;utm_content=kprc2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> investigators found bags containing a &#8220;white crystal-like substance” that “is consistent with methamphetamine&#8221; inside the vehicle driven by Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.
ICE officers were &#8220;conducting an immigration enforcement operation&#8221; last Tuesday when they tried to stop a vehicle with four people inside, including one they believed was their target, according to the search warrant. The driver, who was later identified as Araujo, &#8220;refused to stop and instead drove over a median in an attempt to flee.&#8221;
The officers did not chase the vehicle and later &#8220;relocated&#8221; it in a different area before &#8220;attempting to stop&#8221; it, the warrant stated.
Araujo then &#8220;rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands, and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense,&#8221; ICE said, adding that the driver was in the United States illegally.
The Department of Homeland Security later said that none of the vehicle&#8217;s occupants was their intended target. ICE took the three passengers into custody, who later said they were heading to work at a construction site when the shooting occurred, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2026/07/10/migrants-who-saw-man-killed-by-ice-houston-say-he-did-not-ram-officers/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Washington Post.
Araujo&#8217;s death was followed by another ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, where an officer fatally shot Joan Sebastian Guerrero, a 25-year-old from Colombia, on Monday.
ICE said the Colombian migrant had “attempted to flee” and that the officer who fired the fatal shot was “fearing for public safety.”
ICE responded to the two shootings by pausing the agency&#8217;s use of traffic stops, The Daily Wire first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-ice-orders-agents-to-cease-all-vehicle-stops-after-recent-shootings?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=EXCLUSIVE%3A+ICE+Orders+Agents+To+Cease+All+Vehicle+Stops+After+Recent+Shootings">reported</a> Tuesday. In a Truth Social post Wednesday, President Donald Trump signaled that the suspension would be reversed.
“The Open Border Policy of Sleepy Joe Biden allowed 25,000,000 people to pour into our Country, unchecked and unvetted,” the president said. “Many were Criminals, and we have to get them out. In order to do this, we must be strong, tough, and smart, and we CANNOT give up one of I.C.E.’s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, THE TRAFFIC STOP! Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal’s hands.”
“The Radical Left Dumocrats would like to see this done, but it won’t happen on my watch. I.C.E., be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job,” he said. “Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America.”

Untitled design – 2026-07-15T151636.188

Mexican ‘Father’ Shot Dead By ICE Had Meth In His Van, Feds Believe

Bags Believed To Contain Meth Found Inside Van Driven By Mexican Man Fatally Shot By ICE, Feds Say

Drugs

Shooting

An attorney representing two migrants who were inside a van during a recent fatal ICE-involved shooting in Houston is facing serious criminal charges of his own.
Immigration attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra was indicted in February on a felony charge of assault involving family violence by impeding breathing, Houston station KPRC 2 <a href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/07/14/first-on-2-attorney-representing-two-of-the-ice-detainees-is-facing-felony-assault-charge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. He also faces charges of kidnapping and battery in Seminole County, Florida. Court records show he is scheduled to be sentenced in that case on July 15.
He was previously convicted of burglary in 2008 and domestic assault in 2009 in Iowa.
Balderas-Ibarra represents Daniel Tirado Pantoja and José Trinidad Rojas Pliego, who were passengers in a van whose driver was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week in Houston, the local news outlet reported. The pair was swiftly taken into ICE custody and remains in a detention center in Conroe, Texas.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the officer &#8220;weaponized&#8221; the van “in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer.&#8221; The men reportedly said they were going to work at a construction site after buying ice and water when they noticed an unmarked vehicle following them.
The attorney&#8217;s assault charge stems from an alleged attack on a woman who said she had been dating Balderas-Ibarra, who became abusive when the couple moved in together, KPRC 2 reported. The woman said she decided to leave after finding something on his phone while he was in the shower.
She then left early for a flight to Florida before Balderas-Ibarra brought her suitcases, throwing them to the ground and grabbing her by the neck as she went to pick them up. He squeezed her throat and twisted it, leaving her unable to breathe, according to KPRC 2.
A law enforcement officer determined that the woman&#8217;s neck was red and swollen through photographic evidence.
Balderas-Ibarra is out of custody on a $20,000 bond and faces a court hearing July 21, according to court records.
In a statement to KPRC 2, Balderas-Ibarra pleaded for the media to ignore his charges and focus on his defendants in the immigration case.
“I maintain my innocence and believe the focus should continue to be on my clients, rather than shifting focus onto me. Don’t lose focus!&#8221; he said.
Balderas-Ibarra has been eligible to practice law in the Lone Star State since January 2025. He is currently practicing with a probationary license, according to the Texas Bar <a href="https://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Find_A_Lawyer&amp;template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&amp;ContactID=356553" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directory</a>.
Balderas-Ibarra has no public disciplinary history listed on his State Bar of Texas profile.
The immigration lawyer <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7477870402107527168/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alleges</a> that he is the “product of birthright citizenship” and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7479236034069803008/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calls</a> himself “El Abogado Tejano” — a lawyer who is a Texan and of Mexican descent, according to his LinkedIn account.

Untitled design – 2026-07-14T160122.853

Immigration Lawyer Representing Migrants In ICE Shooting Exposed for Criminal Background

Anti-ICE

Crime

Florida

Iowa

Lawyer

A Texas police department is in damage control after it threatened to censor the speech of Christian street evangelists during a pride festival, following a heated <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2074971464487284897?s=20">confrontation</a> that has drawn the attention of the federal government.
On June 27, Sarah Stogner, a longtime officer with the Fort Worth Police Department, went viral after threatening street preachers Richard Penkoski and David Grisham with disorderly conduct citations over their religious speech at Trinity Pride Fest, according to <a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tarrant-county/fort-worth-police-department-pride-fest-viral-video-david-grisham-officer-sarah-stogner-texas/287-c8928e80-44d7-4af0-ae77-0890cb28acf0">WFAA</a>.  
Leading up to the face-to-face clash, <a href="https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/preachers-claim-police-warned-offensive-speech-about-transgender-women-could-lead-to-citation-at-pride-festival/">The Dallas Express</a> reported that the preachers were blocked from public streets and sidewalks surrounding the pride event.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Female Texas Cop THREATENS to ticket a retired officer and Christian street preacher for &#8220;offensive speech&#8221;
Cop: &#8220;If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem&#8230;&#8221;
Man: &#8220;You&#8217;re going to ticket us for &#8216;offensive&#8217; speech?&#8221;
Cop: &#8220;Yes, I am&#8221;
This cop is blatantly… <a href="https://t.co/qX0UjnRBSL">pic.twitter.com/qX0UjnRBSL</a>
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2074971464487284897?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“That ordinance means music, not talking. If someone is offended by your talking, then we have a problem,” Officer Stogner told the preachers.
One of the evangelists fired back: “That is a constitutional violation of our rights. I don’t care if they’re offended.” 
Stogner doubled down: “Okay, then I’ll write you the ticket, then we’ll go from there.” 
&#8220;You&#8217;re going to ticket us for &#8216;offensive&#8217; speech?&#8221; the other preacher, who was recording the exchange, said.
&#8220;Yes, I am,&#8221; Stogner replied. 
<a href="https://x.com/Carlos__Turcios/status/2071306445115588915?s=20">In a separate exchange</a>, another Fort Worth police officer warned the street preachers that they could face legal consequences if their Christian message offended others. The officers later issued the evangelists one citation of disorderly conduct related to loud noise from a bullhorn, according to <a href="https://dallasexpress.com/tarrant/preachers-claim-police-warned-offensive-speech-about-transgender-women-could-lead-to-citation-at-pride-festival/">The Dallas Express</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨FORT WORTH, TEXAS🚨Police told street preachers at the FW all-ages Pride event they could be cited if someone was offended by their speech. Asked if calling a transgender woman “sir” was citable, an officer replied, “It’s a gray area.”
Follow:<a href="https://x.com/Carlos__Turcios?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Carlos__Turcios</a><a href="https://x.com/DallasExpress?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DallasExpress</a> <a href="https://t.co/DSAtqZNmW1">pic.twitter.com/DSAtqZNmW1</a>
— Carlos Turcios (@Carlos__Turcios) <a href="https://x.com/Carlos__Turcios/status/2071306445115588915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
The tense exchanges racked up tens of millions of views on X, fueling debate over free speech and religious liberty protections in one of the nation&#8217;s most conservative states.
“In Texas? Wow,” Elon Musk <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2071608690612810014?s=20">wrote</a> on X. 
After the Department of Justice <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/2075532674706321783?s=20">initiated a review of the incident</a>, the Fort Worth police chief acknowledged his officers had mishandled the incident.
&#8220;The biggest issue that I have is just the conversations and the way that we were describing what is lawful, what is not lawful,&#8221; Police Chief Eddie Garcia told <a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/tarrant-county/fort-worth-police-department-pride-fest-viral-video-david-grisham-officer-sarah-stogner-texas/287-c8928e80-44d7-4af0-ae77-0890cb28acf0">WFAA</a> in an interview. &#8220;When we&#8217;re right, we&#8217;re right, and when we&#8217;re wrong, we&#8217;re wrong.&#8221; 
&#8220;There certainly was a better way to have that communication, and we were wrong in the manner in which we communicated that. Certainly, we&#8217;re going to take accountability for it,&#8221; he added. 
Garcia added that accountability will include renewed training on the First Amendment. 
&#8220;We just trained up our command staff again with refresher courses. We&#8217;re going to be training our sergeants. We&#8217;re going to be training our officers,&#8221; Garcia said.
The proposed measures didn’t cut it for the street preachers, who argued the damage is already done. 
&#8220;They have already violated their rights,&#8221; Attorney CJ Grisham, who represents David Grisham (no relation),  said, disputing the noise ordinance citation. &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t meet the noise violation ordinance in any way whatsoever. So, just on its face, the charge is baseless,&#8221; he told WFAA.
Grisham alleged the viral exchange represents a troubling pattern with law enforcement, taking direct aim at Officer Stogner. 
&#8220;We have her on video doing this last year at the Pride festival. So, this is a pattern of abuse by Officer Stogner. But it&#8217;s not just her. Look at how many other officers were standing around,&#8221; Grisham said. 
It’s unclear whether Stogner or any of the officers involved will face any disciplinary action for the incident. 
On Tuesday, Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, demanded more information from the police department to determine whether “further formal action” was necessary. 
“Government actors cannot discriminate against viewpoints or restrict peaceful free speech just because it may be offensive to some,” Dhillon <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/2077077136347636220?s=20">said</a>. “Under this administration, the Civil Rights Division will defend free speech, as protected by the Constitution.”

Sydney Makes History As 50,000 People March For Global Equality In Pride March

Texas Police Forced Walk Back Threats Against Christian Street Preachers At Pride Festival

Christianity

LGBT

News

An office launched by the State of Texas to investigate banned diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at universities has launched its first investigation, according to a complaint obtained by The Daily Wire.
The probe centers on a complaint filed by a former student at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, who alleges that the school is operating &#8220;a shadow D.E.I. program in violation of state law.&#8221; The complaint also alleges that university employees &#8220;discriminate against conservatives &#8230; and those that they perceive do not support D.E.I. or leftist political beliefs.&#8221;
The state launched the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Office of the Ombudsman last year to serve as a watchdog for universities to ensure they are not violating anti-DEI laws. The office has since begun accepting complaints from students, faculty, and employees.
The office can push to withhold state funding from schools found to have violated state law that have failed to address the issues, <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/04/03/texas-ombudsman-investigate-university-complaints/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to The Texas Tribune.
&#8220;The Office of the Ombudsman enforces key Texas higher education laws that prohibit divisive practices and unconstitutional discrimination as well as ensure accountability for important personnel and curriculum decisions at public universities,&#8221; Brandon L. Simmons, who leads the office, told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;We take every complaint seriously and will fully investigate allegations of potential violations. Our work helps protect a fair learning environment in which Texas students are treated equally under the law,&#8221; Simmons said.
The complaint at the center of the office&#8217;s first investigation is heavily redacted, leaving many details unclear.
In one alleged incident, the former student claimed that a campus peer tutoring office sought &#8220;to restrict political speech following Charlie Kirk&#8217;s assassination.&#8221; After Kirk&#8217;s killing, university staff informed students in the tutoring office that &#8220;we&#8217;re a political free zone,&#8221; the former student&#8217;s attorney, Tanner Franklin, told The Daily Wire.
Franklin is representing the ex-student alongside State Rep. Briscoe Caine.
The ex-student responded to the group message, saying, &#8220;I appreciate &#8230; that we&#8217;re not going to be political, but that&#8217;s not what&#8217;s happening in reality,&#8221; referring to other tutors who wore &#8220;clothing with obvious political slogans such as &#8216;No person can be illegal on stolen land&#8217; and &#8216;From the River to the Sea,'&#8221; a Palestinian chant for wiping Israel off the map.
He was subsequently fired from the tutoring office.
Franklin said that he believes the university retaliated against his client.
&#8220;His point was that&#8217;s fine if you want to be viewpoint neutral, that&#8217;s fine, but you actually have to be viewpoint neutral. And in response, they deleted his comment immediately from the group and basically sent him a message separately, saying, &#8216;Well, we&#8217;ll handle it.&#8217; And that was it. And then a week and a half later, he basically gets fired,&#8221; Franklin said.
In another instance, the ex-student said he was punished for asking a transgender student for their legal name when taking attendance. The transgender student would not provide their name, which was on the class roster, and only gave their preferred name.
&#8220;That student went and complained that my client was essentially being mean to him,&#8221; Franklin said.
The complainant and his attorney subsequently met with university officials to air his concerns.
&#8220;I left the meeting hopeful that SFA took my reports seriously and would take proper, and immediate action to address these serious issues. Unfortunately, that was not the case,&#8221; the student said in the complaint.
The school provided the former student with an &#8220;update&#8221; more than a week after the meeting took place, informing him that they &#8220;would be &#8216;firming up dress code expectations.'&#8221;
The university&#8217;s general counsel also told the former student that university employees &#8220;did not know what &#8216;From the River to the Sea&#8217; meant.&#8221;
&#8220;This fell far short of the full and transparent investigation that I requested and certainly did not hold anyone accountable,&#8221; the complaint reads.
As a result of the university&#8217;s actions and alleged failure to address the situation, the former student chose not to &#8220;walk at his graduation&#8221; out of concern about further retaliation, Franklin said, adding that his client &#8220;was just so disheartened with how the university had handled this process.&#8221;
Franklin hopes that the ombudsman&#8217;s office can push for greater accountability.
“We appreciate the Office of the Ombudsman for taking this complaint seriously and conducting a thorough investigation. Our client’s courageous decision to file this complaint is a critical step toward holding rogue university officials accountable,&#8221; the attorney said.
&#8220;We must ensure that the free speech rights of Texas students are protected and that any restrictions on speech are applied in a viewpoint-neutral manner. The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the Legislature’s conservative majority have made it clear: Texans are tired of conservative student voices being silenced and targeted at our taxpayer-funded institutions. When it happens, there will be consequences,&#8221; he added.
In a statement, the university said it &#8220;complies with all state and federal laws,&#8221; adding that &#8220;if there is a governmental investigation, the university will fully cooperate.&#8221;

Untitled design – 2026-07-09T114115.040

EXCLUSIVE: Texas’ Anti-DEI College Crackdown May Have Its First Target

Charlie Kirk

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Greg Abbott

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum promised Thursday to pursue “legal measures” against the United States following the fatal shooting of a Mexican national by an ICE agent in Houston, saying her government &#8220;cannot permit the mistreatment of our brothers&#8221; living in the U.S. 
She said Mexico&#8217;s response would “go beyond&#8221; a diplomatic protest, saying officials &#8220;are preparing measures&#8221; over the shooting and the deaths of other Mexican nationals while in ICE custody.
&#8220;We cannot turn a blind eye to the Mexicans who have died,&#8221; Sheinbaum said, adding, &#8220;Especially to Mexicans whose only crime is working honestly in the United States.&#8221;
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the Mexican government will be requesting that the incidents be investigated as criminal matters. Velasco added that the government will also file civil lawsuits against private companies operating in the immigration detention centers in the United States.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old construction worker and father of three, was shot and killed Tuesday during an encounter with ICE agents in Houston after picking up members of his work crew. 
Araujo’s family <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/09/us/lorenzo-salgado-araujo-houston-ice-shooting">told</a> CNN they believe he would have complied with federal agents had the unmarked SUV they were in been clearly identified as law enforcement. 
The Department of Homeland Security disputed that account, telling The Daily Wire that Araujo “attempted to evade arrest” and “weaponized his vehicle&#8221; by attempting to run over an ICE agent, who fired in self-defense. 
Araujo was <a href="https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2026/07/08/mexican-president-vows-legal-action-against-us-after-ices-shooting-death-of-lorenzo-salgado-araujo-in-houston/">reportedly</a> shot on the right side of his body. He had resided in the United States without legal status for roughly 35 years. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo is calling for an independent investigation after Araujo, a Mexican national who the family says has lived in the U.S. for more than 30 years, was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Houston on Tuesday. More:… <a href="https://t.co/eGij94wYSz">pic.twitter.com/eGij94wYSz</a>
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) <a href="https://x.com/ABC7NY/status/2075237326544887862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
The shooting sparked protests in Houston, where demonstrators called for an independent investigation.
The Department of Homeland Security <a href="https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/houston-ice-shooting-video-22339108.php">confirmed</a> Thursday that the ICE agents involved were not wearing body cameras.
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More than a thousand protesters chanting ‘ICE out of Houston’ marched near the spot where a US ICE officer fatally shot a man driving to work, the latest in a spate of lethal encounters from increasing deportation raids nationwide <a href="https://t.co/bkQqeJQuuY">https://t.co/bkQqeJQuuY</a> <a href="https://t.co/GApbuTXDoj">pic.twitter.com/GApbuTXDoj</a>
— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://x.com/Reuters/status/2075137883241922840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Claudia Sheinbaum

Mexico’s Response To Fatal ICE Shooting Takes Unexpected Turn

Immigrants

Mexico

A South Texas hospital that placed billboards in Mexico advertising &#8220;birth packages in South Texas&#8221; is now at the center of a state investigation for facilitating &#8220;birth tourism.&#8221;
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott instructed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to launch an investigation into Mission Regional Medical Center on Tuesday over allegations that the hospital profited from the abuse of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supreme-court-rules-against-trump-in-birthright-citizenship-case">birthright citizenship</a> in the United States. Viral images circulating on social media showed the billboards offering &#8220;birth packages&#8221; of up to $5,525 through a website named &#8220;havemybabyinTEXAS.com.&#8221;
The webpage quietly went offline just hours before Abbott&#8217;s announcement, <a href="https://www.chron.com/news/article/birth-tourism-abbott-texas-billboard-22336058.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Chron.com.
Mission Regional Medical Center confirmed that it was responsible for the billboards, which were written in both English and Spanish, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abbott-orders-probe-texas-hospital-advertises-birth-packages-mexico-citizenship-not-sale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
“Birth tourism is an illegal practice that exploits the extraordinary hospitality that the United States and Texas offer to millions of foreign travelers each year,&#8221; Abbott said. &#8220;Thousands of foreign travelers come to the United States under false pretenses to give birth and secure citizenship for their children.&#8221;
&#8220;HHSC must investigate the hospital, a facility it regulates, for any violations of state law and contractual obligations,&#8221; Abbott added.
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Texas will not permit the exploitation of its healthcare system or its citizenship laws.
Governor Abbott will fight birth tourism and hold accountable any hospital or facility that profits from it. <a href="https://t.co/58p1FHb1Iy">https://t.co/58p1FHb1Iy</a>
— Governor Hot Wheels (@GovHotWheels_TX) <a href="https://x.com/GovHotWheels_TX/status/2074866790052606402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The medical facility said it was merely sharing information about healthcare services it provides, &#8220;like hospitals across the country&#8221; and denied facilitating &#8220;any unlawful activity.&#8221; The center also said it no longer uses the &#8220;marketing materials &#8230; due to any unintended misunderstanding.&#8221;
&#8220;Mission Regional Medical Center is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate healthcare and expanding access to care for the communities we serve,&#8221; the medical center said in a statement. &#8220;Like hospitals across the country and throughout the region, we share information about the healthcare services we provide.&#8221;
&#8220;We do not support or facilitate any unlawful activity and work to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The marketing materials regarding maternity services are no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding. We intend to work cooperatively and transparently with local and state officials. Our focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient who seeks our services,&#8221; the hospital added.
The since-deleted website shared testimonials from women, including one from Mexico City, sharing their positive maternity experiences, according to Chron.com.
One of the hospital&#8217;s previous Instagram posts advertised: &#8220;Are you pregnant, living abroad, and looking to welcome your baby in South Texas? Look no further!&#8221; the outlet reported.
President Donald Trump attempted to overturn birthright citizenship, an effort that the Supreme Court ruled against last month.
Foreign nationals have long abused birthright citizenship and have even erected birthing centers in the United States to help produce American babies en masse.
One of those centers is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-are-chinese-birth-centers-hiding-in-your-backyard-we-went-to-find-out">De’Ai Postpartum Care Center in Houston</a>, which Texas sued for allegedly “exploiting birthright citizenship by unlawfully facilitating the invasion of Chinese nationals … for the sole purpose of giving birth.” The clinic has boasted facilitating 1,000 births.
The Daily Wire previously visited homes allegedly used by the center to house pregnant Chinese women. Only one person answered the door: Lai Wan Lin-Chan, who was named as a defendant in the lawsuit and refused to answer questions.

Untitled design – 2026-07-08T131044.948

Hospital Placed Billboards In Mexico Advertising Texas ‘Birth Packages,’ Prompting ‘Birth Tourism’ Probe

birth tourism

birthright citizenship

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Republicans will make history this September by holding the party&#8217;s first national convention during a midterm election year, an unprecedented gathering designed to energize voters and showcase the administration&#8217;s accomplishments ahead of November.
The Republican convention will take place September 9-10 in Dallas, marking the first time the GOP has staged a national convention outside of a presidential election cycle.
&#8220;BIG NEWS! For the first time ever, the Republican Party will hold a MIDTERM CONVENTION,&#8221; Trump announced on Truth Social. Calling it a &#8220;truly Historic Event,&#8221; Trump said Republicans will celebrate what he described as the &#8220;Great American Comeback&#8221; and the successes of his America First agenda.
The president said the convention will feature &#8220;hardworking Americans, our Great Innovators, Entrepreneurs, Manufacturers, First Responders, and Job Creators,&#8221; alongside entertainment and what he promised would be &#8220;a RALLY like none other.&#8221;
Although Trump first floated the idea <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115215261916717696">last year</a>, Tuesday&#8217;s announcement confirms that the event is officially moving forward after the Republican National Committee approved<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/scoop-rnc-eyes-america-first-midterm-convention-boost-trump-gop-ahead-critical-elections" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> rule changes</a> earlier this year that allow for a national convention outside the traditional four-year presidential cycle.
The convention comes as Republicans defend a razor-thin House majority and a narrow Senate majority, where even a handful of losses could hand Democrats control of Congress for the remainder of Trump&#8217;s term.
Historically, the president&#8217;s party almost always loses seats during midterm elections, and Republican strategists have <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/18/republicans-trump-campaign-trail-00657271">acknowledged</a> the challenge of motivating voters without Trump&#8217;s name appearing on the ballot. The convention is intended to help counter that trend by putting Trump himself at the center of the campaign and nationalizing congressional races around his administration&#8217;s record.
In his announcement, Trump highlighted a list of administration priorities he said Republicans will celebrate during the convention, including tax relief, border security, lower costs, increased domestic energy production, and what he described as the country&#8217;s &#8220;Golden Age.&#8221;
Holding the event in Texas also places a national spotlight on one of the country&#8217;s most consequential battlegrounds. Texas will feature multiple competitive House races, while Republicans also are defending a closely watched Senate seat between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat Texas state Representative James Talarico. The state also remains central to Republican efforts to preserve and expand their congressional majority following this year&#8217;s mid-decade redistricting fight.
While Republicans move forward with the historic gathering, Democrats ultimately abandoned discussions about organizing a similar midterm convention of their own, despite reportedly considering the idea earlier this year.
The timing of the event is also notable. The convention will conclude on Sept. 10, the first anniversary of the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, whose death last year became a defining moment for many conservatives and prompted renewed discussions about political violence in America. Whether that date becomes part of the convention&#8217;s messaging remains to be seen.

Donald Trump at Republican National Convention in Milwaukee

Trump Reveals Host City For First Ever Midterm Convention In September

Dallas

Elections

Executive

Republican National Convention

Republicans

A Mexican national pleaded guilty to smuggling thousands of illegal immigrants into the United States, including from heavily Islamic countries with links to terrorism. 
Efrain Zuniga-Garcia admitted Monday in federal court to participating in a “vast” scheme to sneak up to 3,000 foreign nationals into America, including from countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, and Yemen, the Justice Department said. The 38-year-old Zuniga-Garcia was involved in the scheme from November 2020 until September 2023, when he was first charged.  
The smuggling network operated stash houses in Monterrey, Mexico, and Piedras Negras, Mexico, and brought in between 2,500 and 3,000 illegal immigrants. The network also smuggled in foreign nationals from India, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador.
The scheme operated at the same time that Border Patrol agents encountered a shocking spike in individuals on the terror watchlist along the porous border that former President Joe Biden oversaw.
Zuniga-Garcia ran the Monterrey stash house where he coordinated the transportation of the illegals by turning them over to “coyotes” who would bring them across the Rio Grande and into the United States, according to the Justice Department. 
He was charged in September 2023 with conspiracy to bring an alien into the United States and three counts of bringing an alien into the United States for financial benefit. Zuniga-Garcia pled guilty to both counts and faces a mandatory minimum of three years in prison upon sentencing. 
Multiple of Zuniga-Garcia’s co-defendants have already been sentenced to prison, including Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga and Monica Hernandez-Palma. Mejia-Zuniga, an illegal from Honduras who lived in San Antonio, Texas, was <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/illegal-alien-honduras-sentenced-prison-vast-alien-smuggling-conspiracy">sentenced</a> to 10 years in prison in July 2025 after being convicted of directing the operation. 
“In an effort to satisfy his greed, Mejia-Zuniga facilitated the illegal movement of thousands of Middle Easterners into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas at the time. “His actions put our national security at risk.”
Lawmakers have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/on-9-11-republicans-warn-about-lingering-danger-from-bidens-open-border-policies?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=On+9%2F11%2C+Republicans+Warn+About+Lingering+Danger+From+Biden’s+‘Open-Border+Policies’">warned</a> that Americans could still be facing security challenges after the flood of illegal immigrants during the Biden presidency. The House Homeland Security Committee found that from the start of fiscal year 2021 to the end of Biden’s presidency, Border Patrol agents encountered around 400 individuals on the terror watchlist at the border. From 2017 to 2020, only 14 individuals on the terror watchlist were apprehended at the border, <a href="https://homeland.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/December-24-SS.pdf">according</a> to the committee. During that same time, at least two million illegals who were known “gotaways” entered the country.

Yuma Arizona Border Crossing

Feds Unravel Mexican’s Scheme To Smuggle Middle Easterners Into U.S.

Department of Justice

Illegal Immigation

Middle East

Radical Islamic Terror

The Texas Supreme Court last week revived a young woman&#8217;s case against medical professionals who put her on the path to have her body irreversibly damaged in the name of transgender healthcare, paving the way for similar lawsuits.
The unanimous ruling allows Soren Aldaco to continue her medical malpractice suit against her former therapist and Three Oaks Counseling. Her suit states that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties and that their medical interventions led to Aldaco’s “permanent disfigurement and profound psychological scarring.” Aldaco is seeking upwards of $1 million in damages.
Aldaco&#8217;s win is notable because the court agreed that the statute of limitations was more complex than the transgender medical industry argues. While the statute of limitations would have prevented Aldaco from suing after she was injured, the court agreed that lawsuits can continue in cases where a minor is put on a path to medical transition.
Aldaco, an activist who suffered greatly from a medical gender procedure, is no longer &#8220;timed out&#8221; of suing those who harmed her. The ruling could set a precedent for other detransitioners and puts the transgender medical industry on notice.
Independent Women&#8217;s Forum said the ruling &#8220;establishes a renewed lens for determining when the statute of limitations begins in cases involving minors who later allege harm from medical providers who facilitated irreversible &#8216;gender-transition&#8217; interventions.&#8221;
“Today the Texas Supreme Court unanimously ruled that my case deserves to be heard, and that providers implicated in harming vulnerable patients can’t twist the statute of limitations to escape accountability,&#8221; Aldaco said in a statement issued Monday. &#8220;This ruling is a watershed moment.&#8221;
&#8220;The Court’s opinion is already sending shockwaves far beyond Texas,&#8221; she added. &#8220;The direct impact will be felt here at home — but providers across the country, and federally, will now think twice about their responsibility to patients. And patients will see, through the model established here in Texas, that they deserve to be protected and taken seriously.”
Aldaco began identifying as transgender around 11 and was started on hormone replacement therapy at age 17, as outlined by Kelsey Bolar, a senior policy analyst at Independent Women’s Forum. At 19, Aldaco underwent surgery to remove her healthy breasts and, just two weeks later, ended up alone in an emergency room for eight hours as doctors reopened her wounds from the double mastectomy.
“At the time, I thought I was going to die,” Aldaco told Independent Women’s Forum. “I just remember being on zero pain meds at the time.”
“Her traumatic medical complications opened her eyes to the ills of so-called ‘gender-affirming care,’ which she said enabled her to believe hormones and surgery could provide her with the sense of self she craved growing up,” Bolar said of Aldaco. “Detransitioned and now working to heal from her ordeal through mindfulness, Soren has become a vocal critic of the ‘enabling’ she sees happening within the gender medical industry.”
The ruling comes on the heels of another high-profile victory for a detransitioner. Fox Varian received $2 million following a verdict in New York in January. Her case centered around the removal of her healthy breasts at age 16 for reasons of supposed transgender care.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-one-has-a-right-to-sterilize-a-child-two-detransitioners-sue-doctors-over-medical-interventions">‘No One Has A Right To Sterilize A Child’: Two Detransitioners Sue Doctors Over Medical Interventions</a>

Soren Aldaco

How A Detransitioner’s Legal Win Marks ‘Watershed Moment’ For Victims Of Gender Procedures

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