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

Texas

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Claudia Sheinbaum

Mexico’s Response To Fatal ICE Shooting Takes Unexpected Turn

Houston

Immigrants

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
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>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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

Donald Trump

Elections

Executive

Politics

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

‘Watershed Moment’: Why This Legal Win For A Detransitioner Is So Important 

Court

detransitioner

Transgender

transgender surgery

The Texas State Board of Education voted on new curriculum that requires public schools to teach the historical context of the Bible, impacting more than 5 million public school students. 
Building on America&#8217;s foundation in Judeo-Christian values, Texas wants to include Bible passages along with other classic literature in the K-12 education curriculum. This comes just after Texas won the fight to mandate posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
Multiple titles will be mandated at each grade level, including a “picture-book adaptation of the David and Goliath story for elementary students,” and the story of Adam and Eve for older students. Other biblical stories include the Book of Jonah, the Book of Psalms, and excerpts from the Book of Genesis and Lamentations, according to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/26/texas-bible-required-reading-public-school">Guardian</a>. There will also be an increased emphasis on classic literature and culturally significant readings such as Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address.”
The board of education gave its final <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/26/texas-bible-required-reading-public-school">approval</a> to the curriculum during Friday’s vote. 
This new curriculum is based on “a 2023 Texas law requiring state education officials to designate at least one literary work for every grade level, with the state board expanding on that mandate by recommending multiple texts for each grade,” <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/26/texas-bible-required-reading-public-school">The Guardian</a> reported.
The decision has led to both praise and criticism.
Parents in favor of the new curriculum believe that it will help students better understand the Judeo-Christian values that founded the nation and Western history. 
Those opposed claim it will be a violation of the separation of church and state. Saying the curriculum lacks diversity and favors Christianity over other faiths, they complain it will “infringe on parents’ ability to lead their children’s religious education &#8230; particularly in non-Christian households.”
However, many public schools already teach stories tied to the Hindu and Islamic faiths despite the fact that there is a “church and state separation.” 
Policymakers have assured parents that the curriculum is not teaching a religion, but providing historical context within the state education code already requiring K-12 to teach “religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature.” 
Susan Perez, founder of a Christian parent advocacy group, Citizens for Education Reform, argued in Monday’s school board meeting that not every religious belief needs to be incorporated into public school education because “our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian values.”

Supreme Court Rules Issues Mixed Rulings On 10 Commandments Displays

The Major Move Putting God Back In America’s Classrooms

Christianity

Hinduism

Islam

Gracie the Giraffe, who set the internet ablaze when she disappeared for almost two weeks in the Texas desert, was found Friday morning during an aerial helicopter search.
Vick Jones, who is the manager of the ranch from which Gracie escaped, participated in a helicopter scouting mission with Jeff Hill of Concho Aviation around 6:45 AM on Friday. While they were aloft, Hill spotted Gracie roughly four miles south of Cedar Hollow Ranch, according to a report from the Real County Sheriff&#8217;s Office.
&#8220;She&#8217;s standing. She&#8217;s very calm. She looked good,&#8221; Jones <a href="https://www.chron.com/wildlife/article/gracie-giraffe-found-texas-22322094.php">said</a>. &#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of water there, a lot of food, stuff like that. She&#8217;s looking good, doing good.&#8221;
Others who had taken part in the extensive search for Gracie expressed similar elation upon finding the elusive giraffe.
&#8220;We found her. She&#8217;s fat and happy,&#8221; <a href="https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/gracie-the-giraffe-found-fat-and-happy-real-county-sheriff-johnson-says">said</a> Real County Sheriff Nathan T. Johnson, joking about her “catch-me-if-you-can, sucker&#8221; attitude. &#8220;We&#8217;re going to have to bring in a team and sedate her.”
As the Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pet-giraffe-goes-missing-in-texas?row=0&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;rowType=Web+Search+Overlay">reported</a>, Gracie, a 4-year-old reticulated giraffe with rounded ears, escaped Cedar Hollow Ranch in Real County, Texas. Cedar Hollow Ranch is a private exotic animal breeding facility that is home to hundreds of animals, including Nubian ibexes, antelope, impalas, and other animals native to Africa and the Middle East.
The giraffe reportedly vanished after feeding on an isolated hillside, finding an unfenced area opposite an 8-foot-tall gate. Jones <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/us/gracie-giraffe-texas-missing.html">said</a> the giraffe would walk around the ranch “like none of the others did,” adding that Gracie would often go to secluded areas and “eat on the tree limbs.”
Reticulated giraffes around Gracie’s age are about 14-16 feet tall and can run up to 35 mph in short bursts, according to the <a href="https://www.denverzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Reticulated-giraffe.pdf">Denver Zoo</a>. The species of giraffe is <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/88420717/88420720">listed</a> as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ Red List.
The disappearance of the giraffe made waves on the internet, with many users creating fake AI-generated videos and images depicting Gracie &#8220;sightings,&#8221; My San Antonio News <a href="https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/gracie-giraffe-not-found-texas-22318572.php">reported</a>.

Giraffes in the savannah, Kenya

The Internet’s Favorite Giraffe Has Been Found

Animals

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton&#8217;s Senate campaign is launching a new television ad targeting Democratic challenger James Talarico&#8217;s record, accusing the state representative of attempting to reinvent himself for a statewide audience while hiding his leftist past.
The new ad, titled &#8220;Hypocrite,&#8221; will air during the Texas Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi, where the event is scheduled to take place from June 25 through the 27. The ad focuses on what the Paxton campaign describes as a growing disconnect between Talarico&#8217;s current messaging and his legislative record.
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&#8220;James Talarico is a hypocrite when it comes to fighting for families,&#8221; the narrator says in the ad. The commercial highlights several positions that Republicans believe could create vulnerabilities for Talarico in a statewide race, including his opposition to the Save Women&#8217;s Sports Act, criticism of the oil and gas industry, and votes against tax-cut legislation.
&#8220;Talarico wants to teach trans ideology in schools and let boys compete in girls&#8217; sports,&#8221; the ad states. &#8220;Talarico says it&#8217;s immoral to use the oil and gas that employs millions of Texans. Talarico wants higher taxes and policies that will raise prices on families.&#8221;
The ad concludes by labeling Talarico a &#8220;hypocrite&#8221; who &#8220;will do anything to push his radical agenda, even if it leaves families broke and jobless.&#8221;
The Paxton campaign says the ad is intended to push back against what it views as an effort by Talarico to moderate his image as he seeks to appeal to a broader Texas electorate. &#8220;We will not let Talarico continue to lie to Texans,&#8221; a Paxton campaign spokesman told The Daily Wire. &#8220;He can try to reinvent himself and hide behind the liberal media all he wants, but the truth remains: at every turn, Talarico has voted against Texas families to advance his radical progressive agenda.&#8221;
&#8220;He can scrub his website and try to deny it, but Texans deserve the truth, and we&#8217;re going to make sure they hear it,&#8221; the spokesperson added.
The new ad comes as Republicans continue scrutinizing Talarico&#8217;s past comments on religion, gender, and sexuality.
As previously reported by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/james-talarico-fanboys-for-trans-activist-theologian-who-pushes-bizarre-views-on-christianity?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=James+Talarico+Fanboys+For+Trans+Activist+Theologian+Who+Pushes+Bizarre+Views+On+Christianity">The Daily Wire</a>, Talarico openly credited activist theologian, and transgender identifying woman, Robyn Henderson-Espinoza, as a major intellectual influence during a 2021 podcast appearance, describing himself as a &#8220;fan boy&#8221; of the theologian&#8217;s work and praising the author&#8217;s writings for helping shape his worldview.
At the time, Talarico told Henderson-Espinoza that books such as &#8220;Activist Theology&#8221; had helped expand his understanding of politics and faith, arguing that his own &#8220;whiteness&#8221; and &#8220;masculinity&#8221; limited his imagination.
The relationship has drawn attention because Henderson-Espinoza is not simply a “progressive Christian” scholar, but a self-described &#8220;TransQueer Latinx&#8221; activist theologian who has argued that even “progressive Christianity” does not go far enough in challenging traditional institutions, doctrine, and social norms.
Henderson-Espinoza has advocated for what was described as &#8220;transing religion,&#8221; opposed legislation preventing biological males from competing in girls&#8217; sports, and built an activist ministry centered on political organizing, social justice activism, and liberation theology.
Meanwhile, Talarico has spent months attempting to distance himself from some of his own past remarks, recently describing several previous statements as &#8220;cringey.&#8221; Those comments included claims that &#8220;God is non-binary,&#8221; suggestions that there are six biological sexes, and arguments that the Bible does not prohibit abortion.
The Paxton campaign appears determined to ensure those issues remain front and center as the Senate race intensifies.
With Democrats hoping Talarico can make the race competitive statewide, Republicans are betting that his past statements, votes, and ideological influences will make it difficult for him to successfully reposition himself as a mainstream Texas Democrat.

James Talarico/Ken Paxton

EXCLUSIVE: Ken Paxton Says ‘Texans Deserve The Truth’ About ‘Hypocrite’ Talarico

Ken Paxton

A Christian judge in Texas was recently awarded $640,000 after she was targeted by a state agency for refusing to oversee same-sex ceremonies.
Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley filed suit in December 2019 after the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct issued her a public warning for declining to officiate same-sex weddings.
Hensley said she was unable to participate in such ceremonies, citing her Christian faith. The judge notably <a href="https://firstliberty.org/cases/judge-dianne-hensley/">referred</a> same-sex couples to other officiants and was able to ensure these couples could get married without delay or additional cost. Despite never receiving a complaint from the public, she was warned by the commission.
In a June 19 decision, Travis County Judge Maya Guerra Gamble ruled in favor of Hensley, who claimed the state agency violated her rights under the state&#8217;s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The law protects Texas citizens and organizations from government action that infringes on their sincere religious exercise.
Hensley was awarded the maximum amount in compensatory damages under the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which is $10,000. The judgment also permanently enjoined the commission from “investigating, sanctioning, or disciplining Judge Hensley over her refusal to officiate at same-sex weddings on account of her religious beliefs&#8221; and ordered the commission to pay $630,000 for Hensley’s attorney’s fees.
“Judge Hensley always adhered to the law and the legal guidance provided by the Attorney General of Texas,” said Hiram Sasser, executive general counsel for First Liberty Institute. “We are grateful that this case has concluded and that Judge Hensley was vindicated.”
The judge was represented by legal organization <a href="https://firstliberty.org/cases/judge-dianne-hensley/#simple1">First Liberty Institute</a>. In a video posted by the group, Hensley further explained what led her to file suit. &#8220;Because of my Christian faith, I feel — I know I&#8217;m not supposed to do weddings for same-sex people,&#8221; she said. &#8220;But at the same time, I don&#8217;t want to be disrespectful or hurt anybody&#8217;s feelings.&#8221;
Hensley said that after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision in 2015, nearly every judge in the county stopped performing weddings altogether so they wouldn&#8217;t be targeted by the commission when they refused to officiate same-sex weddings. Hensley, too, stopped performing weddings for this reason. But after 14 months, Hensley said she felt that was inconveniencing everyone in the county and the situation generally was unfair. &#8220;It was better to be able to accommodate who we could,&#8221; she said.
First Liberty noted that the commission in Texas is still facing a statewide class-action lawsuit from justices who stopped performing weddings to avoid disciplinary action related to same-sex ceremonies. The suit is seeking damages in the tens of millions of dollars.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/labor-department-launches-center-for-faith-to-combat-religious-discrimination?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Labor+Department+Launches+‘Center+For+Faith’+Resources+To+Combat+Religious+Discrimination">Labor Department Launches ‘Center For Faith’ Resources To Combat Religious Discrimination</a>

Screenshot

Judge Gets Hefty Payout After Refusing To Oversee Same-Sex Ceremonies

Judge Gets Hefty Payout After Reusing To Oversee Same-Sex Ceremonies

Judge

Same-Sex Marriage

A giraffe is on the loose in Texas after escaping from a breeding facility a week and a half ago.
Gracie, a 4-year-old reticulated giraffe with rounded ears, fled Cedar Hollow Ranch in Real County, Texas, the facility&#8217;s manager Vick Jones <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/missing-giraffe-texas-gracie-rcna351474">told</a> NBC News. Cedar Hollow Ranch is a private exotic animal breeding facility that is home to hundreds of animals, including Nubian ibexes, antelope, impalas, and other animals native to Africa and the Middle East.
The giraffe reportedly vanished after feeding on an isolated hillside and finding an unfenced area opposite an 8-foot-tall gate. Jones <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/23/us/gracie-giraffe-texas-missing.html">said</a> the giraffe would walk around the ranch &#8220;like none of the others did,&#8221; adding that Gracie would go to secluded areas and “eat on the tree limbs.&#8221;
The last official sighting of the giraffe was taken on a hunting camera west of Leakey, Texas, which sits about 100 miles northwest of San Antonio.
Jones stated that the animal is likely in the “rough terrain” that surrounds the southern Texas area, and that she most likely is still safe and healthy.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of food out there for her to eat. There&#8217;s plenty of water,&#8221; Jones said.  
Reticulated giraffes around Gracie’s age are about 14-16 feet tall and can run up to 35 mph in short bursts, according to the <a href="https://www.denverzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Reticulated-giraffe.pdf">Denver Zoo</a>. The species of giraffe is <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/88420717/88420720">listed</a> as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources’ Red List.
The disappearance of the giraffe made waves on the internet, with many users creating fake AI-generated videos of sightings of Gracie, My San Antonio News <a href="https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/gracie-giraffe-not-found-texas-22318572.php">reported</a>. 
In one AI-generated photo, a giraffe is seen surrounded by police while trying to cross a Texas highway at dusk.
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&#8220;No, she has not been found. That&#8217;s just people having fun with the internet, getting their little one minute of fame,&#8221; Jones said as of Wednesday morning. Jones added that the giraffe is still missing, with no new clues on her location.
Gracie’s owner is offering a $5,000 reward for tips leading to the giraffe’s capture and safe return, Real County officials <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122120771115249453&amp;set=a.122103704295249453">said</a>. People who see the giraffe are asked to report it to the sheriff’s office at 830-232-5201.

GERMANY-ANIMAL-ZOO-GIRAFFE

Pet Giraffe Goes Missing In Texas

exotic

Newly surfaced audio shows Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico admitting his disdain for biblical Christianity as he continues to push his fringe faith worldview across the Lone Star State.
In unearthed audio obtained by <a href="https://thefederalist.com/2026/06/23/exclusive-james-talarico-described-himself-as-a-christian-who-hates-christianity/">The Federalist</a>, Talarico described himself as a “Christian who hates Christianity” during an appearance on a Left-wing podcast.
“I always think of myself as a Christian who hates Christianity,” Talarico said in March 2021. “And I always get drawn back into it.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 UNEARTHED
In an interview with a self-described “TransQueer” activist theologian, Texas Democrat James Talarico says he &#8220;hates&#8221; Christianity:
&#8220;I always think of myself as a Christian who hates Christianity.” <a href="https://t.co/wFEONx03CW">pic.twitter.com/wFEONx03CW</a>
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://x.com/RNCResearch/status/2069421193812148502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
Talarico made the comments on <a href="https://divinity.duke.edu/faculty/roberto-che-espinoza">Roberto Che Espinoza’s</a> &#8220;Activist Theology&#8221; podcast. Espinoza, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/james-talarico-fanboys-for-trans-activist-theologian-who-pushes-bizarre-views-on-christianity">identifies</a> as a “nonbinary, transgender, Latinx theologian on the autistic spectrum,” previously taught courses at Duke Divinity School, including “Queer Theory and Theology.&#8221;
Before appearing on the podcast, Talarico praised Espinoza on social media, saying he was a “BIG fan.” 
“Dr. Henderson-Espinoza!! I’m a BIG fan,” Talarico <a href="https://x.com/jamestalarico/status/1364078677424676866?s=20">said</a> in February 2021. “I read Activist Theology last year! As a progressive Christian in Texas, your work is an inspiration. I would love to talk with you!!” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dr. Henderson-Espinoza!! I’m a BIG fan. I read Activist Theology last year! As a progressive Christian in Texas, your work is an inspiration. I would love to talk with you!! <a href="https://t.co/FvboIajDy2">pic.twitter.com/FvboIajDy2</a>
— James Talarico (@jamestalarico) <a href="https://x.com/jamestalarico/status/1364078677424676866?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
The new revelations come as the Senate hopeful attempts to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/james-talarico-is-already-running-from-his-past-self?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=71&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=James+Talarico+Is+Already+Running+From+His+Past+Self">distance himself</a> from his controversial views on the faith, with fresh polls showing Talarico slipping behind Republican Ken Paxton. 
In a recent <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/2059668066741445059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2059668066741445059%7Ctwgr%5E66fb7446d172b645dd091a8165857130fac6e8dc%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailywire.com%2Fnews%2Fmlb-walks-back-threats-over-bible-verses-at-pride-night">interview</a> with CBS News, Talarico admitted some of his past comments on faith “missed the mark.” 
“You said God is non-binary. What did you mean by that?” CBS reporter Ed O’Keefe asked.
“I was being intentionally provocative with that statement, but what it means is that God can’t be defined by human categories,” Talarico replied. “The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, says that in Christ there is neither male nor female.”
He added: “I’m always going to stand up for Texans who are being picked on by the most powerful, most corrupt politicians in the country, and I’m going to continue doing that in this race, and hopefully in the U.S. Senate.” 
O’Keefe pressed Talarico again, asking if he regretted “talking about God that way.” 
“There are some statements that I’ve made that I certainly regret. There are statements that I’ve made where I’ve missed the mark,” Talarico conceded. “I’ll be the first to admit that, but Ken Paxton is intentionally clipping my cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption.” 
Talarico appeared to be referring to a viral 60-second super PAC ad supporting Paxton that compiled some of Talarico’s most controversial comments, including calling the American flag a “complicated symbol,” saying he loves transgender children, and stating that he believes there are six genders.
“Low T Talarico – too weak for Texas,” <a href="https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/2057837653802795180?s=20">the spot said</a>. 
Democrats — and their donors — are banking on Talarico’s faith to help make inroads with religious voters. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/state/texas/">About 67% of Texas adults</a> identify as Christian, including large evangelical and Catholic communities.
Josh Howerton, senior pastor at Lake Pointe, a multisite church based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, is leading the theological charge against Talarico. 
“Sometimes Christians naively go, well, there&#8217;s nice people, and there&#8217;s mean people. Well, hey guys, we&#8217;re not four years old anymore,” Howerton <a href="https://x.com/howertonjosh/status/2062555645258174582?s=20">said in a recent podcast</a>. 
“There&#8217;s nice people who do good things, there&#8217;s rough people who do good things, then there&#8217;s nice people who do evil things, and there&#8217;s rough people who do evil things. The most dangerous one of the four are nice people who do evil things. That&#8217;s what Jesus called wolves in sheep&#8217;s clothing,” he added.  
The Paxton-Talarico race, which could play a major role in determining control of the upper chamber, is set for November 3.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
The theology of voting 🔽
Christians have been deceived and manipulated on this issue for decades. You need to understand what your vote IS&#8230; and what it IS NOT.
Step 1. Make sure you&#8217;re on the right &#8220;team.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/nrZbBmmHWt">pic.twitter.com/nrZbBmmHWt</a>
— Josh Howerton (@howertonjosh) <a href="https://x.com/howertonjosh/status/2062555645258174582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>

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