News & Commentary

By the end of Trump’s term in office, the administration had made it almost impossible for migrants to seek asylum. Almost 70,000 migrants who left their homeland out of fear for their safety were forced to wait outside the U.S. border under the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). Another 200,000 people were expelled altogether. These are the signs of a collapsed immigration system, where few are afforded the right to apply for asylum. 

The House Elections Committee is hearing more than twelve different voter suppression bills on Thursday, April 8. These bills build on Senate Bill 7 and House Bill 6 to make voting harder and scarier in Texas. Whether through big bills like HB 6 and SB 7 or many smaller ones, suppressing the right to vote is never acceptable. 

Texas leads the country in the number of restrictive voting bills introduced in its current 2021 legislative session with 49 bills. Texas is already the hardest state in the country to vote, and these bills would only make it harder — and scarier — to participate in elections, especially for communities of color. 

House Bill 6 (HB 6) is no ordinary voter suppression bill. Not only would the proposed legislation make it much more difficult for Texans to vote, it would make voting potentially dangerous with a new series of extreme criminal penalties. 

Brian Tashman, Deputy Division Director, ACLU

Immigration a

The ACLU of Texas and ACLU National staff are deeply saddened about the sudden loss of our client, Kiara Yarbrough, who passed away at the age of 26. We offer our deepest condolences to Kiara’s family, including her two young sons, and wish them comfort during this difficult time. Kiara embodied the idea that speaking truth to power is at the heart of justice. As a plaintiff in our case, Sanchez v. Dallas County Sheriff, she helped shine a spotlight on Dallas County Jail’s failure to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19.

Four formerly incarcerated people — including one Texan and his family — share their stories about what it’s like to be incarcerated during the pandemic, while friends and family members are left helpless on the outside.

This week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott delivered his annual State of the State address, a state-mandated speech meant to inform the people of Texas about the governor’s legislative and governing priorities. With more than 37,000 Texans dead from COVID-19, notably Abbott’s agenda did not include a single item to address the pandemic for regular Texans. It offered nothing to help people get vaccines more quickly, support hospitals and schools, nor make nursing homes safer. 

This piece was originally published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.