Daily Dispatch 2/20/26: Another ICE Killing, In Texas - And More
Episode description
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:
Almost a year ago, a 23 year old U.S. citizen from San Antonio was killed by ICE agent in south Texas - and it took investigative work from Newsweek to uncover that federal involvement: https://www.newsweek.com/ice-agent-fatally-shot-us-citizen-texas-dhs-records-11544225
The Trump administration is set to sidestep 28 federal regulations in order to build over 100 miles of "smart wall" along the border areas in Big Bend National Park: https://www.thetravel.com/us-customs-and-border-protection-break-laws-in-big-bend-national-park-to-build-massive-border-wall/
...Democratic Congressmen Vicente Gonzalez and Henry Cuellar appear to have been less than effective in fighting for that state treasure: https://www.texasobserver.org/trump-new-wall-rio-grande-valley-protected-sites/
Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales, embroiled in an adultery scandal involving a staffer who later committed suicide, is accusing the staffer' s husband of blackmail: https://www.sacurrent.com/news/rep-tony-gonzales-now-claims-hes-being-blackmailed-by-husband-of-alleged-mistress/
...The co-worker who blew the whistle to journalists says he raised concerns about Regina Santos-Aviles' mental health to his supervisor before her death, but was not consulted by investigators looking into her suicide: https://www.statesman.com/news/article/texas-congressman-tony-gonzales-allegations-21367439.php
UT Austin regents, on the heels of consolidating several gender and ethnic studies departments, have issued rules allowing students to bypass "unnecessary controversial subjects": https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/19/texas-university-ut-regents-unnecessarily-controversial-subjects/
Dozens upon dozens of Texas ISD's are passing on the dedicated prayer time that Senate Bill 11 offers them to implement: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/central-texas-school-districts-weigh-adopt-voluntary-prayer-policy/269-80f7ee10-e9f2-48d7-9be4-29afd20e0016
Early voting in the March primary is underway! Research your ballot here: https://apps.texastribune.org/features/2026/texas-march-2026-primary-ballot/?_bhlid=7d8eca3d2a16adc7c9b44185414443fa32be6d84
All about voting in Texas can be found at GoVoteTexas.org.
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