Here’s what’s on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021.
US Supreme Court On ‘Remain In Mexico’ Policy
The Biden administration ended a practice requiring asylum seekers to wait outside the U.S. for their cases to be considered. Now, a Supreme Court ruling is keeping the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” program in place for migrants seeking asylum. We’re talking about it today with René Kladzyk, reporter for El Paso Matters.
New Texas Laws Part 3: Voting Laws
Recent special sessions and quorum busts have revolved around new proposed voting restrictions. But the Texas Legislature actually passed several bills on voting during its regular session. As part of our series exploring new laws, Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider reports those rules take effect on September 1 – and only a few are without controversy.
Endangered Mussels
The federal government wants to protect six species of Texas mussels under the endangered species act. Houston Public Media’s Katie Watkins tells us these freshwater mussels have declined in recent years due to habitat loss and worsening water quality.
Thousands of people are fleeing Afghanistan, which is now under Taliban rule. Refugee Services of Texas says it plans to resettle nearly 600 Afghans across the state by the end of September. Many people being resettled served the U.S. military in some capacity and qualified for special immigration visas. However, it may take longer for those who are seeking refugee status specifically to reach U.S. soil. Here to explain is Fatma Marouf, director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at Texas A&M University.
A new tool is available to combat the rise in COVID-19 cases spurred by the delta variant. Regeneron, a monoclonal antibody infusion therapy, decreases hospitalization chances by up to 70%. If it sounds familiar to you, it was the treatment received by both former President Trump last year and by Gov. Greg Abbott last week. But how available is it and who qualifies for it? Here to talk to us about it is Texas Tribune health reporter Karen Brooks Harper.
Preserving Bexar County’s Spanish Archives
An $18 million project preserving Bexar County’s historical archives is underway and should be completed in two years. As Texas Public Radio’s Brian Kirkpatrick reports from San Antonio, the project includes the preservation, protection and online digitalization of county records that date back to the Spanish Colonial era.
W.F. Strong: The French Legation
Before Texas was a state, it was – briefly – an independent country. And as Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong explains, it was hardly a seamless transition.
PolitiFact Texas: Ken Paxton And COVID Testing Of Migrants
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that immigrants detained at the border and released into the U.S. are not being tested for COVID-19. Is that a fact? Here to dig into this claim is Brandon Mulder with PolitiFact Texas, based at the Austin American-Statesman.
All this plus the Texas News Roundup, and Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
