Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Listen on your Texas public radio station, or ask your smart speaker to play Texas Standard. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Texas Republicans ‘recalibrate’ tone on ICE amid midterm pressure
Gov. Greg Abbott and several Texas Republicans have publicly questioned recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics following the fatal shooting of a demonstrator in Minneapolis. While the rhetoric marks a shift in tone, political analysts suggest it may be driven more by midterm election calculations than policy reconsideration.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey reports on what’s behind the messaging change.
Houston’s 18th District prepares to fill long-vacant seat
Voters in Houston’s 18th Congressional District head to the polls Saturday to fill a seat held vacant for nearly a year following the death of Sylvester Turner. The special runoff will determine who represents a historically blue district in Washington until November.
Andrew Schneider, senior reporter for politics and government at Houston Public Media, joins Texas Standard to explain why the process took so long and what’s at stake.
Abbott orders halt to H-1B visa petitions at public universities
Gov. Greg Abbott has directed Texas public universities to stop submitting new H-1B visa petitions, a move that could affect research labs, faculty hiring, and specialized campus roles. The order also calls for universities to compile detailed reports on visa use.
Jessica Priest, higher education reporter for the Texas Tribune, joins Texas Standard to explain what the directive requires and how institutions are responding.
Texas A&M faculty protest course review policy
Hundreds of students, faculty, and alumni rallied at Texas A&M University, accusing administrators of censoring course material related to race, gender, and sexual orientation. The protest follows the firing of a lecturer and new system policies requiring approval for certain courses.
Leonard Bright, president of the Texas A&M chapter of the American Association of University Professors, joins Texas Standard to discuss concerns about academic freedom.
Landmark lawsuit reshaped immigration enforcement at schools
Decades ago, Border Patrol actions at Bowie High School in El Paso led to a federal lawsuit that helped define limits on immigration enforcement at schools. With federal policy on “sensitive locations” now reversed, the case carries renewed relevance.
Aaron Montes of KTEP reports on the students who challenged the government – and what their victory established.
The legacy of Dublin Dr Pepper lives on
Though the original bottling plant in Dublin, Texas, closed years ago, the legacy of its cane sugar Dr Pepper continues to resonate.
Comedy show turns public roasting into performance art
At an Austin venue, a weekly comedy show called Banana Phone invites performers to deliver one minute of material – then endure an extended roast from hosts and audience members. It’s a mix of cringe, catharsis and crowd participation, drawing more than 100 attendees each week.
Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana reports on how controlled cruelty has become a comedy ritual.
Typewriter Rodeo
The gang delivers another custom poem.
The week in Texas politics
The Texas Tribune politics editor Jasper Scherer joins the Standard with a recap of the week that was in Texas politics.
