Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, June 19, 2024:
Biden policy will shield undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation
President Joe Biden announced a new policy yesterday that will protect about half a million undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation.
The plan offers a “parole in place” option to undocumented people who have been in this country for at least 10 years. This measure will also allow eligible immigrants to apply for legal permanent status. It would also extend a legal path for noncitizen children and stepchildren of U.S. citizens under the age of 18.
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, who covers immigration for NPR, joins us to discuss:
More Texans are turning to primary care providers for mental health help
Mental health and substance use disorders are typically treated as a specialty, and access to the right specialists isn’t guaranteed. In fact, keeping mental health a separate field has contributed to the workforce shortage Americans are now experiencing. And now patients are increasingly turning to their primary care providers for mental health help.
Stephen Simpson, health care reporter for The Texas Tribune, joins us with the story.
Migrants say Texas National Guard troops are shooting them with pepper balls
Gov. Abbott’s controversial border security mission Operation Lone Star has recently armed the Texas National Guard soldiers with pepper ball launchers. The weapons are meant to deter migrants by delivering a chemical irritant nearby, but migrants say they’ve been shot directly with the pepper bullets.
Texas Public Radio’s Pablo De la Rosa has more:
Shining a light on Black Seminoles this Juneteenth
On this day 159 years ago, Union forces pulled into Galveston Bay and announced that all enslaved people in Texas were free. Every year since then, people across the Lone Star State have celebrated Juneteenth with cookouts and parades. It’s a holiday about visibility. And some people use the occasion to turn the spotlight on communities that have been overlooked.
KUT reporter and producer Zahra Crim tells the story of the Black Seminoles.
The little-known story of the race across the world’s longest barrier island
Padre Island was once occupied mostly by cattle, a few adventurous fishermen, surfers and brave day cruisers in Model Ts who would cross over a rickety two-track trestle to go where no car had gone before.
It is said that in the 50s, hot rod racers would get ferried over to the island on the Brownsville end and race all the way to Corpus and back –possible because there was no Port Mansfield Cut blocking their way.
Commentator W.F. Strong has the story of another fascinating race that once happened on Padre Island.
‘Juneteenth Rodeo’ photo book captures world of Black cowboys
In the rodeo world of the 1970s, Black cowboys tested their skill and competed at Black Rodeos – and in a new book, photos and moments from one holiday rodeo are coming to light after being packed away for decades.
“Juneteenth Rodeo” holds snapshots of events, attendees and cowboys of those rodeos in Texas. Writer and photographer Sarah Bird joins us to discuss.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar pushes back against DOJ charges
South Texas Congressman Henry Cuellar says he’s being targeted by the Department of Justice. Cuellar was indicted on bribery and money laundering charges, but he continues to seek re-election.
The Laredo Democrat recently sat down with Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies for an exclusive interview.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Raul Alonzo with the Talk of Texas.
