Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Friday, May 2, 2025:
Judge rules Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act was unlawful
A federal judge in Texas has ruled that President Trump overstepped his authority when he used the Alien Enemies Act to detain and deport Venezuelan immigrants. U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. wrote that Trump’s interpretation “exceeds the scope” of the law.
NPR immigration correspondent Sergio Martínez-Beltrán joins the Standard with more.
Houston’s Afghan community faces uncertain future
Roughly 10,000 Afghan migrants have settled in Houston since the fall of Kabul. But now that Donald Trump has returned to office, programs that once helped them stay legally are being rolled back.
Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media reports on how families who assisted the U.S. during the war fear being sent back to danger.
Local elections across Texas to decide mayors, bond proposals
From mayoral races to bond elections, voters across Texas are heading to the polls Saturday. What are the key contests to watch?
Rachel Osier Lindley, senior editor with The Texas Newsroom, joins us for a statewide snapshot, including a high-profile mayoral race in San Antonio:
Will South Texas get a new city called Starbase?
Residents near the SpaceX launch site in Cameron County will vote this weekend on whether to incorporate as the City of Starbase. If approved, it would create a unique company town in Texas.
The Texas Newsroom’s Lauren McGaughey is covering the story and joins the show with a preview.
Push to ban junk food from SNAP grows in Texas and beyond
Should SNAP benefits cover soda and chips? More lawmakers are saying no. While the USDA has long rejected waivers to restrict food choices under the program, new bills in Congress and 18 states, including Texas, aim to change that.
Harvest Public Media’s Anna Pope reports.
Texas Monthly heads to TV with new PBS series
Starting this month, fans of Texas Monthly will see their favorite stories brought to life on TV. The magazine is teaming up with PBS for “Texas Monthly Presents,” a new series that adapts its journalism for the screen.
Owen Schwartzbard, senior video producer at Texas Monthly, joins the Standard with a behind-the-scenes look.
The gang delivers another custom poem. Reach out to Texas Standard with your topic suggestions!
The Texas Tribune’s Jasper Scherer joins the Standard with a recap of the week that was in Texas politics.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
