March 19, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

Texas GOP lawmakers head to Washington for White House meeting

Close to 100Texas Republican state senators and representatives are scheduled to visit the White House Thursday for a meeting with members of President Donald Trump's cabinet. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, of Lubbock, and state Rep. Jared Patterson, of Frisco, who chairs the House Local & Consent Calendars Committee, are among the lawmakers set to attend the meeting. “It is an honor for the Texas Republican delegation to be invited to the White House to engage directly on the priorities shaping our state and nation under President Trump’s leadership," Burrows said in a statement. "Texas continues to lead with policies that expand freedom, strengthen opportunity, and drive prosperity—playing a defining role in America’s success."

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The lawmakers are set to meet with are Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler. The White House has not said what they are planning to discuss with theTexas legislators. But a White House spokesperson said such meetings are not unusual as the administration looks at how states are "advancing President Trump’s policies." Article continues below this ad The visit comes as the Trump administration is trying to find ways to reduce costs on American families ahead of a midterm election where Republicans are defending slim majorities in the House and Senate. In the aftermath of the U.S. attack on Iran earlier this month, oil prices have jumped more than 30%, driving upnot only fuel prices but the cost of everything from food to air travel. Also among those expected to attend the White House meeting Thursday is state Sen. Bryan Hughes, of Tyler, who visited the White House in December for a summit on "stopping illegal immigration, deregulating energy, making our streets safe, ending woke extremist policies like DEI, and growing our economy," he wrote in a post on X at the time. "Texas is leading the nation on most of these issues, and this event provided some great ideas that we’ll get started on as soon as we get home to Texas," he wrote.

Two Islamic schools approved for Texas school choice program after judge's order

The Texas Comptroller's Office has approved two Islamic private schools from North Texas to take part in the state's taxpayer-funded school choice program. The move comes one day after Houston federal judge Alfred Bennett ordered the state to consider the schools' applications – a step the schools say Texas had previously refused to take. Records from the comptroller's office, which oversees the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, show Excellence Academy, a private Islamic school in McKinney, has now been approved to participate. By Wednesday afternoon, the school appeared on the state's website of participating schools. Ehsan Sayed, a board member and graduate of Brighter Horizons Academy in Garland, told CBS News Texas on Wednesday afternoon that they had just learned the state had also approved their school.

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"It's a big relief," Sayed said. "We were excited about the vouchers program when it was first even mentioned, years ago, by the governor, because it would really give our parents and families an opportunity to help with their private education." Sayed said his school has been around since 1989 and now has 1,200 students in its K-12 program. "It's a typical private school with all the subjects, all the wonderful recreational and after-school activities, with the addition of the religious curriculum and classes. And so, as you mentioned, we've been around for over 30 years, graduated hundreds. I want to say almost 800 alumni from the school to date. Just normal and everyday Texans." Sayed and other schools and parents sued the Texas Comptroller's Office. Their attorney, Maha Ghyas, told CBS News Texas that as many as 30 Islamic schools in Texas were blocked from taking part in the application process, which she said violated the Constitution and freedom of religion. "We believe it was on the basis of the Islamic faith that the school teaches."

Resignation of top intelligence official exposes bitter MAGA-influencer divide

When Joe Kent resigned his post this week as the White House’s chief counterterrorism officer over his opposition to President Trump’s Iran war he appeared to be out of touch with MAGA world. But Kent’s antipathy for Trump’s Iran strikes—for which he blamed Israel and its lobbyists—has chimed with one vital constituency: an isolationist faction of leading influencers and stars of the conservative podcast arena where so much MAGA discourse transpires. Chief among them is Tucker Carlson, who hailed Kent on a live podcast on Wednesday evening, saying he hoped his resignation would be the “beginning of the long overdue truth telling.” Carlson also echoed Kent’s assertion that Israel was driving U.S. foreign policy. The White House has maintained that the war has widespread backing.

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For a president who has enjoyed the adulation of conservative podcasters and celebrated their electoral influence, the criticism might prove uncomfortable. Nor is Carlson the only one now clashing with the administration over the war and the U.S.’s once-sacrosanct relationship with Israel. Megyn Kelly, the onetime Fox News personality who now has her own online platform, has also questioned whether the war is “good for America”—as has Candace Owens, another popular influencer who supported Trump in 2024 and has become a vociferous critic of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I don’t know how he cannot see how his base, his actual base, is reacting right now,” Owens said of the president during an interview on Wednesday. Kelly and Owens are among the many dissenting podcasters who invoke the late Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was close to Trump and credited with bringing a younger generation into the MAGA fold. Kirk argued against going to war with Iran before he was assassinated last September. Their criticism has prompted aggressive pushback by a band of pro-Israel MAGA rivals.

Federal Reserve maintains rates and watches risks from Iran war

The Federal Reserve held rates steady for a second straight meeting, but Jerome H. Powell, the central bank’s chair, leaned into the uncertainty of the moment with the Iran war dragging on, energy prices surging and the labor market sending mixed signals. He repeatedly said it was too early to tell how the conflict would affect inflation and unemployment, although he acknowledged that the U.S. economy was still on relatively solid footing. According to projections released alongside the rate decision on Wednesday, most officials still expect at least one quarter-point cut this year even though they forecast a bumpier path to 2 percent inflation. Mr. Powell, downplaying how informative these forecasts are at the moment, noted that several policymakers said that if there were ever a meeting to skip releasing economic projections, “this would be a good one, because we just don’t know.”

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The high degree of uncertainty from the war only adds to the complicated situation the Fed finds itself in as it contends with its goals of low, stable inflation and a healthy labor market now in tension with one another. “We are balancing these two goals in a situation where the risks to the labor market are to the downside, which would call for lower rates, and the risks to inflation are to the upside, which would call for higher rates, or not cutting anyway,” he said. Mr. Powell acknowledged that no policy action was off the table, and suggested there was still a path to cut so long as some progress was made on reducing inflation. “If we don’t see that progress, then you won’t see the rate cut,” he said. Mr. Powell, whose term as chair ends on May 15, provided some details about his future at the Fed. If no chair is confirmed before then, he said he would stay in the top job on a temporary basis. Though he can technically stay on as a governor until 2028, Mr. Powell said he would not leave the central bank so long as the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into renovations of the Fed’s headquarters continued. Mr. Powell declined to stay whether he would stay if the investigation was dropped.

State Stories

Texas-led Congressional ‘Sharia Free America’ caucus membership is surging

Republicans in Congress are engaging in increasingly extreme anti-Muslim rhetoric, with little pushback from their own leadership. If anything, more lawmakers are seeking to join the chorus. But some in the party are beginning to wonder, is a renewed crusade against “Sharia law” actually what Republican voters are demanding? Since its founding in December, the Sharia Free America Caucus has ballooned in size from its two co-founders to 55 members as of this week. More are expected to join. The membership includes Rep. Andy Ogles, who recently said Muslims “don’t belong in American society.” Rep. Randy Fine, who said he’d choose dogs over Muslims, is a member, too. The caucus drew early support from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who recently shared a photo of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani alongside one of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and wrote that “the enemy is inside the gates.”

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Membership has grown in recent months to include more mainstream Republican lawmakers like Reps. Monica De La Cruz, who is in a vulnerable seat this midterm cycle, and Mike Kennedy, who isn’t known for having a loud online presence. The founders of the caucus said the group is dedicated “to counter the alarming rise of Sharia in the United States.” “A lot of people have a heightened awareness that, look, those that are that radicalized, that’s problematic,” Rep. Randy Weber of Texas, who told NOTUS he’s joining the caucus in the coming days, said. “We’re trying to make sure we’re drawing attention to it, and we’re trying to prevent it.” “Actually, maybe there’s a third thing that we’re gonna do: Punish those who perpetrate that kind of evil on us. Those three things,” Weber continued. “No Sharia law. ’Cause I don’t know how much you know about Sharia law, but they can be pretty rough on the ladies.” Some lawmakers focused on Sharia law, however, admit their attention is outpacing their constituents’ concern, framing the movement as being more about “prevention” than any issue at hand. While multiple lawmakers told NOTUS they do hear from constituents about it, few were able to point to a specific situation driving that outreach.

Police: Former judge Baird crashed car, showed signs of intoxication

Veteran Austin defense attorney and former judge Charlie Baird was arrested Tuesday night on a charge of driving while intoxicated after allegedly causing a crash in South Austin, according to a police affidavit. Baird, 71, was booked into the Travis County Jail at 12:59 a.m. Wednesday and later released on a $3,000 bond, jail records show. According to the affidavit, Austin police pulled Baird over around 10:30 p.m. after he crashed his vehicle into another car while attempting to turn left onto Menchaca Road from Slaughter Lane. Investigators allege Baird failed to yield to a driver crossing Menchaca, causing the collision.

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Before the crash, a 911 caller reported that a driver matching Baird’s description was traveling on the wrong side of the road, ran a red light and struck curbs, the affidavit states. The arresting officer wrote that Baird showed multiple signs of intoxication, including a strong odor of alcohol, watery and glassy eyes and difficulty standing without assistance. The officer also noted that Baird “had no recollection of being involved in a collision,” according to the affidavit. “I just had too much to drink at my crawfish eatery,” Baird said. “Everyone’s safe, no one got hurt and we’re just going to go through the process from here.” Baird said he had been at Crawfish ATX in South Austin before being pulled over. He said he declined to provide a breath sample and that officers obtained a blood sample to test his blood alcohol level. He said he has not received the results. Baird declined to comment on the affidavit’s allegations and said he has not decided whether he will represent himself. Baird is a longtime figure in Texas criminal law. He served on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals from 1991 to 1999 and later as judge of the 299th Criminal District Court in Travis County from 2006 to 2010. Since leaving the bench, he has worked as a criminal defense attorney in Austin and has frequently appeared in local media as a legal analyst. As a trial judge, he was known for emphasizing rehabilitation and alternative sentencing and presided over proceedings that led to the posthumous exoneration of Tim Cole.

Texas Education Agency asks judge to dismiss suit alleging violation of educators’ free speech rights

Attorneys for the Texas Education Agency asked a federal judge Monday to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the agency – and its top leader – of weaponizing their investigative authority to silence educators’ protected speech. The lawsuit was filed earlier this year by the Texas branch of the American Federation of Teachers, after the TEA launched investigations into hundreds of complaints accusing educators of making “inappropriate” social media posts about the shooting death of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. In the latest filing, attorneys for the agency said a letter Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath sent to every superintendent in the state two days after Kirk’s death, instructing them to report educators who made “inappropriate” comments about Kirk, was taken out of context by the teachers’ union.

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Morath said in the letter that the agency was made aware of some educators posting and sharing “reprehensible and inappropriate” content about Kirk, and told superintendents that any additional instances of “inappropriate content” should be reported to the agency. Morath later added educators found to have incited violence with their comments could face losing their teaching certification. Texas AFT said in its lawsuit that the investigations into educators were unlawful and that Morath’s letter had a “chilling effect” on its members’ political speech and presented a First Amendment concern. “[Morath] simply asked for referrals for investigation of anything the superintendents believed was not within the ethical boundaries for a public-school teacher of Texas’s children to publish to the world. Nothing more, nothing less,” Morath’s attorneys wrote in the filing. KXAN reached out to TEA for additional comments on the motion. A TEA spokesperson said “it can’t comment on pending litigation.”

The fight to stay home: How a Texas lawsuit could upend disability care

In his homeschool curriculum, 12-year-old Luke Lunday is learning about Section 504, a cornerstone of disability rights. Championed by disability rights activist Judy Heumann, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is responsible for what’s known as the integration mandate, which requires that people with disabilities have access to services in their homes and communities, rather than an institution. It enables Luke, who has a rare genetic disorder and requires the daily aid of a nurse, to live at his Trophy Club home with his parents. A lawsuit filed by the state of Texas is challenging this cornerstone of disability rights; advocates say it could eliminate the kinds of services that people like Luke rely on for basic needs.

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The end result of the suit, disability advocates say, is that people with disabilities could be at greater risk of being institutionalized, and might lose the right to receive services in their homes and communities. In its lawsuit, Texas v. Kennedy, Texas argues that updated rules for Section 504 are unconstitutional, and that the integration mandate “exceeds statutory authority and conflicts with federal law.” The state argues that the updated rule “creates a regime that is impossible for any State to fully comply with.” Disability rights groups throughout the country have voiced their opposition to the lawsuit. The Arc of Texas, which advocates for Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, sent a letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton in February asking him to withdraw from the suit. The Attorney General’s Office did not respond to a request for comment. “We have expectations about [people with disabilities] living in the community, being part of the community, having supports,” said Claudia Center, the legal director for the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund. “This is an attack on that whole foundational understanding.”

Texas officials are watching hotel demand closely as the World Cup kickoff approaches in three months.

Officials from the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau confirmed Wednesday that FIFA has dropped some rooms from its reserved hotel blocks ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Brent DeRaad, President & CEO of Arlington CVB, told NBC 5 he is still optimistic that the city's hotels "will fare well with FIFA groups and individual travelers." “Group room blocks are preferable due to a longer length of stay, but our hotels will adjust as needed to fill their rooms with FIFA fans," DeRaad said in a statement. Arlington is not the only host city seeing FIFA return room inventory.

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Hoteliers in the San Francisco area reported "very lackluster" demand for reserved room blocks, according to Forbes. Demand for hotel room space is one of several indicators tourism officials in North Texas say they are tracking closely. Officials with Visit Dallas say they are seeing "encouraging demand" for hotels so far, with the average daily rate for rooms in June and July up 46% and 47%, respectively, compared to the same time in 2025. Additionally, international bookings into DFW International and Dallas Love Field are up more than 100%, officials say, reflecting that travelers are starting to plan for the World Cup. "We expect Dallas hotel performance to grow as the tournament approaches, as the majority of bookings will likely occur much closer to the event once teams, match-ups and ticket allocations are finalized," a spokesperson said. Arlington hosts its first of nine matches on June 14 at AT&T Stadium, renamed Dallas Stadium during the World Cup due to corporate sponsorship considerations. Tourism officials in Frisco say they are tracking demand closely too. A spokesperson for Visit Frisco said the officials there said two additional World Cup ticket allotments are still to come, and the city will learn which team will call FC Dallas stadium home as Team Base Camp on March 31. "We are optimistic that this will induce increased room demand," Kelly Walker with Visit Frisco said.

FEMA awards $65 million to Houston for public safety ahead of FIFA World Cup

Three weeks after the city's host committee for the FIFA World Cup signed onto a letter expressing concern about possible delays in funding, Houston was awarded $65 million in federal dollars this week to cover public safety initiatives tied to the massive sporting event. Mayor John Whitmire's office confirmed the award to Houston Public Media on Wednesday, when the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced $625 million in public safety grants for the 11 host cities across the U.S. A spokesperson for Whitmire said the approximately $65 million for Houston will be used for overtime, personnel, technology and equipment for the police and fire departments, as well as "regional law enforcement agencies working for the FIFA World Cup."

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In late February, Politico reported host cities penned a letter to the White House's FIFA task force emphasizing "the importance of finalizing and resolving any administrative concerns regarding the distribution of FIFA World Cup security grants" amid the ongoing partial government shutdown. A spokesperson for Houston's host committee confirmed local officials signed onto the letter but otherwise did not immediately comment on the situation. A spokesperson for the White House FIFA task force said, in a statement to Houston Public Media, "Host cities have received guidance and are receiving support from FEMA throughout the reimbursement process." In a press release, FEMA senior official Karen Evans said, "The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be the largest sporting event in history, so it must also be the most secure." According to Governor Greg Abbott's office — which will oversee the grant program — the state is slated to receive $116 million from FEMA, on top of a previously awarded $30 million to address threats posed by drones. The first match in Houston between Germany and Curaçao kicks off on June 14. On the same day, the Netherlands and Japan will face off in Dallas. The Houston Police Department expects about half a million people from the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia and other countries to flood the city in June and July.

Texas can begin enforcing drag ban amid ongoing lawsuit

A Texas law banning some drag performances in public spaces goes into effect today, though a lawsuit challenging it is ongoing. State lawmakers passed Senate Bill 12 in 2023, restricting “sexually oriented performances” in public spaces or in front of children. A federal court declared the law unconstitutional, but after a lengthy court battle an appeals court last month ruled the state can enforce it. Brian Klosterboer, an attorney with the ACLU of Texas, which brought the lawsuit, said the law's wording is confusing. “That is still unconstitutionally vague and problematic because what is considered sexual or erotic is often in the eye of the beholder,” he said. According to Klosterboer, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled family-friendly drag shows such as the Woodlands Pride and Abilene Pride Alliance – the two plaintiffs in the case – are not affected by SB12.

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SB12 is not limited to drag performance but any performance that someone can deem sexual, he said. “From a Shakespeare play to the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, this could have a dramatic and chilling effect on the performing arts all across Texas,” Klosterboer said. The penalties for an individual performer can be a year of jail time with a fine up to $2,000. Venues that host these shows can face a fine up to $10,000. According to the ACLU of Texas, “criminal penalties also do not apply on public property if the performance is “at a time, in a place, and in a manner that could [not] reasonably be expected to be viewed by a child.” Klosterboer said many businesses are already canceling performances because of fear of inadvertently violating the law and that the fines could be catastrophic. Supporters of SB12, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have said it’s a “major victory for Texas kids.” Critics say it portrays all drag performances as sexual or obscene. Klosterboer said the ACLU will continue the case in court. “We’re hopeful that we can get future court decisions that’ll protect even more types of drag shows,” Klosterboer said. “All of those very family-friendly, PG drag shows can still go forward.”

Dallas Mavericks CEO seeking 50 acres downtown for arena, but ‘time is not on our side’

Mavericks CEO Rick Welts says the team still wants a downtown arena, but with no land, no talks with City Hall and no design, the project remains in its earliest stages. The updates came during an interview with former Mayor Tom Leppert and Kyle Waldrep on the Intersections podcast released online this week. Among the highlights: Welts said the team needs roughly 50 acres, and “right now there aren’t 50 acres available downtown,” a limitation that effectively narrows the field for any urban site.

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While he reiterated that downtown would be ideal, he emphasized it “is not the only place in Dallas we can build,” keeping options outside the core in play. The team previously has identified the former Valley View Mall site as a possibility. The Mavs lease on their current home, American Airlines Center, runs through 2031. For all the attention on a potential City Hall redevelopment, Welts said the Mavericks have not even begun substantive talks with the city. “We haven’t even been able to talk to the city about what that deal would look like,” he said, adding that the arena itself has not yet been designed, another sign the effort is still conceptual. Welts described a broader mixed-use vision for any 50-acre site, anchored by a new arena, team headquarters and a practice facility. Beyond that, he pointed to other elements tied to the development, including a training complex that “probably would include a medical facility run by a medical company you’re very familiar with.” He also cited interest from Live Nation in building a 4,000- to 5,000-seat venue and in having a four-star hotel connected to the arena so performers and players could move between the two without leaving the building. Welts said dense, urban locations deliver the greatest payoff, saying such projects “are incredibly successful in a dense environment” and can serve as a catalyst for surrounding development. But he also signaled urgency, noting “time is not on our side.” He said that while a downtown site like City Hall is “a very viable option,” the team has no control over it and cannot negotiate unless it becomes available.

Little news about Dallas Mavs, Stars in City Hall emails

Widespread speculation has tied Dallas City Hall’s future to new arena plans for the Dallas Mavericks, but a trove of city emails over the past year shows virtually no discussion linking the downtown site to the Mavericks or Stars. Instead, more than 5,000 pages of messages reviewed by The Dallas Morning News largely reflect routine outreach, event invites and one pointed warning from City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert to the Stars hockey team over lease disputes. City leaders are weighing whether to repair, relocate or redevelop the aging I.M. Pei–designed City Hall, a decision with long-term implications for downtown. Consultants estimate $329 million in near-term repairs and more than $1 billion over 20 years to fully modernize the building. At the same time, the Mavericks are exploring sites for a new arena ahead of their 2031 lease expiration at the American Airlines Center, including downtown. That overlap has stirred talk that City Hall could become part of a larger redevelopment deal.

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By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The emails contain no detailed exchanges about arena negotiations, no plans tying a new venue to the City Hall site and no evidence of internal talks about demolishing the building for that purpose. Representatives for Tolbert didn’t respond to a request for comment. The Mavs, in a statement, said the team has been “exploring a long-term arena solution in Dallas” and has met with the city manager’s office to “evaluate opportunities and gather information.” A Stars spokesman on Wednesday declined to comment. Sparse contact with the Mavericks: The only direct touchpoints between City Hall leadership and the Mavericks appear in two undated calendar-style emails referencing a meeting and a lunch between Tolbert and Mavericks CEO Rick Welts. Neither includes an agenda or follow-up. The meeting invite also was also sent to Mark Boekenheide, senior vice president of global real estate development for Las Vegas Sands Corp. The company is owned by the same family that owns the Dallas Mavericks. Another email from a Mavericks official to Tolbert last year says the city manager and Welts had a meeting set for May 8. But it’s unclear if that meeting happened or is one of the ones referenced in the email invites.

Gov. Abbott says Texas will stop observing César Chávez Day amid abuse allegations

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says the state will no longer observe César Chávez Day, citing newly surfaced allegations of sexual abuse against the late labor leader. In a social media post on Wednesday, Abbott said he has directed state agency heads to stop observing the March 31 holiday, which honors the civil rights leader’s role in organizing farmworkers and advocating for labor protections. The holiday is recognized as a federal commemorative holiday and is observed in several states, including Texas. Abbott said he plans to work with lawmakers to remove it from state law “altogether” during the Texas Legislature’s next session in 2027.

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“Reports of the horrific and widely acknowledged sexual assault allegations against Cesar Chavez rightfully dismantle the myth of this progressive hero and undermine the narrative that elevated Chavez as a figure worthy of official state celebration,” Abbott said Wednesday. The move follows recent reporting by The New York Times that outlined years of alleged sexual harassment and abuse tied to Chávez, including allegations involving two minors. The allegations have already sparked backlash across Texas, with organizers canceling César Chávez Day events in cities like Houston, San Antonio and Austin. Some advocates and officials have also raised the possibility of renaming streets across the state that bear his name.

Was Texas key to the Live Nation-Ticketmaster illegal monopoly settlement?

The criticism began immediately after the Justice Department announced terms of the settlement it had reached with with entertainment behemoth Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary, which it had accused of illegally monopolizing the live entertainment market. From Democratic senators to industry insiders, detractors came down hard on the deal. The federal government since 2024 had been seeking the breakup of what it calls a monopoly but came up short. Instead, the agreement would make Live Nation divest its assets in 13 amphitheaters — including the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin. It would allow any ticketing company to operate and ticket at those 13 venues, create a $281 million settlement fund for states and, most importantly, force the end of exclusive ticketing deals with hundreds of other venues.

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But while the federal government may be satisfied, many states’ attorneys general are not and the nearly two-year-old trial resumed Monday in a Manhattan courtroom. About 30 states are continuing the fight on their own to break up the company from Ticketmaster, which controls 80% of major concert venues’ primary ticketing. Texas isn’t among them. Though it joined the Justice Department suit in 2024, it now is among a handful of states that have reportedly expressed concerns about the agreement but are assessing options. Ironically, Texas may have been where the DOJ sought to leverage its power to flip a key witness — and where things fell apart. For now, though, if federal Judge Arun Subramanian approves the deal with the Justice Department, it will enter into a consent decree that the court will enforce. At that point, Live Nation will have 30 days to divest its interests in the 13 amphitheaters and end exclusive deals for Ticketmaster for the hundreds of other venues nationwide. It would be the third time since 2010 that antitrust enforcers have entered into a deal with Live Nation over its conduct in the live events market.

The present danger of foster care in North Texas

After observing foster-kid caseworkers—often inadequately trained, overwhelmed, and tardy to proceedings—during about 40 court hearings in Dallas County this month, it was no surprise the state acknowledged in a court filing Monday that children are in peril. Since the nonprofit Empower won the contract in February 2023 to provide case management services for nine local counties, including Dallas and Collin, its systemic failures have created what the legal filing calls “an imminent danger to the children under conservatorship.” The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services cites the deaths of two children and hospitalization of a third as among the reasons for a court to appoint an outside receiver to oversee Empower’s work on behalf of kids living in foster care in those counties. According to the filing, the children who died were three weeks old and two months old; the age of the hospitalized juvenile was not disclosed, nor were the counties where the incidents occurred.

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No cases of the magnitude detailed by the state came to light during my time in a Dallas County courtroom. But in at least half of the proceedings I watched, Empower fell short of meeting educational, medical, or therapeutic needs and of offering appropriate services to the children’s caregivers, whether that be a foster home or kinship placement. Small but pernicious problems emerged each day I sat in Judge Delia Gonzales’ Child Protection and Permanency Courtat the George Allen Courts Building in downtown Dallas. Gonzales’ questions to caseworkers revealed months-long gaps without action on vital items such as securing birth certificates or foster-home licenses. Her queries about the status of crucial paperwork led to prolonged silences as caseworkers and their supervisors searched their phones for records. Hearings often turned into tutorials delivered by the judge to Empower employees on how to process forms or where to secure benefits. Other times Gonzales and her staff tried to troubleshoot problems that should have been resolved before the court date. When all else failed, the judge issued formal orders to ensure a caseworker provided options for basic services that families had repeatedly asked the contractor to help with. She ruled several times that “no reasonable effort” had been made on a case, which can delay Empower’s access to federal funds.

United Methodist Church and SMU resolve legal dispute

United Methodist leaders and Southern Methodist University announced an agreement March 18 that ends their long-simmering legal dispute over the university’s ties to the denomination. Under the agreement, SMU has filed amended and restated articles of incorporation that provide clarity around its governance — and most critically, preserve its historic and ongoing relationship with the denomination’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference. Both institutions also affirm their shared commitment to the university’s mission and jointly agree to dismiss pending litigation.

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“The board of trustees, the university, and I are pleased we have reconciled with the SCJC, and we very much look forward to a collaborative and enhanced relationship into the future,” Jay C. Hartzell, SMU’s president, said in a joint statement with the jurisdictional conference. He began his tenure at SMU last year when the lawsuit was already pending. The Rev. Derrek Belase, chair of the South Central Jurisdictional Conference’s Mission Council, offered a similar sentiment. The Mission Council — consisting of bishops, other clergy and lay people — makes decisions about the operations of the jurisdiction between conference meetings. “I am grateful for the spirit of collaboration shown throughout this process, and especially for the thoughtful engagement of President (Jay) Hartzell and Provost Rachel Davis Mersey as we worked toward this agreement,” Belase said. “These conversations have not only helped us address important matters but have allowed us to begin imagining what the future of this relationship can look like.”

National Stories

Mullin's testimony is giving new life to DHS shutdown talks

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, pledged at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday that DHS would revert to the practice of requiring judicial warrants for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to enter homes and businesses under his leadership. That’s a change from outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s tenure and fulfills a key demand from Democrats, who remain in talks with the White House to reopen DHS. The shutdown entered a second month with little sign of movement. Democrats continue to insist that reforms of ICE and Customs and Border Patrol be included in any funding bill to reopen the agency. “I have made it very clear to the staff,” Mullin said, “that a judicial warrant will be used to go into houses or to place of businesses unless we are pursuing someone who enters into that place. I have not minced words with that and I haven’t changed my opinion on that.”

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But Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who asked Mullin for his stance on the use of warrants during the hearing, told NOTUS that change isn’t likely to be enough to convince his party to shift their position on the shutdown. Mullin and the White House would have to fulfill the rest of the Democrats’ demands, which include prohibiting ICE officers from wearing masks and an end to roving patrols, for Blumenthal to vote to fund the agency, he said. He added that he expected the rest of the caucus to agree. Any DHS funding bill needs 60 votes, mandating some bipartisan support. “It’s one of the reforms that we’re seeking but by no means all of the basic changes in policy and practices that are necessary for this agency to be lawful,” Blumenthal said, adding he “doesn’t know” if Mullin will help negotiations proceed at a faster pace. A senior White House official said that Mullin’s stance on judicial warrants is proof that he will lead the department differently than Noem, and the shift on the issue was blessed by the White House itself.

Are College Republicans OK?

Over the past few weeks, a growing contingent of far-right campus Republicans have encountered pushback to their extremist views—including from other conservative students. Earlier this month, The Miami Herald exposed hundreds of racist, homophobic, sexist and antisemitic messages written by some college Republicans at Florida International University in a group chat they referred to as “Nazi Heaven.” The Florida Federation of College Republicans (FFCR)—a moderate organization affiliated with the National Federation of College Republicans—condemned the messages as “sickening, abhorrent and completely unacceptable” and said “such rhetoric does not reflect the values of the party.”

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Last week, a group called the Georgetown University College Republicans wrote in a now-deleted post on X that “Muslims have no place in American society. Their religion is incompatible with our Christian Nation.” The university is investigating; leaders of the group said the post was made without their permission and “was inconsistent with the values of our organization.” And last Saturday, the University of Florida announced plans to deactivate the UF College Republicans at the request of the FFCR, which alerted university officials to a 2025 picture of a UF College Republicans member making a Nazi salute. In a statement, the university said it “emphatically supported its Jewish community and remains committed to preventing and addressing antisemitism and other forms of discrimination.” But the UF College Republicans wrote on X that because they’re not affiliated with the FFCR—they are instead a member of the separate College Republicans of America—the state organization doesn’t have the authority to deactivate the group, and they accused the entity of a pattern of lying “to silence christian [sic] conservative groups on campus.” On Monday, the UF College Republicans filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging that it violated the club’s First Amendment rights and engaged in “viewpoint discrimination” when it deactivated the club “to silence” and “chill its future speech.”

Intel chief Gabbard declines to say if Iran posed an 'imminent threat' to U.S.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declined to say if Iran’s nuclear program presented an “imminent threat,” deflecting questions from lawmakers about whether U.S. intelligence backed up White House statements on the rationale for starting the war. Gabbard’s congressional testimony Wednesday at an annual hearing on worldwide threats came a day after a top deputy, Joe Kent, resigned in protest over the Iran war, saying that the Tehran regime posed no imminent threat and the joint U.S.-Israeli air campaign was unnecessary. Kent and Gabbard, both military veterans, had found political common ground over their opposition to foreign military interventions and “regime change” wars like Iraq and Afghanistan. Gabbard has not publicly endorsed the decision to go to war, staying mostly silent on the U.S.-Israeli air campaign that began on Feb. 28.

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Her appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee took place as the war entered its third week, with no clear end in sight. The White House has offered shifting rationales for launching the offensive, and Iran has retaliated, essentially shutting down a critical passageway for commercial shipping. The conflict has triggered a spike in gas prices, creating political problems for President Donald Trump at home ahead of the congressional midterm elections in November. Gabbard's reluctance to offer a full-throated endorsement of the president’s decision to wage war on Iran, unlike other Cabinet officials, raised fresh questions about her standing in the administration. In her opening statement, Gabbard omitted language included in her written remarks saying that Iran had not tried to rebuild its uranium enrichment capability after U.S. air strikes in June. “Iran’s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. There has been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability,” her prepared remarks read, according to her written statement posted on the Senate Intelligence Committee’s website. That assessment appeared to contradict Trump, who has said Iran was working to rebuild its nuclear program.

After Trump’s Interior Secretary transferred thousands of staff to his office, chaos followed, former workers say

One year into President Donald Trump’s second term, the Department of the Interior is in turmoil, hobbling many of the agencies overseeing the country’s public lands and waters. Not only has Interior lost some 11,000 employees, or more than 17 percent of its workforce, it is also reeling from a drastic centralization of personnel: Last May, almost 5,500 staff from the department’s component agencies were moved into the office of the Interior secretary, Doug Burgum. That shift has created a hostile work culture, made staff less efficient and broken important lines of communication, former Interior employees say. According to an Inside Climate News analysis of federal workforce data released by the Office of Personnel Management, almost 1,800 workers have left Burgum’s office since the reorganization—the vast majority opting to retire or quit.

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As a whole, the federal workforce shrank by about 12 percent in the first year of the second Trump administration. Some parts of the government, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, which shed 24 percent of its employees, have suffered bigger losses. But Burgum’s reorganization is unique, with wide ripple effects. Under an order signed on April 17, Burgum confirmed plans to absorb administrative staff from Interior’s component agencies, including workers responsible for human resources, training, information technology, contracting and communications. The Inside Climate News analysis shows sudden staff losses in the next month at agencies including the Bureau of Reclamation; the U.S. Geological Survey; the Bureau of Land Management; the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; and the Fish and Wildlife Service that correspond to the swelling of Burgum’s own staff. The stated goal was efficiency. “This unification effort will accelerate technology advancements and enhance the Department’s ability to deliver on our core mission,” Burgum’s order said. But Interior staff reorganized into Burgum’s office who later left say they encountered a hostile, inefficient work culture designed to push people out. Russell Vought, the powerful director of the federal Office of Management and Budget, said in a private speech between Trump’s two terms that “we want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected” by going to work, ProPublica reported in 2024.

Detained pregnant people are entitled to full medical care. They say it’s not happening.

Amanda Isabel Fanego Cardoso was about 11 weeks pregnant when she was detained last September, then transferred between five immigration facilities over several months. Because her medical care was so limited, she said, it was only after her release this February that she learned she had developed potentially life threatening pregnancy-related conditions. Cecil Elvir-Quinonez was about eight weeks pregnant and still breastfeeding her 5-month-old when she was detained in January. She received emergency room care on January 6 after experiencing heavy bleeding and cramps in federal custody. The next day, she was transferred to a detention facility in Louisiana, where, though her bleeding continued, she received no follow-up medical attention or prenatal visits, according to her family. A pregnant woman in Minnesota was pulled over by immigration officials on her way to work in January. While detained, she developed abdominal pain, according to her lawyer. She, her husband and two children were sent to a Texas detention facility that did not have an OBGYN on staff.

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Government detention standards say that when pregnant people are detained, they should receive comprehensive health care, including routine prenatal visits, specialized follow-ups if needed, prenatal vitamins and proper nutrition and exercise. But court documents and interviews with pregnant detainees and immigration attorneys across the country paint a different picture: Pregnant people in detention facilities say they are receiving sporadic medical visits and slow or limited medical care even when they experience bleeding, pain and other complications that could threaten their pregnancies. Some who have received medical visits say they were not given test results. Allegations of improper medical care for pregnant people are piling up. The 19th has spoken to two women who were pregnant while detained and four attorneys whose clients were pregnant while detained, and reviewed court records related to another similar case from last summer. A new report suggests that lack of medical care is endangering pregnant immigrants, who suffer complications in detention and do not receive timely treatment. For a report published Wednesday from two advocacy groups, the Women’s Refugee Commission and Physicians for Human Rights, researchers traveled to Honduras to spend a week interviewing recently deported people, including three women who were “visibly pregnant” and four who said they were recently postpartum.

FBI investigating Kent over allegedly leaking classified information

The FBI is investigating Joe Kent, the former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who resigned earlier this week over opposition to the U.S. ongoing war with Iran, over allegedly leaking classified information, The Hill’s sister network confirmed on Wednesday. The agency’s probe was underway before Kent, a top aide to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, announced his resignation from the post on Tuesday, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the U.S. and urging President Trump to change course regarding the Middle East conflict, a source told NewsNation. The FBI declined to comment when reached by The Hill.

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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denounced Kent’s comments around the decision to launch strikes against Iran on Feb. 28 as “insulting and laughable.” “I always thought he was a nice guy, but I always thought he was weak on security, very weak,” Trump told reporters on Tuesday. “When I read his statement I realized it’s a good thing that he’s out, because he said Iran is not a threat.” Semafor first reported on the existence of the probe into Kent, who on Wednesday sat for an interview with right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson, who similarly has voiced opposition to the U.S.’s war against Iran. “The Israelis drove the decision to take this action,” Kent told Carlson. “Which we knew would set off a series of events, meaning the Iranians would retaliate.” The president, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other top U.S. officials have argued that hitting Iran was necessary because Tehran posed an imminent threat to American national security. “That just simply did not exist,” Kent told Carlson during the wide-ranging interview.

Copyright March 19, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved