Immigration

During the 60-minute event, the candidates stuck to the talking points that have so far dominated this election season. Abbott painted O’Rourke as a Biden clone on immigration, while the Democratic challenger said Abbott’s stances on guns and abortion aren’t a fit for Texas.

Migrants from across the hemisphere are increasingly crossing the border in a remote corner of South Texas. The shift has big implications for border towns like Eagle Pass — and the entire country.

After Texas Gov. Greg Abbott launched a controversial program to bus migrants to other states, he appealed to private donors to help cover the costs. But contributions to the so-called "Border Transportation Funding" are well short of the $12 million that's been spent.

Attorneys for the Venezuelan migrants, who are suing Florida Gov. DeSantis after being transported from Texas to the Massachusetts island, said the consent forms migrants signed were missing material information and not fully translated.

Some of the migrants have said they were lured on to the flights with promises of jobs, housing and other benefits.

A Texas sheriff has opened a criminal investigation into flights ordered by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that took the migrants to Massachusetts. DeSantis says outrage over the flights was misplaced.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican who is running for reelection, said the flights from Texas were voluntary. But if migrants were lured, some argue they could now be victims of a crime.

The migrants who boarded the plane have said a woman in San Antonio who identified herself as “Perla” lured them into boarding a plane and promising expedited work permits.

According to a new Texas Politics Project poll, Republicans overwhelmingly support Gov. Greg Abbott’s busing policy, while most Democrats are against it. Abbott, a Republican running for a third term, continues to lead Democrat Beto O’Rourke.

The Biden administration's actions rolls back a Trump-era policy that some said deterred immigrants from applying for benefits like SNAP and WIC.