The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is planning to sit down with Border Patrol to figure out how to divide money between local police departments and county constables. There is about $1.3 million less to divide up this fiscal year than last. Last year, the Department of Homeland Security awarded Hidalgo County with more than $4.6 million. This year they awarded just $3.3… Read more »

Tras una charla con el congresista Henry Cuéllar, él asevera que el reembolso derivado de los gastos por la ayuda humanitaria para la ciudad de McAllen y otras entidades del Valle del Río Grande se encuentra en el limbo. Meses atrás, Cuéllar había anunciado que McAllen era elegible para solicitar fondos federales para reembolsar los más de 300 mil dólares que han gastado para ayudar a… Read more »

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX), Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX), and Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) in efforts to give states more flexibility in how they use federal transportation funds, allowing them to invest more into border infrastructure. Reps. Hurd, McCaul, and Cuellar introduced H.R. 3181 in the House, and Sen. Cornyn worked to include similar… Read more »

State Sen. Juan Hinojosa says the city of McAllen and Hidalgo County will get reimbursed for the monies they spent last year providing humanitarian relief to undocumented refugees from Central America. Hinojosa said that as vice chair of the Senate Committee on Finance he was able to add language to the new state budget to make sure homeland security federal funds can be passed on by the… Read more »

We have seen substantial progress in some aspects of reforming our nation’s broken immigration system. It is in no way complete and we continue to lament the fact that Congress refuses to take up this issue in its entirety.   For the past year, The Monitor’s Editorial Board has dissected pieces of this complicated issue and offered various suggestions and solutions. We are… Read more »

We could soon see progress on a pressing economic issue that would benefit Texas and the rest of the nation immensely — the lifting of the oil export ban.   “The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources will meet within the next two weeks to consider lifting the 40-year-old ban on exporting crude oil,” The Hill newspaper reported on Friday. “Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska,… Read more »

In light of the tragic death of Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant in San Francisco, Congress is debating legislation to deal with so-called sanctuary cities. The thought was that these local ordinances would allow illegal immigrants to report crimes without fear of deportation. Well, this skirting of federal immigration law has reaped some awful results. Yesterday, the… Read more »

MISSION, RGV – Canada’s population is 35 million and in 2013-14 the country sent 28,304 of its students to study in the United States. Mexico’s population is 122 million and in 2013-14 it sent 14,779 students to study in the United States. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar wants to reduce this disparity and have more student exchanges between the U.S. and Mexico. He has added language to an… Read more »

Businessman and 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who is visiting the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday, said people will find out soon if he has evidence about his claim that the Mexican government is sending its criminals into the United States. “You may have proof very soon. All you have to do is speak to some of the border people. Some of the border people told… Read more »

Following controversial comments on illegal immigration, Donald Trump is making his way to South Texas. The republican presidential candidate will be in Laredo tomorrow, Thursday, July 23 as part of his Texas-México border tour. Trump will address media and members of law enforcement including Border Patrol, ICE, Laredo PD and DEA. A FOX 2 news crew will also be in attendance. We’ll… Read more »