RACE & IMMIGRATION

Construction workers are seen as two women walk along the road on an early October morning in Guadalupe Distrito Bravo.
Construction workers are seen as two women walk along the road on an early October morning in Guadalupe Distrito Bravo.

Residents of a Forgotten Border Town Continue Fleeing to Texas

As officials in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez celebrate a drop in crime in the Mexican border city, residents in nearby Guadalupe, Chihuahua continue fleeing to Texas in droves amid continuing violence and corruption. 

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For Many Texans, "Miracle" Economy Doesn't Apply

Changing Demographics Create a Battleground in North Texas District

A nod to the city's changing demographics, the masthead for a branch of Jefferson Dental Clinics in Irving, Texas includes a large Spanish-language sign on its storefront that reads, “A friend of the Hispanic family.”
A nod to the city's changing demographics, the masthead for a branch of Jefferson Dental Clinics in Irving, Texas includes a large Spanish-language sign on its storefront that reads, “A friend of the Hispanic family.”

Democrats are hoping to take advantage of the shifting demographics in Irving to flip Texas House District 105, which has been held by a Republican for more than a decade. 

State Fights Release of Race Records

Glenn Johnson, 55, was injured in a smelting accident near Amarillo in 1997 in which a furnace filled with molten metal exploded, crushed him and left major burns over 90 percent of his body. His left arm was amputated and all but two the muscles in his right forearm were removed.
Glenn Johnson, 55, was injured in a smelting accident near Amarillo in 1997 in which a furnace filled with molten metal exploded, crushed him and left major burns over 90 percent of his body. His left arm was amputated and all but two the muscles in his right forearm were removed.

The Texas Department of Insurance is fighting the Tribune’s request for records that could shed light on why the agency has failed to collect racial data on injured workers, despite a 1993 law that requires it. 

Tours Aim to Redefine Juárez, Revitalize Tourism

Historian Antonio Ramos poses as a Maderista soldier at a marketplace in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Oct. 8, 2014.
Historian Antonio Ramos poses as a Maderista soldier at a marketplace in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on Oct. 8, 2014.

Hopes are riding on a new effort in which tour buses will come to Ciudad Juárez regularly from El Paso. Officials want the tours to help shed Juárez's image as a danger zone and showcase the city as a destination for area tourists.

Patrick's Push to Repeal Texas DREAM Act Could Face Criticism

State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, during a legislative committee hearing on human trafficking in La Joya on July 24. Both senators are candidates for lieutenant governor.
State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, during a legislative committee hearing on human trafficking in La Joya on July 24. Both senators are candidates for lieutenant governor.

A vow by state Sen. Dan Patrick, the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor, to repeal the Texas DREAM Act could face criticism from Republicans trying to reach out to Hispanic voters.

Abbott Sets Sights on "The Bluest Part of a Red State"

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott answers a question during a Sept. 19, 2014, gubernatorial debate with state Sen. Wendy Davis. The debate, held at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance, was the first of two scheduled before the November  general election.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott answers a question during a Sept. 19, 2014, gubernatorial debate with state Sen. Wendy Davis. The debate, held at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance, was the first of two scheduled before the November general election.

Greg Abbott, the Republican nominee for Texas governor, is trying to break the Democrats’ near lock on deep South Texas. The Democrats are dismissive of his effort, but it underscores the importance both camps are attaching to Hispanics this year.

Against Difficult Odds, Finding Refuge in El Paso

A woman, who asked not to be identified because she fears for her safety, stands near the pulpit at the end of service at First Baptist Church on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014, in El Paso. The woman fled Boko Haram in Nigeria and is now seeking asylum.
A woman, who asked not to be identified because she fears for her safety, stands near the pulpit at the end of service at First Baptist Church on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014, in El Paso. The woman fled Boko Haram in Nigeria and is now seeking asylum.

Four years after fleeing Somalia, Dekha Hassan-Mohamed is living in El Paso after winning an asylum claim and bucking a national trend. Her lawyer is seeking the same protection for another client who fled Nigeria. Both women are grateful for the new chapters of their lives in El Paso. 

The Ford Foundation and the Hunt Family Foundation have supported coverage of immigration, demographics and the border region at The Texas Tribune.