Reporting Texas
News and features from UT-Austin's School of Journalism
bySheldon Munroe
Despite the federal government’s assertion that construction of the Big Bend border wall has stopped, locals say barrier construction both in the national park and greater region is still underway.
West Texas residents say damage is already visible to one of the most prestigious remaining American frontier landscapes after a months-long process that has involved no public consultation. They say that both public and private lands are being divided with great swaths about to become inaccessible even to owners.
“They’re still preparing to build physical walls and barriers in those areas,” said a retired Big Bend National Park ranger . “We don’t trust them.”
byIsabel Neumann
Austin has invested millions of dollars into permanent supportive housing, a strategy of providing long-term housing and rental assistance that is widely seen as one of the most effective ways to reduce chronic homelessness. But as federal funding grows uncertain and costs continue to rise, city leaders are facing questions about how long they can […]
byErika Gonzalez
Four months after leaving the family detention center in Dilley, Kelly Vargas’ 6-year-old daughter still wakes up at night asking about “the bad ICE men.” Vargas, a Colombian mother who had lived in New York for more than a year before being detained in late 2025, is now trying to rebuild her life in Bogotá, Colombia. But the effects have stayed with her.
“She doesn’t forget,” Vargas said, adding that her daughter often asks, “Mom, do you remember when we were in jail?”
Others in Texas have described similar experiences. Immigration detention centers have drawn growing attention as advocates, lawyers and medical professionals say problems with health care, crowding and oversight are affecting people held in custody.
bySamantha Rubin
Protein popcorn. Protein water. Even protein coffee.
Across grocery stores and social media feeds, marketers are pushing protein — especially among young men seeking muscle, discipline and an idealized physique.
Online, the trend has taken on names like “protein maxxing” and “boy kibble,” and focuses on meals built almost entirely around protein intake. But nutrition experts say the surge is less about actual dietary needs and more about marketing, misinformation and shifting body image standards.
