María Méndez
Border & Business Reporter, LaredoMaría Méndez reports for Texas Public Radio from the city of Laredo where she covers business and border issues from an area that is now the nation’s top trade hub. Her position is made possible by Report For America — a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Before joining TPR, she reported on Texas' diverse communities and tumultuous politics through internships at the Austin American-Statesman, The Texas Tribune and, most recently, The Dallas Morning News. She also participated in NPR’s Next Generation Radio program while studying at the University of Texas at Austin.
At UT, she wrote for The Daily Texan and helped launch diversity initiatives, including two collaborative series on undocumented and first-generation college students. One of her stories for these series won an award from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She is a native of Guanajuato, Mexico but grew up in Central Texas.
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The U.S.-Mexico border remains closed to many people, including most migrants and asylum seekers, and those allowed in are currently tested for COVID-19. Here’s a rundown of what’s happening at the Texas border and what changes the Biden administration has made.
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Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Congressman Henry Cuellar visited a facility for child migrants in Carrizo Springs Friday before meeting with leaders in Laredo to discuss the increasing number of migrants arriving at the border.
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Abbott detailed the state’s increased law enforcement presence in the area and critiqued President Joe Biden's immigration policies. He also doubled down against federal aid for border communities taking in and testing a rising number of migrants.
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Esto es lo que usted necesita saber sobre la inmigración en la Frontera de Texas bajo el Presidente Biden:
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Texas grocery store shelves have begun filling out again. But for the state’s agriculture industry, recovering from the winter storm will take time, and consumers are likely to feel it in their pockets.
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The South Texas border is facing power outages and major economic losses from the winter storm, but community organizations are stepping up to offer support amid their own struggles. Check the end of the story for a list of local aid.
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As the Biden administration works to create a pathway to citizenship for millions of unauthorized immigrants, this couple hopes Congress will also pass a simpler bill to help immigrants seeking to legally reunite or reside in the U.S with their American spouses and families.
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As Texas lawmakers prepare to redraw political district maps with new census population data, some community leaders of the Rio Grande Valley fear they will get the short end of the stick.
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President Joe Biden paused border wall construction and ordered a 60-day review of projects, but what happens after that remains uncertain.
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Laredo’s latest COVID-19 bind follows efforts to expand hospital capacity and to slow down rising hospitalizations, but officials have been unable to control the spread of the virus under Gov. Greg Abbott’s orders allowing bars and restaurants to remain open.