Texas Matters: Republican lieutenant governor candidate Dan Patrick supports speeding up the immigration hearing process for unaccompanied minors housed in Texas; but Democrat Leticia Van De Putte says it is a death sentence. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is also putting forward a plan. Also on this show: Texas Nationalist Movement calls for day of action, how payday lending stays unregulated, blues great Johnny Winter dies.
A death sentence or a solution? lt. gov. candidates see proposed law differently
This week Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, teamed up with Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, to take on the problem of a surge of refugee children from Central America.
They are looking to speed up the children’s deportations back to their home countries where drug trafficking, murderous gangs and extreme poverty are out of control.
The issue is also playing out in state politics.
The candidates for Texas lieutenant governor have, not surprisingly, staked out opposing positions on a proposal that would speed the return of migrant children to their Central American countries.
KERA’s Shelley Kofler reports that Republican Dan Patrick likes the proposal. Democrat Leticia Van De Putte worries that it could be a death sentence.
Ted Cruz's next fight: Immigration
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has filed his own bill dealing with the Central American child refugees and President Obama’s attempts of using executive orders for immigration reform.
Manu Raju is Politico’s senior congressional correspondent. He writes about Cruz’s new move on immigration.
Also on this edition of Texas Matters:
Secessionists rally for action on border
The promised man-fence of the Texas Militia on the Texas Mexico border fizzled out. The promise of gun toting patriots who would take it upon themselves to secure the border was a no show.
Now the Texas Nationalist Movement is calling for a statewide day of action on Saturday July 19 to rally the state on the issue. This is the organization that wants Texas to break away from the United States and form its own nation.
Daniel Miller is the president of the Texas Nationalist Movement.
How payday lending remains unregulated in Texas
Brownsville is the latest Texas city to work on passing regulations curbing payday lending practices. Attempts to pass a state law that would regulate the industry have failed due to the efforts of state Rep. Gary Elkins, R-Houston, who owns the payday lending company Power Finance.
Forrest Wilder covers the payday lending industry for the Texas Observer.
Texas mourns loss of blues guitarist and singer Johnny Winter
Winter died Wednesday in a hotel room in Switzerland. He was 70. Winter was known for his lightning-fast blues licks and his long white hair.
Alan Govenar is a writer, folklorist, photographer and filmmaker. He is the author of more than 20 books, including, "Texas Blues: The Rise of a Contemporary Sound."
