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Report: Nearly 50,000 border crime arrests reported in Texas in 2023 | Texas

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www.thecentersquare.com – By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor – (The Center Square – ) 2025-03-21 06:54:00

(The Center Square) – According to the most recently available data, there were nearly 50,000 border crime arrests reported statewide in Texas in 2023 by local law enforcement agencies.

Eighty percent of arrests occurred in 20 counties, according to an annual Texas border crime report published by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The majority of border crime arrests, 8,621, were reported in Harris County, the largest county in Texas, where Houston, the county seat, is a primary destination for illegal border crossers and hub for cartel and gang activity, The Center Square has reported.

The next greatest number of arrests were reported in Dallas County (6,247), followed by El Paso County (3,245); Tarrant County (3,144) and Hidalgo County (2,611), rounding out the top five.

Arrests in Travis (2,300), Bexar (1,717), Collin (1,520), Denton (1,313) and Cameron (1,171) counties rounded out the top 10 with the greatest number of reported border crime arrests.

Of the top 20 counties reporting the most border crime arrests, only five are located at the Texas-Mexico border.

The majority of reported border crime arrests were in counties where the largest cities are located: Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and San Antonio – all considered hubs and gateways for drug and human trafficking and smuggling, law enforcement officers have explained to The Center Square. The cities are also home to employers who hire illegal foreign nationals for cheap labor, often at restaurants, hotels, laundromats, in the construction and hospitality industries, officials have told to The Center Square.

Arrest offenses totaled 46,793 statewide in 2023, according to the report.

The greatest number of arrest offenses were traffic offenses and DWIs (12,338), assault (8,122), dangerous drugs (4,043), obstructing police (3,365), larceny (3,160), federal offenses (2,708), public order crimes (1,617), trafficking and smuggling (1,251), invading privacy (882), burglary (753) and weapon offenses (740).

“Border crime impacts all areas of Texas,” the Texas Department of Public Safety states. “As the data contained in these pages demonstrates, criminal illegal aliens account for a significant number of serious offenses in Texas. These criminals harm Texans and affect our safety and security.”

The report compiles data submitted by local law enforcement agencies for offenses and arrests reported to DPS using data collected through Texas’ Uniform Crime Reporting program.

Texas Government Code defines “Border crime” as “(a)ny crime involving transnational criminal activity that undermines public safety or security … committed by a person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and is not lawfully present in the United States” or that “is coordinated with or related to activities or crimes that occur or are committed in the United Mexican States.”

A border crime arrest refers to criminal offenses committed by foreign nationals who are in the U.S. illegally, as identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The report doesn’t include all arrests of illegal foreign nationals because not everyone arrested is in the DHS database. An individual’s lawful status is determined by matching fingerprints to a DHS database. If the arrestee’s fingerprints aren’t yet in the DHS database at the time of their Texas arrest, DHS isn’t able to biometrically verify their status and that information isn’t included in the report, DPS explains.

The data covers Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2023, with data updated as of March 30, 2024.

State law requires DPS to prepare and submit an annual report on border crime to the state legislature every year.

“Texas is fortunate to have a high number of law enforcement agencies that contribute to the UCR program,” DPS said; 1,401 Texas agencies contributed data to the UCR program. “Without their participation, reports such as this would not be meaningful.”

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News from the South - Texas News Feed

Texas House sends bill to replace STAAR test to Gov. Abbott

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www.kxan.com – John Thomas – 2025-09-03 23:39:00

SUMMARY: Texas House lawmakers approved House Bill 8 to eliminate the STAAR test, replacing it with three shorter, adaptive exams administered at the beginning, middle, and end of the school year starting in 2027-2028. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will create the tests, which provide results within 48 hours and measure student progress more frequently. The bill bans additional benchmark testing and establishes an Accountability Advisory Committee to advise TEA. Passed 79-47 along party lines, Republicans argue the new system reduces stress and improves assessment, while Democrats worry about increased testing burden. The bill now awaits Governor Greg Abbott’s approval.

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University of Texas system students sue, say new law could ban prayers, reporting, music on campus

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www.kxan.com – Cora Neas – 2025-09-03 13:06:00

SUMMARY: Student groups from UT Austin and UT Dallas, supported by FIRE, sued university leaders over Texas Senate Bill 2972, which bans First Amendment-protected speech on public university campuses between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., and restricts amplified sound, percussion, and invited speakers during finals. The law, linked to recent campus protests, is criticized for infringing constitutional rights and potentially punishing activities like prayer, journalism, music, and political expression. Plaintiffs include Christian, journalistic, musical, and conservative groups, who argue the law threatens free speech and campus support systems. The UT System has yet to respond to the lawsuit.

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Google says Gmail security warning is ‘false,’ but here’s how you can increase protection

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www.kxan.com – Addy Bink – 2025-09-03 07:39:00

SUMMARY: Recent reports claiming Google warned 2.5 billion Gmail users to change passwords due to a data breach are false. Google clarified there was no major security warning and emphasized its strong protections, blocking over 99.9% of phishing and malware attempts. A limited security incident affected a small number of corporate users earlier this summer, with those impacted already notified. Despite no widespread alert, Google noted increased phishing and credential theft attempts. To enhance security, users are encouraged to use Passkeys, 2-Step Verification, and remain vigilant against phishing emails. Suspicious messages can be reported directly to Google for investigation.

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