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New today: The Harris County DA's Office is investigating whether ICE agents committed any crimes, including murder, manslaughter, and tampering with evidence, when they fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Forcing ICE to answer questions is another matter.

In books, from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Paul Skalnik was a bigamist and a con artist who passed bad checks and role-played as a successful businessman, and yet a man's life hung in the balance based on his doubtful testimony in a death penalty trial.

“In some ways, I don’t think it can be worse.” Our top story: The collapse of a nonprofit designed to help young sex trafficking victims makes a disturbing illustration of the failures of Texas' faltering foster care system.

New from Mezabahnur Masum: There's much we don't know about the data center boom and its costs: water, electricity, and more. Solving that problem is harder than it looks, and the confusion might be by design.

Must-read review by @michellepitcher.bsky.social on the #newbook by @pamelacolloff.bsky.social

New from @michellepitcher.bsky.social: Local officials' attempts to investigate the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo have been stonewalled at every turn. They've even consulted with Minneapolis for tips on forcing ICE to face justice.

Michelle Wright Rhame was a believer in the work of Hope Rising, helping foster young victims of sex trafficking. But things changed rapidly after one of her foster kids was served alcohol at a fundraiser for the organization.

In our magazine: "From very early on, the Black women around me drew the maps that guide my life’s trajectory. I have had the privilege of growing up under their watchful eyes."

When citizens vote, serve on juries, attend public meetings, contact elected officials, and engage in civic life, they help shape the future of their communities. When participation declines, democracy itself becomes weaker.

Texas foster care in disarray: Three nonprofit programs set up to assist trafficking victims closed after failing to meet minimum standards, experiencing management issues, or losing funding. At least 50 child placement agencies have shuttered.

Thanks for sharing, Carrie!

Thank you for reading & sharing!

New in books: It starts with questioning the legitimacy of the camps. In this excerpt, John Washington of Lookout News explains how we got here ... and looks toward a future where we put an end to immigrant detention.

TX’s largest jails continue to violate the key reform brought by the Sandra Bland Act, which was meant to prevent jailers from investigating themselves when someone dies in their custody. From Fort Worth to San Antonio, sheriffs continue to violate the mandate for independent investigations

From @byjustinmiller.bsky.social: "I came in to make a real difference in people’s lives from a county governance perspective and to help those struggling. But this court ... has not been a reflection of the needs of our people, our community, our neighbors."

The sun is low over Nuevo Laredo as David Patricio and three friends start unloading gravel and mountain bikes for their evening ride along the Rio Grande, but this is no ordinary group outing along the border ...

New in our magazine: Willow Higgins investigates how the collapse of Hope Rising, a nonprofit for former sex trafficking victims, highlights the flaws in Texas' reliance on religious foster care orgs.

Congressional candidate Bobby Pulido on Trump's border wall set to tear through the Santa Ana wildlife refuge in the district he's running for: “I haven’t said anything about it, but I obviously oppose it.”

“To ban books simply because they have a hardcover or they’re used is just trying to solve a problem that may exist in prison by finding the easiest target. And the easiest target they can find is to change the rules for what books can come in.”

Don't miss out ... Catch up with everything we've published from the July/August 2026 issue of our magazine: www.texasobserver.org/issues/july-...