Tarrant County booking records show that the county booked 278 defendants from January 1 through August 3, 2026, who had U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement holds. The file associates those defendants with 480 coded criminal charge entries apart from the holds, according to county data The Dallas Express obtained.

The spreadsheet contains 497 non-ICE charge rows for those defendants. Of those, 477 name an offense, while three additional rows carry a first-degree felony code without naming the offense. The remaining 17 contain only an “other offense” or administrative description.

Because the export omits case numbers and repeats rows with the same visible fields, the 480 figure counts charge entries as the county supplied them, not 480 confirmed unique cases.

The county marked 355 of the 480 coded entries as first-, second- or third-degree felonies or state jail felonies. The file lists 42 entries for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, 28 for assault causing bodily injury involving family violence and 26 for assault of a family or household member by impeding breath or circulation.

The records also list 16 entries for sexual assault of a child, five for aggravated sexual assault of a child, 11 for indecency with a child by sexual contact and 10 describing continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14. Other entries include aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery and 57 involving driving while intoxicated.

The charges listed in the file represent allegations, not convictions. The law presumes each defendant innocent unless a court enters a conviction. An ICE hold does not establish a conviction or a final removal order. The spreadsheet does not include immigration-court records sufficient to independently determine each person’s final immigration status.

How Tarrant County’s 287(g) program works

The Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office describes its 287(g) partnership with ICE as a jail-based program. The agency says it limits the program to illegal aliens facing high misdemeanor or felony charges.

ICE defines a detainer as a request that a law enforcement agency notify ICE before release and maintain custody temporarily so federal officers can assume custody. The Dallas Express previously reported that Tarrant County has participated in the 287(g) program since 2017.

State Rep. David Lowe (R-District 91) told The Dallas Express that the records demonstrate what he believes is at stake in the political debate over immigration enforcement.

“The Tarrant County data shows exactly what is at stake. ICE holds include illegal aliens charged with sexual assault of a child, kidnapping, and other violent offenses. Democrats are running on abolishing ICE, and that agenda would make Tarrant County families, especially our children, more vulnerable. I stand with ICE and the safety of American families,” Lowe said.

Democratic commissioners opposed ICE grant

Tarrant County commissioners voted 3-2 on February 10 to approve an application for a $140,000 state grant supporting the county’s 287(g) program. Tarrant County Commissioners Alisa Simmons (D-Precinct 2) and Roderick Miles Jr. (D-Precinct 1) opposed the application.

The state grant program covers 287(g) costs that the federal government does not reimburse, including personnel, required reporting, equipment, training and confinement expenses, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts said.

“I do not support ICE. I do not support this grant, and I do not support expanding immigration enforcement at the county level,” Simmons said during the February 10 meeting.

Simmons also pointed to two recent jail escapes and what she described as 76 deaths in custody. “Tarrant County has its own problems to fix and deal with operationally,” Simmons said.

The Dallas Express contacted Simmons and Miles to ask whether the criminal charges in the records affect their positions on ICE enforcement but did not receive a response by publication.

Provided by Dallas Express

A 24-year-old man faces an enhanced theft charge that the Jack County Sheriff’s Office classified as a felony after authorities accused him of taking a deer feeder from property whose owner left access unlocked for firefighters during the Ross Fire.

Jack County authorities charged Quint Thomas Hare with theft of property valued at $750 or more but less than $2,500, according to a Sheriff’s Office release reported Saturday by FOX 4. The agency said authorities enhanced the charge because the alleged offense occurred within a declared disaster area.

Texas Penal Code Section 12.50 authorizes enhanced punishment for theft and several other offenses when the prosecution proves at trial that the conduct occurred in a declared disaster area or an area covered by an emergency evacuation order.

Feeder recovered in Young County

The property owner in the Rock Creek Road area left access unlocked so firefighters could enter the land to protect lives and property, deputies said.

Investigators allege Hare used the open access to remove the feeder. Game cameras captured images of a truck and trailer, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities later found the feeder in Young County and returned it to its owner. Investigators arrested Hare in Young County and transported him to Jack County.

“We will absolutely not tolerate anyone using a disaster as an opportunity to prey on our citizens,” Jack County Sheriff Charles “T-Bob” Hauger said.

Hauger said deputies would work as long as necessary to identify suspects, recover property and jail anyone who targeted residents while firefighters and law enforcement officers protected the county.

Hare retains the presumption of innocence, and prosecutors must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.

Ross Fire burns more than 85,000 acres

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Ross Fire began August 24 near Palo Pinto before spreading into Jack County.

The wildfire had burned 85,303 acres and was 31% contained as of Saturday, according to data from the Texas A&M Forest Service incident viewer. State and local crews continued firefighting and containment operations across the two counties.

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A federal judge dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit filed by Shayma Alzubi, Fort Worth ISD’s former choice to lead Western Hills High School, after ruling that her amended complaint did not plausibly allege violations of the First or 14th Amendment.

U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman granted motions to dismiss filed by FWISD, Superintendent Peter Licata and Chief of Staff Louis Kushner on Thursday in Alzubi v. Fort Worth Independent School District, No. 4:26-cv-00838-P. A separate final judgment entered August 27 closed the case at the district-court level.

“The facts alleged by Ms. Alzubi, while perhaps indicative of personal trials Alzubi has faced in her career as an educator, do not rise to the level of a constitutional deprivation,” Pittman wrote in the dismissal order listed on the public case docket.

On the motions to dismiss, Pittman accepted Alzubi’s well-pleaded allegations as true but ruled that they did not state a legally sufficient constitutional claim. The court did not conduct a trial.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, FWISD announced Alzubi’s reassignment on May 26 after DX asked the district about social media posts tied to her Facebook account.

The posts addressed Palestine, Sharia, Black Lives Matter, DACA and the district’s COVID-19 mask policies, according to the court record. Attorneys with the CAIR Legal Defense Fund and Fort Worth attorney Jason C.N. Smith represented Alzubi.

Court Says Higher-Paying Role Was Not A Demotion

FWISD later notified Alzubi that allegations of inappropriate behavior were unsubstantiated and assigned her to a Principal Program Administrator position, according to Pittman’s order.

Alzubi previously told the court that she rejected the $130,000 district-level position because she wanted to serve as a campus principal.

Pittman had already denied immediate reinstatement in July. His final order again found no adverse employment action, a required element of First Amendment retaliation.

“A reasonable employee would likely consider an administrative leadership position with higher pay to be a promotion,” Pittman wrote. “Alzubi’s subjective preferences cannot transform her promotion into a demotion.”

The court expressly acknowledged that Alzubi’s social media posts involved matters of public concern. Pittman nevertheless ruled that her complaint failed to allege the other elements required for a retaliation claim.

Pittman also ruled that the complaint did not plausibly allege that Alzubi’s speech outweighed FWISD’s operating interests or caused the reassignment. Her complaint acknowledged district concerns about disruptions and threats, the order said.

Equal-Protection Claim Also Fails

Alzubi accused the defendants of treating her differently because of her Palestinian national origin and Muslim faith. Pittman ruled that she had not identified comparable employees who received different treatment or alleged specific facts showing discriminatory intent.

The judge granted Licata and Kushner qualified immunity and found that Alzubi had not identified an unconstitutional FWISD policy or custom.

Pittman dismissed the case with prejudice because Alzubi had already amended her complaint and, in his assessment, had alleged her best case.

“Despite the temptation to do so, the last thing our Republic needs is an unelected lawyer in a black robe interfering without cause in basic personnel decisions by our local school districts,” Pittman wrote in a footnote.

State Board of Education Member Brandon Hall (R-District 11) praised the ruling in a statement to The Dallas Express.

“This ruling is a major victory for Fort Worth families and for FWISD, which made the right decision to remove Ms. Alzubi from school leadership. The designated foreign terrorist organization CAIR thought it could bully FWISD into submission with frivolous lawfare. Instead, they learned the meaning of ‘Don’t Mess with Texas’ the hard way,” Hall said.

“Fort Worth ISD should be commended for standing their ground,” Hall added.

Abbott designated CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law in November 2025. CAIR’s Texas affiliates have challenged the designation in federal court.

The Dallas Express contacted Alzubi and CAIR for comment but did not receive a response before publication.

Provided by Dallas Express

Two companies are recalling different lots of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection products after concerns that particulate matter could be present in solutions intended for intravenous use.

B. Braun Medical Inc. announced a nationwide recall involving three lots of its 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP, 100 mL, while Baxter International Inc. recalled two lots of its 500 mL Sodium Chloride Injection, USP. Both recalls involve products distributed to hospitals and other health care facilities.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration published the B. Braun recall on August 28 and the Baxter recall on August 26.

B. Braun Recall Involves Zinc Oxide

B. Braun is recalling three lots of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection USP, 100 mL, packaged in a 150 mL PAB container because of particulate matter identified as zinc oxide.

The recalled products were distributed nationwide to hospitals and health care facilities between February 27 and August 3, 2026.

The affected products are:

• Catalog number: S8004-5264
• NDC number: 0264-1800-32
• Lot J6B435, expiration April 30, 2027
• Lot J6B444, expiration April 30, 2027
• Lot J6B457, expiration April 30, 2027

B. Braun said intravenous administration of a product containing particulate matter could potentially cause serious or life-threatening complications, including pulmonary embolism, blockage of other blood vessels, phlebitis, immune-system activation, organ dysfunction, and hemolysis.

The company said it has not received reports of serious injuries, deaths or other adverse events associated with the issue.

B. Braun is notifying distributors and customers and arranging for recalled products to be returned and replaced. Facilities with affected products should return them to their place of purchase.

Baxter Recall Involves Fiberglass

Baxter is separately recalling two lots of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP, 500 mL VIAFLEX Plastic Containers because of the potential presence of fiberglass particulate matter.

The affected products were distributed from July 31 through Aug. 3, 2026, to health care providers and distributors in 14 states, including Texas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia.

The recalled products are:

• Product code: 2B1323Q
• NDC number: 0338-0049-03
• Lot Y495523, expiration Oct. 31, 2027
• Lot Y495523A, expiration Oct. 31, 2027

Baxter said particulate matter introduced intravenously can cause blood-vessel blockage and clotting, potentially resulting in pulmonary embolism, permanent organ damage, or death. Other potential complications include vein irritation, inflammatory reactions, worsening of existing infections and allergic reactions.

As of August 25, Baxter said it had not received reports of adverse events associated with the recalled products.

Customers should immediately discontinue use of affected units and follow Baxter’s instructions for returning them.

What Facilities Should Do

Both recalls concern products administered intravenously, making identification of affected lots particularly important for hospitals and other health care facilities.

Facilities should check product packaging and shipping cartons for the applicable product and lot numbers and follow the respective manufacturers’ instructions for returning affected inventory.

Patients or consumers who believe they experienced a problem associated with either product should contact a health care provider. Adverse reactions and product-quality concerns can also be reported through the FDA’s MedWatch program.

For questions about the B. Braun recall, contact B. Braun at recalls@bbraunusa.com, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

For questions about the Baxter recall, contact the Baxter Healthcare Center for Service at 888-229-0001, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central Time.

Provided by Dallas Express

A federal judge has again blocked Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R-Texas) from enforcing the civil provision of a 2023 law meant to keep sexually oriented performances away from minors.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas declared Senate Bill 12 unconstitutional Tuesday in Filing 165 of Extragrams LLC v. Paxton, Civil Action No. H-23-2847. He immediately and permanently enjoined Paxton from enforcing the law and denied Paxton’s request for a new or supplemental trial and additional discovery.

The current plaintiffs are Extragrams LLC, 360 Queen Entertainment LLC, and Brigitte Bandit. Paxton, sued in his official capacity, is the sole remaining defendant.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Hittner’s earlier injunction in its February 25, 2026, ruling in The Woodlands Pride Inc. v. Paxton, No. 23-20480.

The law became enforceable while Hittner reconsidered specified First Amendment issues. The appellate court did not declare SB 12 constitutional.

Paxton called the decision profoundly flawed and argued that it endangered children. “I will appeal this decision immediately and continue to fight to protect our kids,” he wrote in an official statement.

No notice of appeal, emergency motion or stay request appeared on the public district-court docket as of Friday morning. No stay permits Paxton to enforce Section One despite Hittner’s August 25 order.

What SB 12 says

The final enrolled law does not use the word drag or prohibit drag performances as a category. It defines a sexually oriented performance as a visual performance that features nudity or statutorily defined sexual conduct and appeals to the prurient interest in sex. The law took effect September 1, 2023.

Section One bars a person who controls the premises of a commercial enterprise from allowing such a performance in the presence of someone younger than 18. Paxton may seek an injunction or a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation.

Section Two authorizes local regulation. Section Three creates a Class A misdemeanor for engaging in a sexually oriented performance on public property, on the premises of a commercial enterprise or in the presence of someone younger than 18. It is punishable by up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $4,000, or both.

Lawmakers described a “recent cultural trend” of drag shows accessible to children and said some were sexually explicit, according to an official Senate analysis. The legislative record also cited an October 18, 2022, all-ages event at Ebb & Flow in Plano where a performer gyrated and lifted a skirt before a young girl, according to a House analysis.

The Dallas Express previously reported on that controversy. The enacted law applies through its statutory definition, not a performer’s identity or costume alone.

The child-protection dispute

Texas argues that the First Amendment allows it to shield minors from sexualized performances. The Fifth Circuit had “genuine doubt” that trial-record conduct such as putting prosthetic breasts in audience members’ faces and inviting spanking received constitutional protection before minors. The panel left that analysis to Hittner on remand.

The plaintiffs contend that SB 12 reaches protected performances that are neither obscene nor legally obscene for minors. Hittner agreed after applying the two facial tests ordered by the Fifth Circuit.

Why Hittner blocked Paxton again

Under Moody v. NetChoice, Hittner identified the range of Section One’s applications and compared constitutional uses with unconstitutional ones. He found that the unconstitutional applications substantially outweighed the law’s legitimate sweep.

The judge concluded that SB 12 imposed content- and viewpoint-based restrictions and could reach protected expression outside constitutional obscenity.

Hittner reasoned that the language could reach performances far removed from lawmakers’ target. His hypotheticals included cheerleading, ballet, theater, comedy, Dolly Parton and Elvis impersonators, and a wardrobe malfunction. They were not examples of actual Texas enforcement.

Under Roy v. City of Monroe, Hittner also found Section One facially vague. He said the undefined phrase “prurient interest in sex” did not give ordinary people adequate notice of prohibited conduct or sufficiently limit arbitrary enforcement.

He also cited uncertainty over terms including “lewd” and “performer” and over who controls a commercial venue.

Hittner rejected Paxton’s request for another trial or more discovery. The original trial record and more than 230 pages of supplemental briefing were sufficient to follow the appellate mandate, he found.

What the injunction does

The August 25 amended injunction names only Paxton, whose statutory authority extends only to Section One. It therefore stops the attorney general’s civil enforcement.

The Fifth Circuit separately noted that the Travis County and Bexar County prosecutors did not appeal Hittner’s original 2023 injunction, so the appellate court’s vacatur did not extend to them. The local officials who did appeal were dismissed for lack of standing. Filing 165 therefore does not provide a simple statewide answer for every possible Section Two or Section Three enforcement action.

“Today’s decision confirms that the Legislature’s attempt to ban drag performances was unconstitutional from start to finish,” Brian Klosterboer, an ACLU of Texas attorney representing the plaintiffs, said in the group’s response. The final enrolled law, however, regulates sexually oriented performances and does not use the word drag.

If Paxton files the promised appeal, the Fifth Circuit will again become the next major decisionmaker. Unless a higher court grants a stay or reverses Hittner, Paxton remains barred from enforcing Section One.

Provided by Dallas Express

Texas dove season will open September 1 in every region of the state for the first time, giving South Texas hunters an earlier start as mourning and white-winged dove populations approach record levels.

The historic change comes as Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists estimate the state has 36.7 million mourning doves and a record 12.9 million white-winged doves. More than 300,000 hunters participate in the season annually, generating over $500 million in economic activity.

South Texas Receives Earlier Opening

South Texas has historically opened its regular dove season later than the North and Central zones because of federal concerns about the effect hunting could have on late-nesting mourning doves.

After reviewing newer biological data, TPWD determined that the delay was no longer necessary. The agency worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to revise federal regulations and establish the same September 1 opening date statewide.

“For over 100 years, the South Zone has opened later than the rest of the state, frustrating a lot of hunters,” TPWD migratory game bird program leader Owen Fitzsimmons said in the agency’s season forecast.

The change will operate on a three-year experimental basis while wildlife officials monitor its effect on dove populations and gather feedback from hunters.

The earlier regular season replaces the Special White-winged Dove Days previously offered in the South Zone. Daily bag limits and shooting hours will also be standardized across the three zones.

Dove Populations Approach Records

Spring surveys estimated Texas’ mourning dove population at 36.7 million, a 2% increase from 2025 and slightly below the 2016 record of 37.5 million.

The estimated white-winged dove population climbed 10% from last year to 12.9 million, the highest figure recorded by TPWD.

The increases followed a third consecutive spring of significant rainfall across much of Texas. The moisture improved nesting and feeding conditions while supporting sunflowers, croton, grasses, and other food sources.

Birds may initially be scattered because food and water remain available across broad areas. As hotter weather dries the landscape, larger groups are expected to gather around remaining water sources.

Texas leads the country in dove hunting, accounting for approximately 32% of the nation’s mourning dove harvest and 87% of the white-winged dove harvest annually, according to TPWD.

Current Licenses Expire Monday

Most current Texas hunting and fishing licenses expire at the end of August 31. Hunters entering the field on September 1 will need a license valid for the 2026-27 season.

New licenses have been available since August 15 and may be purchased through the TPWD website, agency offices, or participating retailers. A $5 administrative fee applies to online purchases.

Dove hunters must have a valid Texas hunting license, a Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, and Harvest Information Program certification.

The federally mandated Harvest Information Program helps wildlife agencies identify migratory bird hunters for harvest surveys. Hunters complete the certification by answering several questions when purchasing their endorsement.

Anyone born after September 1, 1971, must also complete an approved hunter education course before hunting in Texas. TPWD identifies missing hunter education certification and the migratory bird endorsement as two of the most common violations encountered during dove season.

Daily Bag Limit Set at 15

The daily bag limit is 15 doves in the aggregate across the North, Central, and South zones. The limit may include no more than two white-tipped doves. The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.

Regular season dates are:

• North Zone: September 1 through November 8, 2026, reopening December 18, 2026, through January 7, 2027
• Central Zone: September 1 through October 25, 2026, reopening December 11, 2026, through January 14, 2027
• South Zone: September 1 through October 25, 2026, reopening December 18, 2026, through January 21, 2027

A shotgun is the only firearm that may be used to hunt migratory game birds. It must be no larger than 10-gauge and incapable of holding more than three shells, according to the state’s migratory bird regulations.

Federal law prohibits hunting migratory birds over baited areas. Hunters are responsible for determining whether the location they are hunting has been baited, even when they did not place the bait.

Heat and Screwworm Bring Additional Risks

TPWD is urging hunters to prepare for high temperatures by carrying adequate water, seeking shade during the hottest hours, and avoiding parking vehicles in tall, dry grass that could ignite.

Hunters using dogs should monitor them for overheating and inspect them for injuries before leaving the field.

The agency issued an additional warning because New World screwworm has been detected in Texas. The fly’s larvae infest open wounds and feed on living tissue. Hunters who find suspicious wounds or larvae on their dogs should contact a veterinarian.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, dove hunting is a longstanding September tradition across the state. This year, South Texas hunters will join the North and Central zones on opening day for the first time.

Provided by Dallas Express

Lucid is recalling 27,185 Air luxury sedans in the United States after discovering that software controlling certain exterior lighting circuits could allow them to overheat, creating a potential fire hazard.

The recall covers model year 2022–2026 Air sedans built between October 11, 2021, and July 27, 2026, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall is the largest in Lucid’s history, involving more vehicles than the 15,841 cars the electric vehicle maker delivered worldwide in 2025.

NHTSA is advising owners of affected vehicles to park them outside and away from structures until the remedy is installed. The agency said the parking guidance is a precaution and does not direct owners to stop driving their vehicles.

What Caused the Recall

The issue involves software that manages an electronic fuse, or eFuse, protecting certain low-voltage exterior lighting circuits.

Lucid determined that the software could allow a circuit to remain energized at an amperage above its intended protection threshold. The resulting overheating could produce smoke or fire.

The affected lighting also could malfunction, potentially reducing visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. Drivers may notice smoke, a burning odor, or warning indicators associated with an exterior lighting fault.

Lucid identified three fire events involving front lighting over a three-year period. The company also investigated four reports of smoke between October 2025 and April 2026 involving the center high-mounted stop lamp circuit.

Software Update Available

Lucid released software version 2.10.0 as an over-the-air update in July. The update lowers the applicable eFuse protection threshold and disables retry logic that could re-energize a faulted circuit during the same key cycle.

As of July 27, 20,719 vehicles had already received the updated software, leaving 6,466 vehicles that had not been remedied when the recall filing was prepared.

Vehicles in Lucid’s possession have been updated to version 2.10.0 or later, and the company said inventory vehicles will receive the update before being delivered to customers.

The software update is provided at no cost. Owners who have not received the update will be notified by mail beginning with a phased notification scheduled for October 16, 2026. They can install the update as instructed or contact Lucid Customer Care or a Lucid service center for assistance.

Why Owners Are Being Told To Park Outside

Lucid’s park-outside advisory is tied to the possibility that an overheated lighting circuit could produce smoke or fire.

Owners are being asked to keep affected vehicles away from buildings and other structures until the remedy software is installed. The advisory is a precaution designed to reduce potential consequences if the electrical problem occurs.

Lucid’s Recent Recall History

The latest action follows several other Lucid recalls.

In May, the company recalled 2,039 vehicles over a condition that could result in a loss of drive power. In January, Lucid recalled more than 10,000 vehicles over problems involving rearview camera images.

Lucid is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Owner Reimbursement

Lucid says owners who incur reasonable costs to obtain the remedy may be eligible for reimbursement. The company will cover qualifying expenses from the vehicle’s initial delivery through 10 days after the recall notification letter is mailed.

Owners with questions or eligible reimbursement claims can contact Lucid Customer Care at 1-888-995-8243. The company’s internal recall number is SR-26-06-0.

Provided by Dallas Express

U.S., Mexican, and Texas officials have outlined nearly $164 million in proposed water-conservation investments for the Lower Rio Grande Valley, including infrastructure upgrades expected to save nearly 44,000 acre-feet of water annually.

The plan would fund improvements in 12 South Texas irrigation districts, including canal lining, conversions of open canals into enclosed pipelines, and other efficiency upgrades. Most of the proposed funding remains subject to approval by the North American Development Bank and the Texas Water Development Board.

Funding Would Combine Bank, State, Federal, and Local Money

The North American Development Bank, known as NADBank, announced the proposed investments during its 2026 summit in San Antonio.

NADBank intends to provide up to $76 million in grants and loans through its Water Resiliency Fund, subject to approval by the bank’s board of directors.

The Texas Water Development Board could provide nearly $70 million in grant funding, subject to approval during its September board meeting. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and participating irrigation districts would contribute a combined total of almost $18 million.

NADBank funding may cover up to 50% of an individual project’s cost, allowing state, federal, and local funding to cover the remaining expenses.

Officials participating in the announcement included Mexican Ambassador to the United States Roberto Lazzeri Montaño, NADBank Managing Director John Beckham, and Texas Water Development Board Chairwoman L’Oreal Stepney.

“Water security has become one of the most critical challenges facing the future of the U.S.-Mexico border region,” Lazzeri said.

Projects Could Conserve Billions of Gallons

The 12 projects are expected to conserve nearly 44,000 acre-feet of water annually, according to NADBank. That is equivalent to approximately 14.3 billion gallons, based on the U.S. Geological Survey’s definition of 325,851 gallons per acre-foot.

The proposed improvements include lining irrigation canals to reduce seepage, converting open canals into pipelines, and upgrading distribution systems.

Those changes are intended to reduce the amount of water lost while being transported to farms and communities.

The Lower Rio Grande Valley depends heavily on water stored in the international Amistad and Falcon reservoirs. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality administers allocations to Texas water-right holders through its Rio Grande Watermaster Program.

Valley Has Faced Persistent Water Shortages

The announcement comes as the region continues to contend with prolonged drought, water-delivery shortfalls from Mexico, and concerns about the reliability of existing supplies.

Under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico is required to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the United States over each five-year cycle, averaging 350,000 acre-feet annually. The United States provides Mexico with 1.5 million acre-feet from the Colorado River each year, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

When Mexico’s treaty deliveries are reduced, TCEQ may have to adjust allocations from Amistad and Falcon reservoirs to Texas water-right holders. The agency said reduced deliveries can require agricultural, municipal, and industrial users to seek alternative supplies, reduce operations, or alter crop production.

In February, the United States and Mexico reached an agreement under which Mexico committed to deliver at least 350,000 acre-feet annually during the 2026-2030 treaty cycle and to develop a plan to repay outstanding water debt from the previous cycle, according to a joint statement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The treaty commitments and the newly proposed infrastructure projects address separate parts of the region’s water challenge. Mexico’s deliveries affect the volume of water available to Texas, while the irrigation upgrades are intended to reduce losses after water enters local distribution systems.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, water shortages contributed to the closure of Texas’ final sugar mill and prompted the federal government to provide $280 million in economic assistance to eligible Rio Grande Valley agricultural producers.

Mexican Border Projects Also Under Review

NADBank said the Water Resiliency Fund received 112 expressions of interest from communities across Mexico’s six northern border states. Sixty percent of the proposed projects came from Mexican states along the Rio Grande, known as the Río Bravo in Mexico.

The Mexican proposals are expected to focus on municipal utilities seeking to conserve water or diversify their water supplies. No specific awards for the Mexican projects were announced.

NADBank was established and capitalized equally by the United States and Mexico to finance environmental infrastructure along the countries’ shared border. The Water Resiliency Fund launched in 2025 to support water conservation, efficiency, and supply-diversification projects.

Provided by Dallas Express

The Chevrolet Camaro ranked as the most dangerous first vehicle for teenagers in an August 2026 Conboy Law Injury & Medical Malpractice Lawyers analysis provided to The Dallas Express that combined fatal-crash involvement, crash protection, collision-avoidance technology, and ownership costs across 22 selected models.

Camaro Finishes Last in Composite Ranking

A new study by Conboy Law Injury & Medical Malpractice Lawyers gave the Camaro a safety score of 21.06 out of 100, an affordability score of 62.02, and a final score of 41.83 — the lowest among the 22 models studied.

Researchers said they analyzed fatal-crash data, crashworthiness ratings, safety technology, purchase prices, monthly operating expenses, and maintenance costs. Lower scores represented greater risk or lower affordability. The firm’s published dataset and methodology assigned the Camaro a crashworthiness score of 2 on its 4-point scale and a safety-technology score of 1 out of 3.

The Jeep Wrangler placed second, followed by the Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Mustang, and Toyota Tacoma. Four of those five are sports cars, off-road vehicles, or pickup trucks.

The study’s 10 lowest-ranked vehicles were:

The Blazer received the lowest affordability score among those 10 vehicles, with the study using a starting price of approximately $34,200.

Independent Data Show Elevated Camaro Death Rate

The study’s description of the Camaro as having the “worst crash protection” requires context because its four-point calculation is not the same as an official government or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rating.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave 2016-2023 Camaro models “Good” ratings in several crashworthiness tests, including the driver-side small-overlap and original moderate-overlap front tests. However, the Camaro lacked pedestrian front-crash prevention technology evaluated by IIHS for the 2024 model, which received a “Poor” rating in that category.

Crashworthiness measures occupant protection after a collision, while crash-avoidance ratings assess whether technology can prevent or mitigate one. The categories should not be treated as interchangeable.

More recent real-world findings nevertheless show elevated risks associated with the Camaro. In a July 2026 analysis, IIHS reported 88 Camaro driver deaths per 1 million registered vehicle years, compared with an average of 37 across all models studied. The Camaro was also involved in 87 deaths of drivers in other vehicles per 1 million registered vehicle years.

The figures were based on crashes from 2021 through 2024 involving 2023 models and structurally equivalent earlier vehicles. They were adjusted for driver age and sex but not for mileage, speed, or all differences in driver behavior.

“Powerful engines and marketing that attracts aggressive drivers is the issue for sports cars and muscle cars,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “They’re dangerous mainly because of how they’re driven.”

Teen Inexperience Magnifies Vehicle Risk

Teenagers already face greater crash risks regardless of what they drive.

IIHS reports that teen drivers have crash rates more than four times those of drivers 20 and older per mile traveled.

Speed is a major factor. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that speeding was involved in 33% of passenger-vehicle drivers ages 15 to 18 who were involved in fatal crashes during 2024.

As The Dallas Express previously reported, crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 18 killed 2,320 people in 2024, including 752 teen drivers and 478 passengers riding with teen drivers.

IIHS and Consumer Reports exclude sports cars and vehicles with excessive horsepower from their recommendations for young drivers. Their guidance favors vehicles with strong crash-test performance, automatic emergency braking, manageable power, and enough weight to protect occupants without the handling characteristics of the largest trucks and SUVs.

The Conboy ranking does not establish that every Camaro is less safe than every other available vehicle. It identifies the Camaro as the lowest-scoring model within one selected group under the firm’s methodology. For families choosing a first vehicle, federal crash ratings, IIHS evaluations, active safety equipment, vehicle condition, insurance costs, and the teenager’s driving experience provide additional points of comparison.

The ranking from Conboy Law Injury & Medical Malpractice Lawyers is not a government safety designation, and its findings apply only to the vehicles included in the firm’s analysis. However, separate federal and insurance-industry data support its broader warning about placing inexperienced drivers in powerful sports cars.

Provided by Dallas Express

Under the arrangement described by Trump, private companies are expected to play a major role in developing Venezuela’s oil sector. Reuters said the agreement could involve tens of billions of barrels of reserves, although key details about ownership, legal structure and implementation remain unclear.

Venezuela has some of the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves, but years of underinvestment, sanctions and aging infrastructure have limited production. Any effort to significantly increase output would likely require substantial capital and time.

Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has welcomed the agreement, while U.S. officials have presented it as a way to expand energy supplies and encourage private investment. The announcement marks a significant change in the economic relationship between Washington and Caracas.