About this time last year, I visited a migrant respite center in McAllen, Texas, run by Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, the charitable arm of the Diocese of Brownsville. Sister Norma Pimentel helped established the center in 2014, at the height of the unaccompanied minor crisis, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was overwhelmed with thousands of children and teenagers turning themselves in to Border Patrol agents.
Local Government
Examining Local Government Spending Trends From 2014 to 2023
City and county spending has outpaced growth in population and inflation, leading to an increase in the tax burden on Texan taxpayers. Key points: Local government spending continues to outstrip increases in both population and inflation. From 2014 to 2023, local government spending rose by 61.2%, whereas population and inflation increased by only 42.7%. Elevated...
March 6, 2026