Of all the states, Texas arguably has the most at stake in the debate over federal immigration laws. As one of only four states that shares a border with Mexico, Texas has a tremendous interest in border security, both in terms of public safety and the costs of illegal immigration. And as one of the few states whose economies are heavily invested in both high-tech industries and agriculture, Texas has much on the line when it comes to the flow of both high-skilled and low-skilled immigrants.
Economy
Don’t Fence Me In: Lianne’s Story
Family, then finances—and opportunity. Those are what brought Lianne Halpern back to tiny Shamrock, a small, dusty stop on the famous Route 66 in the Texas panhandle. Like generations of Americans before, Lianne and her family had traveled west along that route in search of the golden promises of California. Lianne’s father worked in the...
January 29, 2026