The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - July 14, 2026

Episode Date: July 14, 2026

The Texan’s Daily Rundown brings you a quick recap of the latest stories in Texas politics so you can stay informed with news you can trust.Want more resources? Visit The Texan for complete access to our in-depth articles, newsletters, videos, podcasts, and more.Enjoy what you hear? Be sure to follow us and leave a review!

Well, howdy folks? Today is Tuesday, July 14th, and you're listening to The Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texan senior editor Rob Lauchess, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, one week after a U.S. immigration and customs enforcement agent fatally shot an illegal alien in Houston, few new details have been made public, and there are increasing calls for an independent investigation. Shortly after the shooting, acting ICE director David Ventorella stated that Lorenzo Salgado Arajo, an illegal alien from Mexico, attempted to evade arrest. Ventarella added that his agency had received information that Arajo, allegedly the driver of a white van, quote, weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer.

Hugo Baldaris, an immigration attorney representing two other suspects taken into custody from the scene, said his clients claim no ICE agent was ever, in front of the vehicle, and that shots came from the sides, not the front of the vehicle. Since the shooting, multiple local and state elected officials have joined activists in calling for an independent investigation, including U.S. Representative Sylvia Garcia and Houston Mayor John Whitmire. During a press conference Monday, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teer said he will investigate the shooting, just as his office does in every officer involved shooting death in the county. However, he expressed frustration that the federal agencies have not shared evidence, including the names of the

ICE agents involved. Next, a Texas member of a nihilistic violent extremist, or NVEE group, as described by the U.S. Department of Justice, was sentenced last week to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges involving racketeering and child sexual exploitation. Alexis Aldeir Chavez of San Antonio, age 19, was additionally sentenced to lifetime supervised release and restitution of $10,000 for both racketeering and, quote, multiple acts relating to the sexual exploitation of children, end quote, according to the DOJ. Chavez was an administrator and online leader of the 8884 NVE network, which was connected to the 764 Crime Network. In other news, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission has referred multiple allegations of health care providers in the state promoting birth tourism to the Texas

office of the Attorney General, following Governor Greg Abbott's demand for an investigation. In its letter to the OAG dated July 7, the HHSC shared that it had, quote, received information that suggests several Texas Texas health care providers that receive state or federal funding may be soliciting birth tourism in Texas. HHSC Chief Counsel Karen Ray wrote, quote, If true, this conduct is detrimental to the public interest and may violate both state and federal law. Abbott directed the HHSC to launch an investigation into Rio Grande Valley-based Mission Regional Medical Center for allegedly promoting birth tourism through selling South Texas birth packages to Mexico. He requested that the commission refer any legal violations found in their investigation to the OAG.

Also, negotiations are drawing to a close between the City of St. San Antonio and the San Antonio Police Officers Association, or SAPOA, which seeks higher pay for police officers amid a budget shortfall that could prompt a property tax rate increase. SAPOA and the city have their final collective bargaining meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 16th, although the city may approve another meeting, according to Association President Johnny Perez. Their outgoing three-year contract expires this September, overlapping with an ongoing budget debate at City Hall. While SAPOA has announced several priorities, compensation for police officers is a leading issue, Perez told the Texan. However, the city of San Antonio faces a budget gap

caused partly by a decline in property tax revenue. Last but not least, several members of the Fort Worth City Council have called for a moratorium on development of data centers within the city. Council members Carlos Flores, Mia Hall, Chris Nettles, Elizabeth Beck, and Jeanette Martinez signed a letter on July 9th calling for the moratorium, given the, quote, growing concerns our residents have expressed regarding the rapid development of data centers in our community and across the nation. The letter acknowledges the benefits of data centers, including supporting health care, financial systems, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other digital services. However, the council members believe more consideration should be

given to concerns about the facilities water and energy consumption, noise, infrastructure demands, and other impacts on the surrounding areas. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit the texan. News to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.