The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - June 10, 2025

Episode Date: June 10, 2025

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Howdy, folks. Today is Tuesday, June 10th, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschus, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, protests and riots against US immigration and customs enforcement over President Donald Trump's calls to deport illegal aliens have broken out in several states, with the most dramatic in Los Angeles, California, garnering national attention, including from many Texas elected officials and law enforcement. After reports circulated of cars being set on fire in the streets, looting of various restaurants and clothing stores, vandalization of other property, and general mass unrest in the streets of LA,

Trump deployed the California National Guard against the wishes of California Governor Gavin Newsom, and later deployed 700 Marines to the scene on Monday afternoon. On Monday night, the Texas Capitol saw hundreds show up to protest Trump's deportation efforts, of which over a dozen were arrested, according to Governor Greg Abbott.

Abbott commented on the response to Monday night's protesting and vandalization downtown, confirming on X that the arrests were made possible through collaboration between the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Next, legislation expanding eligibility standards for the Land Owner Compensation Program, a means of refunding Texans up to $75,000 in property damages related to border crime, awaits Governor Greg Abbott's decision after passing the Texas Legislature. The program was launched by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in May 2024, aiming to, quote, provide needed relief to Texans whose property is damaged

by foreign aliens waved into the country by the federal government. It followed the passage of Senate Bill 1133, carried by State Senator Cesar Blanco in the 88th legislative session, seeking to compensate landowners for property damage caused by trespass linked to border crimes such as drug offenses, human trafficking, smuggling of persons, or evading arrest. It proposed the establishment of the program to be administered through the office of the Attorney General. In other news, a bill awaiting signature from Governor Greg Abbott would reconfigure how

institutions of higher education in Texas are governed. Senate Bill 37 by State Senator Brandon Creighton will enhance the oversight authority of existing governing boards for public institutions of higher education, requiring them to conduct a comprehensive review of general education curriculum every five years, and granting them the power to overturn any hiring decision made for the positions of vice president or dean. Moreover, it expands on the authority of university governing boards by giving them final oversight over key administrative hires. Faculty councils will be restricted to an advisory-only role as final decision-making authority

regarding the hiring of faculty and administrative positions will be granted to university system leadership. Also, former city council member Thomas Schoenbein will become the new mayor of Pasadena after winning a runoff election with 57 percent of the vote over city communications director Rex Lindbergh. While municipal elections are nonpartisan, Schoenbein touted endorsements from Texas Senator Mays Middleton and state representatives Briscoe Cain and Dennis Paul, as well as the Harris County Republican Party, while Lindbergh was endorsed by Democratic

Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia. In the May City elections, Shane Byn and Lindbergh were neck-and-neck with 32 and 33 percent respectively. In addition, two mayoral candidates connected to Governor Greg Abbott lost their mayoral runoff races over the weekend. Rolando Pablo's, former Secretary of State appointed by Abbott, was defeated by Gina Ortiz-Jones, who will become the next mayor of San Antonio. With about 142,000 San Antonio residents voting, Jones received 54% of the votes cast to Pablo's 46%. In the growing North Texas city of McKinney, former Republican Texas House member Scott Sanford was defeated by Bill Cox to replace current Mayor George Fuller, who is term-limited.

Last but not least, when the Sine Die gavel hit, the Texas legislature capped off a 140-day session that came in like a lion and went out like a lamb. The seemingly unbreakable enmity that marked the opening of session broke, and a generally harmonic mood took its place. The two chambers passed over 1,200 bills, and most of the top items from the two chambers or the governor were among them. Visit thetexan.news for senior reporter Brad Johnson's review of the 89th legislative session.

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