The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - May 29, 2025

Episode Date: May 29, 2025

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Howdy folks, today is Thursday, May 29th and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lauschis and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, the Texas House rejected a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have mandated the detention of illegal immigrants charged with certain felony crimes, as most Democrats voted against the measure over its potential effect on minority communities. Senate Joint Resolution 1 by Senator Joan Huffman was labeled Jocelyn's Law in honor of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungare, who was sexually assaulted, bound, and strangled in Houston last summer. Two Venezuelan nationals who had entered the country illegally just months earlier

have been charged with capital murder in relation to her death. Jocelyn's mother Alexis Nungare testified in a House criminal jurisprudence committee hearing that she had to attend a bond hearing for the suspects before she could identify her daughter's body. A former U.S. Border Patrol agent told the committee that more than 100,000 illegal aliens charged with violent crimes had been released into the country in recent years. While sailing through the Senate with the necessary two-thirds vote required for constitutional amendments, the measure had stalled in the House where it needed 100 votes for passage, meaning that at least 12 Democratic members had to vote aye. Next, an investigative journalist has filed a

lawsuit seeking to preserve records related to a former Harris County official whose pending felony charges were dismissed by the county's new district attorney earlier this month. According to a complaint filed Thursday, Wayne D'Alcefino of D'Alcefino Consulting has asked for an injunction to prevent Harris County from destroying records associated with former County Public Health Executive Director Barbie Robinson and communications or records regarding Robinson associated with former County Administrator Diana Ramirez. Robinson was fired from her post last year, and in October, former Harris County District Attorney Kim Aug announced a grand jury had indicted Robinson with misuse of official information in relation to an alleged bid rigging scheme.

In December, the District Attorney's office charged Robinson with additional felonies, including tampering with a government record and two counts of fraudulent securing of document execution. Earlier this month, new district attorney Sean Teer, who defeated Ogg in the 2024 Democratic primary, announced that all four felony charges would be dropped since the state could not prove them beyond a reasonable doubt. In other news, legislation that cracks down on extreme risk protection orders, which exist under what are colloquially known as red flag laws, will head to Governor Greg Abbott's desk after it cracks down on extreme risk protection orders, which exist under what are colloquially known as red flag laws, will head to Governor Greg Abbott's desk after it cleared final passage in the Texas House.

According to a bill analysis prepared by the House, Senate Bill 1362 by Senator Brian Hughes would amend state law to prohibit a judge, local governmental entity, or other state official from issuing or enforcing extreme risk protection orders that are quote, not issued on the basis of conduct that resulted in a criminal charge for the person who is the subject of the order and that has the primary purpose of reducing the risk of death or injury related to a firearm by prohibiting the person from owning, possessing, or receiving a firearm, or requiring the person to surrender a firearm or otherwise removing a firearm from the person."

After passing the Texas Senate along party lines in March, the bill secured final passage in the Texas House again along party lines, with 86 in support to 53 opposed. Last but not least, two North Texas residents, along with a law firm and business, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Dallas last week for engaging in a scheme to fraudulently obtain entry into an immigration status in the United States on behalf of persons who were not citizens.

Abdul Hadi Murshid, age 39, and Mohammed Salman Nasir, age 35, both originally from Pakistan, along with the law offices of D. Robert Jones and Reliable Ventures, Inc., were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and racketeering-influenced-and-corrupt-rupt Organization, or RICO Act, conspiracy. According to the federal indictment, defendants had been engaged in the scheme for about seven years from January 1, 2018 until May 21, 2025. Thanks for listening. To support the Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.