A North Texas elected official is backing a call to release an ICE detainee being held in Texas. “I’m sticking my neck out for the procedural, for the rule of law, for the due process, for adherence to our constitutional rights,” said Rep. Salman Bhojani (D-Euless). Bhojani said he’s advocating for Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old Palestinian in ICE custody at Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, who was just released from the hospital after experiencing a seizure in custody. “I need accountability, I need transparency, I need communication, I need basic human dignity,” said Bhojani. In January, Bhojani led a coalition advocating for Kordia to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Bhojani is among her advocates who are questioning the conditions inside the detention center, after the previously healthy woman wound up in the hospital over the weekend. In a statement to NBC 5, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirms Kordia had a seizure, saying, “her admission to the hospital was made out of an abundance of caution to ensure her health and safety.” Kordia’s been detained since March of 2025. A DHS spokesperson says she was arrested “for immigration…

People around North Texas took part in a Nationwide Day of Action on Friday, calling for the removal of ICE agents from Minneapolis and other U.S. cities. They joined thousands of people marching in multiple cities across the country. It comes as the Department of Homeland Security confirms the FBI is opening a civil rights investigation into the border patrol shooting of Alex Pretti. Flower Mound’s Hive Bakery was one of several DFW-based businesses to take to social media and share their support. “It’s important, I think, to use your platform, use your voice,” said owner Haley Popp. Since the beginning of January, Popp has been selling anti-ICE t-shirts and cookies. “I think it should be abolished. It shouldn’t exist. I believe immigrants should be welcome here in this country every day, all the time,” Popp said. As protesters gathered for a second day in Dallas and students in Fort Worth and Hurst walked out of class, organizers called on businesses to close, encouraging people not to spend money. While some did, many others said it simply wasn’t feasible. “It was such a tough week for small businesses. We had to close because of the snowstorms,” said owner of Oak…

Tens of millions of dollars are headed to Texas to help law enforcement cover the costs of securing the World Cup. “It costs money. It’s expensive,” Senator John Cornyn said. Cornyn announced Thursday that Texas will get around $100 million of the $625 million in federal funding from the Big Beautiful Bill to reimburse law enforcement agencies in DFW and Houston responsible for securing the FIFA World Cup. “While fans and athletes are gearing up for the games behind the scenes, federal, state, and local law enforcement were working together along with emergency management teams to make sure that these games are safe,” Cornyn said. North Texas is expected to see three to four million visitors, around 100,000 of them a day. Much of the funding will go toward overtime to police departments, including Dallas and Arlington. Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux says DPD is now dialing down how many officers it will need for the World Cup. “If we need extra officers out there spending a lot of money on overtime, we’ll use some of this money to reimburse the city for overtime,” Comeaux said. “We’ve never had anything quite like this. We’ve got tried and true…

A teacher who survived the 2022 shooting inside a Robb Elementary school classroom in Uvalde, Texas, told a jury Monday the attack began with a “black shadow” with a gun walking inside and that he prayed for the attack to be over after being shot along with his students. Arnulfo Reyes’ testimony came on the fifth day of the trial for Adrian Gonzales, a former Uvalde schools police officer who was among the first law enforcement responders to the scene. Gonzales has pleaded not guilty to 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment as prosecutors allege he did nothing to stop the gunman in the first moments of the attack. The gunman killed 19 students and two teachers. Reyes was shot on the arm and back and said he was taunted by 18-year-old gunman Salvador Ramos. “I looked at my door and that’s when I saw him … a black shadow. The black shadow was holding a gun. I just saw the fire come out of the gun,” Reyes testified. “He shot at me and hit me in my arm. That’s when I fell to the ground.” “When I fell, he came around and he shot the kids,” he said. Reyes said Ramos…

Starting Jan. 1, Texans will see changes with 33 new laws that touch numerous issues from immigration enforcement to artificial intelligence. Over 800 laws already took effect in Sept. 2025. Here are a few key laws to look out for in the new year: Senate Bill 8 mandates that most counties in Texas operating a jail must enter into a formaly work with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement under the 287(g) program. Under this, sheriff’s offices will be authorized to assist federal immigration enforcement by serving warrants and questioning inmates about immigration status. The law also establishes state grants ($80,000–$140,000 based on county population) to support compliance. Supporters tout improved public safety and better coordination but critics warn it risks racial profiling and could erode community trust, discouraging immigrant victims and witnesses from reporting crimes. Senate Bill 2420, known as the App Store Accountability Act, would have compelled Apple, Google, and other platforms to verify users’ ages and require parental consent for minors downloading apps or making in-app purchases. However, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on December 23, concluding the law likely violates First Amendment protections and is unconstitutionally broad and vague. Enforcement has been paused pending appeal….

The founder of Irving-based Tricolor Holdings led other top executives of the subprime auto lender on a seven-year campaign to defraud its largest lenders out of nearly a billion dollars, authorities said Wednesday, as they announced two arrests and guilty pleas by two former executives. Daniel Chu, the company’s founder and chief executive, was charged in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court with directing multiple executives since 2018 to defraud investors and lending institutions. The fraudulent schemes included fabricating data and making false statements, according to the indictment. A defense lawyer for Chu did not immediately return a message seeking comment. Chu, 62, of Miami, was arrested in Florida, while David Goodgame, 49, of Waxahachie, the company’s former chief operating officer, was arrested in Texas. It was not immediately clear who would represent Goodgame at an initial court appearance. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton told a news conference that Chu repeatedly lied to banks and other credit providers as he turned fraud “into an integral component of Tricolor’s business strategy.” He said the company’s collapse dealt a blow to car-buying customers who needed the services of a lending business catering to people with troubled credit histories. “Of course, if you…