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The Texas law would take effect on March 5 and would make it a state crime to cross the Texas-Mexico border between ports of entry. In the lawsuit, the federal government argues that the law undermines its authority to enforce immigration law. "We have brought this action to ensure that Texas adheres to the framework adopted by Congress and the Constitution for regulation of immigration," Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division, said in a statement. It is not the only action the federal government has taken this week regarding Texas: As we noted yesterday, on Tuesday the Biden administration asked the Supreme Court to allow Border Patrol agents to remove razor wire Texas has installed at the border. The real-world impacts of Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star aren’t limited to migrants. For NPR’s Morning Edition, Angela Kocherga shares the story of a family of U.S. citizens who say they were wrongfully targeted, as she first reported for KTEP. Welcome to Thursday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Isabella Miller, Clara Villatoro and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. SOON TO RESUME — With congressional negotiations slated to resume Monday regarding funding for Ukraine and border issues, Andy J. Semotiuk offers a summary in Forbes of the negotiations before and during the holiday break. Separately, 60 House Republicans visited Eagle Pass, Texas, report Lindsay Wise and Michelle Hackman of The Wall Street Journal. During the trip, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said any border deal must be based on hardline immigration bill HR 2. HELP NEEDED — In his syndicated column, Steve Roberts highlights the need for more immigrant workers: "[T]he contentious debate over the border masks a larger long-term issue: how to open America to more legal immigrants." Separately, Howard Gleckman highlights in Forbes that if Congress imposes new restrictions on migrants, already strained health care facilities and agencies could face a profound impact. Improving the visa system to help qualified workers could alleviate health sector shortages, he notes. PERILOUS JOURNEY — About 30 migrants abducted in Mexico close to the U.S. border over the weekend have been rescued, report Simon Romero and Emiliano Rodríguez Mega of The New York Times. The kidnapping underscores the risks migrants face in parts of northern Mexico, they note. Meanwhile, Reuters reports that about 520,000 migrants traversed the dangerous Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama in 2023. GROWING COMMUNITY — Minnesota’s Afghan immigrant population is growing, report Hibah Ansari and Cynthia Tu of the Sahan Journal. Zahra Wahidy moved to Minnesota in 2022, initially knowing only her brother. However, she soon established connections within the local Afghan community, including reuniting with a former co-worker at an event. Many are finding a sense of belonging. "It’s good to build a new life in Minnesota," Wahidy said. "There are job opportunities; it’s also affordable to live here, to build a life here." Thanks for reading, Dan
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