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Good morning, 

Donald Trump named his "border czar" the same day readers were asked which of the president-elect's solutions to illegal immigration had them most excited. See the results of the One Click Survey down below.

This is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

DFW Republicans Reject Cornyn's Bid to be Senate Majority Leader

• Despite being the senior senator from Texas, Metroplex Republicans have come out in opposition to John Cornyn's bid to serve as the chamber's majority leader. As Emily Medeiros reports, the Tarrant County and Dallas County GOPs have come out against Cornyn's candidacy.
     
• The Tarrant County GOP Executive Committee passed a resolution taking direct aim at Cornyn's record. They describe him as having "stood against Republicans and sided with the Democrats."
       
• Tarrant County GOP Chairman Bo French told Texas Scorecard that Republicans are tired of people trying to undermine Trump’s conservative agenda. The resolution is being shared with all Republican U.S. Senators and Senators-elect.
       
• Meanwhile, a hundred Dallas County precinct chairs signed a letter urging senators to pick a leader who will be "fully committed to conservative principles and who will champion the policies of President Trump." The Dallas GOP letter, signed by Chairman Allen West, also takes aim at Sen. John Thune (R-SD).
       
• The third candidate in the race is Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).

• During Trump’s first administration, Homan spearheaded the government’s deportation program. Though never confirmed by the Senate, he served as the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from 2017 to 2018.
       
• “I got a message to the millions of illegal aliens that Joe Biden has released into our country,” said Homan. “You better start packing now.” 
        
• “This is excellent, there’s no one tougher on the border,” wrote Gov. Greg Abbott on 𝕏.

Lottery Commission Actions Could Open Door to Indian Casino Push

• If the Texas Legislature does not rein in the Texas Lottery Commission's online sales of lottery tickets, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas is threatening to pursue full-blown casino gambling. Daniel Greer has the details.
      
• Though the tribe omitted it from their correspondence with the Texas Senate, recent legal developments might mean these tribe-owned casinos won’t be restricted to reservations; they might pockmark the entire state. The state, meanwhile, would see little of the revenues from native-owned casinos.
      
• As the tribe sees it, purchasing a lottery ticket online is simply placing a bet, and the drawing is an outcome of the bet. They call the current setup, in which an online player pays for a ticket from an app, a workaround for the state’s prohibition on internet gambling.
        
• The Kickapoo assert that the online lottery ticket sales act as a random number generator to simulate real-time online games of chance. Translation: it’s acting like a slot machine. This interpretation is what would allow the Kickapoo and other tribes to open their own casinos without state licenses.

Paxton Files 100th Lawsuit Against Biden-Harris Administration

• Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced his 100th lawsuit against the Biden-Harris administration. This time, reports Brandon Waltens, the target is a Federal Communications Commission rule.
       
• Paxton argues the FCC is undermining states' rights with a new rule limiting the charge for prisoner phone calls, essentially forcing taxpayers to subsidize the difference.
        
• Texas is joined in the lawsuit by Mississippi and Louisiana. 
   
• “From unlawfully orchestrating the border invasion to attacking our oil and gas industries and illegally abusing taxpayer money to censor our own citizens, the federal government has been ruthlessly weaponized against the American people. But Texas stood in their way. We proudly led the Nation’s fight to uphold the rule of law and restore Constitutional rights when they were under attack.” – Ken Paxton
        
• Paxton is widely rumored to be on the shortlist of candidates to serve as President Donald Trump’s Attorney General when he resumes office in January.

Dan Patrick Names School Choice As Top Priority

• Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has named school choice as his top legislative priority for 2025. He noted in a recent statement that the Senate has passed school choice five times since 2015, but it has been killed each time in the House.
        
• In the 2023 fight over school choice, House Speaker Dade Phelan was seen as an impediment. It is widely assumed that if he continues to hold power, Phelan and his allies will continue to create obstacles.
      
• School choice played a key role in state legislative races during this year's primary and general elections. Opponents claimed supporters of school choice would lose elections over the issue.
      
• Instead, the number of school choice supporters has increased in the Texas Legislature. Gov. Greg Abbott declared last week the numbers exist in the House to pass school choice legislation.
       
• “A one-size-fits-all approach to education in a state with a population of 30 million, 254 counties, 1,200 school districts, and over 8,000 campuses simply cannot possibly meet the needs of every student.” – Dan Patrick

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Quote-Unquote

"The most urgent necessity is, not that the State should teach, but that it should allow education. All monopolies are detestable, but the worst of all is the monopoly of education."

– Frédéric Bastiat​

Y'All Answered

Over the course of the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump mentioned several ways he planned to attack the problem of illegal immigration.

Yesterday, the One Click Survey asked readers which one of those was most appealing.

Here is a sampling of comments we received after folks clicked the survey:

• “We should actually use all of these plans simultaneously. However, we have got to deport these illegals, so we can reduce the financial burdens in our hospitals, schools, jails, and communities.” – Susan Valliant
     

• “Even though I selected ‘tariffs,’ I believe even more important than any of these 3 choices is to do away with incentives. … When their ability to obtain substance is removed, they will not only stop coming, but I believe many will return of their own volition.” – Michael Baker
      

• “I replied, ‘finish the wall’; however, all three are of equal importance. We must protect our citizenry from what most assuredly is an invasion, and it does not matter that there are illegal aliens from all over the world: they are just taking advantage of the Biden/Harris chaos.” – Liz Alewine
      

• “Mass deportations might be the best way to begin. However, we also need to charge a fee for monies sent to foreign countries, implement e-verify and penalize all who hire illegal aliens, and we need to immediately cease ALL government programs for illegals. Many would self-deport.” – Bonnie Wallace
      

• “The wall is a start; the Mexican tariffs will help, but we must first remove all illegally here to send a strong message: ‘we welcome immigrants who come legally, but those who don’t will be sent back to whence they came!’” – Dave Dorsey
      

• “President Eisenhower had a mass deportation of illegals. He called it Operation Wetback. He used military tactics to get the job done. It can be done, and President Trump will do it even better!” – Lisa Kalies
     

• “We had mass INVASION… Why not ‘Mass Deportation’!?” – John Makow
       

• “We have to block the illegal entry into this nation. This may mean also fining all the nations that have citizens here now, through the use of tariffs and no more American aid. Finishing the wall does not mean that deportations can not start now.” – Greg Reinhart
      

• “Mass deportation immediately.” – Karen Stinnett
       

• “We must finish the wall IMMEDIATELY to stop the problem from continuing to grow.” – Sandra Grove
      

• “Although I checked ‘build the wall,’ it will take a more holistic and exhaustive approach which will include mass deportation and if Mexico doesn’t cooperate, tariffs or other consequences.” – Mark Bigley
       

• “Tough choice, but I think mass deportation is a top priority. We simply MUST get these illegals OUT so they quit draining our resources and especially get rid of the illegals that are part of the gangs.” – Roger Taylor

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