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MRT (free): Gov. Abbott Not Worried About Mexico Tariffs // Senate Vote on School Choice Set for Wednesday // Whitmire to Pass Homeless Camping Ban?
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
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MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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TUESDAY || 2/4/25
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TOP NEWS
“Gov. Greg Abbott isn't worried about tariffs on Mexico hurting Texas,” Houston Chronicle's Jeremy Wallace — “If President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Mexico, Gov. Greg Abbott says the state’s economy can handle it.
Trump used tariffs and the threat of tariffs on other countries during his first term in office, and he has started his second term by threatening new levies on goods from Mexico, Canada and China — three of the country's biggest trade partners. Canada quickly retaliated with its own tariffs on U.S. goods, and China vowed to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization. The U.S. and Mexico reached a deal early Monday to delay tariffs on Mexican goods in exchange for Mexico sending thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. Later on Monday, Canada said Trump had agreed to pause its tariffs for a month while they worked out a border deal.
Even if the Mexico tariffs end up taking effect, Abbott said during an exclusive interview with the Houston Chronicle that he's not worried.
He understands what Trump is doing and how the end goal ultimately will help Texas.
“What we know about Trump is these are negotiation tactics for him, and that’s why you see this quick pivot already by Mexico and the U.S. today,” Abbott said. “He laid down the marker, and it was something where the president of Mexico worked with the president of the United States to work it out so that tariffs were not imposed.”
Abbott said the end goal is to get more “robust” cooperation with Mexico in regards to the border.
Abbott has some experience with that approach. In 2022, he employed enhanced truck safety inspections on cargo coming from Mexico, which resulted in hourslong disruptions for commerce coming over each of the state’s international bridges. Political leaders in both parties, shipping companies and even the Texas Trucking Association, which had endorsed Abbott's reelection, all came out against the measure, many of them calling it ineffective and redundant with federal border inspections.
Ultimately, Mexican governors from each of the states that border Texas agreed to do more to step up immigration enforcement on their end to slow the surge of border crossings in Texas. But the agreements were nonbinding, and Ken Cuccinelli, former deputy secretary of homeland security during Trump's first term, wrote at the time in the Federalist that the outcome "will have no impact on the numbers of illegal aliens crossing Texas’ border with Mexico.”
While Trump has delayed implementation of tariffs on Mexico, Abbott said he has a strong enough relationship with the White House and Trump himself that he could influence them. He said during the first Trump administration he was in regular contact with the White House to relay concerns from key Texas industries that were affected by tariffs back then.
During that first term in office, after Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum on Mexico and Canada. Mexico struck back with tariffs on pork, steel, cheese and other goods from the U.S. The tariffs lasted almost a year before a new free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada was finalized. The nonprofit Tax Foundation said Trump's tariffs during his first term resulted in more than $80 billion in additional taxes paid by Americans on various goods. The agriculture industry was particularly hit hard with farm exports to just Mexico and Canada dropping by more than $600 million, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture." Houston Chronicle ($)
TOP NEWS
HOU CHRON: “Texas A&M picks 4 companies to build nuclear reactors at Rellis campus” Houston Chronicle ($)
#TXLEGE
DMN: “Texas Senate expected to vote on school choice bill Wednesday” DMN ($)
DMN: “Abbott favors school choice without blanket rise in school funding” DMN ($)
SAEN: “Bill would crack on abusive practices in Texas solar industry” SAEN ($)
STATE GOVERNMENT
SAEN: “Why Greg Abbott is eyeing San Antonio as the site of Texas' Cyber Comm” SAEN ($)
TX TRIB: “Two more state employees fired after accessing Texans' private information” Texas Tribune
HOU LANDING: “TEA warns 460 school districts about potentially illegal suspensions of homeless students” Houston Landing
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
HOU CHRON: “Houston's homeless could face state camping ban, expanded civility ordinance from Whitmire” Houston Landing
BUSINESS NEWS
FW REPORT: “Arlington company receives $18M to develop F-16 jet simulators, training for Taiwan” FW Report
SAEN: “USAA companies rank high in denying insurance claims, firm finds” SAEN ($)
SAEN: “Alamo Beer Co. files for bankruptcy amid industry struggles” SAEN ($)
NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE
> TX TRIB: "Two more state employees fired after accessing Texans’ private information" TX TRIB
> AP: "Texas National Guard can now arrest and detain people who illegally enter the US" AP
> TX MONTHLY: "The Panhandle Is Burning. Can Ranching Survive?" TX MONTHLY
> AP: "Justice Department restores funding for programs that provide guidance in immigration courts" AP
> TX TRIB: "Texas Republicans want more property tax cuts. Here’s how they may do it." TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Texas regulators grapple with a growing problem: old oil wells leaking polluted water" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Trump delays tariffs on Mexico for one month" TX TRIB
> TX TRIB: "Absenteeism spiked in the pandemic. Texas schools want the state’s help to keep students in the classroom." TX TRIB
> TPR: "Texas National Guard soldiers can now make immigration arrests at the border" TPR
> TPR: "Helotes rallies against wastewater discharge; Texas trade ports brace for tariffs; Gov. Abbott names legislative goals" TPR
> AAS: "Texas National Guard soldiers now have authority to make arrests at U.S.-Mexico border" AAS
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Making a splash: Richardson aims to improve aquatic options with new plan" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> AAS: "These 3 Texas cities ranked in top 10 places to visit in 2025. See why locals suggest them" AAS
> AAS: "'Welfare for the wealthy': House Democrats urge Texans to fight against school vouchers" AAS
> AAS: "Lucky Texan wins $2 million in Jan. 24 Mega Millions drawing, Texas Lottery says" AAS
> TPR: "Trump alleges USAID 'fraud' and puts Rubio in charge as Musk targets the agency" TPR
> LONGVIEW N-J: "Director of One Love Longview fears what's next for homeless population after organization shuts down" LONGVIEW N-J
> TPR: "Trump pauses tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Here's why it matters to automakers" TPR
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Local officials break ground on east-west trail connection in South Austin" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Katy ISD names David Rider as new police chief" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Frisco ISD open enrollment program sees 646 applicants" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> CCCT: "New eateries Fika, Mamako Cafe bring culture, sweet treats to Corpus Christi" CCCT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Proposed $2.3B bond could bring Celina its second high school" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Cy-Fair Fire Department's 8 proposed stations could face year-long delay" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Hillwood official expects more growth in industrial buildings in Fort Worth" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "See which Houston areas made HAR's Q4 Hottest Communities list" COMMUNITY IMPACT
> CCCT: "Corpus Christi police raid illegal game rooms on city's Southside" CCCT
EXTRA POINTS
Last night's Texas sports score:
> NBA: New York 124, Houston 118
> NBA: Memphis 128, San Antonio 109
> NCAAM: McNeese 67, Incarnate Word 65
> NCAAM: SE Louisiana 81, Lamar 79
> NCAAM: Northwestern State 79, UT-RGV 63
> NCAAM: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 78, East Texas A&M 66
> NCAAM: UAB 64, North Texas 61
> NCAAM: Stephen F. Austin 88, New Orleans 85
> NCAAM: UAB 64, North Texas 61
> NCAAM: Nicholls 75, Houston Chronicle 67
Tonight''s Texas sports schedule:
> 5:30pm: NCAAM: Texas Southern at AR Pine Bluff (ESPN+)
> 6pm: NBA: Dallas at Philadelphia
> 6:30pm: NBA: Houston at Brooklyn
> 7pm: NCAAM: Oklahoma State at #5 Houston (ESPN+)
> 8pm: NCAAM: Baylor at #13 Texas Tech (ESPN2)
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "Luka Doncic was in process of buying new North Texas home before trade" DMN ($)
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "What Mavs' NBA trade deadline moves with Luka Doncic reveal for 2024" DMN ($)
DALLAS MAVERICKS: "Jaren Jackson Jr., GG Jackson lead Grizzlies past Spurs 128-109 to hold second in West" AP
HOUSTON ROCKETS: "Jalen Brunson has 42 points and 10 assists to rally the Knicks past the Rockets, 124-118" AP
HOUSTON TEXANS: "Houston Texans hire Nick Caley as offensive coordinator" Houston Chronicle ($)
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