Good morning,

We've now entered the pre-primary season ahead of the 2026 election cycle, with early endorsements starting to fly. In today's One Click Survey, we ask how important one particular endorsement is to you.

This is the Texas Minute for Monday, July 14, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Illegal Aliens Barred From Taxpayer-Funded Health Programs

• A new announcement from U.S. Health and Human Services could save Texas and other states millions of dollars by prohibiting illegal aliens from accessing certain healthcare programs. Addie Hovland has the details.
      
• The new policy presented by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. changes the interpretation of key terms within a 1996 welfare law, including “federal public benefit,” which allowed illegal aliens to receive certain taxpayer-funded healthcare services since 1998.
     
• Several programs have been added to the definition of “federal public benefit” under the new rule, including programs controlled by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, health workforce grant programs, and, most notably, Head Start programs for children.
       
• “For too long, the government has diverted hardworking Americans’ tax dollars to incentivize illegal immigration.” – Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 
       
• Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order in August 2024 requiring Texas hospitals to collect and report healthcare costs for illegal aliens every quarter. In April, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission reported that $121 million was spent in a single month on healthcare costs for individuals who are not lawfully in the United States.

President Trump Pledges Federal Support After Deadly Floods

• Following the devastating Fourth of July flooding, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited the affected communities of the Texas Hill Country on Friday. As McKael Kirwin reports, the floods resulted in the death of more than 100 Texans, with 169 people still reported missing.
      
• Trump conveyed his sympathy to the community and praised the bravery of those who responded to the crisis.
     
• Joining the Trumps were Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
      
• "We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you." – Melania Trump

RELATED NEWS

• The committees will be tasked with addressing the Hill Country’s current needs and determining any necessary actions to help avoid such catastrophic impacts in the future. Patrick explained that this action is just the beginning of evaluating what happened.
        
• The committees will hold their first joint meeting on July 23 at the Capitol. A hearing will also be held in Kerrville for local residents, but that date has not yet been announced.

Dallas District Judge Sanctioned Twice

• Paige Feild reports that a Dallas County district judge has been issued two public sanctions, a reprimand and an admonition. Judicial observers are concerned not only about a pattern of misconduct by Judge Amber Givens but also that she has allegedly violated two defendants' constitutional rights. 
      
• The reprimand of Givens, who serves as judge of the 282nd District Court, listed a pattern of disrespect, specifically failing to treat parties, litigants, and other judges with patience, dignity, and courtesy. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct found that more than 100 recusal motions were filed by both prosecutors and defense attorneys practicing in her court.
     
• Givens, a Democrat, was first elected to the bench in 2014.

Murder Suspect Granted Bond After Harris County Prosecutors Miss Deadline

• An Afghan national who admitted to fatally stabbing a disabled man will be released from jail after prosecutors failed to indict him ahead of a legally imposed deadline. Michael Wilson has the story.
       
• Masiullah Sahil, a 37-year-old man from Afghanistan, admitted to stabbing and killing Abdul Niazi, a 34-year-old husband and father of five. The victim was a Marine ally in Afghanistan, who lost both legs in combat and was confined to a motorized wheelchair.
     
• Sahil was in Niazi’s Houston office for matters related to his refugee application. During his confession to law enforcement officials, Sahil admitted the stabbing was driven by growing frustration over how long it was taking for his refugee status to be approved.
       
• Prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office failed to formally indict Sahil for murder within the required 90-day legal window. This meant he was released from jail without paying any money. Prosecutors admitted they could not provide “any valid reason” for the delay, with one telling the judge, “It just didn’t get done.”

Baytown Officials Worried Voters May Reject the City’s Planned Bond Propositions

• As Erin Anderson reports, some Baytown city officials are concerned that voters may reject the bonds they are planning to place on the ballot this November.
     
• One local activist, Byron Schirmbeck, believes those worries are well-founded. He asserts that city officials’ past actions have left residents skeptical that they will responsibly spend tax dollars approved in future bond propositions.
     
• While a bond package has not yet been set, the city must decide what will be included before August 18 to be in front of voters on the November 2025 ballot.

Today In History

On July 14, 1879, Texas began selling state land at fifty cents an acre, bringing in $1.6 million. Half the proceeds went to reduce Texas' debt, while the other half was used to fill the coffers of the Permanent Education Fund. The law authorizing the sales was repealed four years later due to fraudulent land speculation. 

Quote-Unquote

"There are two times in a man's life when he should not speculate: when he can't afford it, and when he can." – Mark Twain​

One Click Survey

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