Good morning, 

Yesterday, we asked readers if they thought colleges and universities that work against immigration enforcement rules should face penalties. Find out below what they had to say.

This is the Texas Minute for Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

– Michael Quinn Sullivan 

Special Session Kicks off With Redistricting Fight Looming and Billions on the Table

• Before the special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott began yesterday, Democrats held a press conference announcing that they consider “all options” to be on the table to block congressional redistricting—including breaking quorum. Brandon Waltens has the details.
      
• Besides redistricting, the governor has set a wide-ranging agenda, including flood recovery and enacting a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying. He wants lawmakers to protect women's private spaces and deliver more property tax relief. Many of these items were killed in the regular session.
      
• Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock released an updated revenue estimate on Monday, declaring that $3.1 billion in general-purpose revenue is available for lawmakers to spend.
       
• Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) announced the formation of the Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting. Among the members is the chairman of the Democrat caucus, Gene Wu of Houston.

Harris County Taxpayers Foot $1.1 Million Bill for Illegal Aliens' Legal Services

• So far in fiscal year 2025, Harris County has spent $1,141,056 in taxpayer funds providing legal services for illegal aliens in removal proceedings or detention, according to records obtained by Texas Scorecard's Joseph Trimmer.
       
• This spending covers two programs: the Immigrant Legal Services Fund (ILSF) and Survivor Services in Immigration Law (SSIL).
      
• The SSIL program provides free legal assistance to illegal aliens who are survivors of crimes such as sex trafficking, domestic slavery, and other forms of criminal victimization. The ILSF, meanwhile, offers direct representation for illegal aliens detained in Houston-area facilities, as well as for children previously in detention. 
       
• According to the ILSF website, its goal is to ensure “everyone who needs an attorney gets one: regardless of the strength of their case or the person’s criminal record.” Services are available to illegal aliens facing deportation, including those with criminal histories.
      
• In 2024, Harris County spent $2,071,676 on similar legal services for illegal aliens.

ICE Arrests Illegal Aliens Guilty of Heinous Crimes

• Over the weekend, federal agents arrested a dozen illegal aliens around the country who had previously been convicted of serious and heinous crimes. Addie Hovland reports that those arrested include individuals guilty of murder, rape, and pedophilia.
      
• Among those were two in Texas, both of whom are Mexican citizens. One illegal alien was arrested in San Antonio, who had been previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child. The other, who was arrested in Houston, was previously convicted of murder.

Belton Teacher Faces Federal Child Porn Charges

• Erin Anderson reports that another Belton Independent School District teacher has been accused of sex crimes involving children.
     
• Pietro Victor Giustino has been arrested on federal charges of possessing and attempting to possess child sexual abuse material, including depictions of minors engaged in sexual intercourse. He has worked for Belton ISD as a high school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) teacher since 2011.
     
• In 2022, Giustino was named Belton ISD’s Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year. 
       
• Two other Belton ISD employees were arrested in March: one charged with indecency with a child by sexual contact and the other with sexually assaulting an underage student. 

La Marque's Ex-City Manager Arrested on Felony Charges

• La Marque’s city manager, Joshua Blaine Pritchett, officially stepped down from his position on July 7 following allegations of discrepancies on his employment application. Now, reports Michael Wilson, Pritchett faces a series of criminal charges.
     
• After his resignation, Pritchett was charged with two misdemeanors: fraudulent or fictitious military records and fraudulent or fictitious academic credentials. Now, two weeks later, he faces new and more serious charges stemming from a fire at his home.
      
• Those felony charges include arson and tampering with physical evidence.

NOTE: I'll be out the next two days ... Sydnie Henry will take the reins of the Texas Minute. Be nice to her!

Quote-Unquote

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress."

– Mark Twain​

Y'All Answered

Texas A&M’s provost sent an email last week encouraging staff and students to report ICE agents on the College Station campus to university officials, ostensibly as a way to protect students from arrest and deportation.

Yesterday, we asked if A&M and other institutions that seem to interfere in federal law enforcement actions should face state or federal penalties. Just under 96 percent of readers want the institutions to receive penalties, while 4.1 percent do not.

Here is a sampling of the responses I received...

• “I’m still confused why I am paying for ILLEGAL immigrants to be educated. If A&M is following the law, they should have nothing to worry about, and ICE won’t have to come on campus. But we live in a clown world, so…” – Brooke Walsh 
      

• “They should not only be penalized, but they should be criminally charged with obstruction of Justice.” – Eric Osterhout 
      

• “As an 84-year-old raised by a Jewish mother, what I am now reading reminds me of Gestapo tactics before and during WW II. I think the notice to faculty and students was appropriate.” – Joanne Minuete
      

• “Interesting that the email went to graduate students, and not undergrad—this informs me that the provost was assuming there would be more discretion from the ‘loyalists.’” – Michael Kruger
      

• “Anyone, anywhere who is pushing for federal law to be ignored or pushed aside should be punished. In this case, Alan Sams should be fired. What an absolute terrible example of leadership.” – Deborah Wilkey
      

• “Aiding and abetting criminals is a crime. Criminals should be punished to protect our community. Perhaps a 6-month vacation at Alligator Alcatraz would educate the A&M provost about criminals?” – Jim Moyer
      

• “As a TAMU former student, I am increasingly horrified at the liberal positions taken by the university faculty and administration. I cannot in good conscience continue to donate money back to A&M as long as it continues on this trajectory.” – Cindy Armstrong
      

• “For too long, Texas universities have been allowed to not follow laws with few consequences. It is time to hold them responsible.” – Ashton Oravetz III 
      

• “Yes, they should be penalized! It's FEDERAL LAW! Who do they think they are? Although it sure does expose what the leaders there at A&M are really up to and whose side they're on!” – Wanda Wilcox
       

• “Texas A&M, nor any similar institution, are not a law unto themselves and must not be permitted to act as though they are.” – Albert Greech
      

• “They should be stripped of all federal funding until they learn to follow the laws of our nation.” – Elyce Mouskondis 
      

• “Historically, there is a reason Aggie Jokes are universally known far and wide, and this decision, at face value, appears to be one of the reasons why Aggie Jokes are out there. Assuming that ICE is an agency created to enforce the law, it would follow that any effort to get in their way is unlawful.” – Allan Garonzik
      

• “If a university takes our tax money, we have the right to dictate the rules for them!” – Beverly Uhlmer Roberts
     

• “The American people overwhelmingly voted for the removal of illegal aliens when we voted President Trump into office for his 2nd term. We did not place exceptions on that mandate for students or for any other group. How dare the TAMU Provost take it upon himself to override the will of the majority!” – Jeff McDowell 

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