Hays County demands humane treatment, due process in federal immigration operations
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra told KXAN Sunday that he brought forward the resolution after recent federal immigration activity he said has caused disorder across the county.
'The resolution I'm presenting on Tuesday is about us being Americans, being respectful, respecting the rule of law,' Becerra said. 'What I want to do is help support peace, unity, and harmony throughout our county.'
The resolution, which passed unanimously, demanded, 'clear, consistent, and constitutionally sound process for the handling of individuals—immigrants or otherwise—by any agency or organization operating within our jurisdiction.'
It also stated the importance of federal agents wearing clear identification and not concealing their identity while conducting operations.
'[ICE is] picking people up with no [identification] and covered in masks,' Becerra said. 'We got to know who these people are, taking our beating hearts, our mothers, fathers and children out of circulation and kidnapping them.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Los Angeles Times
12 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump is undermining California's EV goals. The state has a new plan to fight back
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At stake isn't just sales numbers for car and truck manufacturers, but California's ambitious climate agenda and the health of millions of its residents. Without the federal rebates and subsidies to support widespread adoption electric vehicles, the state will almost surely fall short of its greenhouse gas reduction targets and remain in violation of federal air quality standards. Unless, that is, Sacramento steps in, in a big way. On Tuesday, state officials delivered an eight-page report to the governor's office detailing several strategies to do just that. It focuses on boosting zero-emission vehicle adoption and reducing tailpipe emissions in communities dealing with some of the nation's worst air quality and most rapidly intensifying effects from global warming. In Southern California, alone, about 1,500 residents die annually due to exposure to unhealthy levels of air pollution, according to Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board, one of the agencies that authored the report. 'Clean air efforts are under siege, putting the health of every American at risk,' Randolph said. 'California is continuing to fight back and will not give up on cleaner air and better public health. We have a legal and moral obligation.' The report comes amid a statewide slump in electric vehicle sales, expiring federal clean-vehicle subsidies and widespread economic uncertainty from Trump-imposed tariffs. In the document, California officials argued that one of the most important ways to counteract federal actions is to find state funding to restore subsidies for zero-emission vehicles. Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' will end federal tax credits for zero-emission vehicles — up to $7,500 for car buyers — on Sept. 30. Because electric vehicles generally cost more than their gas-powered counterparts, government incentives were critical in encouraging Americans to buy cleaner cars. Not long after Trump's election, Newsom committed to restore funding for a state rebate program if Trump eliminated the federal tax credit. The previous state program, which ended in 2023, provided $1.49 billion in funding for more than 594,000 electric, hydrogen or plug-in hybrid vehicles, according to the state Air Resources Board. That offered thousands of consumers up to a $7,500 rebate for purchasing or leasing a new zero-emission vehicle or plug-in hybrid, and the initiative prevented drivers from burning more than 456 million gallons of fuel, according to estimates. A new round of state subsidies for zero-emission vehicles would likely require state lawmakers to introduce new legislation or to create a specific allocation for that purpose in California's budget bill next year. Daniel Villasenor, a spokesperson for Newsom's office, said the state's cap-and-trade program — the state's leading climate program that generates $4 billion annually — could be the source of new zero-emission vehicle incentives. 'The Governor and his team are reviewing the recommendations set forth in the report,' Villasenor said. 'As the Governor said when he signed the executive order, California will continue our world-leading transition to cleaner cars.' Last year, more than 1.75 million new cars were sold in California; over 25% of those were zero-emission or plug-in hybrids, according to state data. As of June 30, about 900,000 cars have been sold in 2025, and 22.3% are zero-emission or plug-in hybrids. Tesla registered only 76,000 new cars statewide, well off its pace last year, when it sold around 200,000. Adrian Martinez, director of the nonprofit Earthjustice's 'Right To Zero' campaign, said government subsidies are critical for California to not only meet its clean air and climate goals, but to also stay economically competitive. 'It's smart for California to think about how they can [counteract] some of the reckless behavior of the federal government,' Martinez said. 'It's incredibly important right now, because there's huge environmental need for these zero emission vehicles. But there's also huge economic benefits from facilitating and advancing electric vehicles, including a lot of jobs in California.' State officials have advised the governor's office to consider other financial inducements to zero-emission drivers, such as free or reduced costs to drive in lesser-congested toll lanes on California highways. Electric car owners, who are permitted to drive alone in carpool lanes with a state-issued decal, are poised to lose privileges on Sept. 30 without federal authorization. The report calls on the California Public Utilities Commission to explore financial incentives to make electric-vehicle charging less expensive as electricity prices have risen substantially. It also broadly proposes expanding and maintaining the state's electric-vehicle charging networking, which has been plagued by broken charge ports, long wait times and too few stations. In addition, state officials stressed the need to lead by example. The state operates a fleet of more than 35,000 vehicles, and it is essential, the report says, that new vehicles purchased be zero-emissions. 'One of the opportunities is whether or not the state fleet might be able to move even faster [than our requirements],' Randolph said. 'I think it's a wonderful opportunity for sate fleets to show how zero-emission vehicles can be deployed.' Beyond incentives and demonstrating its own purchasing power, environmental advocates say California and local regulators must continue to adopt innovative regulations within their own authority. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta sued the federal government moments after Trumped signed legislation that overturned California's auto emissions standards, including the Advanced Clean Cars II — the regulation that which would have banned the sale of new gas-only cars by 2035. As Bonta continues to fight for the landmark rule, Newsom's executive order in June instructed the California Air Resources Board to begin drafting the state's next major regulation in the coming months: Advanced Clean Cars III. There aren't specifics, at this point, so it's unclear if it is intended to build on existing regulation or act as an alternative measure if Trump succeeds in defeating Advanced Clean Cars II. 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Yahoo
an hour ago
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Yahoo
an hour ago
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Cleveland voting advocates respond to Trump's call to end mail-in ballots
(WJW) — On Monday, in the middle of ongoing talks between Russia and Ukraine, President Donald Trump dropped a voting bombshell during a press session with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 'You can never have a real democracy with mail-in ballots. And we as a Republican Party are going to do everything possible that we get rid of mail-in ballots,' Trump said. Stimulus check 2025? What we know about current rebate legislation Later, the president doubled down on his Truth Social platform, promising to 'get rid of mail-in ballots' and eliminate what he calls 'controversial' voting machines. Trump has long pushed claims of widespread fraud involving mail-in voting — claims that courts, including those with judges he appointed, have repeatedly rejected. In 2024, nearly a third of Americans cast their votes by mail, according to election data. Erika Anthony, executive director of Cleveland Votes, said that's proof the system works. 'Right now, I don't know if there are legal avenues the president could take to make this happen at the federal level, but I would think there would be an incredible outcry of pushback,' Anthony said. She believes the move is more tactical than practical, timed as candidates begin shaping their strategies for the 2026 midterms. Will we get tariff rebate checks? What the Trump administration says Anthony argued that limiting voting options could shrink Americans' fundamental right to vote. 'Having less options to vote is definitely not productive,' she said. For now, her focus remains on making sure Cleveland voters are prepared to cast their ballots in 2026, no matter what happens in Washington. Nothing has been made official by the president yet. Only time will tell where this story goes next. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
