There’s a surge of migrants at the border. Local officials are holding back the chaos. But, they say, Washington needs to do something bold. Now.A Mexican mother and daughter are seated alongside fellow asylum seekers on a bus, which will take them to various cities across the United States where they will await their court hearings, in Brownsville, Texas, on March 12, 2021. | Callaghan O’Hare for POLITICOBROWNSVILLE, Texas — Here, at the southernmost tip of Texas, tucked along the Gulf Coast and bumping along the Rio Grande, this border town of about 185,000 residents is accustomed to...…There’s a surge of migrants at the border. Local officials are holding back the chaos. But, they say, Washington needs to do something bold. Now.A Mexican mother and daughter are seated alongside fellow asylum seekers on a bus, which will take them to various cities across the United States where they will await their court hearings, in Brownsville, Texas, on March 12, 2021. | Callaghan O’Hare for POLITICOBROWNSVILLE, Texas — Here, at the southernmost tip of Texas, tucked along the Gulf Coast and bumping along the Rio Grande, this border town of about 185,000 residents is accustomed to...WW…

President Joe Biden is fulfilling a campaign promise to allow Venezuelan exiles to live and work legally in the U.S. given the crisis in their home country.President Joe Biden. | Matt Rourke/AP PhotoThe Biden administration on Monday announced it would grant temporary protected status to Venezuelan exiles, fulfilling a campaign promise to allow them to live and work legally in the U.S.The TPS designation offers legal protections for 18 months to Venezuelans fleeing the humanitarian crisis brought on by Nicolás Maduro’s government. It comes after years of Democrats and Florida Republicans...…President Joe Biden is fulfilling a campaign promise to allow Venezuelan exiles to live and work legally in the U.S. given the crisis in their home country.President Joe Biden. | Matt Rourke/AP PhotoThe Biden administration on Monday announced it would grant temporary protected status to Venezuelan exiles, fulfilling a campaign promise to allow them to live and work legally in the U.S.The TPS designation offers legal protections for 18 months to Venezuelans fleeing the humanitarian crisis brought on by Nicolás Maduro’s government. It comes after years of Democrats and Florida Republicans...WW…

“It’s one thing to make promises. It’s another thing to execute on those promises.”One month in, President Joe Biden is facing the reality that building the “fair and humane” immigration system he promised on the campaign trail is a huge undertaking. | AP Photo/Evan VucciAsk a progressive about President Joe Biden’s immigration policy, and most will insist he needs to move faster: Unravel Trump-era policies. Open the door to more migrants. Boldly overhaul the existing system.Ask a Republican, and most will insist Biden is doing it all wrong: Dismantling Trump’s legacy is too radical. The...…“It’s one thing to make promises. It’s another thing to execute on those promises.”One month in, President Joe Biden is facing the reality that building the “fair and humane” immigration system he promised on the campaign trail is a huge undertaking. | AP Photo/Evan VucciAsk a progressive about President Joe Biden’s immigration policy, and most will insist he needs to move faster: Unravel Trump-era policies. Open the door to more migrants. Boldly overhaul the existing system.Ask a Republican, and most will insist Biden is doing it all wrong: Dismantling Trump’s legacy is too radical. The...WW…

“Biden is going to be dealing with a minority in Congress if he continues down some of these paths,” said one Democratic congressman.Migrants are loaded onto a bus by U.S. Border Patrol agents after being detained when they crossed into the United States from Mexico. | Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesDemocrats in Texas and other states where immigration has been a lightning rod issue are growing increasingly uneasy that the White House is walking into a political buzz saw in its zeal to unwind hard-line Trump administration policies.Biden has not yet implemented expansive policy changes. The vast...…“Biden is going to be dealing with a minority in Congress if he continues down some of these paths,” said one Democratic congressman.Migrants are loaded onto a bus by U.S. Border Patrol agents after being detained when they crossed into the United States from Mexico. | Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesDemocrats in Texas and other states where immigration has been a lightning rod issue are growing increasingly uneasy that the White House is walking into a political buzz saw in its zeal to unwind hard-line Trump administration policies.Biden has not yet implemented expansive policy changes. The vast...WW…

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is leading calls for House leadership to include legal protections for undocumented essential workers in a coronavirus relief reconciliation package.Including protections for essential workers is part of ensuring “our country gets back on track as quickly as possible,” Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Raul Ruiz said. | Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP PhotoA group of 100 lawmakers led by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Saturday called for House leadership to offer a pathway to citizenship for undocumented essential workers, Dreamers and temporary protected...…The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is leading calls for House leadership to include legal protections for undocumented essential workers in a coronavirus relief reconciliation package.Including protections for essential workers is part of ensuring “our country gets back on track as quickly as possible,” Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Raul Ruiz said. | Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP PhotoA group of 100 lawmakers led by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Saturday called for House leadership to offer a pathway to citizenship for undocumented essential workers, Dreamers and temporary protected...WW…

Sen. John Cornyn maintains that “there are a number of problems” with the DHS nomination.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a news conference on Tuesday in Washington. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP PhotoSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday took the procedural steps needed to end a Republican filibuster that is holding up the confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas to serve as secretary of Homeland Security.Schumer filed cloture to Mayorkas’ nomination after Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) confirmed earlier Wednesday that Senate Republicans would object to any efforts to quickly...…Sen. John Cornyn maintains that “there are a number of problems” with the DHS nomination.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks during a news conference on Tuesday in Washington. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP PhotoSenate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday took the procedural steps needed to end a Republican filibuster that is holding up the confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas to serve as secretary of Homeland Security.Schumer filed cloture to Mayorkas’ nomination after Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) confirmed earlier Wednesday that Senate Republicans would object to any efforts to quickly...WW…

“Hell yeah, I’m optimistic. But … I know how this works. Nothing is going to be enough.”Demonstrators in New York ask President-elect Joe Biden to prioritize immigration reform, on Nov. 9, 2020. | Mark Lennihan/AP PhotoPresident-elect Joe Biden will begin his administration with one quality that’s automatically a positive for immigrant advocates: He’s not President Donald Trump.But immigrant advocacy groups aren’t planning to hold back on their demands. They expect Biden to follow through on his promise to quickly undo Trump’s immigration policies — and while he’s at it, atone for the...…“Hell yeah, I’m optimistic. But … I know how this works. Nothing is going to be enough.”Demonstrators in New York ask President-elect Joe Biden to prioritize immigration reform, on Nov. 9, 2020. | Mark Lennihan/AP PhotoPresident-elect Joe Biden will begin his administration with one quality that’s automatically a positive for immigrant advocates: He’s not President Donald Trump.But immigrant advocacy groups aren’t planning to hold back on their demands. They expect Biden to follow through on his promise to quickly undo Trump’s immigration policies — and while he’s at it, atone for the...WW…

Democrats spent big to take control of state legislatures but lost their key targets. Now they’ll be on the sidelines as new maps are drawn.Protestors march in front of the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday to demand all votes in the general election be counted. Texas Republicans will have total authority over the drawing of as many as 39 congressional districts in the state. | Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via APHere’s something else Republicans can be happy about after Tuesday.An abysmal showing by Democrats in state legislative races on Tuesday not only denied them victories...…Democrats spent big to take control of state legislatures but lost their key targets. Now they’ll be on the sidelines as new maps are drawn.Protestors march in front of the Capitol in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday to demand all votes in the general election be counted. Texas Republicans will have total authority over the drawing of as many as 39 congressional districts in the state. | Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via APHere’s something else Republicans can be happy about after Tuesday.An abysmal showing by Democrats in state legislative races on Tuesday not only denied them victories...WW…

Dueling appearances from President Trump and former President Obama kicked off statewide early voting in Florida.Voters wait in line outside the Polk County Government Center Monday in Lakeland, Fla. | Chris O'Meara/AP PhotoFlorida Republicans are pouring out of the trenches.After weeks of Democrats outvoting them by mail, Republican voters stormed early voting precincts in person this week, taking large bites out of their opponents’ historic lead in pre-Election Day ballots.The Democratic advantage was still huge as of Saturday morning: 387,000 ballots. But that’s a 21 percent reduction...…Dueling appearances from President Trump and former President Obama kicked off statewide early voting in Florida.Voters wait in line outside the Polk County Government Center Monday in Lakeland, Fla. | Chris O'Meara/AP PhotoFlorida Republicans are pouring out of the trenches.After weeks of Democrats outvoting them by mail, Republican voters stormed early voting precincts in person this week, taking large bites out of their opponents’ historic lead in pre-Election Day ballots.The Democratic advantage was still huge as of Saturday morning: 387,000 ballots. But that’s a 21 percent reduction...WW…

Dueling appearances from President Trump and former President Obama kicked off statewide early voting in Florida.Voters wait in line outside the Polk County Government Center Monday in Lakeland, Fla. | Chris O'Meara/AP PhotoFlorida Republicans are pouring out of the trenches.After weeks of Democrats outvoting them by mail, Republican voters stormed early voting precincts in person this week, taking large bites out of their opponents’ historic lead in pre-Election Day ballots.The Democratic advantage was still huge as of Saturday morning: 387,000 ballots. But that’s a 21 percent reduction...…Dueling appearances from President Trump and former President Obama kicked off statewide early voting in Florida.Voters wait in line outside the Polk County Government Center Monday in Lakeland, Fla. | Chris O'Meara/AP PhotoFlorida Republicans are pouring out of the trenches.After weeks of Democrats outvoting them by mail, Republican voters stormed early voting precincts in person this week, taking large bites out of their opponents’ historic lead in pre-Election Day ballots.The Democratic advantage was still huge as of Saturday morning: 387,000 ballots. But that’s a 21 percent reduction...WW…