Southwest
Texas college students blast school for complying with law to remove DEI: ‘Political conformity’
University of Texas at Austin (UT) students blasted their school for complying with state law to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices on campuses.
UT laid off dozens of employees who worked in their DEI programs to comply with a new state law, the university announced last week.
The students wanted UT to defy state law in order to abide by the school’s “values” in protecting “marginalized groups.”
‘EXTREMIST TEXAN GOVERNMENT’
Maddox Réal, class of 2026, told Fox News Digital, “UT Austin is now compliant with the extremist Texan government.”
She went on to say it “demonstrates that if you look to promote an equitable academic environment for all students, you are not welcome here.”
HARVARD LAW PROFESSOR URGES UNIVERSITY TO ‘ABANDON’ DEI STATEMENTS: ‘IDEOLOGICAL PLEDGES OF ALLEGIANCE’
University of Texas Austin (UT) sophomore Erin McCormick told Fox News Digital called the DEI closures “heartbreaking.” (Fox News Digital)
‘WRONGFUL TERMINATION’
Réal added that the student population was appalled by the closure of the offices and called it “wrongful termination.”
“State efforts to undermine initiatives that seek to uplift and protect marginalized groups have no place on our campus. I have found myself extremely disappointed in UT Austin’s response to these authoritarian practices, and its commitment to be SB 17 compliant. As one of the most influential and powerful universities in this nation, one would expect a fight, a struggle, on behalf of so many vulnerable students,” she said.
“However, the school administration is continuously failing the very students it claims to protect,” she added.
“To remove job security from people who are both inward-facing and outward-facing ambassadors of equity is not congruent with the core values that UT claims to embody,” Erin McCormick, class of 2026, told Fox News Digital. “What’s happening right now on our campus is heartbreaking. The closure of the Division of Campus and Community Engagement (DCCE) is creating a ripple effect across campus. State representatives and legislation are not just responsible but also accountable for the erasure of these critical roles and departments on our campus.”
“The university’s actions have shown what they truly prioritize. They prioritize political conformity over the inclusion and support of their own students. The firing of employees has shown that they do not hold equity to the standard that they claim to,” Iala Darwish, class of 2025, told Fox News Digital.
‘VERY CONFUSED AND DISAPPOINTED’
Vashed Thompson, class of 2025, told Fox News Digital that those types of institutions help “reassure” students of color “that we’re going to make it.”
“I was very confused and disappointed to hear about the closure of DDCE as well as the firing of staff. Many of the staff members have been the only ones to show interest in both our professional lives, but also personal,” Thompson said.
Thompson went on to say, “They are the ones who go out of their way to find us resources and help in any way they can. To see that the university will just disregard them after all their hard work is crazy to me and feels as if the university does not see its minority students and faculty as valuable.”
‘POLITICAL CONFORMITY’
“The university’s actions have shown what they truly prioritize. They prioritize political conformity over the inclusion and support of their own students. The firing of employees has shown that they do not hold equity to the standard that they claim to,” Iala Darwish, class of 25, told Fox News Digital.
“While Abbott may say that these diversity practices are ‘excluding,’ it is the complete opposite. Places like the MEC provide a home for students that don’t have a home anywhere else on campus.”
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University of Texas at Austin students blasted their school for complying with state law to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion offices on campuses.
UT President Jay Hartzell announced on April 2 the school’s DCCE was being dissolved and its programs and funding transferred to other divisions.
The announcement came as the university works to comply with a new Texas law that came into effect Jan. 1, which effectively dissolved DEI institutions at public colleges and universities throughout the state.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that a person with knowledge about the situation said 60 positions that were related to DEI work were eliminated at UT-Austin.
TEXAS UNIVERSITY JOINS GROWING LIST OF COLLEGES REINSTATING STANDARDIZED TESTING
The law mandates that all governing boards of public colleges and universities ensure that their institutions prohibit the establishment and maintenance of a DEI office and the issue of “DEI Statements.” In addition, hiring practices and trainings are no longer able to use DEI statements.
“I recognize that strong feelings have surrounded SB 17 from the beginning and will shape many Longhorns’ perceptions of these measures,” Hartzell wrote in reference to the new law. “It is also important that this continues to be a welcoming, supportive community for all.”
In the message, Hartzell said student-facing jobs would remain throughout the rest of the semester and that laid-off employees could apply for other positions at the university.
The layoffs came after state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R., outlined expectations of how universities will comply with the state law. He wrote a letter expressing the serious nature of the bill, saying that the measure “mandates a fundamental shift in the operation of our higher education institutions.” He added that universities are expected to facilitate a “merit-based environment.”
Creighton, like other critics of DEI programs at the university level, argued they were simply discrimination by another name in explaining his opposition; DEI supporters argue they address increasingly diverse student populations and are a form of correction against systemic inequities.
Per a letter penned by Sen. Brandon Creighton from the Senate Committee on Education is expected to hold a hearing in May on how universities are complying with SB 17. (YouTube Screenshot)
Cultural graduations were another casualty of the effect of the law, prompting outrage from some students.
When the university’s Multicultural Engagement Center (MEC) was closed in compliance with the state’s law, Black Graduation, Latinx Graduation, and GraduAsian ceremonies were impacted as a result.
McCormick previously told Fox News Digital of the cancelation of Black graduations, “Everyone’s pretty irritated or pretty annoyed because UT Austin has a pretty big liberal population as well–like liberal student population.”
“It’s kind of bummy that they closed it because I feel like Black graduation – it really celebrates the achievement. Just because given the history of Texas and UT alone, Latinos are not always welcome here, not wanted to graduate from here,” McCormick said.
She added, “So having Black graduation is kind of a celebration of the history and of everything that the Black community in Austin, especially UT Austin, has gone through. And then also, UT, while being diverse, is not very diverse in the Black student population. So, Black graduation is a way for all of us to kind of find our own little niche community.”
The University of Florida last month eliminated all DEI positions and administrative appointments in compliance with a similar law in the state.
Fox News’ David Rutz contributed to this report.
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, denied believing that Hispanic Trump voters had a “slave mentality” when asked about her past claims on Tuesday.
CNN’s Jake Tapper reminded the Texas Senate candidate of comments she made to Vanity Fair in 2024, when she compared Latinos who voted for President Donald Trump to slaves who would “hate” themselves.
“It almost reminds me of what people would talk about when they would talk about kind of like ‘slave mentality’ and the hate that some slaves would have for themselves,” she said.
“It’s almost like a slave mentality that they have. It is wild to me when I hear how anti-immigrant they are as immigrants, many of them. I’m talking about people that literally just got here and can barely vote that are having this kind of attitude.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP HITS BACK AT JASMINE CROCKETT, CALLS HER ‘A VERY LOW IQ PERSON’
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, suggested the Latino community had a “slave mentality” for having concerns over illegal immigration. (Getty Images)
Tapper asked if all Hispanic Trump voters still have a “slave mentality.”
“No, and that‘s not what that said at all, to be clear,” Crockett said. “It did not say that every Latino has that type of mentality.”
“No, no, but the ones that vote for people that believe in strong or Trump‘s immigration policy,” Tapper clarified.
JASMINE CROCKETT SAYS SHE DOESN’T NEED TO CONVERT TRUMP SUPPORTERS IN HER TEXAS SENATE BID
“So, I don‘t believe that the people that voted for Trump believe in what they‘re actually getting. That is No. 1. What Trump said is that he was going to kick out the bad guys. And that‘s what I was talking about,” Crockett said.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett insisted President Donald Trump did not fulfill his promise to Latino voters. (Fox News Digital, Getty)
Crockett reiterated that she didn’t “understand what’s happening” with Latinos who insisted that there were people who entered the country “the wrong way.”
“At the same time, I knew what Trump meant because Trump had a record. Trump had a record of locking up kids and putting them in cages. So, I knew what Trump meant. And, so, that‘s why it wasn‘t making sense to me,” Crockett said.
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Fox News Digital reached out to Crockett and her campaign for comment.
In the Vanity Fair interview, Crockett also disparaged White women, claiming they “retreated” and failed Democratic candidates.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, launched her Senate bid on Monday. (John Medina/Getty Images)
“I said I don’t trust White women. I said I’m just telling you, and I think you need to have conversations with your sisters because they are the group that failed Hillary Clinton. I mean, when you go back and look at the numbers, White women were the ones that failed her. And, so, in my mind, if they failed Hillary, I don’t know that I can believe that they won’t fail Kamala,” Crockett said.
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She also accused Black men of “flaking” on former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Crockett is trying to become the first Democrat to win a U.S. Senate race in Texas since 1988. Trump carried the state easily in 2024 over Harris as he made major gains with Latino voters, and no Democratic White House candidate has won Texas since 1976.
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Southwest
Florida’s CAIR threatens lawsuit against DeSantis after he labels group a ‘foreign terrorist’ organization
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The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) says it plans to take Gov. Ron DeSantis to court after the Republican governor issued an executive order labeling the Muslim civil rights organization a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Hiba Rahim, the chapter’s deputy executive director, said during a news conference that the order was an attack rooted in conspiracy theories and compared it to historical efforts that targeted Jewish, Irish and Italian American communities.
“We are very proud to defend the founding principles of our Constitution, to defend free speech,” Rahim said at a news conference. “We are proud to defend democracy, and we are proud to be America first.”
Rahim argued that the governor’s support for Israel played a role in the order, saying the group’s activism had caused “discomfort” to the U.S. ally. She said CAIR does not intend to back down.
FLORIDA DESIGNATES MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD AND CAIR AS FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, DESANTIS SAYS
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis labeled CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as a “foreign terrorist organization.” (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell, File)
Governor DeSantis, meanwhile, defended the move, saying his administration had sufficient grounds for the designation. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, he said he welcomed CAIR’s legal challenge and described the designation as “a long time coming.”
DeSantis’ order also lists the Muslim Brotherhood as a “foreign terrorist” organization. Last month, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to begin a federal process to consider designating certain chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization.
The governor said he expects Florida lawmakers to pursue related legislation when the legislature reconvenes in January, calling the executive order “the beginning.”
TRUMP SIGNALS PLAN TO DESIGNATE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he welcomes CAIR’s lawsuit. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Under DeSantis’ directive, state agencies are barred from awarding contracts, employment or funds to CAIR, the Muslim Brotherhood or any groups deemed to have materially supported them.
At the Tampa news conference, attorney Miranda Margolis criticized the order and argued DeSantis had exceeded his authority by unilaterally designating a nonprofit as a terrorist organization.
“This designation is without legal or factual basis and constitutes a dangerous escalation of anti-Muslim political rhetoric,” Margolis said.
Florida’s action comes after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar proclamation. CAIR has challenged Abbott’s designation in federal court, arguing it violates the U.S. Constitution and Texas law. Muslim and interfaith organizations have urged Abbott to rescind the order.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as “foreign terrorist organizations.” (Getty Images)
State-level designations do not carry the same legal weight as federal Foreign Terrorist Organization classifications, which can only be issued by the U.S. State Department.
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CAIR argues the Florida order violates its First Amendment rights and due-process protections and that terrorism designations fall under federal jurisdiction, not state power.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Southwest
Fugitive repeat offender keeps walking free as courts let him loose to hurt people, experts warn
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A felon wanted in California and with over two dozen prior arrests has been repeatedly granted bond throughout Texas, raising questions about repeat offenders being released back onto the streets around the country.
In 2022, authorities charged Carlos Rusi and three other Houston men with a bank jugging case in Burbank, California, according to FOX 26.
Rusi, who was suspected of committing other similar thefts throughout the area, allegedly skipped bond in July 2023 – subsequently forcing authorities to name him as a wanted fugitive.
Prior to Rusi’s 2022 alleged California jugging spree, he reportedly spent three years in a Texas prison for engaging in organized criminal activity in what was not his first time behind bars.
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Carlos Rusi received separate prison sentences in 2018, 2015, 2011, 2008, 2006 and 2005 for various convictions on felony cases stemming from charges of robbery, organized criminal activity and drug-related crimes in Texas, according to KPRC 2. (iStock; FOX 26)
His lengthy criminal record includes more than 30 arrests spanning several years and showcases 26 mugshots dating back to 2006, according to KPRC 2.
Additionally, records show he received separate prison sentences in 2018, 2015, 2011, 2008, 2006 and 2005 for various convictions on felony cases stemming from charges of robbery, organized criminal activity and drug-related crimes, the outlet reported.
Last year, Rusi was sentenced to five years of probation after accepting a plea agreement over charges of robbery and evading arrest.
In July, while on probation in Harris County, Rusi allegedly followed a 71-year-old man from his bank to a local coin dealer, where police say he shoved the man to the ground and robbed him.
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The Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024. (Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
Security camera footage led investigators to Rusi’s gray Volvo, which was registered to a car rental company, KPRC 2 reported.
The vehicle’s rental agreement was reportedly registered to Rusi’s mother and returned after the alleged robbery took place – with investigators subsequently finding previous reports in which Rusi’s mother rented vehicles for her son, who would then use them to commit crimes.
One day later, police said Rusi followed another individual from a Bank of America in Fort Bend County and robbed them at gunpoint, according to KPRC 2.
Later in July, as officers were performing surveillance of the suspect’s vehicle, he allegedly returned to the same bank and followed several victims for 28 miles, KPRC 2 reported. When the individuals stopped at a gas station, Rusi allegedly broke into their vehicle and snatched the woman’s purse – which contained $5,200 cash.
BLUE CITY MAN WITH NEARLY 100 ARRESTS ACCUSED OF STABBING ELDERLY VICTIM HAS NEVER SERVED PRISON TIME
Carlos Rusi has been released on bond in multiple counties throughout Texas, despite having numerous prior convictions and a warrant for his arrest in California, according to FOX 26. (iStock)
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Officers reportedly arrested him shortly after and recovered the purse.
Rusi was charged with theft in Harris County following the incident, but was released on a $75,000 bond on July 21 while still on probation, according to KPRC 2.
In August, Pearland Police allege Rusi broke into a car in a Walmart parking lot and stole $100 cash after following the victim from a nearby ATM, the outlet reported.
In September 2025, Rusi was reportedly arrested in Montgomery County for a similar jugging case, but was released from jail on a $25,000 bond. He was taken into custody again in October after allegedly testing positive for drugs while out on bond in Montgomery County, but was re-released on Nov. 4.
The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office declined Fox News Digital’s request for comment, citing Rusi’s pending case.
BLUE STATE OFFICIAL RELEASES MAN WITH NO BAIL WHO RETURNS ONE HOUR LATER TO ASSAULT SAME WOMAN: POLICE
During the same month, while on probation, Rusi was convicted of misdemeanors for falsifying a drug test and displaying a fake handicap placard, KPRC 2 reported.
In November, he was reportedly handed a second bond in Harris County stemming from the alleged July robbery. The next day, he was also granted bond in Brazoria County.
Currently, Rusi remains out on bond, despite the various charges spanning multiple counties throughout Texas and the active warrant for his arrest in California, according to FOX 26.
“What jumps out is that this isn’t one bad call, it’s a chain of release decisions across jurisdictions,” Bobby Taghavi, Managing Partner of law firm Sweet James, which has offices in Texas, told Fox News Digital.
“When someone described by police as a repeat offender with a long history is still receiving probation and multiple bonds, and is also reported as a wanted fugitive out of California since 2023, that raises a serious red-flag question – was the full-risk picture consistently in front of every court and judge at the time those decisions were made?”
Court records indicate that various officials throughout the Texas counties were unaware Rusi was a wanted man, despite details of his alleged California crime spree appearing on Internet searches, FOX 26 reported.
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However, according to Taghavi, the blame falls on government officials involved in every step of the criminal process.
“This kind of failure usually happens when critical information isn’t surfaced, confirmed and emphasized in real-time, especially out-of-state warrant status at the moment bond or probation decisions are being made,” Taghavi said.
“Responsibility is typically shared across the system. Prosecutors need to present the complete record and argue risk, judges must evaluate it, probation departments must accurately report supervision status, and law enforcement must ensure warrants and holds are properly entered and actionable.”
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The pattern of Rusi’s habitual criminal behavior being met with only a slap on the wrist has also raised concern for community leaders in Texas.
“I’ve never in my life seen anything as absurd as this,” Andy Kahan with Houston Crime Stoppers told FOX 26. “Shame on our criminal justice system for continuing to allow this defendant to roam our community and to steal our property and to hurt people.”
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Rusi’s attorney and Texas Department of Public Safety did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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While Rusi remains on the streets pending trial, Taghavi suggests the saga could signify an overarching problem plaguing local and state authorities regarding repeat offenders being released into communities as officials remain in the dark.
“If it’s one missed check, that can be an isolated oversight,” Taghavi told Fox News Digital. “But when the same person is reportedly able to obtain probation and bonds across multiple jurisdictions, it starts to look more like a systemic breakdown in coordination and verification – not just one-off human error.”
Fox News Digital’s Olivia Palombo contributed to this report.
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