Texas
Migrants bused to U.S. capital from Texas struggle to secure housing, medical care
WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (Reuters) – Almost a month after arriving with their 1-year-old daughter on a bus despatched by the governor of Texas to Washington, D.C., Colombian couple Noralis Zuniga and Juan Camilo Mendoza are not sure how lengthy they are going to be allowed to remain of their city-funded resort room.
The couple, who stated they left Colombia in Might after their home in Medellin collapsed resulting from heavy rains, have tried unsuccessfully to seek out medical care for his or her child, Evangeline. She has welts on her pores and skin for the reason that household’s arduous 10-day trek on foot by the Darien Hole, a mountainous jungle between Colombia and Panama.
Past the difficulties of navigating a brand new nation and language, the uncertainty of how lengthy the native D.C. authorities will allow them to remain within the resort makes it laborious to plan for the long run.
“You go downstairs and also you ask them, ‘How lengthy can we keep right here?’” stated Zuniga, who spoke to resort workers not affiliated with the federal government. “They do not let you know.”
The household is among the many greater than 7,000 migrants bused from Texas to the U.S. capital since April, a part of an initiative by Texas’ Republican Governor Greg Abbott to place strain on Democratic President Joe Biden over border insurance policies. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, one other Republican, has despatched about 1,500 from his state to Washington.
Extra just lately Abbott started busing migrants to New York Metropolis, too.
Abbott is searching for a 3rd time period in November midterm elections and immigration is a motivating subject for Republican voters, Reuters polling reveals. learn extra
Round 85%-90% of migrants arriving in Washington on the buses proceed to different U.S. locations inside hours or days, in accordance with volunteers who help them. learn extra
Among the arrivals like Zuniga and Mendoza crossed the U.S.-Mexico border with no U.S. household or vacation spot, alarming Democratic mayors of Washington and New York because the migrants flip to metropolis assets and volunteers for important companies.
“If there is not an answer that comes up completely, these households are going to be caught in limbo,” stated Ashley Tjhung, a volunteer aiding the migrants.
U.S. Border Patrol has made greater than 1.8 million arrests of migrants crossing illegally in fiscal yr 2022, which started Oct. 1, 2021 – the very best quantity on report, although it consists of some repeat crossers.
Most Mexicans and Central People are returned shortly to Mexico underneath COVID restrictions in place on the border however a whole lot of hundreds of migrants – together with many from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua and Colombia – have been allowed into the nation partially as a result of Mexico refuses to simply accept returns of sure nationalities. Some will attempt to search asylum in the USA.
Abbott has stated different cities removed from the border ought to share the burden of receiving migrants and blames Biden’s insurance policies for encouraging crossers. Each Texas and Arizona have spent a number of million {dollars} on the busing efforts, in accordance with information stories and information from Arizona.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser requested the Pentagon twice prior to now two months to deploy navy troops to help the migrants however was denied each instances.
In response on Monday to Bowser’s second request, the Pentagon stated the District of Columbia Nationwide Guard didn’t have the related coaching and that non-profit organizations appeared to have the capability to handle the state of affairs. learn extra
Bowser’s workplace didn’t reply to requests for remark.
New York Metropolis officers in latest weeks have additionally grappled with new migrant arrivals, together with some shifting on from Washington, and is searching for to hire hundreds of resort rooms for future arrivals, in accordance with the Division of Social Providers. learn extra
NEXT STEPS
Since arriving in late July, the Colombian couple has been staying at a Hampton Inn, one in every of two lodges being utilized by the nation’s capital to accommodate about 50 migrant households. The households, lots of whom come from Venezuela, obtain three meals a day and essential shelter.
The variety of single adults within the Washington shelter system stays unclear.
Zuniga and Mendoza, who need to seek the advice of with an immigration lawyer earlier than deciding whether or not to use for U.S. asylum, stated they’re deeply grateful for the chance to remain within the resort rooms, however have additionally run into challenges, from the lack of awareness about how lengthy the short-term shelter will final to fundamental duties like organising a cellular phone.
The efforts to welcome migrants in Washington have largely fallen to an ad-hoc coalition of volunteers and one non-profit group that’s receiving federal funding from Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA).
The volunteers at present greet the buses arriving from Texas, deliver migrants to native church buildings, conduct medical screenings and assist ebook journey to different components of the USA, together with New York Metropolis. However some advocates say they want longer-term options, significantly as frigid winter months strategy and considerations rise that migrants might find yourself sleeping on the road.
Migrant households have struggled to enroll their children at school and entry city-funded well being care as a result of they lack a government-issued letter to show residency, in accordance with volunteers aiding them. A dad or mum within the Hampton Inn echoed the considerations about college enrollment.
On Wednesday, the chancellor of D.C. public colleges stated the migrant kids could be allowed to enroll in metropolis colleges and public college workers visited the lodges on Thursday to signal them up, a faculty system spokesperson stated.
Keiberson Soto, a 19-year-old Venezuelan migrant, was additionally staying on the Hampton Inn after arriving final month on the U.S.-Mexico border together with his father, his father’s second spouse, their three teenage kids and a grandchild.
He stated he left Venezuela for Colombia in 2019 after he was shot within the abdomen by an assailant who focused him as a result of a cousin allegedly owed cash for medicine. In Colombia, he had bother discovering work and determined to move to the USA together with his father’s household final November on a journey that took months. Reuters was not in a position to independently verify the account.
Soto says he’s relieved to be in such comfy circumstances however is anxious about subsequent steps.
“What can I do to check? I need to take an English class,” he stated. “We do not have anybody who can assist us reply these questions.”
Regardless of the struggles, some households are making strides ahead. Noralis Zuniga took an entrance examination on Tuesday for a free class supplied by a area people well being middle and a constitution college to change into an early childhood trainer, a departure from her work in a magnificence salon in Colombia.
Within the hours earlier than the examination, the couple scrambled to discover a trip to the middle, which was a number of miles away from the resort and never simply walkable. Ultimately, a Spanish-speaking resort worker confirmed them easy methods to discover the bus route on Google Maps.
They boarded with out bus fare, they stated, however advised the motive force that they had no cash and he allow them to go.
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Reporting by Ted Hesson and Alexandra Alper in Washington; Extra reporting by Leah Millis in Washington; Modifying by Mica Rosenberg and Lisa Shumaker
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Texas
Texas vs South Dakota State: Longhorns head into holiday break with a 46-point win
Texas women’s basketball nonconference schedule
Texas women’s basketball nonconference schedule
After a 103-57 win over South Dakota State on Sunday, the Texas Longhorns will head into their holiday break on a high note.
Sunday’s lopsided win at Moody Center came five days after Texas beat La Salle by a 111-49 score. Texas hadn’t scored 100 points in consecutive games since it did so against McNeese State and UTSA in November 2017.
Texas never trailed on Sunday, and freshmen Jordan Lee and Justice Carlton served as first-half catalysts for the No. 6 team in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll. Lee started and scored 10 first-quarter points while Carlton came off the bench to score 17 first-half points on 7-of-9 shooting. Combined, Lee and Carlton had 29 points in the first half. South Dakota State’s entire team had 26.
While Texas built its 53-26 lead in the first half, eight of the nine Longhorns who played scored. The surprising exception was All-American Madison Booker, who distributed three assists and grabbed three rebounds but missed her three shots.
A perennial NCAA tournament qualifier that had split its prior games against ranked Creighton and Duke teams, South Dakota State (10-3) never cut into its 27-point halftime deficit in the second half.
Here are three observations from Sunday’s 46-point rout:
Mwenentanda remains patient with her process
Carlton finished with 19 points and nine rebounds while senior forward Taylor Jones had 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Lee and senior guard Rori Harmon respectively added 14 and 13 points for a Texas team that shot 53.9% from the field. Booker was limited to nine points, but Harmon pointed out after the game that Booker’s +/- of 41 was the best among the Longhorns.
Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda was the fifth Longhorn to record a double-digit scoring total. Over 11 minutes, Mwenentanda scored 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting.
Mwenentanda grew up in South Dakota and was that state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022. The school in Sioux Falls where she won a state championship is about an hour drive from South Dakota State’s campus. Mwenentanda was recruited by the Jackrabbits but she said that she was attracted to what Texas could offer her athletically and academically.
Since arriving on campus, Mwenentanda has shown glimpses of her potential since arriving at Texas, but she has mainly been a role player for the Longhorns. Sunday was the 11th time that she scored at least 10 points in a game. Just twice in her career has she played more than 25 minutes.
Mwenentanda sees herself as a Swiss Army Knife on the Texas roster. She’s listed as a 6-foot-2 guard on the team’s roster, but Vic Schaefer has mainly used her as a “4” player this season. Mwenentanda played some in the paint last season, but she got more playing time as a guard. Training more with the post players this offseason has helped her adjust to that role this season.
“I physically prepared for it, I mentally prepared for it. I’m enjoying it,” Mwenentanda said.
Schaefer praised the play of Mwenentanda in his postgame press conference on Sunday. Earlier in the week, Mwenentanda said that she was staying patient with her process.
“Everybody’s process is different. I feel like comparing myself to other people’s process would be one reason to give up,” Mwenentanda said. “Everybody on this team are great players, are great women so even though this process is a little bit different for me, it’s not something I look at negatively because I know everybody’s working hard and everybody’s pitching in.”
Status for sidelined Laila Phelia remains unclear
Texas senior Laila Phelia missed her third straight game on Sunday. Phelia suffered a detached retina during the offseason. Texas has not announced a timeline for her return, but Schaefer has said the program will soon release an update.
The leading scorer at Michigan last season, Phelia has played in just eight of the Longhorns’ 13 games. She is averaging 6.1 points and 19.4 minutes per game while shooting 40.5% from the field.
What’s next for Texas? Rest and one final tune-up
Next on the schedule for Texas is a home game against UTRGV (6-6) on Dec. 29. That will be the Longhorns’ final game until their Southeastern Conference debut at Oklahoma on Jan. 2, 2025.
But first, the Longhorns will get some rest. Mwenentanda won’t be able to fly back to South Dakota until Monday morning, but the rest of the Longhorns headed home after Sunday’s win. The Longhorns will return to practice on Dec. 27.
How will the Longhorns spend their break? The three players who attended Sunday’s postgame press conference – Carlton, Harmon and Mwenentanda – said they’d take some time off, but they added that they’ll get some workouts in with family and hometown trainers.
As for Schaefer? He’ll do some work over the break, but he won’t be in his office.
“I’m going to be standing in about knee-deep water in the morning calling a duck and having my son (Logan) with me and my dog, my hunting dog, not my show dog. We’ll enjoy some time together in the morning and then we’ll wet a line and fish in the afternoon,” Schaefer said. “I’ll probably sit in my bow stand a couple of nights with my computer in my lap and watch film. I don’t really care if I see anything or not, but I usually see a lot. I get more work done sitting in a bow stand in a bow blind than I do a lot of times sitting at my desk.
“I’ll just enjoy time with family. I’m really blessed with Holly and Logan and Blair here and we’re all together at Christmas, and it’s just a special time for us. We really embrace the Christmas season.”
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Texas
Former Colorado defensive end Dayon Hayes transfers to Texas A&M
Former Colorado Buffaloes defensive end Dayon Hayes is set to continue his collegiate career at Texas A&M after transferring following a season-ending injury. Hayes, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound defender, began his journey at Pitt, where he played from 2020 to 2023, accumulating 13 sacks and 80 tackles over four seasons.
At Pitt, Hayes showcased his potential in his sophomore and junior years, logging around 500 combined snaps and producing 30 pressures. His breakout came in 2023 when he amassed 44 pressures and a 13% pass rush win rate, ranking 12th in the ACC. Hayes also demonstrated solid run defense, posting an average tackle depth of 1.6 yards and recording 10.5 stops for loss. His ability to set the edge and prevent runners from escaping outside made him a critical piece of Pitt’s defense.
Following his success at Pitt, Hayes transferred to Colorado as a highly sought-after addition to Deion Sanders’ revamped Buffaloes roster. He made an immediate impact, registering two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss in Colorado’s first three games. However, his promising start was cut short by a knee injury in the fourth game, sidelining him for the rest of the season.
Deion Sanders says he won’t attend the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay
Despite the setback, Hayes’ strong early performance likely earned him a medical redshirt, granting him another year of eligibility. With his final collegiate season on the horizon, Hayes opted to join Texas A&M, bringing his pass-rushing skills to the SEC. The Aggies, coming off an eight-win season, are set to face USC in the Las Vegas Bowl. Hayes’ ability to pressure quarterbacks and defend the run should bolster Texas A&M’s defensive front, adding experience and depth to their edge rotation for the 2024 season.
Texas
D-FW can claim Texas’ best high school football team in an otherwise down year for Dallas
ARLINGTON — North Crowley showed out on Saturday in its dazzling 50-21 victory over Austin Westlake in the 6A Division I state title game, winning the program’s second state championship and putting Fort Worth high school football on the map in front of 36,120 fans at AT&T Stadium.
Until North Crowley took the field at 7:30 p.m., there was a possibility the Dallas-Fort Worth area might boast only one state champion in 2024. Celina routed Kilgore 55-21 in the 4A Division I state championship to capture the program’s ninth state title and its first under coach Bill Elliott.
But North Texas teams came up short in the next three title games, the region’s worst showing at state since 2021, when South Oak Cliff became the first Dallas ISD school to win a recognized state championship since 1958, but Denton Guyer and Duncanville fell in the 6A state championship games.
Two-time state champion South Oak Cliff missed a last-second field goal, falling 38-35 to third-year program Richmond Randle in the 5A Division II state title game Friday night. It was SOC’s second straight loss in the state championship game.
“The future is still bright,” South Oak Cliff coach Jason Todd said. “We just gotta find out what’s going to get us over this hump.”
Smithson Valley, from the San Antonio area, topped Highland Park 32-20 as the six-time state champion faded in the second half of the 5A Division I state title game Saturday afternoon.
In the second game of the day, eight-time state champion Southlake Carroll extended its title drought to 13 years with a 24-17 loss to Austin Vandegrift in the 6A Division II game.
“It’ll happen one day. I’m excited about what the future holds,” said Carroll coach Riley Dodge, who fell to 0-2 in state title games as a coach.
The Dallas area claimed three football state champions in 2023 with Anna winning the 4A Division I state title and Duncanville and DeSoto sweeping the 6A Division I and II state championships, respectively. The southern Dallas County schools also swept the 6A state championships in 2022, when South Oak Cliff won its second straight 5A Division II state title.
But this year, the rest of Texas didn’t let the Dallas area, a high school football mecca, run the table. Teams from each of the state’s major metros — Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio —- won a title in each division of the UIL’s two highest classifications.
Even before this week’s state championship games, 2024 seemed to mark a changing of the guard. Neither Duncanville, DeSoto nor Houston-area power Galena Park North Shore made it to AT&T Stadium this year. Nor did 12-time UIL state champion Aledo, the juggernaut west of Fort Worth that had won the last two 5A Division I state championships.
But North Crowley did, after knocking off both DeSoto and Duncanville this season. North Texas might not have dominated the competition as it has in recent years, but for a third straight season, the king of 6A reigns in Dallas-Fort Worth.
“When you get to this point, there’s only one team that’s standing that’s hoisting the trophy. And fortunately for us, this year it’s us and we just happen to be from 817,” North Crowley coach Ray Gates said. “We’re elated to be able to bring that type of recognition back to our community, just to let people know that when you talk about this area, when you talk about Metroplex football, you can’t forget about us.”
On Twitter/X: @t_myah
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