Author: Nomaan Merchant
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Judge stalls enforcement of Trump asylum restrictions
HOUSTON • A judge has ordered the U.S. government not to enforce a ban on asylum for people who cross the southern border illegally, another court setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to impose new immigration restrictions without congressional approval. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar agreed Monday with legal groups that immediately sued after President…
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Clues sought in copter crash near Colorado border that killed Zimbabwean leader
RATON, N.M. — A husband and wife who pushed for political change in Zimbabwe, an adventurous Texas investor and a pair of decorated pilots died in a fiery helicopter crash in a remote area of New Mexico. Investigators will comb through the charred wreckage in search for clues as to why the helicopter carrying the…
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Helicopter with Zimbabwe opposition leader crashes near Colorado border, kills 5
RATON, N.M. — A group of prominent friends, including a key Zimbabwean opposition leader and a Texas-based investor and philanthropist, was heading to a ranch in the U.S. state of New Mexico when their helicopter crashed and burned in a remote area, killing five people aboard. Friends and family members confirmed Thursday that opposition leader…
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Texas resort manager says church gunman was security guard
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — The gunman who opened fire on a Texas church recently began working as a security guard at a vacation resort near his home outside of San Antonio, a manager at the resort said Monday. Claudia Varjabedian told The Associated Press that Devin Kelley had been working at Summit Vacation Resort in…
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Man linked to Texas shooting faced military court martial
HOUSTON — The man authorities have identified as the gunman in a mass shooting at a Texas church faced court-martial and was discharged from the Air Force for allegedly assaulting his wife and child, according to an Air Force spokeswoman. The spokeswoman, Ann Stefanek, said Sunday that Devin Kelley was sentenced to 12 months’ confinement…
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‘Build the wall’ takes back seat to rebuilding after Harvey
HOUSTON — The U.S. government carefully designed a path of least resistance to building a border wall in Texas, picking a wildlife refuge and other places it already owns or controls to quickly begin construction. All it needed was Congress to approve the money. Then came Harvey. President Donald Trump’s administration must now grapple with…
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Houston sees glimmer of hope after Harvey but threats loom
HOUSTON — Harvey’s floodwaters started dropping across much of the Houston area and the storm weakened slightly Wednesday but major dangers remained for the U.S. Gulf Coast area, including the threat of an explosion at a stricken Texas chemical plant and major flooding further east near the Texas-Louisiana line. The scope of the devastation caused…
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Crippled Houston watches dams, levees; forecast offers hope
HOUSTON — With its flood defenses strained, the crippled city of Houston anxiously watched dams and levees Tuesday to see if they would hold until the rain stops, and meteorologists offered the first reason for hope — a forecast with less than an inch of rain and even a chance for sunshine. The human toll…
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Immigrants wept, pleaded for water and pounded on the truck
SAN ANTONIO — The tractor-trailer was pitch-black inside, crammed with maybe 90 immigrants or more, and already hot when it left the Texas border town of Laredo for the 150-mile trip north to San Antonio. It wasn’t long before the passengers, sweating profusely in the rising oven-like heat, started crying and pleading for water. Children…
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Young immigrants won’t ‘rest easy’ despite Trump’s comments
HOUSTON — Young immigrants protected by executive action from deportation say they won’t “rest easy,” even if President Donald Trump says they should. Several “dreamers” told The Associated Press on Friday that they were not comforted by Trump’s pledge, in an AP interview, that he wouldn’t target the almost 800,000 people brought to the U.S.…