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In Alamo redesign, renewed battles over who gets to tell stories of Texas

It’s not often that a community gets the chance to redefine its symbols and decide who and what’s important. San Antonians are reflecting on a newly approved plan for its iconic site.

Migration roils global politics, even as it ebbs

Never before have so many people – 70 million – been forcibly displaced from their homes. Millions more have chosen to leave in search of a better life. And traditional politics have been thrown into disarray. Part 1 of On the Move: the faces, places, and politics of migration.

Arkansas alchemy: In Hot Springs’s rebirth, a lesson for national parks

As some national parks face disengagement, decay, and financial strain, one has managed to revitalize itself in enterprising ways. What can others learn from Hot Springs National Park? 

Partisanship and the high court: Can Kavanaugh overcome the hearings?

During his first and second hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh showed two distinct sides: a cool-headed umpire and a fiery partisan. The question now is, which one is likely to show up at the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court and beyond, how partisan are America's judges?

The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh has exposed questions of judicial partisanship like never before, legal experts say. Judges have never just mechanically applied the law, but is how they use their discretion changing?

Amid debate on prison reform, rising voices from the inside

When it comes to conditions inside prisons, should prisoners have a voice? That's one of the questions raised by a three-week strike by inmates in more than a dozen states.

Supreme Court hearings are broken, both parties say. How they can be fixed.

Senators of both parties complain that Supreme Court hearings today yield little useful information, with nominees wary of saying anything that might look like prejudging a case. But experts cite past examples that could foster greater insight – and greater civility.

At Kavanaugh hearings, questions of how much power a president should hold

The question of how much power a president should have has roiled American politics in recent years. The nominee for the Supreme Court comes to the issue from a unique vantage point.

Post-Harvey, Houston considers the line between safety and sacrifice

When is it acceptable to sacrifice the few for the survival of the many? A year after hurricane Harvey, residents are challenging the government's decision to flood their communities to save downtown Houston.

On Harvey anniversary, why some Texans say they may never return home

In the wake of disaster, the rush to rebuild can sometimes leave whole communities behind. One year after hurricane Harvey, coastal Texas struggles to rebuild equitably.

For Texas town, reopening a detention center means jobs – and mixed emotions

For immigration lawyers, legal and emotional tests in navigating changed system

Delays in reunifying separated migrant families underscore the hardened stance that their advocates now face. Immigration courts are becoming more adversarial as a result. 

The last 'swing'? High court 'reliability' and rule of law

The question of judicial impartiality may have been a veiled fiction, as some legal scholars say. But the removal of that veil when it comes to Supreme Court and other nominations could result in a polarized judicial branch.

With 'zero tolerance,' new strain on already struggling immigration courts

Immigration court judges have a bench-side view of the stresses already placed on the system. The Monitor's Texas bureau chief interviewed former and current judges about the effects of the Trump administration's changes.

In border town, World Cup watchers balance team pride, anxiety about US

Living on the border means living with things most Americans don’t, and to live with them without batting an eye. Recently, though, those tensions of border life feel as if they’ve been dialed to 11 – and even a beloved sports event isn't providing a respite.

In travel ban decision, Supreme Court shows judicial deference to presidency

In a 5-to-4 vote along ideological lines, the high court reversed a lower court injunction blocking the order’s implementation.

Supreme Court ruling has 'huge' implications for voting rights

The final week in June is always a big one for Supreme Court watchers, and this week will bring major decisions on the Trump White House's travel ban and the future of public unions. Today, the justices issued a ruling with 'huge ramifications' for voting rights law.

Cell signal: What high court ruling may mean for future of digital privacy

What expectation of privacy do consumers have in an increasingly technological world? New technology is forcing more answers – and reinterpretation of the Constitution.

On US-Mexican border, the rules change, but human impulses don't

Immigration is a topic heavy with statistics and policy proposals. But it's also about humanity. Our reporter went to the Texas-Mexico border to hear stories from people on both sides.

Despite natural gas boom, this Texas town is going 100% renewable

As US communities shift away from fossil fuels, cities and towns are grappling with the challenge of just how much they can rely on renewable energy. Denton, Texas, aims to show the way.