By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX –
Immigration officials are looking for some new citizens. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is hosting an information session Wednesday evening in Irving to familiarize immigrants with the naturalization process.
Agency workers will discuss requirements and steps toward U.S. citizenship and review the background checks and processing times applicants face. They'll also give away study aids for the new citizenship test applicants will have to take starting in October.
The session is part of a larger effort by Citizenship and Immigration Services to help non-citizen residents better understand the naturalization process.
Green card holders, called legal permanent residents, can apply to become U.S. citizens after a few years.
Texas health care premium rise outpaces earnings
A new report from a consumer health group says that family health-care premiums rose about 4 1/2 times faster than earnings for Texas workers from 2000 through 2009.
The Washington-based nonprofit group Families USA reports Tuesday that in that period, family health insurance premiums rose by about 92 percent while median earnings rose by about 20 percent.
The nonpartisan group says the average annual health insurance premium in the 2000-2009 period for family health coverage provided in the workplace rose from about $6,600 to about $12,700. At the same time, the Texas workers' median earnings rose from about $23,000 to about $27,600.
Former Texas police officer arrested
A former Texas police officer is behind bars charged with seven felony counts, including possession or promotion of child pornography, promotion of prostitution and engaging in organized crime.
Michael Meissner was arrested Monday in Arlington and is being held at the Dallas County Jail under a $1.5 million bail. Attempts by The Associated Press Tuesday to reach the jail to determine if he has an attorney were not immediately successful.
Meissner is accused of committing the crimes in Dallas and Tarrant counties.
He has reportedly held more than 10 law enforcement jobs in the last 18 years.
Police: Texas teen hugs mom then stabs her in back
A 15-year-old boy in a Dallas-Fort Worth suburb is in juvenile custody after police say he pretended to hug his mom, then stabbed her in the back with a 6-inch kitchen knife.
Police arrested the teenager Tuesday morning in suburban Grapevine. His arrest came about three hours after his mother called police, saying she'd been stabbed in the back.
Authorities say the woman was treated at a Dallas hospital for a non-life-threatening wound.
According to police, the boy and his mom had an argument Monday night. He pretended to apologize Tuesday, but instead stabbed her while they embraced. The mother ran to her bedroom, locked the door and called 911.
A police spokesman said the boy's identity is being withheld because of his age, but he faces a juvenile charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Giuliani returns to Texas for Perry fundraisers
Gov. Rick Perry has reunited with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani for a campaign fundraising swing across Texas.
Perry and Giuliani lashed out Tuesday against federal border security efforts during a stopover in San Antonio. It was a veiled political shot against U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is challenging Perry for next year's Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Despite views on abortion and gay rights that clash with conservative Republicans, Giuliani has become political allies with Perry. Perry deflected a question about what Giuliani brings to his re-election bid despite those differences, saying the border is not a campaign issue.
The two are scheduled to appear in Austin later Tuesday. Fundraising stops in Houston and Dallas are also planned.