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Governor-Elect Greg Abbott Promises A Court Fight Over Obama’s Executive Action

The Texas Tribune

Five stories that have North Texas talking: Texas Republicans are not pleased with last night’s executive action announcement, reception for a Dallas-to-Fort Worth bullet train was chilly, the State Board of Education will try to vote again on textbooks, and more.

President Obama last night announced his executive action towards immigration. It would temporarily suspend the threat of deportations for almost five million people who are in the U.S. without documentation. Eligible immigrants can get work permits if they pass criminal and national security background checks, pay their taxes, pay a fee and meet other requirements.

Soon after, Governor-Elect Greg Abbott pledged to challenge the White House’s plans in court. Here’s his statement:

“President Obama has circumvented Congress and deliberately bypassed the will of the American people, eroding the very foundation of our nation’s Constitution and bestowing a legacy of lawlessness. Texans have witnessed firsthand the costs and consequences caused by President Obama’s dictatorial immigration policy and now we must work together toward a solution in fixing our broken immigration system. Following tonight’s pronouncement, I am prepared to immediately challenge President Obama in court, securing our state’s sovereignty and guaranteeing the rule of law as it was intended under the Constitution.”

An immigration reform bill was passed in the Senate last year, but did not pass in the House.

  • Reception in North Texas for the Dallas-to-Houston bullet train has been warm, but what about a Dallas-to-Fort Worth train? KERA’s Bill Zeeble reports that idea got the cold shoulder at a meeting last night. The difference is in where the money will come from. While Texas Central Railway’s bullet train proposal will be privately funded, a Dallas-to-Fort Worth train would need government money.

  • Members of the State Board of Education will try again to vote on history and social studies textbooks today. A preliminary approval on Tuesday didn’t happen after several members said they were uncomfortable voting on unfinished products. Others objected to mentions of the Common Core standards in a publisher’s online material. According to The Dallas Morning News, the current social studies books in classrooms are out of date – they were adopted 12 years ago.

  • The George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas will have a new exhibit focusing on presidential pets. No animals were harmed in the making of the exhibit: it will feature papier-mache replicas of pets such as Caroline Kennedy’s pony named Macaroni. It will also feature a large Christmas tree decorated with ornaments of birds native to each of the 50 states. The exhibit, “All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas at the White House 2002,” will open tomorrow and run through Jan. 13. [The Associated Press]

  • Chrissie Hynde, one of rock and roll's most outspoken and original trailblazers, dropped by KXT to showcase tracks from her first-ever solo album, Stockholm. Hynde is currently on tour. Listen to her full interview and performance at KXT.

http://youtu.be/i4ilF62e1SA

Former KERA staffer Krystina Martinez was an assistant producer. She produced local content for Morning Edition and KERANews.org. She also produced The Friday Conversation, a weekly series of conversations with North Texas newsmakers. Krystina was also the backup newscaster for the Texas Standard.