TX Democrat Seeks Public Hearing after ICE Agent Killed US Citizen

A Texas Democrat is Demanding a Public Hearing of His Committee into the March 2025 Fatal Shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. Citizen, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Agent, whose Involvement was Disclosed in Newly Released Documents nearly a year after the Incident.

State Representative Ray Lopez (D-TX, 125th District) and is Vice Chair of the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs, is Invoking a Newly introduced State Legislative Rule for the 1st time. Under Rule 4, Section 6A of the Texas House Rules, which was Passed in the State’s 89th Legislature, Lopez can Officially Compel Committee Chairman Cole Hefner (R-5th District) to “promptly schedule” a Hearing on Martinez’s Death.

“When government uses its most serious power, the power to take a life, the facts cannot remain hidden,” Lopez said in a Statement. “A young Texan lost his life, and the public was left without full clarity for nearly a year. That is not about politics. It is about trust.”

Lopez added: “Under Rule 4, Section 6A of the House Rules, a Vice Chair has the authority to formally designate a matter for committee consideration. I have exercised that authority because the people of Texas deserve a transparent accounting of what occurred on March 15, 2025. The House Rules require that a designated matter be promptly scheduled. I expect that requirement to be honored consistent with both the letter and the spirit of the rules. The seriousness of this issue warrants timely action.”

He continued: “Because of the seriousness of these unanswered questions, I have formally invoked the House Rules to demand a public hearing. It is a rare step taken to ensure the people of Texas see the facts for themselves. When federal agents operate on Texas soil, transparency is not optional. It belongs to the people.” Martinez, from San Antonio, was Fatally Shot by an ICE Agent on South Padre Island on 3/15/2025. While His Death was Reported at the time, there was No mention that it had been at the Hands of a Federal Immigration Agent.

But New Details Emerged this Week, through Internal ICE Records obtained by "Watchdog American Oversight", via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request, which indicated a Federal Immigration Agent’s Involvement in the Fatal Shooting. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that a DHS Investigations Agent Fired “Defensive Shots” at a Person after the Driver “intentionally ran over” another Federal Agent. DHS Agents were at the Scene of the incident to Assist the South Padre Island Police Department following a Major Accident, the DHS said in a Statement. HSI is the Primary investigative arm of ICE, Rresponsible for Federal Criminal Investigations.

“A driver of a blue Ford intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent resulting in him being on the hood of the vehicle. Upon witnessing this, another agent fired defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public,” a Spokesperson for the Agency said. “The driver was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. The agent who was run over sustained a knee injury and was taken to the hospital.” Christopher Olivarez, a Spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety, said that there is an Open Iinvestigation into the Incident.

Lopez sent a Letter to Hefner, Demanding a Public Hearing into Martinez’s Shooting, saying that theMmatter called for “the careful and timely attention” of their Committee. “For nearly 12 months, neither the Department of Homeland Security, the Texas Department of Public Safety, nor the Texas Rangers publicly disclosed federal agent involvement in his death,” He wrote in the Document.

“As vice chair of this committee, and pursuant to Rule 4, Section 6A of the House Rules of Procedure, I am formally designating this matter for committee consideration and requesting that we work together to schedule a public hearing at the earliest appropriate opportunity,” Lopez added. For the San Antonio Lawmakers, the Way that Martinez’s Shooting was Reported, raises several Questions which should be Addressed by State Representatives.

“If an agent was struck with sufficient force to justify the use of lethal force by another officer, how was that determination made? What contemporaneous evidence exists, including body-worn or dash-camera footage? What was the sequence of communication among agents present? And what role did state agencies play in the investigation and subsequent public disclosure?” He wrote in His Letter.

A Haring would Force the Texas House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs, to Convene before the Public to Discuss Martinez’s Killing. This, Lopez said, “is the appropriate mechanism through which relevant facts can be examined transparently and placed before the people of Texas.”

Lopez said He is Not Invoking a Hearing “in a spirit of confrontation, but in fulfillment of our shared constitutional responsibility as members of the Texas House of Representatives.”

It is both His and Hefner’s Duty, He told His Committee’s Chair, “to ensure that when governmental authority is exercised on Texas soil, particularly in matters involving the loss of life, it is subject to appropriate transparency and review.”
Lopez has Requested a Written aAswer by Hefner, by the End of Business 2/23/2026. It is not yet Clear when a Public Hearing might be Scheduled.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Trump’s New Tariff Order Will Be Defeated by Congress

Trump’s (R) Decision to Issue New Import Taxes across the Globe, following the Supreme Court’s Rebuke of His Sweeping Tariffs on Friday, is drawing Broad Criticism, including from several Republican Lawmakers. Rep. Don Bacon (NE, 2nd District) said on 2/20/2026, that Congress is sure to Challenge the New Tariffs and Signaled Confidence that the Levies “Will Be Defeated. It may not have a veto-proof majority, but it will have a majority that will go against that 10 percent global tariff, so I think the president is making a mistake here,” Bacon said.

After the High Court Ruled on Friday, that the Trump Administration Unlawfully imposed Tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), Trump Imposed a new 10% Global Tariff. The Executive Order enacted the Taxes under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, which Allows for Tariffs up to 15^ for a Duration of 150 days to address “large and serious” Trade Deficits. Then Congress has to Approve another 150 Days.

Trump, on a 2/21/2026 Post on Truth Social, Signaled He would Up-the-Tariffs to the full 15%. A Mmajority of the Supreme Court, including Two Trump Appointed Justices, Affirmed Congress’s Constitutional Authority over Federal Taxes in its 6-3 Decision to Block Trump’s use of the IEEPA to Impose Tariffs.

On 2/20/2026, Trump wrote Online that the Justices who Ruled against Him “should be ashamed of themselves,” but He Vowed to Continue Pursuing other Avenues to Enact His Trade Agenda. The Decision follows a House Vote earlier this Month on a Resolution to Repeal the Trump Administration’s Tariffs on Canada. Six Republican Lawmakers, including Bacon, joined Democrats in Voting in Favor of this Resolution.

“Bottom line is any tariff that the president wants to do has to go through Congress and be approved. That’s the bottom line from this ruling, and I agree with that,” Bacon said. “That’s what the founders wanted, and that’s what Republicans should want. We have long held this view. Just because President Trump disagrees shouldn’t change what Republicans believe in.”

Trump’s Tariffs have been Subject to Increasingly Negative Feedback from American Consumers and Lawmakers from Both sides of the Aisle. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who Supported a similar Resolution to Repeal Trump’s Tariffs that Passed in the Senate 10/2025, said the High Court’s Decision leaves “no room for doubt” about Congress’ Constitutional Authority over Tariff Decisions.

“Congress’ role in trade policy, as I have warned repeatedly, is not an inconvenience to avoid,” McConnell said. “If the executive would like to enact trade policies that impact American producers and consumers, its path forward is crystal clear: convince their representatives under Article 1.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky) also Hailed the Court’s Ruling as a “defense of our Republic” in a Post on Social Platform X.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine Retakes Southern Areas

Ukraine Restored Control over more than 300 square kilometers of Territory in the Huliaipole and Neighboring Directions in the ZaporizhzhiaRregion following its Counter Attacks and Assault Operations, according to Vladyslav Voloshyn, Spokesperson for the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine.

"Our units are conducting counteroffensive and assault operations, reducing parts of the so-called 'gray zone' and holding back enemy attempts to attack our positions," Voloshyn said.

He Stressed that since the Start of the Operation in late January 2026, Ukrainian Forces have Regained Control of 300 square kilometers of Territory, including "several settlements along the administrative border of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions."

"While the operation is in its active phase, it is somewhat premature to speak about its final outcomes," the Spokesperson added.

He also Nnoted that up to 50 Combat Clashes occur Daily in the Huliaipole and Oleksandrivka Directions.

On 2/20/2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian Defenders had Liberated 300 square kilometers of Territory from Russian Forces on the Southern Section of the front.

According to Reports as of 2/23/2026, Ukrainian Forces were Conducting Localized Counterattacks at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia Regions.

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggested Ukrainian Troops may have taken Advantage of Russian Communication Problems, including the Blocking of Starlink Terminals and Telegram.

On 2/16/2026, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Visited Ukrainian Troops Engaged in Fighting in the Oleksandrivka Direction and near Huliaipole Settlement, where Active Battles are currently Underway.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Education Department Pressure on Colleges Ahead of Upcoming Student Lown Changes

The Trump (R) Administration is turning up the Pressure on Schools to Rein-In Student Loan Default Rates Ahead of Changes the Federal Government is Implementing this Summer that Advocates worry could Hurt Borrowers. The Department of Education (DOE) released Guidance to Universities this week, to Offer “best practices to reduce default rates” and Reminded Schools that Failing to Meet their Obligations could Lead to a Loss of Access to Federal Student Aid Programs.

The Guidance Offered some Transparency Experts say will be Useful for Institutions, but it also Fueled Concerns the Trump Administration is Seeking to Pin Blame on Universities for the High Default Rates after Curtailing Debt Relief Efforts. An Analysis by the Congressional Research Service in 2025 showed more than 5 million Student Loan Borrowers were in Default and Millions more were Close to that Threshold. A Borrower is considered to have Defaulted on their Student Loans after 270 Days without a Payment, Leading to Damage to their Credit Score and even Potential Wage Garnishment.

“We know that schools are seen by their students as so-called trusted voices or trusted agents. And again, historically, we have found that the messaging can be more effective coming from a school than maybe coming from a loan servicer,” said Betsy Mayotte, President and Founder of the Institute of Student Loan Advisors. The Education Department said Universities with a Cohort Default Rate of more than 30% for each of the Three most Recent Fiscal Years, could Jeopardize its Access to the Direct Loan Program. A sShool is also at Risk of Losing Access to the Program, if its Most Recent Fiscal Year Default Rate is above 40%.

The Ccohort Default Rate Measures how many Borrowers went into Default within Three years of entering Repayment. It is different from the Nonpayment Rate, which Measures how many Borrowers who have entered Repayment since January 2020, were more than 90 Days Delinquent on Payments, when Ddata was Collected in 5/2025. The Department, which said Nonpayment Rates can be an Early Indication that a School’s Default Tates is likely to Increase, found 1,800 Schools have Non-Repayment Rates at or above 25%.

“With nonpayment rates rising at hundreds of colleges and universities across the country, institutions must do more to support successful loan repayment outcomes,” said Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent (R). “Student borrowers have an obligation to repay their loans, but institutions also share a responsibility to ensure their students are prepared to enter repayment and understand the consequences of nonpayment. Institutions cannot benefit from taxpayer dollars while ignoring the fact that a significant share of their students are not well-prepared to repay their loans. It’s time for institutions to step up or risk losing access to federal student aid,” he Added.

While Experts Agree on the Importance of Colleges supporting Students after they Leave, and Giving them Information Regarding Loans, they Worry the Guidance Paints an Unfair Picture regarding Schools’ Responsibility on the Issue. The Department “is trying to draw a correlation between non-repayment rates and that being the fault, the direct fault, of the institution of higher education,” said Emmanuel Guillory, Senior Director of Government Relations at the American Council on Education (ACE). “Now, when it comes to ensuring that borrowers are repaying when they graduate, they have a direct relationship with their lender, and it is through the lender in that direct relationship that they establish their repayment plan.”

Reached for Comment, the DOE said, “Institutions are charged with delivering high-value credentials to students — and many graduates are walking away with debt they cannot repay. It’s time for institutions to acknowledge whether their services are truly preparing students for the workforce, and help both current and past students responsibly manage the debt they helped saddle them with,” said Agency Press Ssecretary Ellen Keast.

Meanwhile, Big Changes are coming to the Student Loan System. This Summer, the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), Created by GOP Legislation in 2025, will become the only Income Drive Repayment (IDR) Plan available to Future Borrowers. The Plan will Adjust Payments based on a Person’s Income. The Only other Option will be the Standard Plan, which bases Payments on the Size of the Loan, with Timelines ranging from 10 years to 25 years.

Advocates worry Default Rates will go Up, as these Plans do Not Offer as much Flexibility as the Repayment Options Currently Available. “Our concern with the plans are, of course, on affordability of them, and so that is the biggest challenge, how they’re going to affect students who have to make higher monthly payments … a small cost of living raise can really drastically affect how much someone can be forced to repay under the RAP plan. So, those are the types of things that could easily cause students to miss payments and then go into non-repayment and potentially go into default,” said Christopher Madaio, Senior Advisor of Accountability at the Institute for College Access & Success.

And while Experts Hhigher Education could be more Proactive, there are Worries that Universities will Not Offer the Best Solutions to Students. “There’s different payment situations students can be in, right? And what we don’t want to see happen is something called forbearance steering, which is where students, because it’s easier for the school or for their contractor, to get a student into forbearance,” Madaio said.

“We have seen examples in the past of servicers and, even institutions, just getting students into forbearance, even though that wasn’t the best thing for the student,” He Added. “That’s a temporary Band-Aid that can make schools’ non-repayment and default rates appear better than they are, but it actually can harm students in the long run.”










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Trump Announces Global Tariffs Increased to 15%

Trump (R) Increases Flobal Tariffs to to 15%, following an Adverse Ruling at the Supreme Court. The Court Ruled Trump Exceeded His Authority, with the way He Imposed Tariffs on Trading Partners using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a Law from 1977 Reserved for National Emergencies.

Trump said in a Truth Social Post that “effective immediately,” Hhe would be “raising the 10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries … to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level.” He added that the Administration will Determine and Issue the New Tariffs “during the next short number of months.” After the 6-3 Decision, Trump Lashed Out at the Supreme Court, calling the Ruling “deeply Disappointing” and Adding that He was Ashamed of the Justices who Ruled against His Tariffs, which included His Appointees.

Trump said 2/20/2026, that He would Impose a 10% Global Tariff using Presidential Powers under Trade Law Section 122. Those Tariffs were set to take Effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on 2/24/2026. The 15% Duties would make this Year’s Effective Tariff Rate 6%, according to Erica York, Vice President of Federal Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation. That’s a Measure of the Estimated Duties as a Share of Estimated Imported Goods for the Year, According to the Tax Foundation.

Trump Imposed Sweeping Tariffs in 2025, including the so-called “Reciprocal” Tariffs that have Raised Duties as High as 50%, on Key Trading Ppartners, including India and Brazil, and Duties once as High as 145% on China. Trump may continue Imposing Duties using other Trade Laws. The Administration has already used Section 232 Investigations to Impose Across-the-Board Duties on: Aluminum, Cars and Car Parts, Copper, Furniture, Lumber, and Steel.

The Administration could also use Section 301 to Investigate Countries that potentially Violate other Nations’ Trade Agreements or Practices in a way that is “Unjustifiable” and “Durdens or Restricts” U.S. Business. Another Tactic would be to Impose Duties of Up-To 50%, if the U.S. believes Trading Partners are Engaging in Discriminatory Trade Practices, a Move that could Violate World Trade Organization Agreement Terms.

For many Countries, a 15% Duty is better than the Rates faced under the IEEPA Tariffs. Brazil, which faced Duties as High as 50%, along with Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa, would face Lower Rates, noted Joe Brusuelas, Chief Economist at RSM U.S. But Countries like Argentina, Australia, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, would face Higher Tariffs, He added.

Brazil, India and many Asian Countries that Secured Trade Deals with Trump are “temporarily winners,” said Kyle Handley, an Economics Professor at the University of California, San Diego. The Administration could Impose New Tariffs on Specific Industries using other Authorities, He said. For Now, Retailers like: Amazon, Costco, Target, and Walmart, stand to Benefit from Lower Tariffs, Brusuelas said. Appliances were also Hit Hard by Trump’s Tariffs, which Negatively Impacted Companies like: IKEA Home Depot, and Lowe’s.

While aluminum ans Steel Tariffs remain Unaffected, Auto Parts were Reciprocal. That’s Ggood News for Carmakers Like Ford, GM, and Toyota. Consumers Who Paid Higher Prices on many Items may Not Benefit from Lower Tariffs, and there’s a Lack of Certainty about Refunds for Individual Importers.

“I’ve got a feeling the American people won’t see it,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (R) said about Refunds on 2/20/2026, at an Event Hosted by the Economic Club of Dallas. Items in Stores may get Cheaper as the Imported Inventory Sells, Handley suggested, “but there won’t be too much relief.” And Uncertainty will Remain for many Businesses and Trading Partners.

“It’s not clear the president has nearly as much flexibility to run around and negotiate very particular deals with every single country, industry by industry. That era is over,” said Handley.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Ukraine Hit Russian Patrol Ships and Aircraft in Crimea

Ukraine's Defence Forces Struck Russian Patrol Ships, Aviation, and Artillery Assets in the Temporarily Occupied Crimea Territories, on the night of 2/20/2026-2/21/2026.

On the Nnights, Two Project 22460 Okhotnik (Hunter) Border Patrol Ahips were Hit near the City of Inkerman.

Strikes on the Targets were Recorded and the Scale of the Damage is being Confirmed.

Also, in the City of Yevpatoriia, Two B-12 Aircraft were Hit on the Territory of the Yevpatoriia Aviation Repair Plant.

In addition, Units from Ukraine's Defence Forces Hit the Enemy's Tornado-S Multiple Launch Rocket System, near the Settlement of Astrakhanka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker

Judge Financial Penalties Over Immigration Detention Case

A U.S. District Court judge, has iIposed Daily Financial Penalties on a Federal Attorney, after Determining that Court Orders were Not Followed in an Immigration Detention Case. Judge Laura Provinzino Ruled that Required Documents were Not Returned as Directed, and that the Individual involved was Not Handled According to Her Earlier Instructions.

Government Counsel Stated that the Delay was Not Intentional and Cited High Case Loads.

The Judge Responded that Operational Challenges do Not Justify Failure to Comply with Judicial Rulings.

The Decision Underscores Tensions between Immigration Enforcement Efforts and Court Oversight, Highlighting the Judiciary’s Role in Ensuring Compliance with Legal Orders.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker