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There is a constant flow of people, cars and commerce between Laredo and its twin city in Mexico, Nuevo Laredo. Many people live in Mexico and come over daily for work or school in Laredo. Often they have border crossing cards that allow them to enter the United States easily. On an October afternoon, people walked across the Gateway to the Americas bridge returning to Mexico.

Texas

Kirsten Luce for The Marshall Project
Life Inside
For This Mom in Prison, Mother’s Day Is a Blessing and a Curse
Kwaneta Harris has missed every single Mother’s Day with her 19-year-old. That means walking on eggshells, icy politeness and the occasional mom joke.
By Kwaneta Harris
An illustration shows the head and shoulders of Kwaneta Harris, a Black woman with long hair. She is wearing a white shirt, and several images surround her. Clockwise from the bottom left are: a child on the phone, some pink flowers, a flower with petals made of newspaper articles and letters, another young person on the phone, and a window with a white lace curtain. Birds are visible through the window. The background of the illustration is peach-colored.
A photo collage shows, from left: a hand holding strands of hair; a person sweating; a prison door with a hand-drawn scribble over the bottom of the photo; a hand in shades of red over fencing; anonymous women in blue prison uniforms sitting on chairs in a row; a woman holding her head, with a paint scribble over the top of the image.
Feature April 14
What It’s Like to Go Through Perimenopause and Menopause in Prison
Limited information and a lack of informed health care providers make this life transition even more difficult for incarcerated people.
By
Redemption Songs April 12
The Bootlegging, Blues Singing Star of 1930s Prison Radio
Hattie Ellis was poised for post-prison fame. Then she encountered shotcallers who didn’t value her voice.
By
Young Thug, a Black rapper wearing a white shirt and striped pants, holds a mic as he performs in a crowd during a concert.
Closing Argument March 28
His Rap Lyrics Helped Send Him to Death Row. Travis Scott and T.I. Are Trying to Stop His Execution.
The rappers argue that James Broadnax’s case exemplifies a larger problem in American courtrooms: The use of rap lyrics as evidence.
By
An elderly man, wearing glasses and a blue prison uniform, is reading a newspaper. He sits in his wheelchair, which is next to a couple of bunk beds within his prison cell block.
Closing Argument March 21
Mercy or Money: How to Grapple With a Rapidly Aging Prison Population
Research shows people often “age out” of crime, and health care costs are ballooning. But still, many states oppose releasing elderly prisoners.
By
A black-and-white photo showing a White woman with a bouffant hairstyle singing into a microphone on the left side of the frame on the dirt grounds of a rodeo, while in the background are Black and White incarcerated men, wearing dark colored jackets, black ties and billowing white pants playing guitars and a drum. The drummer is wearing sunglasses, as a correctional officer stands guard behind him dressed in white and a cowboy hat with the brim upturned on both sides. In the distance, crowds sit in the stands.
Feature March 10
When Texas Was Fertile Ground for Prison Bands
Until the 1980s, an annual prison rodeo offered a chance for men inside to perform and sell albums. Now we’re making them available to you.
By
A photo shows a woman with medium skin tone and black hair with her head turned toward an open red door. She holds an infant in one arm.
News March 2
The Harrowing Journey Home for Families Leaving Immigration Detention
Parents and children from a detention center in Texas found themselves dropped at a border town shelter with few means to leave.
By , and
A bail bonds office with a blue-and-white sign is lit up at night. A ramp leads up to the door.
Closing Argument February 28
As Texas Restricts Cashless Bail, More People Will Be Jailed for Months Based on an Accusation
Despite evidence that cashless bail doesn’t increase crime, several states are moving to restrict it.
By
A photo shows a white surveillance tower at the top of a hill.
Closing Argument February 7
How AI Surveillance Tech is Creeping From the Southern Border Into the Rest of the Country
Surveillance technology has long been part of policing the border. ICE’s growing raids are bringing it to many other areas.
By
An illustration shows three people on patient beds inside a dark room, with the orange sky visible through the window. On the right side, there are dark silhouettes of dialysis machines and tubes with puddles of water on the floor.
Feature December 16, 2025
Women Are Sent to This Federal Prison for Dialysis. They Say It’s Killing Them.
Patients at Carswell medical prison in Texas describe unsanitary conditions, missed treatments and substandard care.
By Kaley Johnson
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