Texas Civil Rights Project

Records obtained by KERA and the Texas Newsroom showed kids engaged in self-harming behavior, urinated on themselves, and were pepper-sprayed just a few days into the lockdown.

Those restrictions have eased over the past month, but the Texas Civil Rights Project sent TJJD a letter accusing the agency of violating kids' rights.

The group also says TJJD shouldn't break ground on two new facilities in North Texas and the Houston area because of the alleged youth rights violations.

For KERA News, I'm Toluwani Osibamowo.

Silky Shaw is the executive director of the Detention Watch Network, a national coalition working to abolish immigration detention in the U.S. She's also an author with a new book out called Unbuild Walls, Why Immigrant Justice Needs Abolition, just released by Haymarket Books.

Aaron Thorne is a senior attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project's Beyond Borders program.

He works to improve border communities through legal advocacy for public policy that respects not only migrants, but the communities that live near the border.

Silky and Aaron, we're so happy to have you on today's show.

It's a deflock movement, and one of the biggest forces working for the removal of this technology is the No ALPRs Coalition.

It's made up of groups like the Texas Civil Rights Project, Local Progress, and Grassroots Leadership.

Austin City Councilmember Mike Siegel is part of Local Progress, a group of progressive community organizers and elected officials.

Austin was one of the first major cities to decide not to renew its contract with Flock, and Siegel was on the front lines against the technology.

The reason that I'm out here today is because of the history of fascism and what it means to take a stand in the beginning before you see everything, anything criminalized.

And again, it's not just local progress and individuals like Fortuna.

Another group in the No ALPR Coalition working against the technology is the Texas Civil Rights Project, which, as the name indicates, advocates for civil rights.

Chris Harris is the organization's Associate Advocacy Director.

Privacy critics say the system lets police and Flock track travel patterns for everyone, not just suspects.

Christopher Rivera of the Texas Civil Rights Project says limited safeguards raise concerns about abuse.

Diaz says Houston police must make tough decisions and use the tool wisely and responsibly.

Find the full story at the link in our show notes.

Some voters argued the change wasn't fair to them or to potential candidates whose precincts changed in the middle of an election year.

Nina Leoishi is with the Texas Civil Rights Project.

She says the ruling is something to celebrate.

It's a sign that County should not be able to ignore the will of the people and redistrict in a way that is unfair and