A Garland couple who operated a website selling veterinary drugs and pesticides smuggled from Mexico have been sentenced in federal court, with one defendant receiving prison time and more than $1.5 million in forfeiture.

Thao Duong was sentenced September 8 to three months in prison, two years of supervised release, and forfeiture of more than $1.5 million. Her husband, Lam Mai, received two years of probation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The sentences follow the couple’s January 20 guilty pleas to conspiracy charges. Duong pleaded guilty to conspiracy under federal law, while Mai pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate federal veterinary drug and pesticide laws, according to the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Bulletin.

How the Smuggling Operation Worked

According to court filings and evidence presented in court, Duong began selling animal-care products through online platforms around 2011. Her customers were primarily people involved in rooster-fighting ventures.

Duong was not a veterinarian and did not require veterinary prescriptions from customers purchasing veterinary drugs. She sold products including Cipio Vet, Baytril Max, and Caterrol, which were manufactured in Mexico and were not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States.

In 2017, she added the pesticides Taktic and Bovitraz to her inventory. Neither product was registered with the Environmental Protection Agency for sale or use in the United States, according to the federal sentencing announcement.

Duong launched a website in 2018 that became her primary sales and distribution channel. She then entered into agreements with co-conspirators to purchase products she knew had been smuggled into the country from Mexico.

The merchandise entered through the Calexico Port of Entry in Imperial County, California, and was stored near the border before being shipped to Texas. Between 2018 and 2022, Duong obtained approximately $2.4 million worth of smuggled merchandise.

Mai worked as the website’s shipping manager, packaging orders and distributing products to customers nationwide through the U.S. Postal Service and other shipping companies.

Pesticides Could Pose Risks to Bees and Humans

Federal officials said the unregistered pesticides presented potential environmental and public-health risks, particularly if misused in beehives.

The active ingredient in Taktic and Bovitraz is amitraz. According to the EPA, misuse of amitraz-containing products in beehives can contaminate honey, honeycomb, and beeswax. Exposure through contaminated honey could cause neurological effects and possibly reproductive effects in humans.

Animal studies have documented signs of amitraz neurotoxicity, including central nervous system depression, decreased pulse rate, and hypothermia.

The Justice Department’s announcement did not identify a confirmed case of human poisoning or a specific incident of contaminated honey connected to the defendants’ products.

“The defendants in this case traded human safety and environmental health for illicit profit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division.

Federal Agencies Investigated the North Texas Case

The EPA and FDA investigated the operation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

U.S. Attorney Ryan R. Raybould for the Northern District of Texas said the defendants introduced dangerous foreign-sourced pesticides and drugs into the country, recklessly putting communities at risk.

The Justice Department also identified the prosecution as part of its broader Trade Fraud Task Force effort, which targets prohibited imports, customs violations, and other trade-related fraud.

Provided by Dallas Express

For two days, Dallas will become the center of Republican politics. But behind the speeches, security checkpoints, and national television cameras is a story about the people who helped bring the gathering to North Texas, the businesses hoping to welcome thousands of visitors, and a city eager to demonstrate its ability to host a major national event.

The Republican National Committee’s first midterm convention opens Wednesday at American Airlines Center. President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak both nights, with Vice President JD Vance and Republican candidates among the featured participants. Unlike a presidential nominating convention, the gathering is intended to showcase the party’s agenda and candidates ahead of the November 3 elections.

For Dallas, the event arrives at an unusual moment. Its downtown convention center is undergoing a major rebuild, hotels are seeking group business, and the city is preparing for its first Republican national convention gathering since 1984.

A Presidential Idea Becomes a Convention

Dallas did not secure the event through a publicly documented bidding competition, as is common for presidential nominating conventions. The RNC has not released a formal shortlist, bid book, or ranked selection process.

Trump had advocated holding a midterm convention for months. On January 23, the RNC unanimously approved a rule change allowing Chairman Joe Gruters to convene a ceremonial convention outside a presidential election year, according to CBS News.

At the time, several possible locations were being discussed. A January Fox News report said people involved in the talks described Trump as favoring Nevada or Texas, while other cities remained possible. Las Vegas, Phoenix, Detroit, and Atlanta were among the locations discussed in early reporting.

Those cities were potential options in the conversation, not confirmed formal finalists.

RNC officials toured American Airlines Center earlier in the year, reviewing the arena’s specifications and possible production configurations. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton publicly indicated in mid-June that Dallas would host the gathering, but the formal announcement came June 30.

Trump announced the September 9–10 dates on Truth Social, describing Dallas as “One of my favorite places in the World.” 

Why Dallas Made Sense

The selection combined political relationships with practical considerations. Gruters has said Trump likes Dallas and that Texas offers strong supporters, fundraising connections, and a favorable environment for the party’s plans.

The RNC chairman has described the event as a “Trumpapalooza,” a term he used while discussing the convention’s purpose. In a CBS News Texas interview, Gruters said the gathering would highlight the administration’s work and the people involved in it.

Texas’ competitive congressional districts and Senate race also make the state politically relevant to the event. The RNC has not identified any single race as the sole reason for choosing Dallas.

The venue itself was another advantage. American Airlines Center can accommodate approximately 20,000 people, depending on configuration. Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena, with a capacity of about 14,000, was a smaller regional alternative. Dallas also offered a larger media market and an established network of hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.

The city last hosted a Republican presidential nominating convention in 1984, when Ronald Reagan accepted the party’s nomination at Reunion Arena. This year’s event is different: there is no presidential nomination or delegate roll call.

The Dallas Team Behind the National Production

The Dallas 2026 Host Committee is led by Ray and Heather Washburne, whose backgrounds combine business, Republican fundraising, and political organization.

Ray Washburne is chairman of Sunoco and previously served as RNC national finance chairman and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation during Trump’s first administration. Heather Washburne has worked with the Republican Governors Association and the Dallas County Republican Party and operates the political fundraising firm Victory Associates.

The host committee also includes Dallas businessman Kenny Troutt, his wife Lisa Troutt, and former Trump administration official Trent Morse, according to FOX 7 Austin. Former RNC Chairman Reince Priebus is serving as senior adviser to the organizing committee.

The Dallas 2026 Host Committee has reported raising $45 million in private donations in less than a month. Co-chair Ray Washburne has repeated that figure, while NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported approximately $40 million in pledged donations. The figures reflect different public descriptions of the fundraising effort and should not be treated as independently audited totals.

While the fundraising reflects the scale of the event, it should not be confused with money flowing directly into the local economy. Political contributions, production spending, and visitor spending are separate measures.

The Hospitality Opportunity

For Visit Dallas President and CEO Craig Davis, the convention offered a practical opportunity. The city did not need to supply a traditional convention-center exhibition hall; it needed a large arena and sufficient hotel inventory.

The timing is significant because the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is undergoing a major rebuild, reducing some of the weekday group business that normally supports downtown hotels.

As The Dallas Express previously reported, Davis said the gathering could fill more than 5,000 hotel rooms. The convention is expected to provide a welcome boost to the hospitality sector while the convention center is under construction.

The benefits could extend beyond hotels. Visitors may dine in local restaurants, use rideshare services, visit entertainment venues, and purchase goods from businesses across Victory Park, Uptown, and downtown. Hotel stays also generate occupancy-tax revenue, while dining and retail purchases can contribute sales-tax revenue.

Davis has emphasized a longer-term possibility as well: a visitor who experiences Dallas during a major event may return for business, leisure, or investment.

What the Economic Impact Could Mean

The convention’s final economic impact cannot yet be stated as a dollar figure. The estimate of more than 5,000 hotel rooms is a projection, not a confirmed occupancy total, and no verified convention-specific economic impact study has been publicly released.

The event also brings public expenses. Dallas initially estimated approximately $1.8 million in policing and related security costs. City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said the city would document expenses and pursue available grants or reimbursements, according to Spectrum News. Organizers have expressed willingness to help mitigate costs, while City Council members have raised concerns about ensuring taxpayers are not left with the bill during a budget shortfall.

The final economic picture will depend on actual visitor spending, hotel occupancy, public costs, and reimbursements. A large event can generate substantial activity without every dollar spent representing a net gain to the city.

The Dallas Express Welcomes Readers to Convention Week

The Dallas Express is bringing readers into the convention week through reporting, live streams, and events near American Airlines Center.

On Wednesday, September 9, the newsroom will host a complimentary screening of Remember the Alamo: Don’t Sharia My Texas at the W Dallas Living Room Bar, 2440 Victory Park Lane, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event includes brunch and a panel featuring journalist Lara Logan, filmmaker Chris Burgard, and Dallas Express co-founder and Let’s Talk Local host Sarah Zubiate-Bennett.

The screening concludes one hour before convention programming is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Admission is complimentary, with RSVP available through Eventbrite.

The Dallas Express also announced a limited reader offer that includes convention perimeter passes, a meet-and-greet with newsroom staff and personalities in its VIP lounge, and access to the screening. Perimeter passes do not guarantee admission to American Airlines Center and remain subject to RNC procedures, capacity, and security requirements.

A National Spotlight With Local Disruptions

The convention is taking place in a city that leans Democratic in partisan elections but is led by Republican Mayor Eric Johnson.

Johnson served in the Texas House as a Democrat and won the mayor’s office as a Democrat before switching parties in September 2023, a move The Dallas Express covered at the time and in follow-up reporting on his Trump vote and the Republican Mayors Association. This split, a Democratic-leaning electorate and a Republican mayor, creates a distinctive political backdrop for the gathering.

For residents and workers, however, many of the immediate concerns are practical. Security operations around Victory Park have brought road closures, checkpoints, and changes to transportation access.

The gathering is also expected to attract protests, including one Indivisible Dallas is helping organize called the “Dallas March on the RNC Midterm Convention,” The Dallas Express previously reported. This event is scheduled for September 10, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Pike Park, with the aim of rejecting the Trump agenda.

For nearby businesses, the week presents both opportunity and disruption. Some may benefit from visitors seeking meals and entertainment, while others may face restricted access or changes to their usual customer traffic.

What Dallas Will Know After the Final Speech

The RNC’s political objective is to build support for its candidates ahead of November.

Dallas’ local results will be more measurable. Hotel occupancy, visitor spending, security reimbursements, and business activity will show whether the event delivered the hospitality boost officials anticipated.

Provided by Dallas Express

The Ross Fire in Palo Pinto County has burned 90,400 acres and destroyed 167 structures as firefighters continue working to contain the historic North Texas wildfire.

The fire was 57% contained as of Tuesday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service, but remained active after burning approximately 90,400 acres since it started on August 24.

The Forest Service says the Ross Fire is the largest summertime wildfire recorded in Texas since statewide records began in 2005. It is also the 15th-largest wildfire in state history.

Hundreds of Firefighters Remain on Scene

About 515 personnel and 112 resources were assigned to the Ross Fire as of the latest update.

The response has included hundreds of firefighters, engines, heavy equipment, and aircraft. In all, 23 aircraft have supported firefighting operations, dropping more than 434,000 gallons of retardant and 2.5 million gallons of water.

The fire has destroyed 167 structures, including 18 occupied homes, and damaged another 95.

Crews remain focused on increasing containment while monitoring conditions around the fire.

Fire Determined To Be Human-Caused

The Texas A&M Forest Service determined that the Ross Fire was human-caused and began an investigation with local law enforcement agencies.

Forest Service officials said the fire originated from equipment or vehicle use associated with a roadside start.

News station KBTX previously reported that investigators believed a blown tire on a vehicle traveling along U.S. Highway 180 may have sparked the fire. Investigators examined evidence including pieces of rubber and tire marks on the roadway while determining the cause.

Dry Conditions Fuel Rapid Fire Growth

Researchers say weather and vegetation conditions have contributed to the rapid spread of wildfires across Texas this summer.

“Texas often has a dry, hot, windy weather like this summer, the dry grass and vegetation provide a lot of fuel for wildfires, and the strong wind helps the fire propagate very fast,” said Yunyao Li, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, per Spectrum News.

The Texas A&M Forest Service continues to warn that wildfire potential remains high across much of the state because of ongoing drought.

The agency has responded to more than 1,000 wildfires across Texas this year, with those fires burning more than 300,000 acres.

State Funding Supports Wildfire Response

Texas lawmakers approved about $630 million for the Texas A&M Forest Service during the most recent legislative session.

The funding includes support for wildfire suppression aircraft, firefighting equipment, volunteer fire departments and prescribed-fire programs.

The investment comes as Texas continues to face significant wildfire threats during periods of drought, high temperatures and strong winds.

Ross Fire Ranks Among Largest in Texas History

With more than 90,000 acres burned, the Ross Fire now ranks 15th among the largest wildfires recorded in Texas.

The state’s largest recorded fires include the 2024 Smokehouse Creek Fire, which burned more than 1 million acres, and the 2006 East Amarillo Complex Fire, which burned more than 907,000 acres.

Although containment has reached 57%, the Ross Fire remains active, and firefighters continue working to control the blaze and protect nearby communities.

Provided by Dallas Express

The “normal range” printed beside a blood-test result may reflect differing laboratory methods and inherited standards more than consistent geographic differences, according to a newly published study.

Researchers compiled published reference intervals for complete blood counts from 28 countries and found no reproducible pattern grouping the ranges by continent. The study, published this week in npj Digital Public Health, concluded that the available intervals are more consistent with a fragmented system of historical and laboratory-specific practices than with stable geographic categories.

The result does not prove that blood cell measurements are biologically identical across all populations. Nor does it establish that one worldwide reference range should be used for every patient. The researchers analyzed published reference standards, not individual patients or their underlying biology.

What a CBC Measures

A complete blood count, commonly called a CBC, measures the numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. It also provides information about hemoglobin, hematocrit, and the average size of red blood cells.

According to MedlinePlus, clinicians use CBCs as part of routine checkups and to help diagnose or monitor conditions including anemia, infections, immune disorders and blood cancers.

Laboratories display reference intervals beside test results to show the values expected for a defined comparison population. Those intervals may differ among laboratories because of testing techniques, equipment and the populations used to establish them.

A result outside the listed interval is not automatically a diagnosis, while a result inside the interval does not necessarily rule out illness. MedlinePlus advises patients to discuss the meaning of their results with a healthcare provider, who can consider symptoms, medical history and other testing.

Researchers Looked for Geographic Patterns

The study’s authors compared the published CBC intervals using several analytical methods, including hierarchical clustering, information-based distance measures and nonlinear visualization.

As a positive comparison, they applied the analytical framework to body mass index data. The BMI information produced identifiable continent-level groupings, showing that the methods could detect a geographic pattern when one was present.

The CBC reference intervals did not produce the same stable structure. Weak patterns appeared in some red-cell measurements, particularly mean corpuscular volume and hemoglobin, but those signals did not remain consistent across sexes, data representations and analytical methods.

The findings applied to the published reference intervals themselves. The study did not directly measure ethnicity or genetic ancestry, and the authors cautioned that factors including altitude, nutrition, inflammation, environmental exposure and anemia prevalence could influence blood measurements but could not be resolved using reference-interval data.

Researchers Support More Personalized Baselines

The authors said the lack of a consistent geographic pattern should not be interpreted as proof that current CBC intervals are universal biological standards. Instead, they argued for harmonized methods of establishing reference intervals and greater use of personalized baselines developed from an individual’s results over time.

Following a person’s measurements longitudinally could help clinicians identify a meaningful change even when the latest result remains inside a broad population interval. However, the study did not test a new clinical system or determine how personalized ranges should be implemented in everyday care.

For patients, the findings reinforce that a laboratory’s reference interval is an interpretive aid rather than a firm boundary between health and illness. A medical professional should evaluate CBC results alongside prior tests, symptoms and the patient’s broader health history.

Provided by Dallas Express

A positive Listeria test has triggered a Class I recall involving 1,513 pounds of ready-to-eat Italian pork that reached Texas and seven other states, federal food safety officials announced Sunday.

Prime Line Distributors Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Ferrarini USA Inc. of Hoboken, New Jersey, launched the recall after routine import reinspection detected Listeria monocytogenes in a product sample, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

Est. 1937L Bome SRL produced the dry-cured pork jowl, known as guanciale, in Italy on May 21. The companies imported the meat on various dates in July.

Check the lot number

Every affected package carries lot number 263311US, the date May 16, 2027, under the words “BEST IF USE BY,” and establishment number IT 1937 L CE inside the Italian inspection mark or on the case label.

Prime Line products display either “PRIME LINE DISTRIBUTORS, INC. GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” or “GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY.” Individual Prime Line packages also display “DOK GUANCIALE.”

Ferrarini products display either “GUANCIALE PORK JOWL PRODUCT OF ITALY” or “FERRARINI GUANCIALE DRY-CURED PORK JOWL.”

Texas among eight states

Prime Line sent its products to food service and retail locations in Florida. Ferrarini sent its products to distributors and food service locations in California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

FSIS warned that retailers and food service operators may still have the meat in refrigerators or freezers. The agency told businesses not to sell or serve it. Consumers should throw the products away or return them to the place of purchase.

FSIS had received no confirmed illness reports when it issued the notice.

Listeria can cause severe illness

FSIS placed the recall in Class I, the agency’s most serious category. The classification means consumption carries a reasonable probability of causing serious health consequences or death.

Listeria can cause especially serious illness in women who are pregnant, newborns, people age 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures.

Infection during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or a life-threatening infection in a newborn. People who ate a recalled product and develop a fever or other symptoms should contact a health care provider and report the possible exposure.

Consumers can contact companies

Questions about Prime Line products go to QA/QC Manager Liliana Rojas at 954-925-4500. Consumers can contact Ferrarini Chief Financial Officer Luca Infantino at 818-256-1622 or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854.

Provided by Dallas Express

Dallas police are investigating four separate homicides reported over the Labor Day weekend, including a shooting on Sunday in which the victim died the following day, and three fatal shootings on Monday.

The cases occurred at separate locations across Dallas and involved different circumstances. Police have identified suspects in two of the killings, while the other two cases remain under investigation.

Driver Shot on S.R.L. Thornton Freeway Dies

The first reported fatal shooting occurred Sunday evening on the northbound lanes of S.R.L. Thornton Freeway.

Dallas police responded to the 5600 block of the freeway around 6:20 p.m. on September 6 after receiving a report of a shooting involving 27-year-old Joshua Wansley.

Wansley was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. He was pronounced dead on September 7.

Police said the preliminary investigation indicates an unknown suspect shot Wansley. No arrest has been announced in the case, which is being investigated under case number 131658-2026.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective C. Shelton at 214-671-4740 or c.shelton@dallaspolice.gov.

Man Killed in Shooting Near Plano Road

A fatal shooting on Monday occurred around 12:20 p.m. near Plano Road and Walnut Hill Lane in Northeast Dallas.

According to police, 33-year-old Terron Williams was driving when unknown suspects opened fire. Williams was struck by gunfire and subsequently crashed his vehicle into a tree.

Dallas Fire-Rescue responded and pronounced Williams dead at the scene.

Police have not identified a suspect or released a possible motive. The case is being investigated under case number 132059-2026.

Anyone with information can contact Detective A. Joslin at 214-671-4095 or adam.joslin@dallaspolice.gov.

Two Separate Shootings Lead to Arrests

Two other fatal shootings on September 7 involved identified suspects who are now in police custody.

Around midnight, Dallas police responded to a disturbance in the 5100 block of Cardiff Street in South Dallas. Investigators determined that 64-year-old Charlie Williams was shot by 33-year-old Kerry Armstead.

Dallas Fire-Rescue pronounced Williams dead at the scene. Armstead was arrested and taken to the Lew Sterrett Justice Center, where he is being held on a murder charge.

The case is being investigated under case number 131845-2026. Anyone with information can contact Detective T. Johnston at 214-671-3523 or timothy.johnston@dallaspolice.gov.

Later Monday night, at about 11:10 p.m., officers responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of Cherry Valley Boulevard in South Dallas.

Police said 56-year-old Darryl Anderson was shot by 59-year-old Donald James. Anderson was pronounced dead at the scene by Dallas Fire-Rescue.

James was later located and taken to a local hospital with a gunshot wound. He remains in police custody and is expected to be charged with murder, according to police.

The case is being investigated under case number 132349-2026. Anyone with information can contact Detective J. Conklin at 214-671-3646 or joshua.conklin@dallaspolice.gov.

Investigations Remain Ongoing

The four cases remain separate investigations, and police have not indicated that the shootings are connected.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about any of the killings to contact the detectives assigned to the respective cases.

Provided by Dallas Express

Reuters said the Iranian Revolutionary Guard claimed responsibility for strikes involving multiple ships in the area, including U.S. vessels and oil tankers. Jordanian authorities said most of the incoming missiles were intercepted and no casualties were reported.

The latest escalation comes amid continuing exchanges between Iran and the United States, including recent U.S. attacks on Iranian oil tankers. Regional tensions have also affected Saudi Arabia, where drone and missile attacks linked to Houthi forces caused injuries and damage to energy facilities.

The conflict is creating fresh pressure on one of the world’s most important shipping corridors. Reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has added to concerns about oil supply and pushed crude prices higher.

The developments show how quickly military action is spreading beyond individual targets and affecting shipping, energy infrastructure, and neighboring countries.

Texas high school students will compare capitalism with socialism and communism while learning to budget, save, invest and build a business plan after the State Board of Education adopted new personal financial literacy standards.

Board members approved the half-credit Applied Personal Financial Literacy standards on September 4, completing more than a year of work on a broader K-12 social studies revision, SBOE Chairman Aaron Kinsey (R-District 15) announced Tuesday.

“One of the vital aspects of our PFL standards is that students understand the financial impact on their economic future under capitalism compared to socialism and communism. There is no better way to teach a lesson than to make it personal, and financial outcomes vary greatly under these different economic models,” Kinsey said in the release.

Financial skills meet economic systems

The board’s posted standards direct students to contrast free enterprise with socialist and communist economic systems. Students will examine how differences in economic freedom and individual decision-making affect private property, freedom of choice, voluntary exchange and wealth building.

Course requirements also cover financial goals, household budgets, consumer choices, credit and debt, insurance, taxes, retirement, saving and investing, and entrepreneurship. Students will develop a business plan applying personal finance concepts such as income projections, budgeting, responsible use of debt, saving, investing and long-term wealth building.

The standards implement HB 27, a 2025 law that replaced the prior half-credit economics requirement with personal financial literacy for covered students. It also requires the SBOE to allow an Advanced Placement course with substantially similar and rigorous content to satisfy the requirement.

Yearlong K-12 revision closes

The September 4 action also finalized U.S. History, U.S. Government, World History and World Geography, completing the social studies revision after the board adopted K-8 standards and a separate required reading list in June.

“These updated social studies TEKS represent Texas’ commitment to rigorous learning, with a central emphasis on the foundations of Western Civilization and the values that shaped America’s and Texas’ founding. Texas students will graduate with a solid understanding of our history, our republican form of government, and our exceptional place in the world,” Kinsey said.

Board materials state that the history standards also implement House Bill 824, which added civics topics, and Senate Bill 24, which requires instruction about communist regimes and ideologies for students in grades 4-12.

As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the high school standards address Mohammed’s military campaigns and the role of jihad in Islamic expansion, alongside Christianity’s influence on Western civilization and America’s founding.

They also cover communist regimes and compare communism with individual rights, merit-based advancement and free enterprise.

CAIR-Texas and CAIR Action Texas opposed the high school standards, arguing in a joint statement that they mischaracterize Islam and diminish Black and Palestinian history. The groups said they would work to overturn the standards before classroom implementation.

Gov. Greg Abbott designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations under Texas law in November 2025. The governor’s office said the designation authorizes heightened enforcement against both organizations and their affiliates and prohibits them from acquiring land in Texas. CAIR rejected Abbott’s allegations and called the proclamation unlawful and defamatory.

Texas districts will begin using the K-8 standards in classrooms in 2030-31 and the four newly adopted high school courses in 2033-34.

Provided by Dallas Express