It's state vs. federal government in Texas buoy case

+ judge refuses to sign off on Hunter's plea deal US Edition - Today's top story: Federal government is challenging Texas setting up buoys in the Rio Grande – here's why these kinds of border blockades wind up complicating immigration enforcement [View in browser]( US Edition | 27 July 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Progressives should be wary of joining forces with Disney]( - [Inside the world of dip hop, where rappers rhyme in sign language]( - [Why one church decided to make it as easy as possible for people to become ordained]( Lead story I reported on immigration in southern Arizona several years ago and still think about the desert’s unforgiving landscape. Local aid workers led me through a popular, remote path for migrants that was littered with empty plastic water jugs, worn sneakers and wooden crosses planted in the dirt, marking the memory of those who did not survive the treacherous journey through the arid mountains to the U.S. People often embark on this journey to save their lives or the lives of their children. And so when I saw the large orange buoys that Texas officials had lined up in the Rio Grande, I instantly recognized this as an attention-grabbing measure, unlikely to actually stop migrants who desperately wanted to cross the river and enter the U.S. I reached out to immigration law scholar Jean Lantz Reisz for more context. She explained how the move could, in fact, backfire: The orange buoys – now the subject of a lawsuit the federal government has launched against the state of Texas – [could end up impeding immigration enforcement]( rather than help secure the borders. [ [Miss us on Sundays? Get a selection of our best and most popular stories (or try our other weekly emails).]([]]( Amy Lieberman Politics + Society Editor Buoy barriers are shown in the middle of the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, on July 18, 2023. Brandon Bell/Getty Images [Federal government is challenging Texas setting up buoys in the Rio Grande – here’s why these kinds of border blockades wind up complicating immigration enforcement]( Jean Lantz Reisz, University of Southern California Setting up buoys in a section of the Rio Grande is more likely to result in migrants seeking pathways elsewhere, rather than deterring migration altogether. Politics + Society - [Hunter Biden’s plea agreement renegotiation is rare – a law professor explains what usually happens]( Lorna Grisby, The Conversation Plea deals are common in American criminal courts. But in the federal government’s tax case against Hunter Biden, the judge refused to sign off on a deal. - [Alabama is not the first state to defy a Supreme Court ruling: 3 essential reads on why that matters]( Howard Manly, The Conversation As a powerful branch of government, the Supreme Court has enormous power over public policy only if defendants comply with its rulings. Ethics + Religion - [Just about anybody in America can officiate a wedding, thanks to the internet – and one determined preacher]( Dusty Hoesly, University of California, Santa Barbara A professor who has researched the Universal Life Church unpacks why many couples now prefer to hand-pick loved ones to perform their ceremonies. Arts + Culture - [Deaf rappers who lay down rhymes in sign languages are changing what it means for music to be heard]( Katelyn Best, West Virginia University Dip hop artists move across the stage, hands flying through the air, as audiences pulse to the rhythm of a blasting bass beat. Economy + Business - [Progressives’ embrace of Disney in battle with DeSantis over LGBTQ rights comes with risks]( Steven Gerencser, Indiana University Progressives have cheered Disney in its battle with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over LGBTQ rights. But joining forces with corporations poses risks when principles no longer align with profits. - [Hypocrisy penalty: Investors especially hate companies that say they’re good then behave badly – unless the money is good]( Brian L. Connelly, Auburn University; Lori Trudell, Clemson University A new study finds that investors punish companies for behaving badly over three times as much if they have a record of saying they’re virtuous. Education - [I’ve taught in prisons for 15 years – here’s what schools need to know as government funding expands]( Nicholas De Dominic, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Only 218 programs offer credit-bearing college programs in prison. That’s about to change. Science + Technology - [Your genetic code has lots of ‘words’ for the same thing – information theory may help explain the redundancies]( Subhash Kak, Oklahoma State University Many of the amino acids that make up proteins are encoded by genetic material in more than one way. An information theorist explains how principles of nature may account for this variance. Environment + Energy - [4 factors driving 2023’s extreme heat and climate disasters]( Michael Wysession, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis The bad news: This extreme heat is probably going to stick around for a couple more years. International - [Israel: unpopular judicial reform involves repeal of law set up under British colonial rule in Palestine – here’s what that tells us]( Anne Irfan, UCL The state of Israel was partly built on principles established by the British empire. It has just struck down the law that underpinned democracy in the country. Trending on site - [Is it really hotter now than any time in 100,000 years?]( - [Blame capitalism? Why hundreds of decades-old yet vital drugs are nearly impossible to find]( - [How the Soviets stole nuclear secrets and targeted Oppenheimer, the ‘father of the atomic bomb’]( Today's graphic 📈 [If international shipping were a country, it would be among the top 10 carbon dioxide emitters, based on 2021 annual emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industry measured in metric tons.]( From the story, [Global shipping has a new climate strategy – it’s vague, obscure and almost noncommittal, but it may be pointing the industry in the right direction]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? 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