On Friday, the Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. Reciprocal tariffs (ranging from 34% on Chinese goods to a 10% baseline tariff on imports) and 25% fentanyl-related tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico were declared unconstitutional in a 6-3 vote.
Despite tariff rates being the highest they’ve been in a century, they’re still just a small share of government revenue, about 5%. It’s also been shown that US businesses, and sometimes their customers, are taking the brunt of the impact. If businesses aren’t eating the higher costs, it’s being passed on to the customers. Americans have seen an increase in grocery prices since tariffs were implemented.
After the Supreme Court decision was announced, Trump said he plans to impose a 10% worldwide tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Fact check: Under that particular section, those taxes can only be imposed for 150 days.
It’s unclear whether any refunds from the billions of dollars collected from importers are on the table, but only time will tell if this move will help improve affordability in the US.
In case you missed it: The most clicked link from Friday’s edition was about what’s new at the rodeo.
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Since we had a short week, I want to keep the conversation going about the SAVE Act, which goes before the Senate this week. The bill aims to keep noncitizens from registering to vote, and could harm married women, people of color, and transgender Americans, according to critics.
Fact check: Issues of noncitizens trying to vote are super rare.
This week, I want to know:
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Would the SAVE Act help or harm voters?
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Here’s what you’re saying:
“I’m for it. It would keep non US citizens from voting. We have to show ID for everything else, why not voting. (it’s because the Dems want to cheat)” — Wayne W.
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🏫 Just across from Primrose Schools in the Woodlands, an ICE facility is gearing up to open. Cesar Espinosa, with Immigrant Families and Students in the Fight, says this move opens the door for more child detainments despite its illegality.
🏆 Politicians, a Grammy-award-winning gospel singer, and an NFL coach were among the crowd at the Black History Month Celebration, gathered to celebrate Black excellence as the nation marks 100 years of Black History Month. Learn more about the honorees.
🍖 Ready, set, get smoking—the 2026 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest kicks off Feb. 26, and marks the start of rodeo season. (Houston Chronicle)
🙏 Galveston ISD has become the latest district to not implement school prayer periods, which became legal under Senate Bill 11. Houston, Alief, Conroe, Cypress-Fairbanks, Humble, Katy, and Spring ISDs have also rejected the periods. (Houston Public Media)
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By Katie Serrano
Tiffany Perkinz is a mother, former English teacher, and owns her own tutoring business. Now, she’s fighting for a chance to put a dent in the Republican-dominated Texas State Board of Education.
Perkinz is running in the Democratic primary for the SBOE in District 7, which represents parts of Beaumont, Galveston, and Pearland. She will face five other Democrats—Adam Khan, Ben Estrada, Janell Burse, and Debra Drake Ambroise—on March 3. Her hope is to unseat Republican incumbent Julie Pickren in the general election on Nov. 3.
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Tiffany Perkinz is running in the Democratic primary for the SBOE in District 7, which represents parts of Beaumont, Galveston, and Prairieland. (Courtesy of Perkinz campaign)
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“ I think that it’s important that we flip as many seats in Texas as possible to save the state—and the nation—from MAGA, Christian-nationalist agendas,” Perkinz told COURIER Texas.
”The representation that they have right now is not focused on what constituents want, instead they’re answering to what a very narrow group of people want,” she added. “The things they’re pushing through are not popular.”
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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Sierra Rozen with reporting by Katie Serrano. It was edited by Paula Solis.
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