“During this year’s successful legislative session, we passed record funding for Healthy Texas Women to ensure that women across our great state continue to have access to essential health services,” said Governor Abbott. Image for illustration purposes
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AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has announced the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Healthy Texas Women federal Medicaid demonstration waiver is renewed through June 30, 2030, following approval by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
“During this year’s successful legislative session, we passed record funding for Healthy Texas Women to ensure that women across our great state continue to have access to essential health services,” said Governor Abbott. “By securing this waiver extension through 2030, Texas will further support the health and well-being of women, especially those most vulnerable amongst us. I thank President Donald Trump and his Administration for approving this waiver and supporting our state’s efforts to provide high-quality healthcare to Texas women and foster a culture of life.”
“We’re thankful to Governor Abbott and the Texas Legislature for their ongoing support in providing Texas women with crucial preventive and family planning services,” said HHS Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young.
Healthy Texas Women provides women’s health and family planning services to eligible, low-income women. These services include pregnancy testing, contraception, screening and treatment for postpartum depression, and breast and cervical cancer screenings.
Eligible Texas women will continue receiving services through Healthy Texas Women, and enrolled providers will continue to receive reimbursement for covered services.
In fiscal year 2023, more than 430,000 women on average were enrolled in Healthy Texas Women. For more information, visit the HHSC Healthy Texas Women website.
Texas residents can dial 2-1-1 to learn about HHSC programs and services or follow HHSC on social media.
“This significant legislation includes key provisions I have championed that put Texans first, and soon we will vote to send it over to the House and on to President Trump’s desk to become law.” — Senator Cornyn. Image: YouTube via Senator Cornyn’s office
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WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) released the following statement after the Senate voted to proceed to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and video of the Senator’s remarks prior to the vote can be found here:
“Senate Republicans are one step closer to delivering on President Trump’s agenda by advancing the One Big Beautiful Bill, which will avoid a massive tax increase on Texas families, secure our southern border, remove burdensome taxes on Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights, and chart our country on a path toward fiscal sanity after years of frivolous spending in Washington under Joe Biden,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This significant legislation includes key provisions I have championed that put Texans first, and soon we will vote to send it over to the House and on to President Trump’s desk to become law.”
Background:
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act contains the following provisions championed by Sen. Cornyn:
$13.5 billion to reimburse states like Texas for stepping up and trying to secure the southern border during the Biden-Harris administration;
Language that would result in the consideration of movement of the Space Shuttle Discovery from Virginia to its rightful home near the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston;
His Stop Funding Genital Mutilation Act, which would prohibit federal funding from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from going toward gender transition procedures at any age;
A modified version of his Small Business Investment Act, which would make it easier for small and start-up businesses to access the financing they need to grow and succeed;
Provisions from his Feral Swine Eradication Act to provide $105 million to the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program;
And the reduction of burdensome taxes on certain firearms and silencers to $0.
It also includes the following tax provisions to benefit Texas families:
Prevents a more-than $3,000 tax hike on the average Texas family;
Protects more than half a million Texas jobs from being lost;
Ensures more than 3.7 million Texas households’ child tax credit is not cut in half;
Shields more than two million Texas small business owners from a massive tax hike;
Makes sure more than 12 million Texas families’ standard deduction is not cut in half;
Establishes work requirements for able-bodied adults who are choosing not to work and do not have dependent children or elderly parents in their care;
And ensures no taxes on tips or overtime for millions of tipped and hourly workers.
The bill also makes historic investments in border security through the following provisions:
$46.5 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) to build the border wall and associated infrastructure like access roads, cameras, lights, and sensors;
$4.1 billion for a border personnel surge;
$45 billion for the detention of illegal migrants;
$6 billion for improvements to surveillance at the border;
Funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to increase staffing and enhance migrant screening and vetting processes;
Resources for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to increase recruitment, onboarding, and retention of ICE staff;
Funding for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to hire more immigration judges and staff to address the yearslong backlog of immigration petitions, cases, and orders of removals and investigate and prosecute immigration matters;
And additional resources for police and law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.
Senator John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas, is a member of the Senate Finance, Judiciary, Intelligence, Foreign Relations, and Budget Committees.
Sailors render military honors during the funeral of Seaman Angelina Resendiz as family, friends, and community members stand in solemn tribute. The flag-draped casket is surrounded by uniformed personnel and loved ones dressed in white—her favorite color. (Photo courtesy of Stefany Rosales, Facebook)
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On Saturday, June 27, 2025, the city of Brownsville came together to lay Seaman Angelina Resendiz to rest in a moving ceremony marked by military tradition, emotional tributes, and a growing call for reform. The funeral was held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where hundreds of mourners—family, friends, service members, and local residents—gathered to honor the 21-year-old sailor whose life ended under tragic and still-unresolved circumstances.
Angelina’s casket, draped in the American flag, was carried by U.S. Navy pallbearers and accompanied by full military honors, including a 21-gun salute, the sounding of Taps, and a flag-folding ceremony. The folded flag was presented to her mother, Esmerelda Cantu Castle, who stood beside her daughter’s casket wearing white, Angelina’s favorite color. As grief overtook her, Esmerelda expressed the surreal pain of the moment: “It’s still unreal… every time it crosses my mind, like, ‘Angie’s in there.’”
A powerful and emotional moment during the funeral service for U.S. Navy Seaman Angelina “Angie” Petra Resendiz, held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Price Road in Brownsville. Her mother, Esmerelda Cantu Castle, receives the folded American flag in solemn tribute to her daughter’s service and sacrifice. (Photo by Ray Quiroga, Facebook)
Beyond the sorrow, the gathering carried a more profound message. Veterans and advocacy organizations in attendance used the occasion to question the Navy’s handling of Angelina’s disappearance and death. The family alleges that her case was not treated with urgency, and her mother has led calls for transparency and accountability from military leadership.
The funeral was followed by a candlelight vigil at the Brownsville Event Center, where speakers—including Angelina’s sister—remembered her as vibrant, strong, and full of light. “She hated darkness,” her sister said. “She loved the light.”
The ceremony served not only as a farewell, but as a public stand for change. The community’s response reflected both the heartbreak of loss and a unified demand that the military do better in protecting its own, especially young women like Seaman Resendiz.
Pictured above are Congressman Henry Cuellar, Esmerelda Cantu Castle, the mother of U.S. Navy sailor Angelina Resendiz. Courtesy image
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Congressman Henry Cuellar met recently with Esmerelda Cantu Castle, the mother of U.S. Navy sailor Angelina Resendiz, whose death near Naval Station Norfolk in early June has raised serious concerns about the Navy’s response procedures in missing-person cases. The meeting included Larry Romo of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Richard Gonzalez of the American GI Forum, two national advocacy groups calling for justice and accountability.
Congressman Cuellar posted on social media, “This week I met with Esmerelda Cantu Castle, the mother of Navy sailor Angelina Resendiz, alongside Larry Romo representing LULAC, and Richard Gonzalez of American GI Forum. Angelina was a bright young Texan whose life was tragically cut short in Norfolk. Her death has left a grieving family searching for answers.”
In Washington, Congressman Henry Cuellar meets with Esmerelda Cantu Castle, mother of U.S. Navy sailor Angelina Resendiz, alongside Larry Romo of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Richard Gonzalez of the American GI Forum, to address calls for transparency and reform in the military’s handling of missing service members. Courtesy image
Angelina Petra Resendiz, 21, was last seen leaving her barracks on May 29, 2025. Her body was discovered on June 9 in a wooded area near her duty station in Norfolk, Virginia. Her mother has publicly criticized the Navy and NCIS for what she described as a delayed and dismissive response, claiming officials initially treated her daughter as absent without leave (AWOL) and failed to act quickly enough.
Congressman Cuellar has joined a bipartisan call for accountability. “I’m joining my Democratic and Republican colleagues in calling for a full briefing and complete transparency from the Navy,” he wrote. “As investigations continue, families like Esmerelda’s deserve to be kept informed every step of the way.”
During the June 25 press conference in Washington, D.C., LULAC and other advocates demanded a full independent investigation into the Navy’s handling of Resendiz’s disappearance. Cuellar’s private meeting with Castle just days later reinforced the urgency of that demand.
“Let me be clear: I stand with Esmerelda in demanding change,” Cuellar emphasized. “When a service member goes missing, the response must be swift; families must be notified immediately, and every effort must be made to ensure their safety.”
To date, no official Navy or NCIS statements have addressed Cuellar’s meeting or responded publicly to the accusations raised by the Resendiz family. The Department of the Navy has not issued a press release regarding the investigation’s status, and NCIS has not commented since initial confirmation of the sailor’s death.
Though the American GI Forum joined the advocacy push with LULAC and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), it has yet to release an official public statement. Their presence at the June 25 meeting with Angelina’s mom signals a growing coalition pressing for structural reforms in military reporting and response systems.
“Our military families deserve urgency, honesty, and compassion,” Cuellar concluded. “I’ll keep working to ensure Angelina’s legacy leads to real reform and a more accountable, responsive military for all.”
The Congressman’s meeting, though not accompanied by a formal press release, reflects an intensifying national conversation about the treatment of women and minorities in the armed services, particularly in the wake of other high-profile failures to act swiftly in missing-person cases. Cuellar’s public stance indicates that pressure on military leadership will likely continue until meaningful changes are implemented.
The lives of workers collecting the trash and debris next to live traffic are put at risk when drivers don’t move over or slow down. Image: Screenshot from TxDOT video
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TxDOT – Earlier this week, a vehicle struck a TxDOT contractor collecting debris from I-2, in Mercedes. The crash caused a 2-hour closure of the expressway and a diesel spill. On the heels of that incident, TxDOT is reminding the public about the Move Over Slow Down law which requires drivers to move over one lane or slow down 20 mph below the posted speed limit whenever they see law enforcement, tow trucks, utility vehicles, emergency responders and TxDOT vehicles stopped with their overhead lights activated. Drivers who fail to do so can be fined up to $1,250 for the first offense. Drivers who cause serious injuries while neglecting the law may face jail time and a fine up to $4,000.
TxDOT is also reminding drivers to secure their loads for safer roads. Property not properly stowed or tied down in vehicles can fly out and seriously injure people and damage other vehicles. Statewide, TxDOT spends 50 million dollars a year collecting debris from state highways. Items include mattresses, ladders, construction materials, ice chests and piles of trash that intentionally or unintentionally flies out of vehicles.
The lives of workers collecting the trash and debris next to live traffic are put at risk when drivers don’t move over or slow down
U.S. Border Patrol Big Bend Sector conducts a horse patrol graduation ceremony at Sul Ross State University arena in Alpine, Texas to award horse patrol pins to five agents who successfully completed the horse patrol training course. For more than 100 years, the U.S. Border Patrol has conducted mounted patrols along the border to protect the nation. (Photo credit: U.S. Border Patrol)
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MARFA, Texas — The U.S. Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector Horse Patrol Unit partnered with Sul Ross State University to host its first ever agent training and graduation ceremony at the university’s arena
Photo credit: U.S. Border Patrol
This marks the first time the arena has been used by U.S. Border Patrol for this purpose; providing a professional horse training arena for the newest graduates of Horse Patrol Program.
Photo credit: U.S. Border Patrol
The graduating class of seven agents has undergone intensive training and instruction in horsemanship, field tracking, remote-area patrol tactics, and emergency response—all vital skills needed to operate in the challenging terrain of the Big Bend region.
Photo credit: U.S. Border Patrol
This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to excellence in training community engagement and public service. The U.S. Border Patrol’s Horse Patrol Unit continues to be one of the most iconic and effective methods for securing some of the nation’s most remote borderlands, and this graduation highlights the next generation of agents ready to uphold that legacy.
Judicial Watch announced it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for all records regarding Biden era Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Images: Public Domain. Bgd for illustration purposes
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Judicial Watch
WASHINGTON, DC – Judicial Watch announced it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for all records regarding Biden era Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) subpoenas, warrants, court orders and other authorizations obtained to surveil President Trump (Judicial Watch Inc. v. U.S. Department of Justice(No. 1:25-cv-01969)).
In July 2018, a Judicial Watch FOIA lawsuit forced the release of the FISA warrant applications targeting Carter Page, who had been a Trump campaign adviser. This was the first time in history that such FISA records were publicly released. (The following month, the Justice Department admitted in a court filing that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court held no hearings on the FISA spy warrant applications targeting Page.)
Judicial Watch sued the Justice Department after it failed to respond to a May 2, 2025, FOIA request for:
Copies of proposed and/or final subpoenas, warrants, court orders (including but not limited to any grand jury, state or federal court, FISA and FISC), or other authorizations obtained to surveil Donald Trump, or any other person or entity in any investigation where Donald Trump was the target of the investigation from January 20, 2021, through January 20, 2025. This includes but is not limited to surveillance of electronics, cloud-based accounts, phone records, and wiretaps.
Copies of all responses to the above-mentioned applications in which the authorizing body (court or grand jury, etc.) notified the FBI or Justice Department that it would not grant the proposed applications or recommended changes. If any such responses were provided orally, rather than in writing, please provide copies of FBI or Justice Department records memorializing or otherwise referencing the relevant responses.
Copies of all orders relating to the above-mentioned applications, whether granting or denying the applications and certifications, denying the orders, modifying the orders, granting the orders, or other types of orders.
“I have zero doubt – every reason to believe – the Biden gang was spying on Trump and his team,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The Justice Department should follow federal FOIA law and release all documents about such abuse as soon as possible.”
In his book Rights and Freedoms in Peril Fitton details a long chain of abuses officials and politicians have made against the American people and calls readers to battle for “the soul and survival of America.”
Judicial Watch has several FOIA lawsuits, some of which are described below, related to the unprecedented prosecutorial abuse and weaponization targeting Trump.
In March 2025, Judicial Watch sued the Justice Department for details of any investigations, inquiries, or referrals concerning potential misconduct of any person working for Special Counsel Jack Smith (Judicial Watch Inc. v U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:25-cv-00801)).
In March 2025, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis was ordered to turn over 212 pages of records to a state court judge. The court also ordered Willis to detail how the records were found and the reason for withholding them from the public. The records were belatedly found in response to a Judicial Watch request and lawsuit for communications with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee. Previously, the Superior Court in Fulton County, GA, issued an ordergranting $21,578 “attorney’s fees and costs” in the open records lawsuit for communications Willis had with Special Counsel Jack Smith and the House January 6 Committee. Judicial Watch received payment (Judicial Watch Inc. v. Fani Willis et al.(No. 24-CV-002805)).
In February 2025, federal court ordered the Justice Department to provide information on communications between Special Counsel Jack Smith and District Attorney Fani Willis regarding the prosecution of then-former President Donald Trump. The U.S. Justice Department had continued to object to providing any information even after its prosecutions against Trump were shut down (Judicial Watch v U.S. Department of Justice (No. 23-cv-03110).
In February 2024, the Justice Department asked a federal court to allow the agency to keep secret the names of top staffers working in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office that is targeting former President Donald Trump and other Americans (Judicial Watch Inc. v U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:23-cv-01485)).
Through the New York Freedom of Information Law, in July 2023, Judicial Watch received the engagement letter showing New York County District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg paid $900 per hour for partners and $500 per hour for associates to the Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law firm for the purpose of suing Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) in an effort to shut down the House Judiciary Committee’s oversight investigation into Bragg’s unprecedented indictment of former President Donald Trump.
FBI and IRS-CI agents arrested multiple people today for their roles in a $93 million COVID-19 tax credit fraud scheme—considered to be the largest ever identified. Two of the defendants are also charged for attempting to murder the ringleader of the scheme. Image for illustration purposes
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Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
FBI and IRS-CI agents arrested multiple people today for their roles in a $93 million COVID-19 tax credit fraud scheme—considered to be the largest ever identified. Two of the defendants are also charged for attempting to murder the ringleader of the scheme.
On June 11, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment in Los Angeles that was unsealed today charging four defendants with conspiracy to commit mail fraud; mail fraud; and conspiracy to submit false claims. Two of the defendants are also charged with attempting to kill a witness and using a firearm in furtherance of that crime.
Those charged in the indictment are:
Kristerpher Turner, aka “Kris Turner,” “Red,” “Red Boy,” and “Bullet,” 52, of Harbor City, California.
Toriano Knox, aka “Scooby,” and “Dwight,” 55, of Los Angeles, California.
Kenya Jones, aka “Kenya Emua Jones,” and “Kenya Hunt,” 46, of Compton, California.
Joyce Johnson, a.k.a. “Ms. Jay,” 55, of Victorville, California.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress authorized tax credits, including “sick and family wage credits,” otherwise known as Coronavirus Response Credits, to help alleviate the impact of COVID-19, via the Family First Coronavirus Response Act. Small businesses could seek refunds on business tax returns claiming the credit. Authorized tax credits would reimburse businesses for the wages paid to employees who could not work because of the pandemic.
According to the indictment, defendant Turner operated a tax fraud scheme whereby he and his co-conspirators would submit fraudulent forms to Coronavirus Response Credits for businesses, including bogus companies, that did not pay any sick and family wage credits to any employees at any time. Defendant Turner and his co-conspirators would submit these fraudulent filings on behalf of their own purported businesses, but also on behalf of others recruited to the scheme.
Defendant Turner would direct and manage recruiters, including defendant Knox and Jones, to recruit fraud clients, including romantic partners. According to the indictment, Jones recruited her family and friends to the fraud, resulting in false forms being submitted in the names of multiple businesses. Fraud clients would provide their personal identifying information to be used to establish fake businesses and prepare fraudulent tax filings. Others would provide information about preexisting businesses that were ineligible to receive Coronavirus Response Credits so that the co-conspirators could use that information to file fraudulent tax filings on behalf of those businesses.
Fraud participants would receive U.S. Treasury checks in the mail as a result of the conspiracy’s fraudulent tax filings and would attempt to deposit those Treasury Checks in business accounts opened in the name of the fake businesses at various banks.
For each fraud client that obtained Treasury checks through this conspiracy, defendant Turner would charge a percentage of the fraud proceeds that amounted to somewhere between 20 to 40 percent of funds received. Defendant Turner would direct fraud clients and his recruiters to pay a portion of the fraud proceeds to him personally or to entities controlled by him, or his co-conspirators, as kickbacks, including through cashiers’ checks, money transfer services, or cash.
In total, from approximately June 2020 and December 2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators submitted and caused the submission of fraudulent forms for at least 148 companies, seeking a total of approximately $247,956,938 in tax refunds to which they were not entitled. In reliance on the fraudulent forms and the false statements, the IRS issued Treasury checks in the total amount of at least approximately $93 million.
At some point during the scheme, the now-defendants learned that the IRS and others were making inquiries about their fraudulent activity. According to the indictment, on or about August 29, 2023, defendants Knox, Jones, and others known and unknown to the grand jury, attempted to kill defendant Kristerpher Turner in order to prevent him from speaking to law enforcement about the fraud. Turner was shot multiple times in broad daylight at an office park in Gardena. He survived and is paralyzed. Knox and Jones are also charged with using a firearm in the furtherance of a crime of violence.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of the charges, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each mail fraud charge. Knox and Jones would face life imprisonment on the firearm charge and 30 years on the attempted murder charge.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, TIGTA, and the IRS—Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Reidy and Haoxiaohan Cai of the Major Frauds Section, and Kevin J. Butler of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.
Information source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Chief Victor Rodriguez presents the annual crime report, pointing to his left with the steady focus of a hawk, zeroing in on the numbers that define McAllen’s public safety. Photo by Roberto Hugo González
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By Roberto Hugo González
June 26, 2025- At the recent McAllen Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Series event, Chief Victor Rodriguez shared new insights into the city’s auto theft trends, positioning McAllen as one of the safest cities in Texas in this category. The data presented was part of the 2024 Annual Crime Report, which highlighted sharp contrasts between McAllen and larger metropolitan areas such as Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.
According to Chief Rodriguez, McAllen recorded just 63 motor vehicle thefts in 2024. “That number may seem small—and it is,” he said. “But to fully understand how significant it is, you have to compare it with the rest of Texas.”
Commissioners Victor Haddad and Mike Castillo. Michelle Rivera Deputy City Manager, Chief Rodriguez, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos, Commissioner Tony Aguirre, and Jeremy Santoscoy, Director of Aviation. Photo by Roberto Hugo González
In his presentation, Rodriguez provided context. Houston reported more than 17,000 vehicle thefts in a single year. San Antonio exceeded 5,000, and Dallas logged over 13,000. “Houston is losing around 50 vehicles a day,” he explained. “San Antonio loses 38 a day. By comparison, we lose about five a month in McAllen.”
These numbers place McAllen far below the state’s largest cities, not only in raw totals but also in per capita terms. In 2023, Houston reported 866 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents. Dallas reported 1,400, while San Antonio reported 1,290. McAllen’s rate was only 63.
Rodriguez addressed the long-standing perception that border communities are more vulnerable to auto theft. “The assumption used to be that if a car was stolen in Texas, it probably ended up in Mexico and probably came from a border town,” he said. “But the data tells a very different story. We are not the problem area. We are the model.”
One reason McAllen’s numbers are so low is the department’s aggressive and proactive approach. Rodriguez noted that every day begins with a 7:15 a.m. briefing involving senior leadership. “We review data in real time,” he said. “Last June, we spotted an uptick in auto theft—not just here, but regionally. We coordinated with state and federal partners and brought it down quickly.”
Part of that effort included an unprecedented level of federal involvement in local motor vehicle theft cases. “We got federal prosecutors involved in car theft for the first time in a long time,” Rodriguez said. “That was a game-changer. The people stealing these cars don’t fear local consequences as much. But they fear federal charges.”
He also introduced a topic often overlooked in crime reports: false claims of auto theft. “What we’re seeing more and more is staged thefts,” he said. “My rough estimate is that one in every two auto theft reports we receive may turn out to be false, meaning the owner orchestrated the event or misrepresented it.”
Because McAllen has a low volume of reported thefts, detectives are able to investigate nearly every case thoroughly. “That kind of follow-up reveals things you wouldn’t see in larger cities with thousands of thefts overwhelming the system,” Rodriguez said. “Having time to do real investigations means we uncover fraud more often.”
The chief emphasized that this investigative bandwidth gives the department a unique advantage. “In many major cities, officers simply can’t get to every case. Here, we can. And when we do, we not only recover property—we also prevent insurance fraud and eliminate repeat abuse of the system.”
When asked what contributes to the success, Rodriguez credited McAllen’s structure, leadership consistency, and culture of accountability. “The only way to keep crime like auto theft under control is to stay on top of it every single day,” he said. “We don’t wait for spikes to happen—we act as soon as we detect a change.”
Rodriguez also noted that broader factors, including video surveillance, license plate readers, and community vigilance, support the department’s efforts. However, he made clear that results ultimately come down to organization and execution. “There’s no magic to this. It’s the result of good data, good people, and a good process.”
In conclusion, the report makes it evident that McAllen’s auto theft strategy is not only successful by local standards but is outperforming some of the most resource-rich police departments in the state. “If your car gets stolen in McAllen, we will likely investigate it thoroughly,” Rodriguez said. “That’s not something many cities can honestly say.”
Resendez brings nearly two decades of experience in local government finance and a proven track record of fiscal leadership to the role, where she oversees the city’s financial operations, including debt management, investments, and financial reporting. Courtesy images
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The City of McAllen is proud to announce the appointment of Sonia Resendez as its new Director of Finance, effective March 2025. Resendez brings nearly two decades of experience in local government finance and a proven track record of fiscal leadership to the role, where she oversees the city’s financial operations, including debt management, investments, and financial reporting.
“Properly managing the city’s finances is one of the most critical functions of municipal government, and I am proud that McAllen has the right person for this important job,” said McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. “Sonia’s experience, dedication, and proven success make her an outstanding choice to guide our financial future.”
Resendez has served the City of McAllen since January 2016, holding key positions including Assistant Investment Officer, Finance Manager, and most recently, Assistant Finance Director. In these roles, she has played an integral part in managing the City’s financial operations, investments, debt management, and the preparation of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
While serving as McAllen’s Assistant Investment Officer, she helped manage the city’s investment portfolio by working closely with investment officers to secure the best rates for the city. Under this stewardship, McAllen’s investment portfolio grew from $280 million to $470 million over 10 years. As Finance Manager, Resendez oversaw the Grants Division within the Finance Department, managing and overseeing grant funding that grew from $10 million in 2019 to a peak of $65 million in 2021, and $31 million in 2024.
She has also managed critical financial aspects of the McAllen Firemen’s Pension, the Anzalduas International Bridge, the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge and City of McAllen TIRZ (Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone).
“Sonia has demonstrated tremendous professionalism, integrity, and expertise throughout her career with the City of McAllen,” said City Manager Isaac J. Tawil. “The position of Finance Director carries incredible responsibility, as it safeguards our financial health and directly supports the services we provide to our residents. I am confident that Sonia’s leadership will ensure our city’s continued fiscal strength and transparency.”
Before joining McAllen, Resendez served as Director of Finance for both the City of Hidalgo and State Farm Arena (now Payne Arena). There, she successfully oversaw investments, audits, budgets and worked closely with event promoters to ensure accurate financial settlements.
“I am honored and excited to serve as Finance Director for the City of McAllen,” said Resendez. “It has been a privilege to work alongside such a talented team, and I look forward to continuing to uphold our city’s strong financial health while supporting the delivery of high-quality services to our community.”
Resendez earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas-Pan American, now UTRGV. She is married and the proud mother of two boys.
