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Baylor DACA Expert Comments Following Trump's Announcement Re: Dreamers Program

Baylor Law School Professor Laura Hernandez, J.D., is an expert on DACA and the founder of the Baylor Law Immigration Clinic, which has assisted hundreds of Waco area residents – a number who are Dreamers – with immigration needs. She shared the following statement re: President Trump’s DACA announcement. “It is unfortunate that President Trump has chosen to withdraw authorization for the DACA program, a hugely successful program that allowed around 800,000 children and young adults to make a meaningful contribution to the country they love. The only country they have known. Moreover, DACA recipients have never threatened national security. Now, it is time for Congress to act to preserve the status of these DACA recipients while giving them a path to legal residency. Congress should resist allowing the Trump administration to use the fate of these ‘Dreamers’ as a bargaining chip for the construction of a wall that brings no greater safety to the United States, but does cost the American taxpayer millions of dollars in unnecessary expense.” Source:

North Korea Rejects South Korea's Call For Talks: How High Will Tensions Escalate?

North Korea has been in the news a lot lately. Saber rattling, political posturing and missile testing by the hermit state have led to escalating tensions between the United States, South Korea and even neighbouring China. Earlier this month, Pyongyang claimed it successfully tested an ICBM, for the first time, of the type that experts believe could reach Alaska. But as the situation looked to boil over, tensions may have had a chance at simmering. Tongilgak - a North Korean building in the Panmunjom compound in the demilitarized zone between the two countries, which has been used for previous negotiations, was suggested by the South Koreans as a destination for talks between North and South Korea aiming to stop 'all hostile activities that raise military tension.' By early Friday morning, all intelligence indicated – that offer was rejected. The two countries that have been bitter enemies since 1950 remain opposed and unwilling to compromise. There’s a lot at stake – safety, the threat of global war and between the two countries, some families are still divided and incapable of meeting after more than half a century. So, is there a chance the two sides can find a diplomatic solution? Is this rejection just another tactic by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to leverage more from the west in order to speak? Does North Korea have the ability to launch a missile that may reach American soil? There’s a lot more to this new alignment than a simple agreement and that’s where Missouri State University experts can help. Dr. Dennis Hickey is a global studies expert specializing in Asian politics and American foreign policy. He is a go-to source when media agencies require clear perspective and answers regarding this complex situation and region. Dr. Hickey is available for interviews. Click on his icon to contact him. Source:

Baylor DACA Expert Comments on Trump's Decision to Continue 'Dreamers' Program

Professor Laura Hernández’s legal scholarship has focused on issues facing recent immigrants to the United States. She is a recognized expert on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Hernández is also the founder of the Baylor Law Immigration Clinic. To date, students volunteering at the clinic have assisted approximately 300 Waco area residents with their immigration needs. Regarding President Trump's decision to continue the Obama-era program, Hernandez said: "While it is laudable that President Trump has recognized all of the benefits that the DACA program has brought to America, it would be most reassuring if he committed that decision to an Executive Order, or even a presidential memorandum. President Trump should also consider adopting the broadened DACA program put forth in 2015, which allows more children to qualify for this invaluable prosecutorial discretion. It is time to allow these children , educated in the United States, to contribute to our country in the fullest manner possible." Source:

Q&A: Baylor Professor and Author Talks about ‘Living with the Living Dead’

Quick, before it’s too late! May is Zombie Awareness Month — so it’s high time for people to prepare for a zombie pandemic. But that’s more than a heads-up for those who are passionate about zombies. Those who yawn at the notion of zombies also have reason to take notice, suggests pop culture critic Greg Garrett, Ph.D., of Baylor University. To answer the question of “Why should we care?” when it comes to zombies, he advises looking deep inside ourselves. Garrett is author of the new book “Living with the Living Dead: The Wisdom of the Zombie Apocalypse” — one of three trade books featured in the United States for 2017 by Oxford University Press, one of the world’s largest academic publishers. Garrett, professor of English in Baylor’s College of Arts & Science, shared some of his thoughts about zombies past, present and future in this Q&A Source:

Zika – A Permanent Threat?

With the return of warm weather and mosquitoes, the Zika virus is also sure to make a comeback in the United States. Spread through the bite of a mosquito, Zika can cause fever, rash, headache, joint pain, conjunctivitis and muscle pain in those infected, and unborn children are at the highest risk. Zika – which can cause birth defects and encephalitis in unborn children – was found in pregnant woman in 44 states across America. Last year 77 unborn children died in the womb due to Zika, and 51 others were born with Zika-related birth defects in the United States alone. Furthermore, a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that one in 10 pregnant women with Zika gave birth to a child with serious birth defects. Zika may be a new reality during the spring and summer, and it’s likely not going away. But what can be done? Is there a vaccine? Are there ways to prevent the spread of the virus? What should young mothers do and who is the most at risk? There are many questions and much to learn. This is where the experts at Augusta University can help. Dr. Jose Vazquez is an expert in the realm of infectious diseases. He studies and treats infectious diseases, including antibiotic-resistant superbugs and fungal infections. A leader in his field and a go-to expert for media regarding this topic, Dr. Vasquez is available to speak with media regarding the Zika virus. Click on his icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Super Bowl is over. Is it time to kick-off a healthier lifestyle?

The big game is over and football players have hung up their cleats for another season. Odds are just about everyone had their fill of food. And with that, perhaps it is time to put away the snacks and call time out on the junk food as well? In America, heart disease remains the leading cause of death for all adults in the United States. Most of these deaths could be prevented by simple changes to diet, lifestyle and increased physical activity. But it’s not as simple as it sounds. What to eat, when to eat and how to eat are all factors in changing habits and leading a healthier, longer life. Natalie Allen is a clinical instructor in biomedical sciences at Missouri State University. She is also the lead dietitian for all MSU athletes. She is an expert in this area and is available to speak to media. Click on Allen's icon to arrange an interview. Source:

Expert Perspective: From Texas to the World: The Energy Lesson Emerging From the Iran War

As global markets feel the ripple effects of the Iran war, a recent Fort Worth Star-Telegram feature highlights a critical lesson emerging from Texas: energy resilience depends on diversification. Drawing on more than two decades of policy, infrastructure investment, and market-driven growth, the state has built one of the most robust and flexible energy systems in North America - one that blends traditional fossil fuels with rapidly scaled renewable sources like wind. Dr. Mike Slattery of Texas Christian University’s Ralph Lowe Energy Institute points to Texas as a case study in how diversified energy systems can withstand extreme pressure - from geopolitical shocks to record-breaking demand. The state’s ability to avoid emergency conservation alerts, even during peak stress periods, reflects long-term strategic decisions and market alignment rather than short-term fixes. "Texas’s energy story is one of scale and speed," says Slattery. "The state’s grid operator, ERCOT, now manages roughly 90% of the state’s electrical load, and in the first nine months of 2025, that grid saw the fastest demand growth of any in the United States, up 23% compared with the same period in 2021. Wind and solar together met 36% of that surging demand, with utility-scale solar generating 50% more electricity than the prior year. Wind capacity, meanwhile, has grown from just 116 megawatts in 1999 to more than 40,000 megawatts today. Battery storage is now doubling year over year. These aren’t incremental gains. I believe they are the fingerprints of a system deliberately built to flex. One number really tells the story. About 90% of projects lined up for connection to the Texas grid are wind, solar, or battery storage. This reveals where investors believe the fastest, cheapest growth lies." Professor Mike Slattery is Director of the Institute for Environmental Studies and Lead Scientist on the TCU-Oxford-Nextera Wind Research Initiative at Texas Christian University. View his profile The Texas system didn’t emerge by accident. It was built in two deliberate stages. In 1999, Texas enacted one of the country’s first Renewable Portfolio Standards, a market signal that set a direction and let private capital follow. The state blew past its 2025 renewable energy target by 2009, sixteen years early. The second stage was infrastructure. The Competitive Renewable Energy Zones project — a nearly $7 billion transmission investment — physically connected wind-rich West Texas to the population centers in the east, building over 3,500 miles of high-voltage lines before developers were even required to commit. Policy led (interestingly, Republican policy) and then investment followed. "For policymakers watching global energy markets destabilize in real time, my read on the Texas model is direct: diversification isn’t an environmental argument — it’s a security argument. The lesson isn’t to replicate Texas, but to absorb its logic. Build transmission infrastructure ahead of demand. Set policy direction without picking winners and not based on ideology. And resist the temptation to anchor a grid to any single fuel source, because a grid with one input is a grid with one vulnerability." For journalists covering global energy volatility, supply disruptions, or the long-term implications of conflict, this story underscores a larger truth: resilience isn’t built overnight. It’s the result of sustained investment, policy alignment, and a willingness to embrace multiple energy pathways, lessons that are increasingly relevant as countries around the world scramble to stabilize supply and control costs.