During a tense debate with U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, Flores attacked Gonzalez for being soft on border security, then suggested requiring residents to prove citizenship in some instances was appropriate.

Some migrants are willing to risk walking through a dangerous stretch of rough terrain in a vast valley of Texas ranchlands and brush to avoid detection by border authorities.

During the February winter storm that left millions of Texans without access to electricity or water, testing rates dipped below 50,000 tests per day on average for the first time since September. Testing levels rebounded after the winter storm, but the number of tests reported in March is still significantly lower than during December, January and February at the peak of the pandemic in Texas. Testing rates are down across the country as well, which concerns some experts who say testing is crucial for identifying new cases and stopping the virus’ spread, but also reflects the overall improvement the country is seeing in terms of cases and vaccinations. AdWhen transmission rates drop, testing rates will follow, said Dr. Mary Peterson, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Driscoll Health System in Corpus Christi. Peterson said in January and February, when infections were soaring and people were traveling for the holidays, testing reflected people’s anxiety.