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City leaders say they're equipped to handle planned protests this weekend in Houston, while Gov. Greg Abbott says he will deploy the Texas National Guard "to ensure peace & order."

Why it matters: Abbott's decision comes amid a national debate about the militarization of law enforcement and the rights of protestors as thousands are expected to protest during "No Kings Day" on Saturday.

Driving the news: The National Guard will be deployed across the state, Abbott posted on X late Tuesday night, saying he's instructed them to "use every tool & strategy to help law enforcement maintain order."

"Peaceful protest is legal. Harming a person or property is illegal & will lead to arrest."

Abbott didn't specify where troops will be deployed. 

Catch up quick: Protesters will march on Houston City Hall at 10am Saturday, part of the nationwide demonstration to counter President Trump's multimillion-dollar military parade in Washington, D.C.

Texas state troopers are monitoring planned events and "stand ready," the Department of Public Safety said Tuesday.

The White House has already deployed the National Guard and Marines in response to protests in Los Angeles against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.

Zoom in: Mayor John Whitmire and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo say law enforcement is ready to respond to potential unrest.

"I've monitored this very carefully. It's my highest responsibility," Whitmire told Houston City Council members Wednesday. "We will not tolerate civil disobedience."

The intrigue: U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Houston) sent a letter to Whitmire and county leadership this week offering federal assistance in quelling what he called "riots" on the horizon.

"Public servants, like us, must promote law and order and protect our city … from descending into violence and chaos like Los Angeles," Hunt wrote.

Yes, but: Whitmire declined to respond to Hunt's letter, telling council members Wednesday that Hunt's letter was "speaking about something that does not exist in Houston."

"I'm sorry about the turmoil in our nation, but it does not describe Houston," Whitmire said.

What we're watching: How Saturday's protest at City Hall unfolds and how law enforcement responds.

Houston readies for protests as Abbott deploys National Guard

Abbott's decision comes amid a national debate about the militarization of law enforcement.

Houston police responding to protests in 2020. Photo: Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

City leaders say they&#x27;re equipped to handle planned protests this weekend in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Houston" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/houston" data-vars-content-id="265fc37c-5805-4a98-a319-02829fddb6ca" data-vars-headline="Houston readies for protests as Abbott deploys National Guard" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/houston" target="_self">Houston</a>, while <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Gov. Greg Abbott" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/06/11/no-kings-day-protest-texas-national-guard-greg-abbott" data-vars-content-id="265fc37c-5805-4a98-a319-02829fddb6ca" data-vars-headline="Houston readies for protests as Abbott deploys National Guard" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/austin/2025/06/11/no-kings-day-protest-texas-national-guard-greg-abbott" target="_self">Gov. Greg Abbott</a> says he will deploy the Texas National Guard &quot;to ensure peace &amp; order.&quot;Why it matters: Abbott&#x27;s decision comes amid a national debate about the militarization of law enforcement and the rights of protestors as thousands are expected to protest during <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;No Kings Day&quot;" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2025/06/10/houston-trump-protest-no-kings-ice-deportations" data-vars-content-id="265fc37c-5805-4a98-a319-02829fddb6ca" data-vars-headline="Houston readies for protests as Abbott deploys National Guard" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/houston/2025/06/10/houston-trump-protest-no-kings-ice-deportations" target="_self">&quot;No Kings Day&quot;</a> on Saturday.

News

Data: National Funeral Directors Association; Chart: Axios Visuals

Cremations are now twice as common as burials in the U.S., reversing a norm from two decades ago, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

Why it matters: Shifting attitudes around religion, cost and the environment are reshaping how Americans — and Houstonians — handle death.

By the numbers: Cremation surpassed burial nationwide in 2015 — and the gap has only widened since, with the NFDA projecting cremation will continue gaining share.

In Texas, the burial rate dropped from 43% in 2020 to 35% last year. The cremation rate surged from 50% to 58%.

Burials also cost significantly more: In 2023, the median price of a casketed burial with viewing and ceremony was $8,300, compared with $2,750 for a direct cremation, according to NFDA data.

Zoom in: "With cremation, you can take care of the details of the body fairly quickly. And then once you're ready to deal with it, then you can deal with having a service or not," Joseph Earthman, owner of Joseph Earthman Generations in Houston, tells Axios, noting he's seen a rise in cremation preference in Houston, too.

"There is a perceived ease and convenience along with it, which is another reason why I think people are going towards it." 

He said families are drawn to it when they're geographically spread out. He adds that cost is typically a secondary factor. 

Cremation in the Houston area reached roughly parity with burial in 2024 and rose to just over half of consumer choices in 2025, Patrick Husband, Houston market director at Dignity Memorial, tells Axios. 

Between the lines: Texas has seen steady growth in cremations, though its rate of increase may be lagging other states because of slower uptake in South Texas and rural areas, Harvey Hilderbran, executive director of the Texas Funeral Directors Association, tells Axios.

He says areas that tend to be Latino or Catholic have been sticking with more traditional burial services.

Trying to meet religious rituals but also save money, some customers are doing a hybrid, Hilderbran says. "We're seeing combinations — people getting a casket, doing the visitation, embalming, and then they cremate at the end."

What they're saying: Americans' environmental mindset "is carrying all the way over into death now," NFDA spokesperson Jack Mitchell, a sixth-generation funeral director based in Baltimore, tells Axios.

Instead of opting for a traditional burial — which requires more land use, upkeep, embalming processes and items like caskets — people are going greener.

Data: National Funeral Directors Association; Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

The fine print: NFDA's "burial" and "cremation" numbers rely on how information is recorded on death certificates by state, which depend on state law.

"Cremation" can include alkaline hydrolysis depending on the state law.

The intrigue: As traditional, religious services decline, remembrance is shifting toward life celebrations and living funerals, sometimes held in spaces called "life event" venues, instead of "funeral homes," Mitchell says.

Stunning stat: By 2045, the cremation rate in Texas is projected to be 79%, per the NFDA.

What we're watching: How funeral ceremonies continue to evolve as more people get comfortable talking about death before they're near it.

the National Funeral Directors Association

Houston families are opting for cremations over burials

By 2045, the cremation rate in Texas is projected to be 79%, per the NFDA.

A choropleth map showing projected cremation rates across the United States for 2025. States are shaded in varying tones of blue-gray, indicating cremation rates ranging from 38% to 85%. Most Western states and some states in the Northeast show higher projected rates, while Southern and Midwestern s

Cremations are now twice as common as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="burials" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/10/29/gen-z-funeral-death-preferences-baby-boomers-cremation" data-vars-content-id="3d26a329-fecf-443b-8fd5-4b871609c523" data-vars-headline="Houston families are opting for cremations over burials" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/10/29/gen-z-funeral-death-preferences-baby-boomers-cremation" target="_self">burials</a> in the U.S., reversing a norm from two decades ago, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the National Funeral Directors Association" data-vars-click-url="https://nfda.org/news/media-center/nfda-news-releases/id/9786/nfda-releases-2025-cremation-burial-report-comprehensive-insights-to-guide-the-future-of-funeral-service" data-vars-content-id="3d26a329-fecf-443b-8fd5-4b871609c523" data-vars-headline="Houston families are opting for cremations over burials" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://nfda.org/news/media-center/nfda-news-releases/id/9786/nfda-releases-2025-cremation-burial-report-comprehensive-insights-to-guide-the-future-of-funeral-service" target="_blank">the National Funeral Directors Association</a>.Why it matters: Shifting attitudes around <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="religion" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/05/religion-americans-spiritual-survey" data-vars-content-id="3d26a329-fecf-443b-8fd5-4b871609c523" data-vars-headline="Houston families are opting for cremations over burials" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/03/05/religion-americans-spiritual-survey" target="_self">religion</a>, cost and the environment are reshaping how Americans — and Houstonians — handle death.

Museums and libraries in Texas could lose federal support under a Trump administration plan to shut down the agency that funds them.

Why it matters: The cultural institutions rely on federal money to meet their mission.

Catch up quick: In a March 14 executive order, President Trump named the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as one of seven agencies that should be "eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law."

Other agencies included in the order are the Minority Business Development Agency and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.

The latest: The institute on Monday put its entire staff on administrative leave for 90 days after a meeting with DOGE staff, NPR reported.

Follow the money: The IMLS' largest program, called Grants to States, disburses roughly $160 million annually to state library agencies, including $12.5 million in fiscal year 2024 to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). The agency supports public and school libraries and provides reading services for people with disabilities.

The federal grant makes up a third of the state agency's total budget.

Per a grant request from the state agency reviewed by Axios, the 2024 money was earmarked to improve access for Texans to literacy and workforce readiness, as well as to help train librarians. 

Asked about the IMLS funding, TSLAC officials directed Axios to a fact sheet detailing uses of the money, showing the funds fully support the state's e-book program for small community libraries and the interlibrary loan (ILL) system.

Zoom in: The Houston Zoo was the recipient in 2020 of a $250,000 grant to implement an interpretive plan for the Galápagos Islands exhibit that opened in 2023. 

What they're saying: "This agency provides essential funding and guidance for the vast collections of museums, including zoos, across America," Houston Zoo President Lee Ehmke wrote in a letter to federal lawmakers, shared with Axios. 

"Beyond education, museums are economic engines, providing jobs, driving tourism, and serving as community cornerstones. Museums cannot do this vital work without the support they receive from agencies like IMLS."

Ehmke also pointed to a 2013 IMLS grant of $459,147 that supported research on Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), helping move vaccine development forward.

Other Houston institutions that have recently received grants from the IMLS include:

The African American History Research Center at Houston Public Library ($100,000 in 2024)

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (about $250,000 in 2021)

Friction point: IMLS was established by Congress in 1996 and reauthorized in 2018 by Trump. The agency's governing board issued a letter that explained that IMLS' programs "cannot be paused, reduced, or eliminated without violating Congressional intent and federal statute."

Meanwhile, public library advocates have launched a petition to oppose the shuttering of the agency and its services.

Between the lines: The elimination of the IMLS could lead to "devastation for museums, libraries and archives everywhere," Gabriel Solis, executive director for the Texas After Violence Project, tells Axios.

The other side: "We will revitalize IMLS and restore focus on patriotism, ensuring we preserve our country's core values, promote American exceptionalism and cultivate love of country in future generations," Keith Sonderling, the acting director of the agency, said in a statement last week.

Trump's next targets: Museums and libraries, including MFAH and Houston Zoo

One Texas library agency gets $12.5 million to further literacy and information access.

Illustration of a wall with faded sunspots where paintings once hung, nails and bits of wire remain. 

Museums and libraries in Texas could lose federal support under a Trump administration plan to shut down the agency that funds them.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cultural institutions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/02/06/trump-national-endowment-arts-grants" data-vars-content-id="8fb343fc-8203-4868-adb7-99c64aa2de17" data-vars-headline="Trump&#x27;s next targets: Museums and libraries, including MFAH and Houston Zoo" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/02/06/trump-national-endowment-arts-grants" target="_self">cultural institutions</a> rely on federal money to meet their mission.

Data: Association of American Medical Colleges; Note: Students could select just one race before 2002, multiple races plus Hispanic origin from 2003 to 2013; and any combination of race/ethnicity after 2013; Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

The number of first-year Black medical students has dropped sharply in Texas, new data shows.

Why it matters: Students who represent minority populations are more likely to provide better care for those populations when they become doctors, Chinwe Efuribe, a Hutto pediatrician who runs mentoring programs with the Austin Black Physicians Association, tells Axios.

What they're saying: "We're more likely to be working in the community, more likely to participate in community health fairs and more likely to be involved in relationship building — and that leads to increased life expectancy and better health outcomes generally," Efuribe said.

Doctors from similar backgrounds might have a better sense of what questions to ask patients and what cultural factors are at play with health challenges, Efuribe said.

By the numbers: There are 195 Black medical students in Texas this year, down from 248 at the start of the 2021-22 academic year, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which has collected data on this topic since 1978.

Less than 10% of Texas medical students are Black. By comparison, 13.6% of the state population is Black. 

Yes, but: Black medical student enrollment at Baylor College's School of Medicine in Houston increased from 46 out of 721 students (6.4%) in 2021-2022 to 64 out of 831 students (7.7%) in 2024-2025.

Flashback: Baylor College of Medicine established pipeline programs with its affiliated schools to attract and recruit more students of color. In 2020, School of Medicine Dean Jennifer Christner emphasized the importance of a diverse physician workforce. 

"Patients who have doctors who look like them tend to follow advice more and can be healthier," Christner said. 

Zoom out: Medical school student enrollment is also down nationally, following the Supreme Court decision to strike down affirmative action in higher education.

Between the lines: The decline in Black medical school enrollment highlights how policies addressing systemic inequality aren't deeply embedded, as their removal quickly affects admissions, says Israel Herndon, a UT graduate researcher in African and African Diaspora Studies.

The intrigue: The declines are "much larger than we would expect," even taking the Supreme Court decision into account, Norma Poll-Hunter, senior director of the Association of American Medical Colleges' human capital portfolio, tells Axios.

The bottom line: "Every doctor brings with them a unique perspective to the profession, and when certain populations are not fully represented, this means that there are certain questions, approaches, and care that are missing from the field," Herndon says.

Association of American Medical Colleges;

Texas sees drop in Black medical students

Less than 10% of Texas medical students are Black.

A line chart showing the share of new medical students in Texas who were Black from 1978 to 2025. In 1978, 3.2% of new medical students in Texas identified as Black, compared to 5.7% nationally. In 2025, the share increased to 9.7% in the state at 8.9% nationally. Vertical lines at 2002 and 2013 ind

The number of first-year Black medical students <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="has dropped" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/14/black-hispanic-medical-school-enrollment-scotus" data-vars-content-id="98e72e17-a7e3-4bb2-93de-9cc2684a1980" data-vars-headline="Texas sees drop in Black medical students" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/14/black-hispanic-medical-school-enrollment-scotus" target="_self">has dropped</a> sharply in Texas, new data shows.Why it matters: Students who represent minority populations are more likely to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="provide better care" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/02/06/black-maternal-mortality-rate-cdc-chart" data-vars-content-id="98e72e17-a7e3-4bb2-93de-9cc2684a1980" data-vars-headline="Texas sees drop in Black medical students" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/02/06/black-maternal-mortality-rate-cdc-chart" target="_self">provide better care</a> for those populations when they become doctors, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Chinwe Efuribe" data-vars-click-url="https://www.centeredyouth.com/dr-chinwe-efuribe" data-vars-content-id="98e72e17-a7e3-4bb2-93de-9cc2684a1980" data-vars-headline="Texas sees drop in Black medical students" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.centeredyouth.com/dr-chinwe-efuribe" target="_blank">Chinwe Efuribe</a>, a Hutto pediatrician who runs mentoring programs with the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Austin Black Physicians Association" data-vars-click-url="https://austinbpa.org/" data-vars-content-id="98e72e17-a7e3-4bb2-93de-9cc2684a1980" data-vars-headline="Texas sees drop in Black medical students" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://austinbpa.org/" target="_blank">Austin Black Physicians Association</a>, tells Axios.

Dozens of Houston Independent School District campuses received failing grades in the 2022-2023 school year under a new state rating system, per data released Thursday.

Why it matters: The A-F ratings — whose release had been delayed by legal challenges — come as public school advocates are fighting for resources from state lawmakers who appear close to establishing a $1 billion private school voucher program.

Catch up quick: More than 120 school districts tried to block the release of the 2023 ratings, saying the Texas Education Agency had not given them enough notice before revising their standards.

Among other things, the updated standards require high schools to send 88% of their seniors to college, a trade or technical school, or the military, compared to 60% in the past. Districts said this increased metric would result in unfair drops in their ratings.

An appeals court earlier this month cleared the way for the ratings' release.

What they're saying: "Every Texas family deserves a clear view of school performance, and now those families finally have access to data they should have received two years ago," state education commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement.

Zoom in: Houston ISD dropped from a B rating in 2019 to a C in 2023, with 56 schools identified as failing.

The state officially took over the district for the next school year, when state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles began his district changes.

Zoom out: Overall, more than 40% of the nearly 8,400 rated schools in Texas received a lower rating in 2023 compared to 2022, per an analysis by the Houston Chronicle.

13% of Texas schools improved their ratings between 2022 and 2023. The remaining 44% had no change, the Chronicle reported.

Between the lines: The new standards come as public school advocates fear the state is undermining public education.

The Legislature is poised to spend nearly $8 billion to increase per-student funding, but Democrats argued that it isn't enough and doesn't match 2019 levels.

The big picture: HISD's C rating — issued just before Miles took over — essentially sets a baseline for measuring the impact of the takeover.

Last August, HISD published its own unofficial reports using the state's data and methodology, pointing to academic gains and a rise in A-rated campuses.

What we're watching: Four school districts statewide — Beaumont, Midland, Fort Worth and Wichita Falls — are at risk of a state takeover, per the Texas Tribune.

Houston ISD downgraded in state's new ratings

The A-F ratings for the 2022-2023 rating had been delayed by legal challenges.

Illustration of circled "Needs work!" written on notebook paper with a grading pen next to it.

Dozens of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Houston Independent School District" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/houston/education" data-vars-content-id="fa3646eb-f37c-4909-acd6-463aeb558204" data-vars-headline="Houston ISD downgraded in state&#x27;s new ratings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/houston/education" target="_self">Houston Independent School District</a> campuses received failing grades in the 2022-2023 school year under a new state rating system, per data released Thursday.Why it matters: The A-F ratings — whose release had been delayed by legal challenges — come as public school advocates are fighting for resources from state lawmakers who appear close to establishing a $1 billion <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="private school voucher program" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/01/22/school-vouchers-texas-education-funding" data-vars-content-id="fa3646eb-f37c-4909-acd6-463aeb558204" data-vars-headline="Houston ISD downgraded in state&#x27;s new ratings" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/01/22/school-vouchers-texas-education-funding" target="_self">private school voucher program</a>.

Asher Price

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