Texas has one of the highest populations of immigrants working in hospitals, according to census data analyzed by KFF.

Why it matters: The health care industry is facing a double challenge — a White House immigration crackdown that could translate to worker shortages, and the "big, beautiful bill," which pulls back federal health care spending.

• Meanwhile, an aging population will require more care.

The big picture: The nation's hospitals rely heavily on an immigrant workforce — in some states, more than a quarter of hospital workers are either naturalized citizens or noncitizen immigrants, data show.

Zoom in: In Texas, 20.5% of hospital workers are immigrants.

• Nationwide, 16% of hospital workers are immigrants — roughly in line with the share of the overall workforce that's foreign-born.

Between the lines: There are already shortages of doctors within certain specialities in some areas. Reducing the number of immigrants in the U.S. could make that worse.

• Immigrants also account for close to 30% of the cleaning and maintenance staff in hospitals.
• "If there aren't enough workers, hospitals may need to limit services," says Scott Hulver, a policy analyst at KFF.

Zoom out: A new report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas says immigrants are, on average, "a net fiscal positive" in the U.S.

• "Immigrants are sometimes characterized as imposing an unaffordable fiscal cost on the country and other times touted as a solution to fiscal woes," the Dallas Fed report says.
• "The reality is likely somewhere in between and depends on who comes (and who is allowed to stay)."

The U.S. population will be smaller and grow more slowly than previously projected because of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, per newly revised Congressional Budget Office estimates.

Why it matters: Texas relies heavily on immigrant labor, from construction to health care. Slower immigration could squeeze those industries and drive up costs locally.

• The country's current immigration policies could have "a chilling effect" and "adverse fiscal impacts," the Dallas Fed says.

State of play: Deaths are projected to start exceeding births in 2031, two years earlier than previously projected, as a result of the White House crackdown.

• At that point, immigration would be the main driver of new population growth instead of births.

Yes, but: The population could actually start declining as soon as this year because of net negative immigration, or more people leaving the country than coming in.

• That would be a recipe for economic stagnation, economic writer Derek Thompson says. Think fewer working-age people to pay into Social Security, harvest crops, build homes, staff restaurants or provide health care.

Zoom in: The U.S. birth rate fell nearly 23% between 2007 and 2022 — from 14.3 to 11.1 births per 1,000 people, per CDC data.

• Texas saw a slightly steeper (24%) drop, from 17.1 to 13.

Reality check: The budget office says its projections are highly uncertain, swinging significantly with policy shifts.

The Dallas Wings didn't make it to the playoffs this year, but rookie Paige Bueckers is still flying high. She was voted AP Rookie of the Year on Friday.

Why it matters: Bueckers was one of the league's top players — one of the rare selections to both the AP's All-WNBA Second Team and All-Rookie Team.

• She is the second WNBA player to average at least 19 points per game and the third rookie in league history to receive an AP All-WNBA honor.

State of play: The Wings weren't good this season. They finished in the bottom of the Western Conference with a 10-34 record.

• But Bueckers still stood out. She scored 44 points against the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 20 — the most points scored by any WNBA player since 2023.
• And she is now the only player in WNBA history to score over 40 points while shooting at least 80% from the field.

The intrigue: Bueckers is the second Wings player to be named rookie of the year. Guard Allisha Gray was honored in 2017.

• The Wings traded Gray to Atlanta in 2023. The Dream are in this year's playoffs, which started yesterday.

🚉 DART's new Silver Line, which will run from Plano to DFW Airport, launches Oct. 25. (KERA)

📱 Fort Worth-based American Airlines is among at least three airlines that suspended workers for posting on social media about Charlie Kirk's killing. (CNN)

🙏 Pastor and civil rights activist Frederick D. Haynes III will take a temporary leave of absence from Friendship-West Baptist Church because of an undisclosed medical diagnosis. (WFAA)

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The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants put the NFL's new overtime rules to the test yesterday, in one of the most thrilling matchups the two rivals have ever had.

The big picture: The Cowboys held a moment of silence for conservative activist Charlie Kirk before the game began. The NFL had said the decision to acknowledge Kirk's killing was up to each team.

State of play: Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey emerged as the MVP of the game, scoring a 64-yard field goal to tie the game and then a 46-yard game-winning goal during overtime.

• Here he is, being held in the air by his much larger colleague Trent Sieg, as the team celebrates.

📭 What should this photo be captioned? Hit reply and let us know.

Speaking of the Cowboys, local sporting goods stores are still trying to purge Micah Parsons gear from their inventory.

The intrigue: The Dick's Sporting Goods in Euless has moved all of its Parsons merch to a single rack, offering 75% off. That's around $33 for a jersey originally priced at $130.

• The rack's placement is symbolic. It's not in the Cowboys section.

What's next: Parsons will return to AT&T Stadium on Sept. 28, wearing dark green and gold for the Green Bay Packers.

• Will it hurt more or less than Luka Dončić's return to Dallas after he was traded to Los Angeles Lakers?