In the post-Trump era, some red states have moved aggressively to rebuke the Biden administration at the local level and signal to voters what a Republican-led country might look like.In Texas, immigration is a key battleground. Today, we speak to Hunter Schuler, a member of the National Guards, about why Gov. Greg Abbott has sent him and thousands of other security officers to the U.S.-Mexico border.Guest: Lulu Garcia-Navarro, a Times Opinion podcast host; and J. David Goodman, the Houston bureau chief for The New York Times. Want more from The Daily? For one big idea on the news each week from our team, subscribe to our newsletter. Background reading: Operation Lone Star is an expensive and unusual effort to reinforce border security. But after a year, there is little to show for it.Soldiers sent to patrol the border have complained of difficulties and a seemingly rudderless mission.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Barbara Kingsolver and Lulu Garcia-Navarro discuss 'Unsheltered', drawing parallels between an 18th-century community and 2016 America. Daniel Mason talks about 'North Woods', exploring the lives and struggles of characters across hundreds of years. The podcast delves into the human psyche, rural-urban divide, storytelling techniques, an apple obsession, and the drama of beetles.

Lulu Garcia-Navarro joins hosts Emily Bazelon and David Plotz to discuss the indictment of Trump and 18 co-defendants in Georgia, a climate suit in Montana, and Michael Oher's lawsuit against his 'Blind Side' parents. They explore topics such as the involvement of Jeffrey Clark, the implications of the indictments, a landmark climate change ruling, and recommend books on inequality in criminal courts and the founding of the national organization for women.