Texas Sheriffs Reject Arizona-Style Immigration Law
Texas sheriffs are getting their act together. Across Texas, sheriffs and their deputies are coming out againstanti-immigrant legislation recently introduced in the state legislature.
To their everlasting credit, freshman Republicans swept into the statehouse on a wave of conservative fervor have kept their promise to attack undocumented immigrants. A series of blatantly anti-immigrant bills will soon make their way through the legislative mechanisms of the Texas legislature, where the Republican majority is now more powerful, more conservative, and more extreme than ever before. What does this mean? More guns, less regulation, more moral blustering, less government services, more Obama-bashing, and (fingers crossed) fewer Mexicans.
But many law enforcement officials across the state just won't stand for it. Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton is one of them. He says the measures now being considered are misguided and could lead to racial profiling. Uneasy about stopping residents of Texas without probable cause, the sheriff expressed doubts as to whether questioning people about their immigration status should be the responsibility of local law enforcement at all. FUNNY THAT HE FEELS THAT WAY WHEN HE TALKS TO THE REPORTER BUT HE STILL ALLOWS ICE TO USE SECURE COMMUNITIES TO ALLOW TRAVIS COUNTY TO LEAD THE NATION IN DEPORTATIONS, MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE NATION. Richard Wiles, Sheriff of El Paso County, has also signaled opposition to to new legislation targeting undocumented immigrants. They join sheriffs in San Antonio and Houston who have expressed concerns about the new proposals.
As much sense as it makes for local cops and sheriffs to be worried about taking on the responsibilities of the federal government, Republican lawmakers in the state capitol are not so concerned. In an incredible display of self-delusion, one representative took to camping out at the Capitol building to be first in line to file legislation for the new session. State Rep. Debbie Riddle waited two days to file two bills: one requiring voters to provide extra identification before being allowed to vote, the other requiring local law enforcement to charge undocumented immigrants with "criminal trespass" once they've been detained for any other separate charge. These articles of legislation were so pressing, so vital to the state of Texas, that Ms. Riddle gave up two precious days of her life just to hasten the opportunity to put immigrants in jail.
"I am not worried about political correctness," Rep. Riddle said after she finished filing her proposed legislation. What Ms. Riddle forgot to mention is how little she is worried about the growing coalition of people across the state and throughout the nation who are part of this country's law enforcement apparatus and who oppose the kind of racial profiling laws she so giddily seeks to enact. Support them by telling Texas to stop waging war on Latinos.
Photo credit: StuSeeger
Danny Rangel is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who has worked for the International Rescue Committee and MEND.