AvatarAndy BAppeals court to decide if Texas immigration law violates constitutionScripps NewsA Texas law that would authorize police to arrest and detain migrants suspected of illegally crossing the border from Mexico remains on hold as it proceeds through the appellate process. The law known as SB4 applies to all of Texas' 254 counties.In rural conservative Texas there's strong support for it. However, in Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city, with 45% of the population having Hispanic heritage, the fear of the law is palpable among many. There's a belief that if the law is found constitutional, it would be used in racial profiling."My district, District 1, is about 75% Latino," said Joaquin Martinez, a Houston City Council member.Martinez says fear amongst Spanish-speaking immigrants in his neighborhood regardless of their immigration status is palpable."Now you're just targeting a specific community," Martinez said, "In a way where you're asking everybody to start investing in this and creating this fear."SB4 would make crossing illegally into the U.S. from Mexico a state crime, and would give police all over Texas authority to enforce it. Furthermore, Martinez thinks it will open the door to racial profiling."One hundred percent. I think right off the bat, some of the first conversations about this amongst older members of the Latino community were about 'Operation Wetback'," Martinez said.The Houston City Council member is referring to the infamous massive deportation program that occurred in 1954 under the Eisenhower administration. It resulted not only in the removal of undocumented Mexicans, but caught up U.S. citizens of Hispanic heritage. He fears that if federal courts find SB4 constitutional and put it into effect, Hispanic communities will be less likely to cooperate with local police.SEE MORE: Texas' migrant arrest law will remain on hold under new court ruling"Prior to that and even now we have communities that are like hands off," Martinez said. " We don't want to get involved in law enforcement because of fear of status."The law remains on hold as the U.S. Justice Department is suing, arguing Texas is trampling on federal authority to enforce the nation's immigration laws. However, in urban Texas it has irked Hispanic immigrant communities, and local police and officials feel compelled to respond.Before the law was held up in the courts, Houston Mayor John Whitmire told reporters, "HPD is not enforcing immigration laws. Period."Fort Worth's chief of police put out social media videos in English and in Spanish reiterating that …
AvatarAndy BFlipboardIcon version of the Flipboard logoTrump Goes Off the Rails With Gross Rant About “Sick” Migrantsnewrepublic.com - Ellie Quinlan HoughtalingThe former president’s rant is one of his worst yet. Donald Trump started off his campaign stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Tuesday with a bang, …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarU.S. Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas calls Texas immigration law ‘unconstitutional’PBS NewsHour - Sonia Pérez D., Associated PressGUATEMALA CITY (AP) — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Thursday that a Texas law giving state authorities the power to arrest …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarMexico says it won't accept deportees from Texas as SB4 takes effectverified_publisherCBS NewsTexas authorities may now arrest and prosecute migrants suspected of crossing the southern border illegally after the Supreme Court allowed a state …
AvatarAndy BFlipboardIcon version of the Flipboard logoIllegal immigrants can possess guns under Second Amendment, federal judge ruleskomonews.com - JACKSON WALKER | The National DeskA U.S. District Court judge ruled earlier this month that completely prohibiting illegal immigrants from possessing firearms is a violation of the …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarThe Supreme Court’s confusing new border decision, explainedverified_publisherVox - Ian MillhiserIt is hard to believe that Justice Amy Coney Barrett actually agrees with her own opinion. The Supreme Court handed down a brief order on Tuesday allowing an unconstitutional Texas state immigration law to go into effect — although the law did not stay in effect for very long because of an order …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarAlito extends Supreme Court pause of SB4, Texas immigration law that would allow state to arrest migrantsverified_publisherCBS News - By Camilo Montoya-GalvezWashington — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Tuesday extended an order blocking Texas troopers and police from arresting and jailing migrants …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarBritt Tells Misleading Border Story in State of the Union Responseverified_publisherThe New York Times - Ken BensingerThe Alabama senator used a story about sex trafficking to criticize the Biden administration’s border policies. But the events occurred in Mexico years ago. The opposition party’s response to the State of the Union address is a golden opportunity for up-and-coming and lesser-known politicians to …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarWoman can’t keep up with smugglers, gets run over by trainNewsNation - Julian ResendizEL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Two suspected smugglers are facing felony charges in connection with the death of a woman they allegedly abandoned …
AvatarAndy BFlipboardIcon version of the Flipboard logoSCOTUS temporarily blocks Texas immigration law, reversing 5th Circuit rulingverified_publishertexastribune.org - by Uriel J. García and William MelhadoThe nation’s highest court stopped the new state law from going into effect until at least next Wednesday, while it considers permanently blocking …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarFederal judge blocks Texas' SB4 immigration law that would criminalize migrant crossingsverified_publisherCBS News - By Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Stefan BecketEagle Pass, Texas — A federal judge in Austin on Thursday blocked Texas state officials from implementing a sweeping immigration law that would have …
AvatarAndy BAvatarAvatarImmigration surges to top concern for Americans, new poll findsAxiosWith President Biden and former President Trump making split-screen trips to the southwest border on Thursday, new data shows the issue is rising …