Texas has spent years positioning itself at the forefront of the national crackdown on illegal immigration, but under Democratic Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa, the state could soon start moving in a different direction. Transforming Texas into anything resembling a so-called sanctuary state would be far more complicated than changing the occupant of the governor's mansion, with Republican lawmakers, state laws and the federal government potentially limiting how far Hinojosa might wish to go. In an interview with Newsweek, Hinojosa said she felt border security needed to happen but that there was a difference between people crossing illegally now and those who had been in the state for many years without legal status.
"I am a Hispanic Texan, I'm Latina, and many of us come from mixed-status families," she said in February. "Many Texans come from mixed-status families, and there is a lot of fear in our communities right now that our families are under attack, and that is unacceptable. We all want border security, but this is not that.
This is making us less safe, and it needs to stop." Newsweek reached out to Hinojosa's campaign for further comment on Thursday. A sanctuary city or state is not defined by a single set of rules or laws. Each jurisdiction, from New York, to Chicago, to Los Angeles, has taken a different approach on how it implements policies that prevent local law enforcement and other agencies from cooperating with U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) more widely on immigration enforcement matters. While advocates argue that these policies are necessary because it is the federal government's responsibility to enforce immigration law, and that they help undocumented immigrants feel safer about reporting crimes, critics argue that the rules prevent effective enforcement and allow potential illegal immigrant criminals to be released by local police without being handed to federal authorities. "And for years, our Texas communities have organized and advocated against state and federal policies that targeted immigrant communities, separated families, and misused our state and local resources.
"A recent ACLU of Texas poll showed widespread concern among border residents about federal, state, and local immigration enforcement, with 63 percent of respondents across the political spectrum saying ICE has gone too far. It is our hope this change in leadership will undo some of the harm that forced Texans to live in fear, and that resources will be redirected to address the real needs of Texans to build a state that works for us all, regardless of immigration status.” Ammon Blair, a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, told Newsweek that the organization would work with anyone wanting to help Texans thrive. "Through our Secure & Sovereign Nation work, that means protecting the sovereignty, security and public safety of Texas and every community within it," he said.
"These responsibilities cross party lines. Families need to know their children are safe. People need to be able to work, worship, run a business and enjoy their property without violence, intimidation or exploitation.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
