CCG – In Austin, The southern border security program, Operation Lonestar, and Senate Bill 4 were the targets of hundreds of protesters this past weekend outside the Capitol.
Opponents of the bill argue that it will lead to the harmful practice of racial profiling of Latino Texans and expand the authority of Texas law enforcement to arrest individuals for suspected illegal border crossings.
According to Jessie F. Fuentes of the Eagle Pass Border Coalition, “Local authorities, county authorities are going to be able to stop you because of the color of your skin.” “It upsets me that legislators in this building behind me knew what they were doing – it’s a violation of the constitution.”
As of this coming Wednesday, SB4 will be law.
Questions like, “Should we evacuate from Texas? Is it safe to remain here? Have we gotten our children’s passports? What if I’m stopped on the way to work?” are among the many topics being discussed around the kitchen tables at the moment. Additionally, “who will be responsible for collecting my children from school?” For immigrant families, those are the difficult talks.
As of yet, the Supreme Court has not decided whether or not to provide Texas the authority often held by the federal government to enforce immigration laws.
The measure’s backers say it’s essential for protecting Texans and maintaining the rule of law. Illegal immigration, they say, is a major cause of crime and a drain on public services. People who are in favor of the measure also say it will safeguard American jobs and treat lawful immigrants fairly if they follow the correct processes.
Those who disagree with the law, however, believe it discriminates against immigrants and does more harm than good. Racial profiling and discrimination, they say, will rise, and faith between police and immigrant communities will dwindle. A lot of people are worried that the law will make illegal immigrants even more reclusive and hence easier targets for abuse and exploitation.
Protesters in Texas’s many cities saw the new law as a threat to the variety and inclusion they think characterize their state. With placards like “No Human is Illegal” and “Keep Families Together,” the demonstrators are calling on the state of Texas to take a kinder and more welcoming stance toward immigration.
Protesters include immigrants (legal and otherwise), as well as members of their communities, faith communities, and advocacy groups who stand in solidarity with them. Their message is loud and clear: Texas should do the right thing by its immigrant population and not put up roadblocks to their assimilation.
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Nationwide and even international media coverage of the protests has been extensive. Texas, home to a sizable immigrant population and strategically located near the United States-Mexico border, has frequently found itself in the middle of heated immigration debates.
The protests are far from over, and neither side is willing to budge from their positions. The fight over Texas’s new immigration law is emblematic of societal divides in the United States around immigration and the various interpretations of “immigrant nation” that exist inside the country.
Ultimately, public opinion and the judicial system will ultimately determine the fate of Texas’ new immigration law. The fight for immigrant rights is far from done, and protesters are sending a strong statement about it as they raise their voices and make their presence clear. This is a message that Texans just cannot afford to disregard, given the state’s rich diversity and boundless energy.
