| Join Us on June 20th at the Public Hearing for SB 9 and HB 9 |
Dear Supporter, On Monday, June 20th, the Texas House State Affairs Committee will hold hearings on SB9, HB9, both are "sanctuary city" bills. If SB9 or HB9 are passed they would have a negative impact on the economy, public safety and the immigrant community. We cannot allow the Texas legislature to support these or any bills that negatively affect Texas and our communities. Thanks to you, we were able to defeat similar anti-immigrant bills in the regular session but we need your testimony and your help more than ever. Please come join us on June 20th at the public hearing for SB9 and HB9, take a stand against anti-immigrant bills and make your voice heard. State Affairs Committee is expected to convene upon adjournment of the House sometime in the afternoon or evening. If you would like to testify on this bill, the hearing will be held in: JHR 140 (John H. Reagan Building on the northwest grounds of the capitol). You can also call, e-mail and fax the House State Affairs Committee members TODAY and ask them to vote NO on SB9 and HB9. House State Affairs Committee 512-463-0814 Chair: Byron Cook (R-Corsicana/Palestine) Phone: 512-463-0730 Fax: 512-463-2506 Vice-Chair: Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) Phone: 512-463-0634 Fax: 512-463-7668 Tom Craddick (R-Midland/Lamesa/Crane) Phone: 512-463-0500 Fax: 512-463-7722 John Frullo(R-Lubbock) Phone: 512-463-0676 Fax: 512-463-0072 Pete Gallego(D-Alpine/Pecos/Fort Stockton/Del Rio/Uvalde) Phone: 512-463-0566 Fax: 512-236-9408 Charlie Geren(R-River Oaks/Ft. Worth/White Settlement/Saginaw) Phone: 512-463-0610 Fax: 512-463-8310 Patricia Harless(R-Spring/Houston) Phone: 512-463-0496 Fax: 512-463-1507 Harvey Hilderbran (R-Kerrville/Brady/Coleman/ Phone: 512-463-0536 Fax: 512-463-1449 Phone: 512-463-0520 Fax: 512-463-1606 Rene Oliveira(D-Brownsville/Port Isabel/Laguna Vista/Los Fresnos) Phone: 512-463-0640 Fax: 512-463-8186 John Smithee (R-Amarillo/Hereford/Canyon) Phone: 512-463-0702 Fax: 512-463-7016 Burt Solomons(R-Carrollton/Dallas/ Phone: 512-463-0478 Fax: 512-463-2089 Sylvester Turner(D-Houston) Phone: 512-463-0554 Fax: 512-463-8380 WHY ARE THESE BILLS BAD? Texas Security depends on Community Security * Local or State law enforcement agencies must not enforce federal immigration laws. * In Texas, the success of our local police departments is based on the trust and cooperation of all members of our community, independently of immigration status. * Alienating any sector of our community from law enforcement is not good for Texas and is not good for our security. The unfunded mandate of enforcing federal immigration laws is a burden on local tax-payers. * Texas law enforcement is already feeling the negative impacts of the economic downturn. * Any state laws that put us on the path of enforcing federal immigration laws will create an additional unfunded mandate on law enforcement departments, as well as be a tax burden for our municipalities and counties during budget deficit years creating an additional burden for us, the local tax-payers. Immigration enforcement proposals take away the discretion of local law enforcement agencies to define their own priorities. * It is the responsibility of law enforcement officials to set priorities and regulations for their departments. * Allowing individuals officers to make that choice will open the door to rogue actions and abuse, undermine the authority of their supervisors and create inconsistent standards in the enforcement of the law. WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC BILLS AND WHO ARE THE AUTHORS? HB 9 Representative Burt Solomon 512-463-0478 HB9 would eliminate so called 'sanctuary cities' by preventing any government subdivision from prohibiting their employees from doing immigration work. SB 9 Senator Tommy Williams 512-463-0104 SB 9 would eliminate so called 'sanctuary cities' by preventing certain governmental entities from prohibiting their police from doing immigration work. SB 9 would also give the Department of Public Safety the right to act as immigration agents when issuing Texas Driver Licenses and Identifications. A special thanks to RITA and Texas Residents United for a Stronger Texas (TRUST) for their support in the drafting of this action alert. |
Sincerely, University Leadership Initiative ULI.UTAustin@gmail.com Follow us @ULItx |
