City, State Officials Throughout Texas Band Together To Challenge Senate Bill 4

AUSTIN, TX — City and state officials will gather outside the state Capitol on Tuesday to announce support litigation challenging Senate Bill 4, the anti "sanctuary cities" measure signed by the governor earlier this month.

Members of the Austin City Council will be joined by county commissioners, state legislators and representatives from grassroots organizations from throughout Texas at the steps of the Capitol to protest the new law due to take effect Sept. 1. Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB4 into law on May 7, choosing the unusual forum of Facebook Live to enact the measure with the stroke of a pen.

The diverse coalition of opposing the law have dubbed their movement the "Summer of Resistance," urging others to join in the opposition and undertake further actions to protect immigrants. SB4 penalizes law enforcement officials deemed as not fully participating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to deport undocumented immigrants, assessing fines and even jail time to those perceived as not being fully cooperative. The law also will allow police to inquire about a person's status during encounters such as traffic stops.

Travis County Judge Eckhardt is among those opposing the new law, citing its potential violations of the U.S. Constitution once it's put into practice: “Travis County is a safe and law-abiding community," she said. "I am gravely concerned by Attorney General Paxton’s demand that we abide by a law that is not yet in effect and that we believe poses a serious threat to the constitutional rights and obligations of individuals and their government.” Travis County therefore welcomes Paxton’s rush to the federal court where these constitutional questions can be answered through a reasoned examination of facts and law. Our job is to defend the interests and values of the people of Travis County.”

Houston State Sen. Sylvia Garcia, chair of the Senate Hispanic Caucus, opposes the measure on similar grounds; "Throughout the debate on SB 4, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus (MALC) and the Senate Hispanic Caucus have repeatedly emphasized the unconstitutionality of the bill,”

Dallas State Rep. Rafael Anchía, chair of MALC, suggested Abbott was using the immigration issue to score political points with his base rather than being motivated by sound governance: "Gov. Abbott continues to demonize the Latino immigrant community for political gain. Just as federal judges struck down intentionally discriminatory redistricting and photo ID schemes pushed by Abbott, the MALC will once again hold the state of Texas accountable in court."

Jose Garze echoed similar sentiments of resistance: "Abbott had his say, now it’s time for the people of Texas to have theirs. We are moving this fight from Abbott’s backyard to our home turf—where Texas communities fight for their families every day.”

Michelle Tremillo of Texas Organizing Project, added her voice in opposition: "Today, we begin the ‘Summer of Resistance,’ and we start by calling on our local leaders to sue the State of Texas to fight this racist legislation. We call on communities throughout Texas to rise up and take action to protect all Texans,” she said.

San Antonio Council Member Rey Saldaña also is scheduled to be at the Capitol gathering: “As a public servant representing a community with a large immigrant population, it is my duty and responsibility to voice my opposition to SB 4, a law demonizing immigrants and bullying the most vulnerable in our community,” he said. “My conscience will not allow me to stand silently as families are torn apart, communities live in fear, and public trust in law enforcement is eroded. The time to take action is now, and the first step in a journey of resistance is defeating an unconstitutional law.”

Houston Council member Robert Gallegos framed his opposition to SB4 from the perspective of his immigrant parents: “I’m a first-generation American, born to Mexican immigrants who came to this country in search of a better life,” Gallegos said. “SB 4 makes communities less safe and will only strain the relationship between local police and immigrant communities. I stand in support of our immigrant communities and I will continue to speak up against this discriminatory and anti-immigrant law.”

Austin City Council member Greg Casar said SB4 runs counter to the oath he took as a government official to work in the interest of all residents: “As I took my oath of office to serve on the Austin City Council, I vowed to ‘protect, preserve, and defend the constitution of the United States,' " Casar said. “That includes fighting unconstitutional mandates by Governor Greg Abbott himself. I believe my colleagues on the Austin City Council, and in many other municipalities across this state, will reject anti-immigrant coercion by our state leaders and join together in litigation against SB 4.”

El Paso County Commissioner David Stout called the Abbott-passed measure not only unconstitutional but immoral: "Senate Bill 4 is not only immoral and unconstitutional, but it is a threat to public safety, to residents’ constitutional rights, and to El Paso County’s settlement agreement in a federal court,” he said. "I believe El Paso County should be at the forefront of a legal challenge against this hateful law that will ultimately separate families, terrorize communities, and erode the trust we’ve built between peace officers and the community they serve and protect.”

Dallas City Council member Philip Kingston didn't pull any punches expressing his outrage, calling Abbott a "hateful" governor: “The governor’s attack on our immigrant brothers and sisters is as unjust as it is bad policy for Texas,” Kingston said. “I am shocked by his preemptive attack on Austin for having the temerity to demand equal treatment for its citizens, and I do not intend to let Austin go it alone. I have asked our city attorney to intervene in the lawsuit so that we can stand with our Austin friends against this hateful governor.”

These and other officials are scheduled to stage their protest at the steps of the Capitol, 1100 Congress Ave., at 12:15 p.m.

>>> Photo from earlier protest by author