Here are the latest quotes by the mayoral candidates.
Annise Parker: “the city should participate in the 287g program and have designated individuals trained to identify dangerous illegal immigrants and coordinate that information with ICE,” she said. “It is our responsibility, as local elected officials, to try to find a balance in protecting our people from predators and maintaining respect for those people who are here peacefully, working hard and contributing to our economy and our tax base.”
When will a mayoral candidate talk about the realities and failures of 287(g)? There’s a bigger problem, and that’s the immigration system as a whole. Piecemeal, enforcement-heavy approaches, do not work. It has been proven. At this point, my position remains the same–NO 287(g).
Gene Locke: “We need to have a policy that basically says if you commit a crime and you’re not in this country legally, you will be deported,”
So, is Mr. Locke in support of running his own “Migra”?
Brown said he supports better training to ensure police do not discriminate or engage in racial profiling, but he does support efforts to cooperate with federal and county officials to share information so they can “take appropriate action, which may include deportation.”
“City policy and the job of the HPD is to fight crime and enforce the laws of the city,” he said. “The primary effort should be to go after the criminals … and get the crime rate down in the city of Houston.”
A little clarity. But still, no mention of the problems in the current system.
Roy Morales: “This is a fed problem, but it affects us locally,” he said. “This is a program that we need to use to ensure the safety of our whole community. We’re talking about being able to identify the worst of the worst, individuals who have committed crimes against all citizens.”
Much of the same, except in a nicer tone.
Here’s a major problem I see. When we see most of the candidates showing “shock and awe” with the blatant racism in the HFD, it is a bit disconcerting when they don’t show the same feeling toward racial profiling against Latinos, which is what 287(g) will likely produce within HPD (or at least those that walk lock-step with HPOU).
We’ll see what they say at the debate today. Thus far, this voter and GOTV activist is not enjoying the answers to the media.
Here’s another question: Have any of these candidates even studied the new policy from the Obama administration, which would put the City of Houston and the County into deeper debt from prosecuting petty crimes committed by the undocumented?
