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May 16, 2010
Local reps support Arizona law
By Matt StephensUpdated: 05.15.10 Local state representatives say they would support Texas legislation similar to Arizona’s recently passed law addressing illegal immigrants.
“We’ve got to make sure that Texas does everything we can to provide for the safety and security of its citizens,” said state Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe.
Arizona’s law, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer April 23, aims to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants. Considered the nation’s toughest law on illegal immigration, it would make the failure to carry immigration documents a crime and give police broad power to detain people suspected of being illegals. Opponents say it opens the door for harassment and discrimination against Hispanics, legal or not.
In the upcoming 82nd Texas legislative session, which starts in January, state Reps. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, and Leo Berman, R-Tyler, will introduce a similar law.Creighton announced his support of the bill last week, stating he would “support legislation that allows local law enforcement, working in step with federal ICE officials, to determine whether or not an individual has a legal right to be in the United States.”
His support comes after Creighton met with other legislators last week to discuss appropriations. He said Col. Peter Flores, of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, pleaded with legislators to help border patrol. Flores reported that many boats he stops are narcotics related, and many of the narcotics issues are related to border problems. Col. Steve McGraw, of the Department of Homeland Security, also reported illegal drugs in Texas to be a border-related issue.
“Though Texas is leading the country on states securing their borders, we have drug cartels acting more violently than ever before,” Creighton said.
The representative said the public has seen Arizona’s immigration law in an unfavorable light as a racially biased law, but the issue should be more focused on crime caused by illegal immigrants.
“It’s unfortunate to me that this has been polarized as a racial issue,” Creighton said. “Because this is a safety issue.”
Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, said he also would support the legislation.
“If you don’t enforce your border, then you don’t have one,” Eissler said. “I will support any bill that protects our border.”
Eissler believes the racial profiling possibilities of the Arizona law have been overplayed by the public.
“People manufacture that if you walk down the street, you’re going to get arrested for looking a certain way,” he said.
The makeup of the Texas Legislature is split almost evenly among Republicans and Democrats at 78-72. The bipartisanship caused problems for Republicans in 2009, when legislators tried to pass a voter ID bill, another illegal immigration issue. The Democrats debated the issue for five days, preventing it from reaching the House floor for a vote and killing the bill.
Creighton said the Legislature will look differently in January, but he does not necessarily think an immigration bill would pass if introduced.
“Even though I feel like an effort similar to the Arizona measure may not pass, it’s important to discuss and debate it,” Creighton said. “Bills pass and bills fail, but debate is still healthy.”
The debate on the state level can help influence the federal government to become involved in the issue, Creighton believes. He said the Arizona law has upset many special-interest groups in Washington, D.C., causing them to plead with Congress to address the law. Since then, the Obama administration has made a point to work on comprehensive immigration reform.
“I feel like the feds will challenge what passed in Arizona,” Creighton said. “And if the federal government fails to act on it, then the border states will have to take some sort of action.”
U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, was not available for comments.
Matt Stephens can be reached at mstephens@hcnonline.com.
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