An array of faith and humanitarian groups is imploring the Biden administration to challenge current and pending Texas immigration measures targeting vulnerable migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The organizations seek federal intervention before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law Senate Bill 3, which appropriates $1.5 billion for additional border barriers, and Senate Bill 4, which makes illegal border crossings a violation of state law. Both measures previously passed the Senate, but SB-3 was sent back to the upper chamber for reconciliation.
“These bills violate international treaties and domestic laws. They make crossing into the country anywhere other than a port of entry a state crime and give local and state law enforcement officers and judges sweeping authority to arrest, prosecute, and deport anyone they suspect of crossing into Texas from Mexico,” the #WelcomewithDignity campaign said after passage of the measures by the state House of Representatives in a special session Nov. 14.
“Undoubtedly, these bills impact Texans, long-time community members, and people seeking asylum. They seek to override the federal government’s authority and give Texas the power to prosecute people before their asylum cases are resolved,” the campaign said.
Numerous other humanitarian organizations have condemned the legislation to supporters and media before and after passage.
“We believe that these bills, if enacted, will adversely affect our communities and churches and deviate from the principles of love and compassion toward the most vulnerable among us,” hundreds of Hispanic Christians said in a Nov. 6 letter to Abbott.
Ruben Ortiz (Photo/Dede Smith)
Ruben Ortiz, Latino field ministries coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, was among the signatories, as were Elket Rodriguez and Anyra Cano of Fellowship Southwest. Jesse Rincones, executive director of the Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas, and Rolando Rodriguez, director of Texas Baptists en Español, also signed the letter.
Although the measures had yet to pass the state House and Senate when the letter was sent, it urged Abbott to use his veto power should the measures come across his desk.
“The passage of these bills will inadvertently foster fear and create unwarranted obstacles for the crucial care provided by our church immigrant and refugee ministries,” the letter says. “This legislation appears to erect barriers that hinder churches in fulfilling their sacred mission of welcoming and caring for our neighbors. We earnestly implore you to revisit these public policies and collaborate with us to develop alternative solutions that promote the safety and prosperity of our communities.”
A range of other statements described the legislation as racist, xenophobic and in violation of federal law.
“In addition to being unconstitutional, the law passed by the Texas Legislature allowing state law enforcement to arrest and deport immigrants crossing from Mexico is inhumane and morally repugnant,” said Sister Marie Lucey, associate director of the Franciscan Action Network. “We Franciscans urge the Biden administration to strongly challenge SB-4 as illegal, anti-immigrant and racist. Many, if not most, members of the Texas legislature claim to be Christian, but SB-4 is contrary to gospel values and principles.”
Dylan Corbett
Dylan Corbett, executive director of Hope Border Institute, said the Legislature has wasted its time and taxpayer dollars passing legislation that will be overturned in the courts.
“Texas lawmakers decided the best use of their time in an extraordinary session was to further criminalize our neighbors and our communities. SB-4 and SB-3 will do nothing but target Black and brown Texas residents, separate families and waste taxpayer money on increasing pain against migrants as a form of deterrence that over and over has proven failed,” Corbett said. “Make no mistake, these laws will be declared unconstitutional. We urge the Biden administration to challenge Operation Lone Star once and for all.”
Operation Lone Star is the state’s border security program created by Abbott in 2021 to counter rising border crossings and to blame Biden for the trend. But the new legislation will in fact exacerbate the challenged posed by illegal crossings, Corbett said.
“SB-3 will push migrants into more dangerous border crossings, leading to more and more deaths. It is truly shameful that the Texas legislators who supported SB-4 and SB-3 failed to consider the severe consequences that it will have on Texans.”
Alexis Bay
Alexis Bay, health justice legal fellow at the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights, said the Texas bills violate longstanding national and international asylum laws granting migrants the right to seek refuge regardless of how or where they cross the border.
“SB-4 is an outright violation of this right and paves a dangerous path for state law enforcement to target children and arrest and imprison them simply for migrating and entering Texas between ports of entry,” she said. “At the same time, the federal government is turning back many children and families when they try to access ports of entry to ask for help, leaving many with no choice but to seek safety elsewhere along the border.”
Meredith Owen, director of policy and advocacy at Church World Service, lamented the departure from hospitality the bills represent for Texas.
“The legislature of the Lone Star State must recognize the contributions of all of its people and summarily strike down these prejudicial and xenophobic proposals,” she declared. “The fact is that Gov. Abbott is immorally leveraging vulnerable populations to drum up political support and send a message of exclusion; if passed, these proposals will significantly harm his state and all the people that call it home.”