Mayor Turner puts out the welcome mat for a key part of Houston’s community.
Mayor Sylvester Turner
A press conference Monday morning to announce the unveiling of Houston’s Office of New Americans and Immigrant Communities evolved into a denunciation by city officials of President-elect Donald Trump’s rhetoric toward immigrants and refugees.
With portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. looking down across the diverse crowd at the Neighborhood Center’s Baker-Ripley Center Monday, Mayor Sylvester Turner pledged to protect citizens against discrimination and to remain a “just and compassionate city.”
“In the wake of a national election, many members of our community are asking whether they will continue to have a place in our great city. They fear for themselves, their children and their communities. We cannot ignore those realities,” Turner said, emphasizing that 1 in 4 Houstonians are foreign born. “The city that existed prior to the election is the same city that exists today.”
Though his exact positions have wavered over the past few months, Trump has called for deporting all immigrants here illegally as well as curbing legal immigration. At one point he also suggested banning all Muslims from entering the United States.
Last week, Turner joined 17 other mayors across the country in urging the president-elect to support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which provides protections to certain immigrants who illegally entered the country as minors. Trump has spoken of rescinding DACA.
The new office, formerly known as the Office of International Communities, will provide guidance and assistance to immigrant and refugee communities in obtaining citizenship and access to services. The rebranding does not come with increased staff or funds, according to city officials.
It will work in conjunction with other organizations, like the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, in the “Welcoming Houston Task Force,” which will provide recommendations early next year to Turner on gaps in immigrant services.
The Mayor’s press release is here. Immigrants are a big part of Houston, culturally and economically. A quick check at census.gov says that 28.5% of Houston’s population in the 2011-2015 time frame was foreign born. They’re key components in medicine, energy, information technology, restaurants and hospitality, and more. So it makes all kinds of sense to put out an expressly open and welcoming message, especially at a time when neither the state nor incoming federal government is either of those things. And if that puts the city at odds with the state and the feds, well, that’s a fight worth having. A statement by the Texas Organizing Project is beneath the fold, and Stace, the Press, and KUHF have more.
The following is a statement by Michelle Tremillo, executive director of the Texas Organizing Project, in response to today’s press conference by Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaiming Houston a Welcoming City:
“Mayor Sylvester Turner today gave much need assurances to vulnerable communities that they are welcome in Houston and will be protected.
“The Mayor’s words, ‘As your mayor, I will always have your back,’ will go a long way toward easing some of the anxiety being felt by communities who feel targeted since Donald Trump was elected president.
“At TOP, we’re going to make protecting our communities a priority, and fighting back against all threats, whether they come from DC or Austin.
“In the following weeks, we look forward to working with Mayor Turner to implement policies that will put weight behind today’s words. Specifically, we’re calling for policies that specify that no one will use City funds or resources to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration law; the City will not question, stop, arrest or detain a person solely based on their national origin or immigration status; the City will include immigration status in the definition of a hate crime; and the City will ensure city departments and agencies provide language interpretation services to people with limited English proficiency so that all residents have meaningful access to City programs, services and information.
“Together with Mayor Turner, Houston’s new police chief Art Acevedo, Harris County’s newly elected sheriff Ed Gonzalez and Harris County’s newly elected district attorney Kim Ogg, we know we can create a safe and welcoming community in Houston where hate crimes are not tolerated and our diverse communities are protected and allowed to live freely and thrive.
“After all, in the November elections, voters in Houston and Harris County made it clear that they reject hate, and want a criminal justice system that is truly fair and just. Now more than ever, our communities are looking to local leadership to protect and represent them to the fullest. We expect our elected officials to deliver, and we will hold them accountable.”
I have a very long list of objections to Trump, and this issue is near the top. Our immigration system is broken and does need reform (BTW Bush Jr actually had a decent compromise measure to start that), but all the bigotry and scapegoating Trump has been stirring up alarms me greatly. Lots of invective directed against the poor desperate people seeking work, but nothing I’ve heard about punishing the people who hire under the table. That’s textbook hypocrisy.
Mayor Turner is being disrespectful to every legal immigrant who lives here, who completed the long, arduous process of coming here legally. He is also being disrespectful to every Houstonian who has been victimized by illegal aliens. It’s disrespectful to the family of HPD officer Rodney Johnson, and all the other HPD officers killed by illegals. I’ve been hit by a no DL, no insurance illegal alien, so I am one of the people he is demeaning, by placing the “rights” of illegals ahead of those who are here legally.
Legal immigrants and illegal aliens are two totally different groups, and should never be lumped together. The legal immigrant has shown respect for our country. The illegal alien has thumbed his/her nose at this country. Yes, of course, welcome legal immigrants. That’s a no brainer. Welcoming illegal trespassers? Not so much.
I’ve been pretty pleased with Mayor Turner thus far, but this is bad policy, party over country partisanship, and trying to make the narrative that anyone who wants illegals deported hates legal immigrants. Hopefully Trump and Abbot lean on Turner and the others to uphold the laws they swore to uphold.
As far as the immigration system being broken, there’s only one thing that is broken, the birthright citizenship misinterpretation. End birthright citizenship, and you put a stop to breaking up families. Ending birthright citizenship is the compassionate thing to do. So, end birthright citizenship and start enforcing immigration law, and voila, problem solved. This is where Reagan went wrong with his amnesty. Had he granted the amnesty, then zealously enforced immigration law to deport illegals, we wouldn’t be where we are now.
The SCOTUS ruled on the 14th Anendment long ago- birthright citizenship is established, and isn’t going anywhere short of amending the Constitution. Not realistic.
Also the problem isn’t solved if there is no really effective punishment to deter illegal hiring.
A little hate never hurt anyone Bill, does it? I hear it leads to an early grave quite often.
Besides the program he has implemented has nothing to do with people that are here “illegally”.
I have had people hit me who did not have insurance but were good old American citizens. The insurance requirement has been in effect for probably longer than you have been alive Bill and it was not passed because of “illegals” with no insurance.
Maybe if they allowed the undocumented to have a driver’s license they could purchase insurance?
Of course you hate people that ain’t white Bill, you just don’t realize it. Or do you?
Your analogies are bogus, using a few incidents to hate an entire group. If that was a legitimate reason to hate I have reasons to hate the entire white race, the black race, the Asians, the Mexicans. Heck I would hate all humans. So your examples are just racist ways of pushing hate. Should African Americans hate all whites because of Dylann Roof? Should all people hate militia groups because of Timothy McVeigh?
The only question Bill is when will you admit that you hate Mexicans, legal or illegal? But I will admit that I don’t think you limit your hate to just Mexicans.
Filling a few vacancies on the Supreme Court with original intent jurists could change that interpretation of the 14th. Children of freed slaves /= children of illegal aliens. Hey, I think Ted Cruz is looking for a job. Wonder how he looks in a black robe?
Replacing Scalia is one. Speaking of, wasn’t Ginsburg going to retire and move to Canada if Trump was elected? When’s that going to take place?
And yeah, let’s talk about illegal hiring. I fully support punishing employers for that, IF we shackle the EEOC and other agencies that will punish employers for discrimination if they are overly zealous about checking documents. Right now, employers are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t. Protect employers from discrimination suits and I’ll sign on for fining them for hiring illegals.
I agree with Fly, punish the employers it is legal to pass such laws. They did not overturn that in Arizona. All employers should be required to use e-verify.
The use of a National ID, would also help.
Why is it that those good Republican that hate “Illegals” so much not made those simple things a requirement?
@Neither:
When ya got nothin’, toss out the race card.
Hint: Ya got nothing.
If it makes you feel better to think that everyone who wants our immigration laws enforced is a waycist that hates brown people, then by all means, don’t let me stop you.
@Neither:
Again, I’m OK with penalties for employers that hire illegals, but that brings up a big problem, proving the employer KNEW the employees were illegal. Stolen Social Security numbers are a common way for illegals to get jobs. Is it really fair to punish an employer who was duped with fake documents and/or a stolen identity? That’s a problem that will have to be sorted out before we start busting employers.
Bill you are a racist, I don’t have to throw out any race card, that is racist bs that is used by racists to defend their comments and beliefs. They have no proof but heck since when are facts a problem it is common knowledge that with Republicans and haters that facts don’t matter.
So keep repeating I will you use the throw out the race card to defend myself because I don’t have anything else.
Proof that illegals use stolen social security numbers. It does occur but not to the extent that racists claim. It is much more likely that they are using ITIN. The estimate is maybe one million persons using fake social security numbers.
But just in case racists care about facts, it is estimated that there may be about one million stolen social security numbers. But guess what it ain’t just your “Illegals” doing the stealing, many of them are stolen by your Russian friends that elected Trump. They be called hackers and just good old American thieves. They use stolen social security numbers for a variety of illegal activities. But, I seriously doubt that you care about it.
But again, racists, like to cite a few instance to demean an entire group of people. Bill do you know that most mass murderers in the United States are white males? So the conclusion is all white males are mass murders, right?
Bill do you know that most serial killers in the United States are white males? So the conclusion is that white males are serial killers, right?
Bill how do you feel voting for the Russian puppet?
By the way bill most of those so called “illegals” actually use a cash system. The companies that hire them prefer it that way, no paper trail and most of those employers tend to be Republicans that don’t report much of their cash income. Swallow that and try to think on it.
Trouble is, the 14th Amendment could have included wording that made it explicit that it was meant to by applied just to the freed slaves and their descendants. But the choice was made not to and the precedent is in place. You want to put a requirement on the parents (citizens or legal residents)? Fine. Write up a clarifying Amendment. Let’s get a clear definition of “native-born.” Run it through the process.
@Neither:
“By the way bill most of those so called “illegals” actually use a cash system.”
Let’s say that’s true. Kinda tosses out that argument that they are paying their own way here and contributing more than they are taking in public services. If that’s true, then mass deportations would reduce the amount of resources spent on them, while at the same time tightening up the labor market to increase wages for legal residents and citizens.
We would be investing money in the short term for a guaranteed return on investment in the long term.
@Neither:
What better way to stick it to those evil business owners than to take away their cheap labor source? Seems like that is something liberals should be supporting. Increased wages? Jobs for American citizens? Isn’t this something liberals support?
Bill only because you always want to come back to spread your hate an lies.
In Texas we have sales tax. We have property tax, one pays whether one lives in an apartment or house.
So Bill you are a racist and have no logic but hate.
I won’t even bother responding to the second part because a Republican Comptroller debunked that argument years ago.
Yes and E-Verify will work very well, thank you. They will self deport at Romney stated to a degree.
But what all the racism and hate Bill? Why do you hate Mexicans Bill, it has nothing to do about legal and illegal Bill, admit it.
I agree with you that they depress the wages, I stated as much.
Trump supporters and those who promote him are all murders and violent so they belong behind bars.
So Bill just say it to yourself, Bill Daniels, aka ???, I am a racist and a bigot, and keep repeating it until you admit to yourself.