Earlier this month, we asked you to stand up for your community safety by telling the members of the Texas House of Representatives to reject HB 12, a bill that prevents local police departments from keeping Texas cities and neighborhoods safe by requiring them to enforce federal immigration laws.  Thank you for all of your emails to the House of Representatives.  

Unfortunately, the Texas Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security is set to consider HB 12 this Wednesday, May 18!

Can you believe it?  Despite the fact that numerous law enforcement leaders have spoken out against this bill, saying that it would make it nearly impossible for them to implement the effective community policing policies that keep our families safe from crime, politicians are continuing to push this failed proposal forward.  The success of our local police departments is based on the trust and cooperation of all members of our community, regardless of their immigration status.  

For example, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said, “We depend on the community to work with us to identify crimes in their neighborhood…We would not get that kind of collaboration from the community if, all of a sudden, SAPD [San Antonio Police Department] officers were out there enforcing immigration laws.”  Passing HB 12 would make communities less safe because immigrants would become afraid of calling the police when they are victims or witnesses of crime.

Email the members of the Senate committee below and tell them to oppose HB 12 and keep your community safe!

Let them know that anti-immigrant legislation has no place in Texas and that this bill does not provide the long-term solutions that our state needs.  Urge them to vote against HB 12 and push the federal government to take up comprehensive immigration reform.