http://www.houstonist.com/archives/2006 ... ks_cit.php

Group seeks city immigration referendum
A group is trying to get the city charter changed to allow HPD officers to get more involved in immigration enforcement by removing a policy that prevents officers from asking people about their immigration status and giving them access to federal databases. The group, Protect Our Citizens, kicked off a petition drive yesterday at City Hall to try to get the 20,000 signatures required to put the measure on the November ballot.

Under HPD's current policy, officers ask people their immigration status only after they've been arrested for some other reason. The department says it doesn't have the resources to train its officers to do more, and they say changing the policy could damage police credibility in the immigrant community. The proposed charter provision says the city "shall not obstruct" officers from checking anyone's immigration status and making arrests for immigration violations. City Council didn't approve a similar proposal supported by former Councilman Mark Ellis late last year; at that time, the council was divided between those who worried Houston looked like a "sanctuary city" and those who didn't want police to get involved in immigration law, which is a federal matter.

Among the councilmembers who opposed Ellis' policy was the sunrise-haired Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, who called it "a political stunt." But that was before Sekula-Gibbs adopted a tougher stance on immigration in her quest for for Tom DeLay's congressional seat: Yesterday, she was the first person to sign the Protect Our Citizens petition, saying, "It is time for Houston to stand up and assist the federal government in enforcing immigration laws." We're sure they'll be happy for the help. (Sekula-Gibbs told the Chronicle yesterday that she opposed Ellis' proposal because it would have required proof of citizenship to get "ttaxpayer-provided social services.")

As expected, councilwoman Carol Alvarado took the opposite stance, saying the city doesn't offer sanctuary to illegal immigrants and that police officers shouldn't get involved in immigration issues. "I don't think it makes sense to take our police officers off the streets from chasing real criminals, who are committing real crimes, and send them on some witch hunt," she said.

Posted by Jim Parsons in News: Houston , Politics | [+]add to del.icio.us