Thread: Immigration sanctuary idea goes nowhere

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Immigration sanctuary idea goes nowhere

Web Posted: 05/06/2006 10:01 PM CDT
Hernán Rozemberg
Express-News Immigration Writer

Should undocumented immigrants feel safely at home in San Antonio?

At least one city leader thinks so, and she'd like her colleagues to back a proposal calling for the city to provide migrants shelter from federal policies meant to boot them out of the country.

Patti Radle, a councilwoman representing District 5 on the West Side, a traditional destination for immigrants, pushed for passage of a resolution denouncing federal legislation clamping down on undocumented migrants and calling for local police to not double as immigration agents.

But Radle was not able to round up a majority of the 11-member council to get the resolution on Thursday's agenda.

She said hers is not a political crusade — she's just trying do her job.

"I'm the granddaughter of an immigrant, and these actions (federal laws and policies) speak against the very root of who we are in San Antonio," Radle said. "They are a direct threat to our constituents, whether they're here legally or not."

The touchy idea grew more controversial after being linked to the concept of San Antonio being a "sanctuary" or "safe haven" city, meaning it would symbolically open its arms to undocumented immigrants and instruct city employees to steer clear of questioning or investigating peoples' immigration status.

Dozens of cities across the country have enacted sanctuary resolutions since the 1980s, but the number of signatories is unknown.

Large cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles passed resolutions last year. In Texas, El Paso passed one last month. Austin adopted a measure in 1997, declaring the city a "safety zone" for immigrants.

The language and tone of most of these symbolic texts — they have no legal bearing because immigration is a federal matter — are similar, particularly those approved this year that target a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in December.

That measure, which will need to be reconciled with a Senate version before landing on President Bush's desk for final approval, calls for, among other points, making crossing the border illegally a felony and penalizing advocacy groups that aid immigrants.

It would also withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities.

Such criminally oriented changes in immigration law are what prompted Radle to seek her resolution, an effort that immigrant advocates wanted to see extended to include designating San Antonio as a sanctuary city.

"Our city cannot stay silent while we allow immigration (agents) to run rampant," said Jaime Martínez, a longtime civil rights activist who belongs to several local organizations. "We're going to keep going to every council meeting until we get a statement of support."

The move may not pay off, judging from the dearth of support Radle received from her colleagues — only one other council member signed the resolution.

The opposition has a unanimous argument: The City Council is already swamped with work and shouldn't waste taxpayers' time debating matters that have nothing to do with their job description.

Several council members said they personally agree with Radle's politics, but countered that they're against using their jobs as a conduit to espouse personal political views.

"Quite frankly, I applaud Patti's desires and values," said Councilman Kevin Wolff. "But she's mixing business with pleasure."

Councilman Chip Haas offered a solution: Instead of lobbying the council, Radle should pressure her congressman to change immigration laws.

San Antonio is not a sanctuary city, and its leadership has never forbidden city employees, formally or informally, from asking people about their immigration status; nor have workers been told to reject cooperating with federal immigration agents, said J.J. Saulino, a spokesman for the mayor.

Yet the Police Department seems to have a sanctuary-like policy.

"My position is that there's no room for police to enforce immigration laws," said Chief William McManus. "Local police should be concerned with local issues."

McManus' top concern is not letting the immigration issue interfere with the goal of staying close to the community — if people are afraid that by calling police they'll get deported, undocumented immigrants won't report crimes or assist with investigations.

Sometimes officers don't have a choice but to call immigration agents, he said, such as a typical smuggling case in which the driver bails out of a van, leaving behind many people crammed in the back.

Federal immigration agents in San Antonio said they've always had an effective, albeit informal, collaboration agreement with San Antonio police.

"We help them and they help us," said Mike Barón, in charge of the city's Border Patrol station. "Basic professionalism between law enforcement brothers, that's all it is. We'd like to keep it that way."

Although it looks unlikely that San Antonio will join the ranks of sanctuary cities, Radle said she is not quite ready to give up the fight — just the method.

Putting the resolution idea on hiatus, she seems to have heeded Haas' advice: She'll soon send a letter to Texas' congressional delegation, asking them to back immigrant-friendly laws.

Three other council members signed the letter.



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hrozemberg@express-news.net

Deport Patti Radle.