Thread: TX: Some fear immigration bills' slow progress

Some fear immigration bills' slow progress

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
April 10, 2011
BY KAREN BROOKS
AUSTIN, TX

Cities such as Farmers Branch would be barred from enacting ordinances against renting homes to illegal immigrants under a bill that a Texas House committee reviewed last week.

That proposal, by Rep. Roberto Alonzo, D-Dallas, may never get past a hearing in a Legislature that is staunchly in favor of getting tougher on illegal immigrants.

But with that small step, the bill already has gone further than most of nearly 100 proposals dealing with illegal immigration.

And that has upset some conservatives, who were counting on a more receptive welcome from the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Instead, they're wondering if this session will be a repeat of 2009, when some of their favorite bills on illegal immigration stalled in committees without even getting a vote.

"There are a lot of folks in the movement who are starting to feel the déjÃ* vu, that we're back where we were before," said Ken Emanuelson, a Dallas tea party activist. "You never know what the intentions are until after the fact. There may be folks that have good will and say, 'Hey, there's time yet. We can get that done.' But there's also the lingering fear there's no intention of getting it done."

With about seven weeks left in the legislative session, only a bill requiring a photo ID to vote has passed either the House or Senate floor. Already, some political advocates are pointing to the next election to try to pressure lawmakers.

"We are looking to see where the specific impediments are," said Mike Openshaw of Plano, one of the organizers of the North Texas Tea Party. "It's not going to be a generic blame, or a generic 'try-to-throw-everybody-out' [strategy]. We're going to look for places where we can make changes and assure that next time around, legislation flows through for votes."

There are plenty of theories about why the bills haven't moved faster.

Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, head of the House Calendars Committee that helps set the agenda, said lawmakers are first trying to get through the budget bill and some time-consuming measures on agency operations.

Others said that the business lobby, powerful in a GOP-dominated Legislature, isn't eager to see approval of bills affecting access to workers.

Some, such as Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, who has seen his immigration bills die before, wonder if it's political retaliation for criticizing House Speaker Joe Straus on the failure of those bills in 2009.

But others, including Straus, said the measures are moving at a normal pace.

"It's early April," said his spokeswoman, Tracy Young. "They're working their way through the process."

Immigration rights advocates have tried to mobilize against what they see as harsh laws.

"Any of those bills pass, and we're going to go into court and sue," said Carlos Quintanilla of Accion America, formed in Dallas in response to the Farmers Branch renting ordinance.

House State Affairs Committee Chairman Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, said he's trying to take a balanced approach to the many immigration bills in his committee and isn't finished holding hearings on them.

The ban on sanctuary cities, listed as an emergency item by Gov. Rick Perry, was one of the first bills to be heard in his committee. It took testimony Wednesday on the landlords bill.

Cook's committee already approved the sanctuary cities bill, which is waiting to be heard by the full House - maybe this month, Cook said.

Openshaw, the tea party activist, said he'd like to see a vote on as many bills as possible, including Alonzo's on landlords, which he opposes. That's a fair way to deal with the issue, Openshaw said.

At least one local lawmaker and critic of the bill said it shouldn't have even been introduced.

"I hope it has a good, long life in committee," said GOP Rep. Jim Jackson, whose district includes Farmers Branch.

PASSING THROUGH

Immigration measures under consideration

With less than two months left in the legislative session, here's a look at the status of major immigration bills that would:

- Require a photo ID to vote. The House and Senate have passed different versions of the bill, and a conference committee has been named to work out the differences.

- Prohibit sanctuary cities and give police the authority to ask about the immigration status of people they lawfully contact. The bill by Rep. Burt Solomons, R-Carrollton, was approved by a House committee and is awaiting a floor vote.

- Deny birth certificates to babies born in the U.S. to parents who are not citizens. The bill by Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, known as the "birthright citizenship bill," is awaiting a House committee hearing.

- Establish English as the official language of Texas. The bill, also sponsored by Berman, is awaiting a House committee hearing.

- Establish an "e-verify" program that would keep businesses in compliance with laws against hiring illegal immigrants. It is awaiting a House committee hearing.

- Make being in Texas without proper documents a criminal offense. Under current law, being in the state as an illegal immigrant is a violation of civil codes. It is awaiting a House committee hearing.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/En ... 59&start=1

"Any of those bills pass, and we're going to go into court and sue," said Carlos Quintanilla of Accion America, formed in Dallas in response to the Farmers Branch renting ordinance.

Sue away, you've gotta run out of money sometime.