As expected, city officials announced at a Sunday afternoon press conference (!!) that they are revising Houston’s sanctuary policy (via the Chronicle):
The death of officer Rodney Johnson expedited the Houston Police Department’s new policy of asking people arrested in minor crimes for identification and running criminal background checks on those who cannot provide it, but the change was being formulated before he was killed during the arrest of an illegal immigrant, Mayor Bill White said Sunday.
“That did provide an additional impetus to bring this to conclusion, but it was in the works anyway,” White said at a news conference Sunday formally announcing the change. “Both Chief (Hurtt) and I, after that death, we asked for an expedited review of everything we could to identify people who are wanted (for criminal activity).”
[snip]
“(We are) specifically targeting those people that have been convicted of felonies in this country and have been previously deported and re-entered the country,” Hurtt said.
Under the policy, Houston police will ask all arrested suspects whether they are citizens, then fingerprint anyone without identification and check for criminal histories in a national database.
If that search shows a person is accused of returning to the country after being deported for a crime or defying an order to leave the country — both of which carry felony charges — police will hold the person for immigration officials.
Those who cannot provide proper identification but have no criminal record will not be turned over to immigration officials.
Okay, but it’s still not enough. A fourteen-year-old memo needs to be honestly and openly debated, and HPD’s leadership should face tough questioning about the policy by City Council. MayorWhiteChiefHurtt are trying to deflect just enough negative attention so they can once again bury the topic.
Depending on which local news story you read, LULAC is either supportive of the changes or wary of the changes. Supportive:
At a news conference, support for the new policy appeared to be strong and widespread, from the Mexican Consulate to LULAC.
“If you have warrants or you have committed a crime, they need to take you in. And I think in that sense, it’s good. What I would tell immigrants is pay your tickets, stay out of trouble, carry identification and you’ll be OK,” said Rick Dovalina.
Wary:
“We’re going to monitor how it affects everybody,” said Rick Dovalina, Houston president of the League of United Latin American Citizens Houston. The group will watch to see if “there is racial profiling … that type of thing … how much strain it’s put on police, because, obviously, when they take people in, it’s time off the street.”
This ought to be interesting.
