A recording of the event is available here
Austin – On a press call, immigrant advocates and legal experts analyzed yesterday’s oral arguments on SB4 in the Fifth Circuit court of appeals. The hearing took place before a panel of three judges who considered the merits of a preliminary injunction issued in August by the district court in San Antonio. A recording of the event is available here.
Nina Perales, Vice-President of Litigation, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), said:
The Court asked thorough and careful questions about the obligations that SB 4 places on local employees and officials. We are pleased with the opportunity to present our perspective on the flaws in the statute.
Andre Segura, Senior Staff Attorney, Legal Director, ACLU of Texas, said:
Yesterday, attorneys from the Trump and Abbott administrations tried to convince the court that SB4 doesn’t say what it says. But the fact of the matter is that officials and law enforcement officers from Texas cities of all sizes face crippling fines, removal from office and potentially even criminal prosecution, should they fall afoul of its vague and unconstitutional provisions.
Damaris Gonzalez, leader with United We Dream Houston, said:
I want to make perfectly clear SB 4 is racist, and it was made possible by Texas politicians operating under a racist agenda aimed at removing people of color like me, my family and my neighbors from this country. Trump is responsible for the anti-blackness, anti-brownness, and anti-immigrant racism that has emboldened right-wing politicians who seek to strike fear into my community, detain us, incarcerate us, deport us and separate us from our families. We must not forget that this law was brought bear in our state by dangerous politicians.
Jose P. Garza, Executive Director, Worker’s Defense Project, said:
Workers Defense members vowed to fight against SB 4 in the courts, streets, and ballot box – we intend to make good on that promise. To this point, the federal courts have made clear that Texas cities and counties have the authority to keep their communities safe, regardless of the immigration status. Workers Defense will continue to demand that cities and counties protect our communities.
Regardless of the outcome of this litigation, we will continue to organize and build power in this state. What we have seen, since Gov. Abbott signed this racist law, is that there is a movement of TX families that are fed up with divisive politics. Rosa Maria has power and so does our community.
Juanita Cox-Valdez, Executive Director of La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE), said:
As Latinos, we know what it is like to face discrimination. Our communities are safer when all of us can access due process and equal justice. The border communities stand with immigrants and we will continue the fight against SB4 in the courts and in the streets.
