Texas Bill Would Violate the Rights of People Seeking Safety

Refugee Congress is deeply concerned by the attempts to allow Texas officials to override federal authority and violate the rights of people seeking safety.

On Tuesday, a Supreme Court ruling allowed Texas’ SB4 to go into effect. The bill gives Texas state and local law enforcement the power to arrest, detain, and deport anyone they suspect to have crossed the border without authorization.

While a late Tuesday evening decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the state from enforcing SB4, this back-and-forth allowance of such a dangerous bill exacerbates confusion in our communities and increases fear for families fleeing persecution and violence.

Should this law go into effect it would strip individuals seeking safety of their rights and could lead to increased racial profiling, separation of families, and harm to communities of color.

Refugee Congress stands firm in denouncing the enforcement of SB4. It is imperative that the United States upholds its values of compassion and protection for people escaping persecution and families that have been forced to flee their homes due to violence.

“SB4 will put immigrant communities and families who seek safety and protection at risk. This bill could neglect the human rights of protection. It will ruin the relationship between law enforcement and immigrant communities and put immigrants and refugees at risk of not trusting law enforcement,” said Geeta Farahmand, Honorary Delegate, formerly of Texas.

“This new legislation is not a victory for anyone. It stands contrary to the fundamental principles enshrined in our Constitution,” said Zainab Ihsan, Delegate for Texas. “It could harm individuals and their families as the new law requires law enforcement officers to inquire about the immigrant status of individuals, which would lead to discriminatory targeting based on appearance or ethnicity.”