Yesterday, the Texas House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security met to consider a list of bills including HB 1076 and HB 1152.
Both would give non-citizens, and many former illegal aliens, the ability to become peace officers in the state of Texas, modeling legislation that has already passed in blue states like Colorado and California.
A peace officer is defined in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to have thirty-one different definitions spanning from a position as common as a “constable, sheriff, or police officer” to “investigators” employed by the Texas Racing Commission or Texas Medical Board.
Texans for Strong Borders is adamantly opposed to any such legislation that would give the ability and power of non-citizens to police citizens.
This is not only backwards but dangerous and the newest low set by the Open Border Establishment to incentivize illegal immigration and fill American jobs with non-Americans.
No American job should go to a non-citizen, much less one that requires an oath of office that states:
“I solemnly swear or affirm that I will faithfully execute the duties of my office of the State of Texas, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of Texas, so help me God.”
This oath is made specifically for Texans and Americans, not non-citizens.
In the United States of America, we require that all citizens take a similar oath of allegiance to our country. If the author of HB 1076, Rep. Neave Criado (D-Dallas) gets her way, every former illegal alien who has been granted amnesty in the past or is currently crossing the Texas Border illegally will have a chance to become a Peace Officer in the state of Texas.
Don’t take it from us, take it from them!
Case in point, a former illegal alien under DACA, testified in favor of HB 1076 yesterday with the hopes of becoming a Police Officer in the state of Texas without having to obtain his citizenship to do so.
Surprisingly, many others from from the following cities, counties, and associations testified in FAVOR of both or either HB 1076 and HB 1152:
- Houston Police Department – Police Chief
- Dallas Police Department – Police Chief
- Fort Worth Police Department – Police Chief
- San Marcos Police Department – Police Chief
- Bexar County Sheriff
- Harris County Sheriff
- President of the Texas School District Police Chief Association
- President of Texas Police Chief Association
- President of the Sheriff’s Association of Texas
- National Latino Law Enforcement Organization
- National Latino Law Enforcement Organization – Fort Worth
Not one person, much less a member of law enforcement, testified against either of these bills.
In fact, two Republicans, Rep. Frederick Frazier (R-McKinney) and Rep. Charlie Geren (R- Fort Worth) have signed on as co-authors of HB 1076. Even the Chief of Police in Fort Worth, one of the last sizable Republican cities in the state of Texas, testified in favor of the bill and said the Republican Mayor of Fort Worth, Mattie Parker, also supports the legislation as well.
The Ft. Worth Chief of Police went as far as to say that one of the reasons to testify in favor of the legislation is the fact that his department “ does not represent the diversity of the city he serves”.
While we understand that there are ongoing staff shortages in Texas related to law enforcement, filling those gaps with non-Americans is a non-starter.
This could not be more cut and dry: Republicans have no business supporting this legislation, including the Republican Chair of the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
ACTION ALERT: MAKE SURE THESE BILLS DIE
During this committee hearing yesterday, the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security took no further action on either piece of legislation leaving them pending in the committee.
We NEED your help to make sure it stays that way!
Call Chair Ryan Guillen NOW and tell him to leave House Bill 1076 and House Bill 1152 pending in committee, effectively letting them die in the committee process.
CALL: (512) 463-0416