The left’s push to establish sanctuary cities has come to Texas. The city of Houston is now clashing with Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton over a policy change that would severely limit the city’s cooperation with ICE. This very policy change has come under fire after a Venezuelan illegal alien was arrested and charged for murdering his coworker with a sledgehammer.
On April 8 the city council passed an ordinance that would eliminate requirements for Houston police officers to hold arrested individuals for up to 30 minutes for ICE officers to respond. Governor Abbott responded by threatening to freeze the city’s $114 million in state funding and AG Paxton filed a lawsuit over the move.
Due to the lawsuit and funding freeze, the Houston City Council voted to undo the anti-ICE policy on Wednesday. The Governor and AG responded so forcefully to this change because local law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE is crucial to keeping Houston, and the rest of Texas, safe. While Democrat Cities fight to put policies in place to protect criminal illegal aliens, the rest of society is forced to deal with the fallout from the horrific crimes they commit.
Carpenter Juan Antonio Salinas Leija was found dead. His wounds are consistent with a sledgehammer attack, and Josue Abraham Chirino-Leonice, an illegal alien, was arrested for the crime when found to be driving the victim’s truck. ICE filed a request (detainer) for the Harris County Jail to hold him there, but under the new Democrat sanctuary city policy, Chirino-Leonice would be released back into the public rather than handed over to ICE. It remains unclear at this time whether Chirino-Leonice is in custody or was released back into the community.
Chirino-Leonice was released into the country by the Biden administration in 2023. Had a pro-border security administration been in place then, this horrific murder would have likely never happened. Tragedies like this murder highlight the need for stronger border security and the importance of ICE detainers.
ICE detainers have a twofold benefit for the country. Firstly, they keep Texans out of unnecessary danger. If a suspect who is also an illegal alien wanted by ICE is arrested for an unrelated crime, ICE detainers allow the agency to pick them up at the jail rather than wait for them to be released into the public.
Secondly, it allows ICE to block the loopholes that criminals use to escape justice. Soros-funded DAs and judges often let illegal aliens out of jail. Sometimes they drop charges altogether, but more commonly they simply grant them bail knowing the offender will likely go out and commit more crimes. If a defendant is an illegal alien, however, they shouldn’t be able to terrorize the community, they should go into ICE custody and be deported.
Texans for Strong Borders stands with Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton in demanding full cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. We oppose all efforts to turn Texas cities into sanctuaries for illegal aliens.
This fight directly advances our priority to bolster interior immigration enforcement. A mass invasion requires mass deportations, and local law enforcement must play a central role. Texas should expand mandatory participation in the ICE 287(g) program for state and local agencies, strengthen adherence to detainers, and support aggressive worksite enforcement to remove criminal illegal aliens, before they’re able to commit more crimes. We will keep pressing leaders to deliver on these commitments and hold sanctuary sympathizers fully accountable.