Last week, amid nationwide protests against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Hays County passed a resolution affirming its support for the “constitutional and humane treatment of migrants.” Travis County followed suit in its meeting this week, passing a resolution that reaffirms what the U.S. Supreme Court has already affirmed in cases such as Plyler v. […]
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Posted inAISD
Austin ISD says it is prepared for potential impact of Trump’s immigration policies
Officials for the largest school district in Central Texas said they have taken steps to prepare for the potential impact of President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. Austin ISD General Counsel Kenneth M. Walker II said the district began reviewing its protocols before Trump began signing executive orders. “We could … anticipate that some of the […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Advocates urge immigrants in Austin to plan – but not panic – over new Trump orders
Advocates say President Donald Trump’s immediate actions on immigration have created a climate of fear among immigrant communities in Austin. On his first day in office, Trump signed more than 200 executive orders, many related to immigration, and issued a policy allowing authorities to enter churches and schools to detain undocumented people. Danny Moreno and his colleagues […]
Posted inCourts
After court ruling, Travis County will comply with all ICE detention requests
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office will honor all federal immigration detainer requests following a federal court ruling that held parts of Texas’ “sanctuary cities” law can go into effect. A three-judge panel for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that a provision in Senate Bill 4 requiring jurisdictions to comply with federal […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Here’s what we learned about requests from ICE to pick up Travis County inmates
Drunken driving. Property theft. Possession of a controlled substance. These are some of the crimes for which the Travis County Sheriff’s Office did not honor requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain suspected undocumented immigrants past their sentences or dispositions. Records obtained by KUT News show that while Sheriff Sally Hernandez’s policy regarding […]
Posted inAustin
Adler: Challenge to state’s sanctuary cities law ‘almost a certainty’
The state’s proposed sanctuary cities legislation faces an almost certain and likely quick challenge in court, Mayor Steve Adler said Wednesday after returning from his trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss the issue with federal law enforcement officials. The Texas House of Representatives’ debate late into Wednesday ahead of a vote on its version of […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Sanctuary cities debate revolves around ICE detainers. But what are they?
Members of the Texas House of Representatives today will consider Senate Bill 4, popularly coined the “sanctuary cities” bill. The practices of the Travis County Sheriff’s Office have been heralded as a reason to pass this bill – one that would create criminal and civil penalties for law enforcement heads who do not honor all […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Travis County tops list of jurisdictions declining immigration detainers
A new report suggests Travis County refused more federal requests to detain undocumented immigrants than any other law enforcement agency. The report from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is the first of what are promised to be weekly publications. President Donald Trump established the practice of publishing the lists of jurisdictions declining ICE […]
Posted inAustin
Democrats urged to join fight against SB 4
Matt Simpson, policy strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, told members of the Central Texas Democratic Forum on Monday that Senate Bill 4, the so-called sanctuary cities bill, throws out policies created by sheriffs and police departments across the state about how and when to ask about immigration status. “This is kind […]
Posted inTravis County
Commissioners Court tackles sanctuary communities, sexual assault in jail, and Trump
Uncertainty over federal immigration policy following the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump nearly derailed plans to fight back against sexual assault in Travis County jails. At its regular voting session on Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 to accept a reimbursement from the U.S. Department of Justice for holding inmates with illegal immigration […]