CHC Chair Barragán, Castro, Texas CHC Members Urge Justice Department to Challenge New Law Targeting Hispanics in Texas

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Nanette Barragán (CA-44), Rep. Joaquin Castro (TX-20), and Reps. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Greg Casar (TX-35), Sylvia Garcia(TX-29), and Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus from Texas released the following statement after Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 4 -- a draconian new law that will authorize untrained state police and judicial authorities to arrest and deport people police suspect are migrants and obstruct federal immigration enforcement:

“Governor Abbott’s hateful war against immigrants has reached new heights with Senate Bill 4, the most extreme anti-immigration law in the United States. Under this new law, Hispanics will become the targets of a dangerous new wave of racially motivated harassment that places suspicion on anyone who looks or sounds like an immigrant. Undocumented immigrants who report crimes to the police will risk deportation, and federal law enforcement will have fewer tools to crack down on human smuggling. Senate Bill 4 empowers state officers who are untrained in immigration law to interfere in federal immigration enforcement, obstruct asylum cases, and put people in danger. These officers will also interfere with federal efforts to create a safe, humane, and orderly system at the border. In short, Texas will become more dangerous for everyone.

This week, CHC Members, including five Texas CHC Members sent a letter to the Department of Justice calling for swift legal action to prevent this racist, inhumane law from being enacted. We strongly urge the Department of Justice to heed our call. The CHC will continue to work with the Biden Administration to reform our immigration system, protect migrants from harm, and create an orderly asylum system at our border.”

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