Not Really a Hispanic Heritage Month Feel-Good Story
So, this week we've learned that Irving is the new Farmers Branch. Two days after some 1,000-plus marched on Irving's City Hall, protesting that city's turning over suspected illegal immigrants to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, at least one religious leader in that suburb is insisting Hispanics are being targeted without cause -- hence, the threat of a lawsuit that seems more and more likely.
In the last 15 months, some 1,600 people, arrested by Irving police for various reasons, have been turned over to ICE as a result of Irving's participation in the Criminal Alien Program. Irving Mayor Herb Gears says it's all very aboveboard, but as the Associated Press reports this morning: "Father Pedro Portillo, of Santa Maria de Guadalupe Church in Irving, said he's talked to several people who say they were approached by officers without cause and asked for immigration documents. He's gathering the data in case advocates file a lawsuit."
Even as the Mexican Consulate in Dallas is warning people to steer clear of Irving, Megan Feldman's friends, the Texas Minutemen, are also weighing in: "Racist Latino speakers and 800 to 1200 Latino protesters gathered on the grounds of Irving City Hall to hear rabble rousing speeches, all spoken in Spanish. ... All were very comfortable in spewing lies." And just this week, Austin announced it's joining the CAP. --Robert Wilonsky
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