老澳门开奖结果

On September 1 in Texas, SB 4 will take effect. And on that day, all law enforcement across the state will be immediately transformed from police officers into something much different.

鈥淪B 4 says that every local police officer, sheriff, and mayor throughout Texas now needs to enforce immigration law,鈥� according to Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 Immigrants鈥� Rights Project. And these public servants have every incentive to comply with the law, he notes, because SB 4 鈥渋mposes fines in the tens of thousands of dollars, jail time, and even removal from office for violations of law.鈥�

The fear of losing their jobs is palpable among police officers. 鈥淚鈥檓 worried because my career 鈥� it could end,鈥� says Officer Edgar Garcia of the El Cenizo Police Department. 鈥淲e can be penalized or even 鈥� they鈥檒l give us jail time.鈥�

The penalties combined with the very nature of the law, Gelernt explains, will further erode the trust between the police and the communities they serve. This is for two predictable reasons. Police will undoubtedly racially profile Hispanic or Latino people 鈥� communities that make up of the state鈥檚 population. And they will improperly apply the law for fear of being seen as weak on immigration enforcement.

Officer Garcia agrees. 鈥淚 want to be out here 鈥� making people feel safe,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want them to feel afraid.鈥�

But under SB 4, they will be.

At a time when there鈥檚 a lack of confidence in policing and immigrants are under attack from the highest offices of state and federal government, SB 4 is a terrible law. But it鈥檚 also patently unconstitutional, which is why the 老澳门开奖结果, the 老澳门开奖结果 of Texas, and cities and counties across the state are currently challenging it in federal court. We expect a decision before September 1, when SB 4 goes into effect.

Stay tuned.