Resolution
 

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW 
 

WhereaS, the City of Houston will likely have a referendum on the November, 2006 ballot to force local police personnel to enforce federal immigration laws; and 

WhereaS, the City of Houston has had a policy since 1992 of not having city police question residents as to their legal status, thereby allowing the cooperation of undocumented residents to help city police personal on criminal investigation in Houston; and 

WhereaS, the City of Houston police currently do not have the training, knowledge, or personnel necessary to enforce federal immigration laws; and  

WhereaS, the diversion of city police personnel to enforcing immigration laws instead of everyday violations could lead to an increase in the local crime rate; and 

WhereaS, in the event that the proposed referendum were to pass in the November, 2006 election, there would be a need for additional police personnel to ensure that immigration laws were properly enforced on all peoples, and not just on Hispanics; and  

WhereaS, if this referendum were to pass in Houston, Texas, a ripple effect across this country could effect all other cities in the nation;  

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that LULAC oppose the City of Houston referendum that would change the present police department police department policy that forbids police from asking people they encounter about their immigration status in Houston, Texas.

Adopted this 1st day of July 2006.

Rosa Rosales
LULAC National President