SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Los legisladores de Texas debatieron durante la sesión pasada docenas de medidas que fueron tachadas de "anti-inmigrantes." Con tal motivo, una coalición bipartidista de defensores del inmigrante lanzó este miércoles un portal de internet que, según afirman, ayudará a coordinar los esfuerzos prácticos y políticos para bien de las comunidades de inmigrantes en Texas.

Varios defensores de los inmigrantes, entre ellos el Mexican American Legal Defense and Educative Fund (MALDEF, Fondo Mexicano Americano Educativo y de Defensa Legal) dicen que dado el estancamiento presente de los esfuerzos para tener una reforma migratoria integral, la comunidad inmigrante de Texas necesita una cámara de compensación tanto para la información práctica como para la política.

Esa es la intención precisamente del portal de internet lanzado por MALDEF, en alianza con una coalición bipartidista de 25 negocios, grupos de fe y grupos defensores. El sitio CommonSenseImmigrationTX.org ofrece un amplio rango de información bilingüe para los residentes de Texas, sin distingo de su situación migratoria. Habla Luis Figueroa, abogado legislativo de MALDEF y miembro de la coalición Texas Residents United for a Stronger Texas (TRUST, Residentes de Texas Unidos por un Texas Más Fuerte):

“Los recursos que pueden encontrar ahí son: herramientas, datos concretos e información sobre dónde pueden recibir servicios. Por ejemplo, pueden querer saber qué clases de inglés hay disponibles, o dónde pueden encontrar un abogado de migración.”

Dice que los miembros de familias en situación mixta pudieran querer saber cómo sopesarlo en luchas legislativas o tomar parte más activamente en sus comunidades.

La división política sobre cómo reformar el sistema migratorio del país separa a quienes dicen que no debe actuarse en absoluto hasta que se logre el cabal cumplimiento de la ley, de quienes piden esfuerzos conjuntos para atacar todos los aspectos de lo que Figueroa considera un sistema terriblemente fracturado.

“Las familias son separadas, los trabajadores castigados aunque se les haya ofrecido el empleo, los negocios confían en los trabajadores indocumentados; así que sabemos que necesitamos reformas, pero las reformas necesarias deben venir a nivel federal en una forma integral.”

Figueroa critica los esfuerzos que hizo el año pasado la legislatura estatal por aprobar lo que él dice que habría sido imponer a los oficiales del estado, tareas propias de oficiales federales de inmigración, y eso hubiera dañado a las agencias del orden y a los negocios. Explica que el nuevo portal de internet dará seguimiento a leyes como esa y en el futuro coordinará esfuerzos para presionar a los legisladores para que mejor se enfoquen en la necesidad de una reforma nacional.



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Advocates for immigrants are pushing back on a bill signed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in the last few days of the legislative session, modeled on a recent, controversial Texas law.

Senate File 2340 gives local law enforcement officers and judges the authority to deport undocumented immigrants.

Erica Johnson, executive director of the Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, argued the bill is an overreach, and said Iowa law enforcement officers are not authorized to enforce it.

"This is a pretty clear intervention into federal territory," Johnson pointed out. "U.S. immigration law is governed by federal law."

Much like the author of the Texas bill, supporters in Iowa blame the Biden administration for failing to slow illegal immigration, so the state has decided to take matters into its own hands.

Johnson contended the bill and other anti-immigrant sentiment during the just-completed legislative session target the very people Iowa, with its dwindling population, will depend on for its future workforce.

"What we need is communities that are safe, where workers have access to dignified, safe workplaces," Johnson emphasized. "The truth of what Iowa's future could be depends on immigrants and immigrant workers in our state, and unfortunately, this law could take us back, away from that possible future. "

Johnson added her organization will pursue legal ways to block the bill from taking effect in July.


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The future of Senate Bill 4 is still tangled in court challenges. It's the Texas law that would allow police to arrest people for illegally crossing the border. But groups are speaking out about the impact of "Operation Lone Star" on the youngest migrants. Governor Greg Abbott continues to bus migrant families to other states, many with young children - more than 100,000 families so far.

Robert Sanborn, CEO of Children at Risk, works to improve the quality of life for boys and girls in Texas, and contends the policy has put trauma on top of trauma.

"We never want children to be political pawns. We don't want maximum chaos on the backs of children. We want children to grow up and be assets for our community," he contended.

Sanborn points out that 2.2 million children in Texas are immigrants, and said it would be less stressful for kids if families were not bused in the middle of the night, and if they were allowed to pick their destination.

When immigrants arrive at the border, they are evaluated to determine if they're eligible for asylum.

Beatriz Zavala, clinical coordinator at El Paso-based Humanitarian Outreach for Migrant Emotional Health, or "HOME," said the children in this situation are at higher risk for mental health disorders.

"What is particularly troubling is the profound disregard for the stability and protection these families need. The impact on their mental health is undeniable. These are not just statistics. These are children, real children," she said.

As part of Operation Lone Star, families have been bused to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington D.C. The governor has said the practice is needed to keep the Texas-Mexico border safe.


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Legislation in Albany would create the first right to counsel for people in immigration court.

The Access to Representation Act would provide immigrants the right to an attorney in their New York immigration cases, ending the tendency to represent themselves if they cannot afford one.

Estimates show a backlog of more than 330,000 immigration court cases, and fewer than half have attorneys. Studies show without legal counsel, migrants are less likely to remain in the U.S.

Marlene Galaz, director of immigrant rights policy for the New York Immigration Coalition, described what the bill would do.

"It has a six-year ramp-up to start implementing and building infrastructure," Galaz outlined. "Having a pipeline between law schools for law students to go into immigration practice, and getting to nonprofits and so on."

Galaz noted most opposition centers around the $150 million to fund the program but pointed out the total expenditure is less than 1% of the state's $229 billion budget. She added anti-immigrant rhetoric has also damaged support for the bill. Currently, it is in the state Senate Finance Committee.

The New York City Comptroller's office said enacting the bill would benefit the state financially. It could keep about 53,000 people from being deported, which would result in almost $8.5 billion in local, state and federal taxes over the next 30 years.

Galaz emphasized the influx of migrants has saturated the court system, leading to what could have been an avoidable backlog.

"I firmly believe that if these investments had been made when we first asked for them, I believe, like, three years ago, then we wouldn't be struggling," Galaz contended. "We would have had the infrastructure built to address an increase in welcoming our newest neighbors."

A Vera Institute survey showed 93% of New Yorkers across party lines and regions support access to attorneys for all people, including those in immigration court, and government-funded attorneys for them.


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