Action Over Illegal Immigration Raises Rigid Debate In Dallas
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DALLAS: (CBSDFW.COM) — Rivalry continues to arise over immigration reform, from Dallas to D.C.
Amid discontent over Gov. Greg Abbott's lawsuit against President Barack Obama's executive actions on illegal immigration, a pro-immigration group has planned a march in downtown Dallas on Friday.
The Texas Organizing Project (TOP) has teamed up with several groups including the AFL-CIO to bring attention to the plight of illegal immigrant families.
Recent headlines, however, have raised concern over who is staying within our nation's border without proper identity, tracking, or citizenship. On Monday, a Honduras man wanted of murder was turned over to Honduran authorities after having crossed illegally into the U.S. twice. Wilson Lopez-Rodriguez was first ordered back to his home city by a Dallas judge in 2003.
Earlier this month, the Obama administration told Congress that its deportation policy revisions will allow illegal immigrants to apply for advanced parole.
Though a concern for TOP is maintaining the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals policy (DACA), pro-border security groups point to several purported structural problems within the tracking of illegal immigrants.
Groups such as Federation For American Immigration Reform (FAIR) are concerned about sanctuary cities and loopholes that allow those with dangerous gang and cartel-related ties to enter the country.
The term "sanctuary city" is used to describe a municipality that has adopted protections for the undocumented. According to a highly-disputed report by the Congressional Research Service in 2006, several Texas cities - including Houston - are considered sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants.
Though President Obama has claimed high deportation numbers, the way figures are tallied has changed in recent years. In 2014, more than half of all removals that were attributed to ICE are a result of Border Patrol arrests that wouldn't have been counted in prior administrations.
Illegal crossings have dropped significantly since last summer, but in El Paso waves of children from Central America continue to flood Border Patrol holding facilities.
Despite political discord within the state, Gov. Greg Abbott is showing no signs of ceasing his strict stance on immigration. Speaking in Austin last week, Abbott said he wanted a 2016 candidate who will "step up and secure the border."
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