Will There Be Political Fallout For Texas Republicans After DACA Decision?
DALLAS (CBS11) - Dreamers, activists and Democrats in Dallas blasted Republicans and vowed to hold them accountable at the ballot box.
Ramiro Luna is one of 800,000 people nationwide who were brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents.
"I'm here to challenge Pete Sessions, I'm here to challenge John Cornyn, I'm here to challenge Ted Cruz that we're coming after you if you wish to hold our families in jeopardy," said Luna.
Luna helped organize a news conference Wednesday one day after President Trump announced he's phasing out DACA.
It's the controversial program put in place by President Obama, who allowed the youngsters and young adults to apply for work permits and drivers' licenses every two years and protected them from deportation.
Democratic State Representative Victoria Neave, D-Dallas, also attacked Texas GOP leaders who threatened to change their lawsuit against the federal government if President Trump didn't end DACA.
"Repealing and rescinding DACA is just another form of attack on our community by Republican leadership," said Rep. Neave.
President Trump wants Congress to pass a bill to address the issue.
So should Republicans in Texas be worried?
Vince Puente is a grassroots conservative in Fort Worth.
"What they should be worried about is inaction," said Puente.
Puente said Texas Republicans in Congress must pass conservative bills on immigration and other key issues.
He credits state lawmakers for doing just that.
Asked how concerned he is that the Republican Party could be hurt in Texas by SB4, the state's law to ban sanctuary cities and the end of DACA, Puente replied, "I'm really not because that's what the people voted for when they voted these representatives in. The question I have is will they cave to pressure?"
Puente supports SB4, and he doesn't want Congress to grant a path to citizenship for Dreamers and the estimated 11 million others who came here illegally unless he says they wait their turn like everyone else.
Puente says border security is his first priority. "I think conservatives will be more open coming to the middle if we've got a secured border. There's too many times we've been lenient on illegal immigration but then nothing happens on the border."
He believes Republicans need to do a better job of reaching out to the Latino community.