Texas Tea Party Wants Immigration Measure Revived
AUSTIN (AP) - A coalition of Texas tea party supporters is calling on Gov. Rick Perry to revive legislation that gives police broader powers to ask people they detain about their citizenship status.
Perry made the issue an emergency item, seemingly fast-tracking it toward passage, during the Texas legislative session.
The House passed a version during the regular session, and the Senate passed one amid a special session later in the summer. But Democratic opposition kept those from becoming law.
Perry and supporters say it will help police fight crime committed by illegal immigrants. But opponents, including law enforcement chiefs in Texas' largest cities and immigrant rights activists, say it will allow rogue officers to target Hispanics.
Tea Party activists have called an Austin news conference Thursday to again express their frustration.
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