Fort Worth (WBAP/KLIF News) – The Fort Worth Human Relations Commission is asking the city council to reconsider its decision not to join a lawsuit against Texas’ ban on “sanctuary cities.” The commission stopped short of asking the city council to join the lawsuit.
“Whether they want to join it, whether they want to support it, whether they want to read about it. I want the city council to reconsider its position. That’s all,” says Commissioner Mike Steele.
The commission met Monday to set wording for its recommendation. Others wanted to ask the city council to join the suit.
The recommendation that was passed reads, “Implementation of SB4 disproportionately impacts Hispanic/Latino residents and targets them for extra scrutiny simply because of how they look or how they speak. Compliance with SB4–as written–by local law enforcement can place a burden on our police department, erode public trust and make communities less safe.”
“I’m not going to ask Council to not abide by the law, not that they would,” Steele says.
Fort Worth is the biggest city in Texas not to join the lawsuit. Supporters of the lawsuit say the majority of people who spoke to the City Council about the issue were in favor of joining.
“There’s a really big difference between hearing and listening,” says Mindia Whittier, with the group, United Fort Worth. “I think this recommendation is someone stepping forward and saying, ‘We’re not just going to do our due diligence of listening. We’re really going to hear what the majority of individuals are telling us.”
Whittier praised the commission for passing the resolution. The city council voted 5-4 last month not to join the suit. Mayor Betsy Price joined four councilmembers in voting against the plan. They say Ft. Worth would need to spend additional money to join the suit, and the city’s involvement would not affect the outcome.
“There are taxpayer implications for not joining the lawsuit,” Whittier says. “What kind of price to do you put on justice?”
The law took effect September 1. A federal judge has temporarily stopped some provisions while the lawsuit works its way through court but police can still ask about immigration status during traffic stops or people who are detained.
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