Two faces of Texas: While the
state is home to an estimated 1.6
million undocumented immigrants and many people who want
a path to citizenship for them, a huge number of
Texans would
rather they be deported - no matter the cost.
'Flying in Face
of History,' Texas Again Frustrates Undocumented (La Jornada, Mexico)
"It is
worth recalling that with one such order, Abraham Lincoln emancipated the Negroes
in 1863. … So commences a new phase in the long struggle for the rights of
millions of undocumented immigrants – and it will not be an easy one. … There
is no question that the most conservative Republicans will continue to further
their careers by opposing the undocumented. The certainty, however, is that
such careers fly in the face of the country's future."
Texas is again at the forefront in terms of measures taken
against undocumented migrants. This time a federal judge in the state backed a
Texas government challenge of executive orders issued by President Obama. The
preliminary injunction suspends the orders, which would allow more than five
million undocumented immigrants to live and work in the country.
Last week was just the latest ignominious episode
restricting the rights of millions of undocumented immigrants in the United
States to live as individuals. The person responsible for that misfortune is Federal
Judge Andrew Hanen, who has lived in Texas his entire
life and was nominated by George W. Bush. Twenty six other states in which 2.3
million undocumented residents live have initiated similar procedures for constraining
the provisions of the president.
Needless to say, those who govern these 26 states are
members of the Republican Party, most are located in the southern United States
and are conservative by long tradition.
Millions of undocumented immigrants who stood outside post offices
to submit applications which would permit them to benefit from the provisions
signed by the president have had their hopes to be able to take to the streets
without fear of arrest or deportation frustrated again. It remains unclear how
aggressive the Obama government's response will be and what strategy it will
use to reverse the Texas judge's injunction. However, according to a number of
specialists in constitutional issues, there is a good chance that a higher
court will reverse the injunction, taking into account that there is no impediment
to a president issuing executive orders in the Constitution.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
It is worth recalling that with one such order [the Emancipation
Proclamation], Abraham Lincoln emancipated the Negroes
in 1863. For now, the federal government has initiated an appeal against the injunction,
and it is expected that dozens of human rights organizations throughout the
country will do the same.
So commences a new phase in the long struggle for the rights
of millions of undocumented immigrants – and it will not be an easy one. The
most conservative elements of the Republican Party continue to search for ways to
prevent them from living and working in tranquility. In the House of
Representatives, the Republican majority has passed an amendment withholding funds
from the Department of Homeland Security budget, which is responsible for implementing
the president's executive orders.
In the Senate, where Republicans also hold a majority, there
are doubts about the appropriateness of approving an amendment that would
paralyze this agency, one of the functions of which is to safeguard Americans
from terrorist attack.
There is no question that the most conservative Republicans
will continue to further their careers by opposing the undocumented. The
certainty, however, is that such careers fly in the face of the country's future.
