organizations across texas stress damaging impact of senate bill 4 on vulnerable populations and communities
For Immediate Release: December 5, 2023
A recording of the press call can be found here
TEXAS – Ahead of Governor Abbott’s signing of Senate Bill 4, a group of legal experts, advocates, and faith-based organizations across Texas met with national and local press to discuss the legal implications of SB 4 and how the bill will affect thousands of individuals, families, and children seeking refuge and asylum, as well as communities of color across Texas and New Mexico.
During the fourth special legislative session, the Texas House of Representatives passed two anti-immigrant bills, Senate Bill 4 and Senate Bill 3. SB 4 authorizes any and all law enforcement to arrest, and judges to order removed, anyone suspected of having entered Texas without papers. SB 4 is expected to be signed by Governor Abbott soon and will go into effect 91 days after the fourth legislative session ends. During the press call, speakers urged the Department of Justice to step in and immediately halt SB 4’s inherent discrimination from moving forward. A potentially impacted person shared her story and experience as a Texan and community member.
“If signed into law, SB 4 will directly harm people seeking asylum, BIPOC communities, and the core principles of our democracy. In all the partisan politics about immigration, it is imperative that we remember we are human beings too,” said Katia Elisea-Escobar, a potentially impacted community member with Woori Juntos. “We have family, friends, dreams, and aspirations too just like everyone else, we want to be happy and be safe. We urge elected officials to recognize that and immediately stop SB 4 from being implemented.”