According to Politico, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner discussed the Texas sanctuary city ban on certain immigration-related local ordinances set to go into effect this Friday during a Hurricane Harvey news update.
Hurricane Harvey blasted Houston and Harris County as it made landfall, thousands of people in need of rescue inundated 911 systems and filled shelters as all 22 of the regions watersheds overflowed by several feet of water.
The state’s sanctuary city ban requires police chiefs to comply with all federal immigration detainer requests and allows police officers to ask about a person’s immigration status during an arrest. Turner said that during the region’s recovery process, the ban should be put “on the shelf.”
Turner urged Houston’s immigrant community to seek help during the storm, regardless of their legal status and reassured them that they are welcome at area shelters.
I and others will be the first ones to stand up with you,” said Turner. “If someone comes and they require help and then for some reason [someone] tries to deport them, I will represent them myself,” said Turner.
Read the full story about the Texas city-state divide on Politico’s website.
