Immigrants’ Rights Campaign
Our Mission
The ACLU of Texas Immigrants’ Rights Campaign is dedicated to reclaiming constitutional and civil rights for all Texans, regardless of immigration status.
What We’re Going To Do
- End State and Local Enforcement of Federal Immigration Law
The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that the authority to regulate immigration rests exclusively with the federal government and has prohibited state and local enforcement of federal immigration law without federal authorization. Moreover, local enforcement of immigration law often leads to racial profiling and drives a wedge between police and the communities they serve, making everyone less safe. We’ll promote policies that allow local law enforcement to focus on keeping our communities safe and protect the rights of all Texans.
- Ensure Equal Protection of the Law
Anti-immigrant policies not only infringe on the rights of non-citizens, but also threaten the rights of citizens. For example, the Texas Legislature recently passed a hyper-restrictive voter identification law based on overheated anti-immigrant rhetoric. The stated purpose of the law was to prevent virtually non-existent voter fraud by non-citizens, but the effect will be disenfranchisement of many low-income, elderly, and disabled citizens, with a disproportionate impact on people of color. We’ll promote policies that protect the principle of equal protection of the law and are consistent with the Voting Rights Act.
- Stop Abuse of Power by Federal Authorities Along Our Border
Texans along the border routinely face the unlawful seizure and destruction of identification documents by Customs and Border Protection agents. In addition, federal agents sometimes coerce Texans (including U.S. citizens) into signing voluntary deportation/departure agreements. Even worse, many Texans report that federal agents often use excessive force. These practices undermine basic Texas values and our constitutional guarantee of due process for all. We’ll promote policies that hold the government accountable and protect all Texans from government abuse.
- End Civil Immigration Detention and Sub-Standard Living Conditions for Non-Citizens in Custody
The United States should not be a country that arrests people without cause and detains them without access to counsel or family. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens to thousands of immigrants caught up in raids, transferred into detention centers, and pressured into signing removal orders without being able to consult attorneys or family. Locking up people for years without hearings is illegal. The constitutional guarantee of due process applies to all people in this country, not just to U.S. citizens. We’ll promote alternatives to civil detention that permit people to stay in their communities and remain with their families until their immigration cases are resolved.
Click to read the campaign summary (PDF) in English or Spanish »
Learn more:
Video » |
Toolkit » |
latest news » |
Support our work » |
Take action » |
Resources » |
