FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Luis Figueroa, MALDEF, 210-383-9058, [email protected]; Adriana Cadena, RITA, 915-253-2262, [email protected]; Dotty Griffith, ACLU of Texas, 512-478-7300 X 106, [email protected]
AUSTIN – The following, representing a broad and diverse coalition of business leaders, law enforcement, and elected officials as well as representatives of religious, civil rights and social justice organizations, spoke at Capitol press conference Thursday. They addressed the negative impact of immigration legislation likely to be considered by the 82nd Legislature.
Luis Figueroa, Legislative Staff Attorney, MALDEF
Adriana Cadena, Coordinator, RITA
State Sen. Jose Rodriguez, El Paso
State Rep. Rafael Anchia, Dallas
Bill Hammond, Executive Director, TAB
Sam Guzman, President, Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce
Louis Barrios, San Antonio restaurant owner
Terri Burke, Executive Director, ACLU of Texas
Sheriff Richard Wiles, El Paso County
Andrew Rivas, Executive Director, Texas Catholic Conference
The Rev. Harvey Clemons, Jr., Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Houston
Joey Cardenas, President, TX LULAC
Esther Reyes, Coordinator, AIRC
TRUST Members: American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas; American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico Chapters; Anti-Defamation League, Southwest and North Texas Regions; Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP); Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas; La Fe Policy Research and Education; Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF); Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together (MATT); Mothers Against Discriminatory Racism in Education and Society (MADRES); San Antonio Greater Chamber of Commerce; San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Service Employees International Union of Texas (SEIU); Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP); Texas AFL-CIO; Texas Apartment Association (TAA); Texas Association for Bilingual Education (TABE); Texas Association of Businesses (TAB); Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE); Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC); Texas Impact; Texas League of Latino American Citizens (TX LULAC); University Leadership Initiative; U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association; William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI)
RITA Executive Committee representing over 100 organizations in Texas: Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition (AIRC); Border Network for Human Rights (BNHR); Catholic Charities of Dallas; Coalition for Immigration Reform of Dallas/Ft. Worth & North Texas; Dallas Peace & Justice Center; El Paso del Norte Civil Rights Project; Equal Voice Network; La Union del Pueblo Entero (LUPE); Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF); Mi Familia Vota; Movimiento del Valle por los Derechos Humanos; National Council of Jewish Women Texas Public Affairs; Texas Organizing Project (TOP); UNITE HERE Local 251; Welcoming Immigrants Network
