Texas Republicans could add Arizona-like residency checks to platform

[Johnny Bravo]

Texas Republicans could add Arizona-like residency checks to platform

05:48 PM CDT on Saturday, June 12, 2010

By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News
gjeffers@dallasnews.com

Texas Republicans are proposing a platform that calls for a state law to require local police officers to verify that people arrested on suspicion of a crime are in the country illegally.

If Republicans have their way, the Legislature would make it a crime for an illegal immigrant to “intentionally or knowingly” be in the state of Texas.

The proposal, similar to the controversial law in Arizona, is part of the legislative priorities section of the platform. Two state lawmakers have already promised to introduce such bills for the upcoming legislative session, although previous efforts to toughen immigration policies have come up short in past sessions. Gov. Rick Perry has said he doesn’t think Texas should adopt a law similar to Arizona’s.

The platform is expected to be approved by delegates later today at the Texas Republican Party convention in Dallas. It contains the stated policy beliefs and goals of the party, though candidates and officeholders are not bound to it.

“It’s a good document,” said state Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford. “The Platform Committee did a good job.”

King, who served as a lawyer for the committee, said most of the immigration proposals in the platform are the same as the 2008 version.

He expects stronger language prohibiting amnesty for those who enter the country illegally to be added before the official vote. But some delegates who are concerned about a backlash from Hispanic voters will offer proposals that support giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.

King said committee members don’t want the platform to be taken out of context.

“They are being careful with the wording because they don’t want it to be perceived as anti-Hispanic,” he said.

Eleven members of the committee that crafted the platform objected to the stance on a path to citizenship.

“We have never supported and oppose a policy of mass deportation. We support a realistic solution which permanently secures our borders and humanely resolves the legal status of illegal immigrants,” the minority group’s report stated. “We recognize that many illegal immigrants were brought to this country as minors.”

Some Republicans want the minority report removed from the overall document.

“I don’t like it,” said state Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler, one of the lawmakers planning to push for a law like Arizona’s. “We’ve got to get it out of there.”

Along with its tough stand against immigration, the platform calls for the repeal of the recently passed federal health care law, the downsizing of the federal government, the scrapping of cap and trade environmental proposals and the support of state’s rights.

The platform also suggests legislation that requires residents to produce a photo ID before voting. That issue caused turmoil in both the Senate and House last year and while the Senate approved it, the House never took it up.

Much of the Republican platform has not changed over the years, and its newest entries reflect the party’s deep dislike for President Barack Obama.

“We urge the Congress to defund, repeal, and reject the national healthcare takeover, also known as ‘ObamaCare,’ or any similar legislation,” the document states.

Texas Republicans support reallocating the majority of Medicaid spending to vouchers the poor could use to buy private insurance.

Democratic strategist Ed Martin said the Republican Party’s objection to the new healthcare law shows “they are marching far out of touch with what everyday Texans think and believe.”

In a new section, Republicans call for the outlawing of all sexually-oriented businesses, including strip clubs. Dallas is one of the adult entertainment centers of the country.

Some of the platform’s legislative priorities include:

*A law to require that a sonogram be performed and offered to a woman seeking an abortion.

*Strengthening the State Board of Education’s powers.

*Fighting against efforts to increase the tax on gasoline or to index it to inflation.

[Solus]

If this should pass, it looks like New Mexico will need to do the same in self defense.

[crusader rabbit]

Between Texas and Arizona, I don't know which one looks like the better place to move.  Az is hot and has a huge budget problem, but it is an Open Carry state and I DO have family there--at least for awhile.  And Texas is, well, Texas.  Still, we have two attractive alternatives and both might just go independant if the Feds get too pushy.  And, while I'd rather see the Federal Govt. get under control, giving them the boot isn't an unattractive alternative.  And, if New Mexico goes the same way, well, they have some of the best chile verde in the nation IMHO.  So, we may have three choices in the near future.

[rojawe]

Go for it Texas and then start the flow from other states

[Woody]

Go for it Texas and then start the flow from other states

As a Texan living in a Sanctuary city, I wholeheartedly agree. These trespassers are getting all the jobs.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

As a Texan living in a Sanctuary city, I wholeheartedly agree. These trespassers are getting all the jobs.

     these are the 2 things that specifically p!ss me off the most. Your city should not get one single cent of Federal money, and your city Gov should be jailed for Contempt of Congress,then be charged with abetting illegal immigration, then beaten just for being a holes.

[fightingquaker13]

Is the Texas Republican Party trying to commit suicide? Do they want to elect Democrats? And no, I'm not talking about the immigration thing here. I'm referring to the provision banning sexually oriented businesses. You can't swing a cat in Texas without hitting a titty bar, er sorry "gentlemans club". The I-35 corridor probably has more silicon per square mile than any place outside of Vegas. Personally I've never seen the attraction (its kind of like a restaraunt that will let you smell the food but not taste it, charge $8 per beer, and expect you to tip extravagantly). Still, try to tell those good ol'boys that the show is over? So lets see, they are alienating latinos, women of child bearing years (with the sonogram thing) and a large percentage of heterosexual white men. Were they born stupid?
FQ13 who supports the immigration part, but the rest of it seems like they are going out of their way to piss people off.

[Johnny Bravo]

Is the Texas Republican Party trying to commit suicide? Do they want to elect Democrats? And no, I'm not talking about the immigration thing here. I'm referring to the provision banning sexually oriented businesses. You can't swing a cat in Texas without hitting a titty bar, er sorry "gentlemans club". The I-35 corridor probably has more silicon per square mile than any place outside of Vegas. Personally I've never seen the attraction (its kind of like a restaraunt that will let you smell the food but not taste it, charge $8 per beer, and expect you to tip extravagantly). Still, try to tell those good ol'boys that the show is over? So lets see, they are alienating latinos, women of child bearing years (with the sonogram thing) and a large percentage of heterosexual white men. Were they born stupid?
FQ13 who supports the immigration part, but the rest of it seems like they are going out of their way to piss people off.

I agree with you FQ and I think they will wimp out on the immigration part.