DALLAS — Dallas City Council voted Wednesday to condemn Senate Bill 4 (SB4), the controversial Texas immigration law currently on hold as it faces court challenges from the federal government and organizations including the ACLU.
The council voted 11-3 in favor of Councilmember Adam Bazaldua's resolution to oppose the law.
Mayor Eric Johnson voted against the resolution, along with Councilmembers Paul Ridley and Cara Mendelsohn.
The law would allow police in Texas to arrest migrants suspected of entering the state illegally and Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia told the council his department has a policy ready to go into effect if the bill does.
"We have a policy that we believe will protect people’s rights," Garcia said. "We are doing everything we can to reassure our community that their rights will not be violated even if this becomes law."
Nearly a dozen people signed up to speak at public comment in favor of the resolution. Some gave emotional pleas in Spanish through a translator.
"We're going to do everything within our power at the local level to make sure that it doesn't have the impact it's intended to have," Bazaldua told the community members.
The resolution does not have a practical effect against the implementation of the law, Councilperson Gay Donnell Willis said.
"Does this have teeth? No, not really. Is it out of the purview of city council? Yeah," Willis said. "But if we can assuage of the fear within the community than I support this."
Garcia also spoke about the fear some in the Dallas immigrant community feel when interacting with law enforcement -- even before the implementation of SB4.
"We don't differentiate crime based on immigration status," he said. "We need them to report crimes."
But some councilmembers voiced skepticism over the resolution.
"I am trying to understand the point," said Mendelsohn. "This resolution is political performance that will degrade our relationships with state leaders."
She warned state lawmakers may pass legislation to restrict city action or vote against city legislative priorities in retaliation.
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