PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Cesar Espinosa
Executive Director
Cell: 832-512-3733
E-Mail: cespinosa
Alain Cisneros (Español)
Campaigns Coordinator
Cell: 281-837-9857
Email: acisneros
POLICE ICE COLLABORATIONS
[HOUSTON, TX] Attribute the following statement to FIEL
“Transparency is a word that we often know but don’t practice. For months, our members have told us their stories about different interactions that they have had with multiple local agencies, including constables, sheriffs, and of course, due to its large size, the Houston Police Department. Trust has been eroding these last 11 months because HPD and Mayor Whitmire have refused to accept that they collaborate with ICE and have cut programs that build trust within our communities. One of these programs that has been cut is the community engagement program at the city-wide level. Further, in different interactions that our members have had with ICE (where US citizens have been assaulted by masked assailants) the Houston Police Department has, in some cases, refused to write incident reports, claiming that they don’t do such reports.
Now that Mayor Whitemire, after months, has come clean about his dealings with ICE he wants to back track once again, hiding behind what he interprets to be public interest and regard for the law. This, without him demanding anything in return from the federal government, not even transparency in the numbers of people being apprehended in our streets. It leaves much to be desired from a city that prides itself on being an immigrant city. We know worse things are to come, and if we continue to bend at the knees for this administration, then what are we to tell the over 600,000 undocumented Houstonians about who is really actively protecting them? Numbers don’t lie, and the 1000% increase in HPD calling ICE still needs an explanation.”- Cesar Espinosa FIEL Executive Director.
FIEL: Immigrant Families and Students in the Fight is an Immigrant Led Civil Rights Organization that advocates for just laws for all families, access to higher education for all people regardless of immigration status, and for the rights of all people in unjust situations.
Twitter: @FIELHouston
Instagram: @FIELHouston
Facebook: facebook.com/fielhou
FIEL Houston 