Bexar County Democrats say they’re fighting a bill in Austin that would allow police to ask about a person’s immigration status.
Right now San Antonio Police are not required to inquire about an individual's citizenship, but officers are not prohibited from doing so, either.
Manuel Medina, the Bexar County Democratic Chair, is calling Senate Bill 185by Sen. Charles Perry, a Lubbock Republican, the “Show Me Your Papers Legislation.”
“It will encourage racial profiling. It will encourage lack of due process, and ultimately it’s gonna make our communities less safe,” said Medina during Monday media conference.
“So across the board, whether it’s socially or economically, this bill is wrong for San Antonio and we are going to fight back here in San Antonio,” he said.
A spokesman for Perry says the bill is not a mandate for law enforcement officers, but it allows them to inquire about a person's immigration status if they are under arrest or being detained for criminal offenses.
Bexar County Democrats plan to propose a resolution to the San Antonio City Council making the Alamo City a sanctuary city. That would prohibit law enforcement from asking whether a person is here unlawfully or sharing that information with the federal government.