Some Hispanic-Americans, born in the U.S., who have applied for an American passport have been accused of fraud and are being jailed in immigration detention centers. Andre Segura, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, joins Texas Matters to discuss the issue. Also, paid sick leave is at the center of debate in Texas (14:40).
If you live on the U.S.-Mexico border, having a passport is especially important. But to be a U.S. citizen, born in the U.S.A., and be denied a U.S. passport can lead to a number of difficulties, including the restriction of travel. But that’s what’s happening.
Some Mexican-Americans, who have applied for an American passport, have been accused of fraud and are being jailed in immigration detention centers and have entered into deportation proceedings.
Congressman Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, says one of the cases is from a San Antonio citizen. Castro is calling for a full congressional investigation into the Trump administration's immigration policy.
Segura is the legal director of the ACLU of Texas. The ACLU is investigating reports of the Trump administration denying requests for U.S. passports from American citizens in South Texas.
Paid Sick Leave In Texas
For many of us, if we get a flu bug or if our child gets ill, we call the boss and take a sick day.
But for most hourly workers in Texas, calling in sick means missing a day’s pay, which is something many can’t afford.
Austin and San Antonio recently passed ordinances that require paid sick leave for local businesses, but state leaders, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, have warned that the ordinances violate state law.
But any real changes to the labor situation in Texas might depend on the results of the November election. Jose Garza is executive director of the Workers Defense Action Fund and joins us to discuss the issue.
David Martin Davies can be reached at dmdavies@tpr.org or on Twitter @DavidMartinDavi
