DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas is defending its decision to issue a travel advisory in response to Governor Greg Abbot’s signing of an anti-sanctuary cities bill into law on Sunday.
The advisory warned anyone traveling to Texas to anticipate a possible violation of their constitutional rights when stopped by police.
The organization’s Astrid Dominguez said the law, which allows police officers to ask an individual about their immigration status during routine traffic stops, is problematic.
“Local cops are not trained on immigration law. If you give them the authority to question somebody about their status. The question arises… why did that cop decide to ask that question or make that assumption? It goes back to the racial profiling,” she said.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the law doesn’t force officers to ask the question is just gives them the legal option.
Dominguez argued that it creates a situation that puts both the individual and the officer on a slippery slope.
“Just by looking at someone, you can’t really establish what their immigration status is. That is our point…it leads to racial profiling,” she said.
Paxton said the law is vital to help curb illegal immigration and secure Texas’ border.
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