Immigration Prioritization

The City of Farmers Branch cannot enforce a new law passed recently to keep apartment owners from renting to illegal immigrants. A Federal Judge says the ordinance would pre-empt Federal powers to regulate immigration. Landlords proved last week that the new rules would do more harm than good, forcing some families to uproot their lives with job changes or transfers of kids to new schools, and the apartment operators could lose business to surrounding areas.

Another rift in Farmer’s Branch: The city is 40% Hispanic, yet Anglos hold a majority of the seats on City Council. Now, three Hispanic residents are suing to force the City to go to a single-member district form of representation…

Is this a micro-cosm of life in these United States, as the Immigration Reform debate rages from Washington to Washington on the Brazos?

There are so many amendments being proposed, resolution is now not expected until June. Texas’ senators are seeking a broadening of the list of crimes that would preclude naturalization, and preventing the payment of long term Social Security benefits.

Yesterday we mentioned the deplorable voting record of Sen. John McCain, who’s three votes away from being officially absent 50% of the time when the Senate is conducting business. Seems McCain would rather campaign for a new job instead of paying attention to the one his constituents voted for him to do as their Senator.

What a contrast from Texas State Sen. Mario Gallegos, who’s recovering from a liver transplant…he’s set up a hospital bed in the Texas state capitol building in case his vote is needed to swing an issue in the Legislature. Sen. Gallegos takes his responsibility as a representative of his constituents seriously.

The rest of the Legislature respects that, and has not called for votes when he could not be in attendance. "Why should the representation of his constituents be subverted?" was the response.
Gives a whole new perspective on the notion of priorities.