The Christmas Eve release of 12 illegal aliens in San Antonio could be the first major test of Texas’s anti-sanctuary law.
City Police Chief William McManus let the migrants go after they were found in a semi-trailer truck that had hauled them up from the border town of Laredo. The driver was charged under a state human-smuggling law, but McManus weakened the case by freeing the only witnesses – the victims.
McManus said his decision wasn’t due to a particular policy, an apparent attempt to dodge Texas’s Senate Bill 4, which makes it a crime for local officials to fail to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Smuggling investigations are routinely referred to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Such was the case last July, when 10 people were found dead in a semi-trailer truck in a San Antonio Walmart parking lot. Trucks in both the July incident and the latest case, on Dec. 23, transported illegal aliens from Laredo and points south.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office has received written complaints from Texans urging the state to bring the weight of SB 4 to bear on McManus and any other San Antonio officials complicit in his action.
“We are accepting citizen complaints against government entities that violate SB 4 and will take appropriate action after investigation,” spokesman Marc Rylander said in a statement.
Paxton’s office is currently defending SB 4 in federal appeals court, where it’s being challenged by open-borders activists and others, including the City of San Antonio. Most of the law remains in effect during the litigation.
Mike Helle, president of the San Antonio Police union, said the city’s top cop went rogue.
“This case should have been handled by Homeland (Security). They’re the ones that should be handling human smuggling cases,” Helle told the San Antonio Express-News.
“Somehow McManus gets a hold of this, interjects himself into the situation, and starts calling Catholic Charities and all the people he can get a hold of to basically get rid of all these illegals before the feds get there,” Helle said.
In a violation of departmental procedure, detectives at police headquarters were directed not to check the witnesses’ names against federal and state criminal databases.
“If any one of our guys did this, they’d probably be put on administrative duty and terminated,” Helle said.
A.J. Louderback, a Texas sheriff who helped craft SB 4, said it was “a simple call to call ICE or Homeland Security Investigations to take over.”
“I don’t buy the idea that this was a confusing we-don’t-know-what-to-do thing, especially when we’ve had tragedies involving large numbers of people being transported illegally,” Louderback told FAIR.
“Texans and Americans want the rule of law enforced, and if you can’t trust law enforcement to do that, you’ve got a bigger problem.”
11 Comments
Arrest and imprison the Sheriff. He clearly violated the new Texas law and did so intentionally.
ANY law is worthless unless it is enforced. Which is why we continue to have criminals on the streets with firearms. The existing laws SHOULD hinder their being able to obtain same, but since those laws are not enforced uniformly criminals are able to obtain them. There is supposed to be an additional, non-negotiable, non-reducible prison term for having a firearm in the commission of a crime.
I’ve yet to hear of it being enforced.
We have Immigration Laws, which are not only NOT being enforced, they are being totally disregarded by elected and appointed officials. Until such time as Federal laws on immigrants (legal or otherwise) are enforced those laws are meaningless.
Time for Congress to tack on one little bit more- allow border agents to ************* any and all those encountered crossing the border illegally.
And do the same for the traitorous trash that are disregarding the Federal Immigration laws. Only difference, they are given a trial before getting their firing squad.
yes… agree… ARREST THE SHERRIFF!!!
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The Leftist/Feminist-Cult have decided which laws they will not follow, and which they will use for their benefit.
It’s gob-smacking how they disregard immigration laws, then use the courts to fight those laws, demanding laws are written against the laws they don’t want to follow, which they then throw-up in our faces, telling everyone “you must follow the law” created for them. Gymnastic contortions and twists, the likes only a true circus acrobat could successfully achieve.
But . . . President Trump is much, much, MUCH more skillful than they – as he twists and turns this terrorist-like, Cult influenced infestation around and back in-on-itself, placing them in a knot so tight, even Houdini couldn’t escape it. The many battles and fights the Leftist-Cult have continually thrown, AND lost for the past 2.5years, are a testament to this President’s fortitude and love of country. We are blessed when God chose to move Donald J Trump down that escalator on June 16, 2015.
We are living in historical times my friends, and no matter how disturbing this Cult are to watch, as they actively attempt to destroy this beautiful nation . . . we MUST never forget – in the end, we WILL reign as the Victorious one ontop of the mountain!
#MAGA . . . Exposing the Leftist/Feminist-Cult and their shenanigans 24/7/365
Lock him up and let him stay in jail for a sufficient time to teach him not to violate the law again.
I agree if law enforcement agencies don’t follow the law then it’s time they get held accountable. Hasn’t anyone seen what is going on in Europe they have been in utter kaos because of its open borders and they are trying to stop it because of the crimes being given commented by these illegal aliens. IT’S LIKE CLOSING THE GATE AFTER THE HORSE IS OUT .
thank you
The problem here is not just that this HUGE influx of unskilled illegal Hispanics is taxing the welfare system (FULL 40% of California’s budget is earmarked for social services!!), but you have people like Gorge Ramos, only a first generation Mexican immigrant, who brazenly lectures Trump on TV about the Hispanics having enough votes today to sway elections between candidates THEIR way. In other words, they’ll line up their sizable block of votes behind the candidate who MOST advances THEIR agenda, not necessarily the agenda in the interest of the US! Fortunately, it didn’t work this time, but we might not be so lucky next time around. I am SURE, Trump realizes this.
We are feverishly investigating Russia’s meddling into our elections, yet we totally overlook the Hispanic’s drive to achieve EXACTLY the same! ICE isn’t about splitting families – they all are welcome to leave the US together – but it’s about preserving the AMERICAN values.
Excellent comment.
I agree .we need to fix voter fraud now way before the next election .we should start over and reissue voter cards by proof of citizenship and residential I’d and a pic I’d. Then give them a new hopefully fraud free cared and everyone has a pic I’d now so that’s no excuse ,we have to do it now reissue or our beautiful nation is doomed to end up like Europe .
100% agree!! americans need to wake up before we are toast in our own culture!