Where Is Houston Mayor Parker On Arizona Immigration Law?—Where Are Houston Hispanic Political Leaders?

The new immigration law in Arizona has prompted a strong response across the nation.

Under this new law, American citizens could be asked by law enforcement officer to prove that they have a right to be in Arizona.

Based on your race, you could be asked for your papers by a police officer.

President Obama and Attorney General Holder are deciding if the federal government should sue Arizona.

The Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, Chris Coleman, has ordered a ban on city travel to any event in Arizona.

Meghan McCain, daughter of Arizona Senator John McCain, has said she opposes the law.

There were protests against the law in Chicago that lead to arrests.

However, regretfully, we have heard little of substance from Houston Mayor Annise Parker.

This silence is despite the fact that Mayor Parker began her rise to the Mayor’s office by championing the human rights cause of justice and fair play for gay folks.

And this silence is despite the fact that at least 40% of people in Houston are Hispanic or Latino.

My fellow Houston blogger Stace Medellin of Dos Centavos is also waiting to hear more from Mayor Parker on this important human rights concern.

Congressman Duncan Hunter of California says he would support deporting Hispanic children born in the U.S. This even though being born in the U.S. makes you a citizen.

Republican Texas State Representative  Debbie Riddle says she will propose a law similar to the Arizona law.

In an election year—In a political climate where Tea Party people are running around with all sorts of far right-wing views— we don’t have the luxury of silence.

Mayor Parker, who knows as well as anyone that people can be deprived of human rights and basic justice, needs to speak up.

Beyond the Mayor, where are Hispanic political leaders in Houston?

I’ll tell you where they are.

They are sitting in low-turnout districts happy to have a clear path to re-election, hoarding campaign war chests, and doing nothing of substance to increase Hispanic turnout in Houston, Harris County, and Texas.

If this low turnout makes Hispanics more vulnerable to being accosted for the crime of existing—So it goes.

The freedom of all people is connected. Yet many of our local Democrats in Houston would have folks go it alone against the forces of intolerance and against police state tactics.

The good news is that there will be a march in Houston on May 1 in favor of the human rights of immigrants. Please click here for the details.