Human Rights
Texas Democrats are pushing back against armed militias gathering at the southern border.
In a letter to Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, the lawmakers warn that the presence of the vigilantes — many clad in military-style fatigues and carrying assault rifles — will only exacerbate the problems facing authorities, as they try to manage the wave of child migrants who have crossed into the state in recent months.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Marc Veasey, TX-33, released the following statement on the House Republican's legislation H.R. 5230, theSecure the Southwest Border Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2014, which fails to address the humanitarian crisis at our border:
President Barack Obama signed two executive orders Monday, July 21, barring companies with federal contracts from discriminating against LGBT employees. The move drew praise from a wide variety of local and national leaders and put a large local federal contractor under fire.
Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, a member of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, said he welcomes the president's action. But he also chastised Congress for failing to vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, of which he is an original co-sponsor.
WASHINGTON D.C. — House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi hosted a meeting with Congressman Filemon Vela (D-Brownsville), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), Congressman Ruben Hinojosa (D-Mercedes), Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio), Congressman Beto O'Rourke (D-El Paso), Congressman Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth), South Texas elected officials and faith-based organizations to discuss their opposition to lessening due process rights for unaccompanied children and the recent deployment of National Guard troops to South Texas.
DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) - Tens of thousands of unaccompanied children from Central America who crossed into Texas are overwhelming Border Patrol Agents.
Bill Holston heads the Human Rights Initiative in Dallas, which helps the children gain legal status in the U.S. "These are traumatized kids. They've made an arduous journey from Central America."
But immigration courts are backlogged, which means it often takes years before the children can go before a judge and find out whether they can stay or must leave.
FORT WORTH, Texas — Texas is running out of room to house the thousands of Central American children who illegally crossed the border.
And Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, says the solution is not to continue piling them into bus stations and other makeshift shelters — including unused schools in North Texas — as officials try to find the best way to return the children safely to their families in countries as far away as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Texas is running out of room to house the thousands of Central American children who illegally crossed the border.
And U.S. Rep. Kay Granger said Saturday that the solution is not to continue piling them into bus stations and other makeshift shelters — including unused schools in North Texas — as officials try to find the best way to return the children safely to their families in countries as far away as Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=f30UqRTjbJw
The border is secure. It's more secure than ever. It's so, so secure.
Texas leaders say it's time to stop talking and take action on the growing humanitarian crisis at the border.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is the latest Texas official to weigh in with proposed legislation to grapple with the dilemma, in which a growing number of children continue illegally crossing the country's southwest border into this state.
Cornyn plans to file a bill along with U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, to speed up deportations of thousands of Central American children — and ensure their safety while they are here.