Texas, Again

Once again, Texas is at the forefront when it comes to actions against undocumented immigrants. This time, a Texas federal judge approved a lawsuit filed by the Texas government to suspend the executive order issued by the president of the United States that enabled more than 5 million undocumented migrants to live and work in that country.

Last week closed another detestable chapter in the story of undocumented immigrants, whose right to live like any other person in the United States continues to be restricted. The person responsible for this misfortune is a federal judge that has lived his entire life in Texas and was nominated by George W. Bush. Twenty-six additional states, in which 2.3 million undocumented immigrants live, have initiated a similar process, thwarting the president´s orders.

Needless to say, the people who govern those states belong to the Republican Party, and many are located in the historically conservative, southern region of the United States.

Millions of undocumented immigrants, who waited at the doors of post offices to send the applications that would allow them to benefit from the presidential order, saw their hopes of walking the streets without fear of detainment or deportation once again disappointed. It is still not clear how aggressive the government´s response will be, or what type of strategy it will employ to reverse the Texan judge´s suspension. However, according to a number of constitutional specialists, there is a strong possibility that an appeals court will reverse the decision since the Constitution does not impede executive orders in any way.

Through one such order, Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves in 1863. For the time being, the federal government has initiated a protective order against the suspension. Dozens of human rights organizations throughout the country are expected to do the same.

A new stage is beginning in the fight for the rights of undocumented immigrants, but it will not be easy.

The most conservative sections of the Republican Party continue to seek opportunities to obstruct the advances that could permit undocumented immigrants to live and work peacefully in the country. In the House of Representatives, the Republican majority passed an amendment to withhold the funds that next year´s budget had bestowed to the Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for processing the president´s executive orders.

In the Senate, which also has a Republican majority, doubts have been expressed concerning the appropriateness of passing an amendment that would paralyze that department since its functions also include safeguarding U.S. citizens from terrorist acts.

There is no doubt that the most conservative Republicans will continue their race against undocumented immigrants, and yet, there is no doubt that their race runs counter the country´s history.