Issue Position: Immigration
Issue Position
As Policy Chair for the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Rep. Eddie Rodriguez is an advocate for a fair and just immigration system. He has fought SB 4, the "show me your papers" bill, from its inception and started the Travis County #StrongerTogether fund to offset the financial impact (donating over $133,000) to crucial local government programs like the Travis County Veterans Court of falling victim to Governor Greg Abbott's political campaign against the Travis County Sheriff's Office's policy on cooperation with requests from U.S. Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented immigrants.
Rep. Rodriguez has filed various pro-immigrant legislation. In 2019, he filed a bill (HB 4453 - 86R) that would have created a criminal offense for retaliating against a person based on their immigration status. Rep. Rodriguez has also fought to establish protections against retaliation for workers who report wage theft (HB 106 - 86R) and he has strongly supported efforts to establish programs that would provide official forms of identification to undocumented immigrants. He has been an outspoken opponent of the Trump administration's immigration policies and fought to preserve in-state tuition for Dreamers. Rep. Rodriguez has a close relationship with the Consul General of Mexico in Austin and he has worked together with the consul general to share information with and advocate for the community when there are coordinated immigration enforcement actions. He is a strong supporter of community organizations that provide shelter, resources and services to immigrants and refugees.
Highlights:
Fought SB 4 from its earliest stages, throughout the legislative session and since its passage as a member of the State Affairs committee and Policy Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus
Started Travis County #StrongerTogether; crowdfunded and donated over $133,000 to Travis County to offset the effects of Governor Abbott's "sanctuary city' cuts of public safety grant funding
Filed bill to create a criminal offense for retaliating against a person based on their immigration status (HB 4453 - 86R)
MALC Policy Chair , Member of Family Detention Working Group
Outspoken opponent to Trump's immigration policies (family separation, Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), "public charge" rule, etc.)
National Day of Action for Children (06/01/2018)
Families Belong Together Rally (06/14/2018)
Strongly opposed attempts to end in-state tuition for Dreamers as former Vice Chair and current Policy Chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus
Close relationship with Consul General of Mexico in Austin; collaborated when U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement has conducted large-scale immigration enforcement actions:
ICE raids in January 2018
Bastrop County "zero tolerance" traffic enforcement operation
Supported the Austin Sanctuary Network and recognized its efforts on behalf of asylum seekers Alirio Gamez, Hilda Ramirez, and Ivan Ramirez.
Supported efforts to establish ID programs for undocumented Texans
Policy Priorities:
Enhancing transparency in the state and federal facilities that are used to detain immigrants and refugees, particularly unaccompanied minors, in Texas; fighting for improved conditions and advocating for alternatives to detention
Protecting in-state tuition for all Texas students regardless of immigration status
Repealing SB 4, the "show me your papers" bill
Expanding protections against wage theft, retaliation and other offenses committed against immigrants and refugees
Shoring up access to basic public services that has been threatened by the Trump administration's "public charge" rule and the chilling effect that the past few years of state and national Republican rhetoric and policy have had on undocumented immigrants' posture towards government
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