In the Texan newspapers, a poll has been going around that show Texas' registered voters support an Arizona-style immigration law...to a point.
"It doesn't surprise me that 50 percent of the citizen voters of the state are in favor of some sort of form of legislation to protect our borders and rightfully so," said Hollis Rutledge, past chairman of the Hidalgo County Republican Party. He said because the government at the federal level didn't take care of the immigration problem, Arizona took matters into their own hands. "It's unfortunate that it's gotten to this point simply because out of desperation," he said. "They were not listened to." He said it's possible that could happen here in Texas.
"If we still don't get any results, then I think it's going to be necessary for the state legislators to look at this very issue in the upcoming bi-annual session," said Rutledge.[1]
But he said legislators need to be very careful on how they approach developing a state immigration law, so that it doesn't discourage those that come here from our neighboring country to legitimately do business with the United States.
Some of the members of Texas Legislation are already introducing a similar bill, even with protest from groups such as human rights activists. Time will tell whether this law will even go through voting.
(Reliability: 9)
Comments:
Frustrations and fears in South Texas have likely provoked approval for a similar law here. However, unlike Arizona, businesses based in Mexico come and deal with businesses based in Texas, and Texas wants to avoid any harsh or abrasive language that would prevent business people from Mexico from coming in. When Arizona issued their immigration law, the Mexican president issued a travel advisory, which brought bad publicity to the state, and it is obvious that Texans, determined as they are to turn the tide against illegal immigration, want to make a compromise bill.
[1] http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=517748